Spelling.School · How to spell

How to spell shift

Shift is spelled S-H-I-F-T.

What it means: To move or change position.

In a sentence: I had to shift my chair closer to the table. ▶

Same family: shifts, shifted, shifting, reshift, shiftable. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: “Shift” comes from Old English “sciftan,” meaning to arrange, divide, or change, and it is related to older Germanic words about ordering or assigning things. Over time, its meaning expanded so we now use it for many kinds of changes, from shifting gears in a car to shifting opinions.

Try spelling it

You will hear the word and a sentence. Type it and press Enter. Then four more words from the same level, so you know where you stand.

Words like this

shock · shoot · sharp · brush · flash · shot · spaceship · ocean

Everyone has words they always get wrong. Spelling.School finds yours, shows you exactly why you miss them, and uses spaced repetition until you spell them right every time. Five minutes a day. Try five words without signing up.