Spelling list: Using ch to spell the /k/ sound

Throughout its history, the English language has taken words from different languages. These borrowed words usually come with their own spelling rules. This means that in English the same sound can be spelt in a variety of ways.

Although this might seem daunting – our spelling activities will have you confident with English’s weird and wonderful spelling rules in no time!

This list looks at words of Greek origin where the letter chi (χ) was used to represent the hard /k/ sound. If you want to learn how to say this sound, you can click on the speaker icons or try the Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check activity.

Alternatively, as you learn these words, you could try saying them aloud with a /ch/ sound instead of a /k/ sound to help you remember their spellings.

ache	Unripe fruit can give you stomach ache.
anchor	The ship dropped anchor in the bay.
chaos	The car crash caused chaos on the busy road.
chemist	The local chemist will have the right medicine for you.
chorus	I've been chosen to sing in the chorus.
echo	My voice created an echo in the cave. *
monarch	Before Queen Elizabeth II, the monarch was King George VI.
orchid	An orchid has unusually shaped flowers. *
scheme	They were part of a car pooling scheme.
stomach	Unripe fruit can give you stomach ache.
architect	The new store will be designed by a top architect.
character	I like a person with a friendly character.
chemistry	The student passed all his chemistry exams.
cholera	Cholera is a terrible disease.
orchestra	The orchestra played softly in the background.
mechanic	A good mechanic can fix any make of car.
technical	A technical fault set off the fire alarm.
technology	Computer technology is changing the world.
school	School starts at the same time each day. *