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Tier 2 and 3 spelling and vocabulary words are critical for academic development in Years 3 and 4, so what are they, and where can I find them?
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Looking for word lists to make sure your child’s spelling skills are on track? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve created free downloadable Year 3 and 4 spelling word lists. Keep reading to understand what’s expected at this level, according to the NSW and Victoria Junior School Curriculum, and how you can improve your child’s spelling!
The NSW English Syllabus identifies eight focus areas for Stage 2 (Year 3 and 4) English, while Victoria identifies three. But, most of them are directly related to vocabulary. In Year 3 and 4, your child is expercted to:
Read, spell and pronounce increasingly complex words
Understand and use a growing vocabulary, including less common words
Apply spelling in reading, writing, and conversation
The Department of Education calls these Tier 2 and Tier 3 words.
To support your child’s spelling growth, it’s helpful to know what kinds of words they’ll encounter:
Tier 1 words: Basic, everyday words like run, happy, or play.
Tier 2 words: Used in everyday conversation, but have multiple meanings (e.g. date can refer to the day of the month, or the sweet tropical fruit).
Tier 3 words: Less common and context-specific words. You might come across them in novels, essays, textbooks, or scientific articles (e.g. economics, satire or isotope).
Building a strong vocabulary with year 3 and 4 spelling words helps students develop their reading comprehension and writing skills.
When trying to improve your child’s understanding of Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary, word lists can be a good place to start. Lucky for you, we’ve made top-quality spelling word lists that are free to download! Each list include 10 important Tier 2 and Tier 3 words and their definitions and example sentences using these words.
Boost your child's spelling and vocabulary with Tier 2 and 3 words. 
Download your free Year 3 Spelling Word List
Here’s a step-by-step approach that’s both effective and easy to follow:
Set aside 30 minutes to go through the list together. Talk through each word, its meaning, and how it’s used.
Let your child study independently across the week.
When ready, run a spelling quiz:
Read each word aloud to your child.
Ask your child to spell and define it on the worksheet provided.
Don’t stress about exact definitions. As long as the meaning is clear, that’s fine.
Hand the list back to your child and let them mark their own work.
Self-correction is powerful. It helps reinforce learning.
Finally, double-check their answers and give them a score out of 20:
1 point for correct spelling
1 point for a correct definition
Boost your child's spelling and vocabulary with Tier 2 and 3 words. 
Download your Year 4 Spelling Word List
To make the quiz more engaging, ask your child to use each word in a sentence or to explain what each word means aloud. This can make the task more fun and interactive for both of you.
We encourage you to make the quiz as conversational as possible.
If you both get stuck on a particular word (don’t worry, it happens to the best of us!), here’s a handy little trick: Type “Define [insert word here]” into Google. The first result will be an Oxford Dictionary definition of the word. You’ll get its meaning, correct usage, and a dropdown list of synonyms. If you click the speaker icon, you can listen to how the word is pronounced! Just be wary of homonyms; some words have multiple definitions.
While word lists remain a fantastic resource for improving your child’s Year 3 and 4 spelling and vocabulary, they aren’t designed to engage your child’s comprehension or critical thinking skills.
Warning! Knowing the spelling and definition of a word doesn’t guarantee you know when or how to use it.
The NSW and Victorian Curriculum require students to not only understand and respond to literature, but also compose writing of their own. This distinction is exactly what NAPLAN is designed to test, and will remain the focus of your child’s English studies up until Year 12.
So, how can you make sure your child’s critical literacy is up to speed?
The Year 3 and 4 English Syllabus places great emphasis on examining the different ways words can be used. Children at this stage should be asking specific questions when they come across new words. So, we’ve made a three-step guide so you and your child can use to begin analysing Tier 2 and 3 words!
When your child sees an adjective (or describing word), the first question they should ask is:
Is this word being used objectively or subjectively?
If something is objective, it means it is scientifically true or factual. An objective truth is not based on feelings or opinion.
Example: The Earth is a round planet.
Here, the word “round” is being used objectively. The Earth is spherical, and that is true, no matter what. It is a factual, scientific observation, not influenced by feelings or personal opinion.
Objective words can give your child’s writing credibility, and are helpful when composing persuasive and informative pieces. They are often found in facts and statistics!
If something is subjective, it means it is based on opinion. A subjective word comes from someone’s individual thoughts and feelings, so different people will use different subjective words, based on their unique perspectives.
Example: The Earth is a beautiful planet.
Here, the word “beautiful” is being used subjectively. While Earth is factually round, different people have different feelings about whether the Earth looks beautiful. All opinions are all valid, and none of them are necessarily “wrong”.
Someone who loves the colour blue might think the Earth is the MOST beautiful planet in the solar system. On the other hand, someone who’s favourite colour is red might prefer the look of Mars.
Subjective words can highlight how the speaker thinks, feels, or sees the world. They give personal insight and emotional depth to a piece, and are helpful when composing persuasive and creative pieces.
The subjective words we choose often reflect who we are more than the things we are detailing. For example, if an artist discovers a tree branch obstructing their path, they might focus on the intricate patterns carved into the bark. When describing the branch to a friend later that day, they might call it gorgeous.
On the other hand, an ER surgeon might stumble across the same branch and immediately see it as a tripping hazard. In discussion with their colleagues, they might opt for a more negative word like sharp or dangerous.
Ultimately, while Year 3 and 4 spelling lists are helpful, they don’t cover everything. When the time comes to compose a NAPLAN or HSC imaginative response, knowing how to manipulate subjective words will be crucial. Will the protagonist of your child’s story describe their campfire as bright and warm, or blinding and scorching? Careful! There’s a difference.
Another useful question you can ask when analysing a word is if it is being used literally or figuratively. If a word is literal, it is being used in its most basic sense, without exaggeration or metaphor. Basically, if something is literal, it means EXACTLY what it says.
Example: The tree was on fire.
Here, the word “fire” is being used literally; we are supposed to believe that the tree is actually burning. The writing speaks for itself.
However, if a word is used figuratively, it means the writer hasn’t used it with the original definition in mind. Instead, they are actually trying to say something a bit more abstract.
Example: Bimansa just hit three baseballs in a row! She’s on fire!
Here, the word “fire” is being used figuratively; we aren’t supposed to believe Bimansa is actually on fire. Rather, in this case, being “on fire” is a metaphor that suggests Bimansa is performing really well in baseball. In this case, we ignore the original definition of the word, and instead focus on the more abstract (or figurative) meaning!
Knowing the difference between figurative and literal language is fundamental. From Year 3 to the HSC, your child’s performance in English will revolve around understanding figurative language. It will crop up in virtually every text they it read, and they will be expected to use it in their own writing as well.
Clearly, while Year 3 and 4 spelling lists are great, they can’t teach your child everything. So, what will happen the next time you bring up “the elephant in the room” with your child? Will they search their cupboard for a massive tusked beast? Or will they think figuratively, and realise you’re probably talking about the fact that they haven’t made their bed in four days…?
3. Low modality VS High modality
The final distinction the Stage 2 English Syllabus makes is between low modality or high modality. Essentially, modality refers to the degree of certainty or intensity with which something is said. A low modal statement is uncertain, weak, and/or apathetic. Conversely, a high modal statement is certain, strong, and/or impassioned.
Let’s have a go at writing the a statement in low modality:
Example: Maybe you should get ice-cream.
Here, low modal words like “maybe” and “should” make this statement appear less certain. But what happens if we up the modality?
Example: You must get ice-cream.
Here, the high modal word “must” gives the statement greater certainty and authority. It transforms the statement from a suggestion into a command. While the bold words above are all examples of what we call auxiliary verbs, even nouns and adjectives make use of modality. Consider the difference in power between the words “damp” and “drenched”, “unkind” and “ruthless”, or “option” and “requirement”. While we don’t always notice, each of us uses modality every single day.
Understanding how low and high modal words contribute to the overall intensity, authority, and tone of a sentence is crucial. In NAPLAN (and indeed into the HSC), your child will be assessed on their persuasive writing. This is a form that demands a mastery of high modal language. Just make sure your child knows when high modality should (and shouldn’t) be used. “Mother, you MUST pass the butter!” just doesn’t have the same ring to it…
Overall, one thing is clear: Stage 2 English is a big step up. The NSW and Victorian Curriculum demand Year 3 and 4 students to move above and beyond the traditional “word list”. Instead, the syllabus requires students to begin asking bigger questions of the words they encounter. What makes a statement a suggestion or a command? How do you tell the difference between an opinion and a fact? Can words have deeper meanings that are separate from their normal definitions? What does someone’s choice of words tell us about who they are as a person?
While it can be overwhelming when educators throw around big words like “figurative” and “modality”, students are encouraged to start small.
To begin, make sure your child is reading widely, and most importantly, reading things that they enjoy (check out Matrix’s list of the top 10 books for Year 3 and 4 students!). If your child is a difficult reader, consider starting them on a chapter book with pictures, or a graphic novel. Encourage your child to use a pencil to underline any words they don’t understand. These words can then be looked up at the end of each chapter, or even included in a personalised word list!
Speaking of, a word list once a week can go a long way. But remember! Recent findings in psychology and neuroscience suggest that rewarding effort and perseverance is more important than rewarding good grades. So, if you really want to see real improvement, make sure your child knows you are proud of the work they are putting into improving their literacy, no matter their weekly results!
Finally, it is worth noting that word lists are no substitute for reading. While it can be tempting to focus on Year 3 and 4 spelling worksheets as the primary metric for your child’s academic development, these resources offer a narrow picture. In truth, it’s students who love stories and enjoy discussing books that become the most successful English scholars. So, if you really want to give your child’s literacy a boost, check out our free Ultimate Reading Guide. Therein, you’ll find expert tips on how to nurture your child’s love of reading. And of course, when you see a high modal word, or hear a phrase that uses a word figuratively, talk to your child about it. Before long, they’ll be joining in!
Written by Matrix Education
Matrix is Sydney's No.1 High School Tuition provider. Come read our blog regularly for study hacks, subject breakdowns, and all the other academic insights you need.
© Matrix Education and www.matrix.edu.au, 2025. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Matrix Education and www.matrix.edu.au with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
