What is the relative trick?

Many of these nouns have -ant or -ent relatives: important/importance, confident/confidence. The relatives sound just as unclear, so this is a spelling check, not a listening one: if you know how to spell the relative, the noun keeps its vowel.

Are there patterns behind the families?

Deep Latin ones, not usable at this age. The practical route is the club lists plus the relative trick, which together cover almost everything.

5th grade suffixes -ance and -ence

5th grade suffixes -ance and -ence worksheets

Fifth graders sort quickly and use the relative trick: if they can spell the -ant or -ent cousin (important, confident), the noun keeps the same vowel.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.5.4.b.

Each print is a different sheet with its own answer key. You don't need to sign up.

The kind of words you'll complete and sort

Fill in the missing letters to make a real word, then write the whole word in its column.

allowindependperformabspresentr

Columns: -ance and -ence. Only ance turns "allow_" into a real word, so allowance goes under -ance; Only ence turns "abs_" into a real word, so absence goes under -ence.

Every print pulls a new set of words at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on a 5th grade sheet

5th grade sheets draw from 20 words, 14 to a page. 4th to 6th grade print from the same 20 words. What changes is the standard (L.5.4.b here) and the teaching notes below.

Some of the words:

distanceentrancebalancedisturbancedifferenceconfidenceevidenceindependenceexcellenceexperience

Complete and sort. Fill in the missing letters to make a real word, then write the whole word in its column. 14 words per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Teach the relative trick with pairs: write confident, then confidence, and circle the e they share. Some kids like to say it in a silly spelling voice, confi-DENT, as a memory trick, but the real word ends in uh just like the noun. The written family is what carries the vowel, and it works for most of the list.

Watch for: The vowel is a schwa, a quick uh that sounds the same in both endings, which is why these are among the most misspelled endings in English. This sort is eye training, openly and on purpose. Relatives share spellings: important/importance, different/difference, confident/confidence. The -ant and -ent words end in the same uh sound, so they don't help the ear. They help the eye: if your child can already spell the relative, the noun keeps its vowel.

Common questions about 5th grade suffixes -ance and -ence

What is the relative trick?: Many of these nouns have -ant or -ent relatives: important/importance, confident/confidence. The relatives sound just as unclear, so this is a spelling check, not a listening one: if you know how to spell the relative, the noun keeps its vowel.
Are there patterns behind the families?: Deep Latin ones, not usable at this age. The practical route is the club lists plus the relative trick, which together cover almost everything.

Related worksheets

Ready to print one?

Need a fresh set of words? Download another copy.

Aligned to Common Core L.5.4.b. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated October 2026.

Spot a mistake on this sheet? Tell us. · About these worksheets