How to Make Your Own Spelling Test Online (Step-by-Step Guide)

Want to make your own spelling test? Whether you’re a teacher working with your K-12, intervention, or ELA students; a parent helping with homework; or a student practicing for a spelling test, making your own spelling test is easier than ever. This guide shows you exactly how to make your own spelling test online — with your own words and built-in audio — in just minutes.

The fastest way to do it is with our free spelling test generator, which reads each word aloud, uses it in a sentence, and grades itself automatically.

Quick Steps to Make Your Own Spelling Test

1. Visit the spelling test generator at SpellingTestBuddy.com
2. Sign in with your email or Google account (it’s free to start!)
3. Choose how to add your words:
   • Take a photo of your word list
   • Upload a PDF or image
   • Type your words manually
   • Generate a list from a specific phonics pattern
4. Name your test and customize settings (edit words, shuffle, and more)
5. Share your test link with anyone, by email, text, Google Classroom, or Seesaw
6. See the results, including exactly which words each student missed

Watch this quick video to see how easy it is to make your own spelling test:

Try a Sample Spelling Test

Want to see what your custom spelling test will look like? Try this sample test:

Why Make Your Own Spelling Test Online?

Creating your own custom spelling tests online comes with many benefits:

1. Save Time: No more writing tests by hand or printing multiple copies
2. Instant Grading: Tests are automatically scored as students complete them
3. Audio Built In: Each word is read aloud and used in a sentence. No more reading words out one at a time to the whole class
4. Flexibility: Use any words you want: vocabulary words, sight words, challenge words, or even domain-specific words
5. Easy Sharing: Send your test to students via email, text, or embed it on your website
6. Track Progress: See which words students commonly miss and monitor improvement
7. Environmentally Friendly: No paper needed
8. Accessible Anywhere: Students can take tests on any device with internet access

Why Make a Spelling Test With Your Own Words?

The short answer: a generic word list isn’t an instructor’s curriculum. If you’re drilling -tion endings this week, or working through a science unit on ecosystems, your spelling test should match what you’re actually teaching, not what some publisher decided grades 3–5 should know.

A few more concrete reasons:

1. Paper tests tell you almost nothing. You get a score. An online test shows you which words each student missed, so you know exactly what to reteach, without spending an evening grading.
2. Students who practice the actual test words before test day do better. With a shareable link, they can run through the words at home instead of staring at a crumpled paper list the night before.
3. Differentiation is hard enough without managing separate paper piles. Custom lists let you run different word sets for different reading groups without the logistical headache.
4. The Science of Reading supports structured literacy — spelling tied to the phonics patterns you’re currently teaching, not random memorization. Building your own test around this week’s pattern is how to reinforce learning.
5. Custom lists make spaced repetition practical. With the right system, you can resurface words students missed last week alongside new ones — far more effective for retention than one-and-done weekly tests. Each student’s personalized list can be different, optimized for exactly where they are.

Special Features for Teachers

Teachers who make their own spelling tests with Spelling Test Buddy for Teachers get a full suite of classroom management and reporting features:

• Create unlimited word lists
• Manage students
• Organize students into groups
• Schedule practice, games, and tests with due dates
• Track class performance
• Generate practice worksheets
• Use pre-built word lists for Kindergarten, First Grade, and Second Grade, as well as lists from over 400 spelling strategies (consonant blends, CVC patterns, open syllables, digraphs, and many more). Our lists align with US Common Core standards and popular teaching methods like Words Their Way, Orton-Gillingham, and UFLI.

Used by teachers around the world

At these schools and over 4,500 more!

Learn more about how Spelling Test Buddy for Teachers saves you time.

Is Taking Spelling Tests Backed by Research?

Spelling instruction and spelling tests in the classroom are intricately tied to the Science of Reading movement.

“Science of Reading” (or SoR for short) refers to a body of research from multiple disciplines — including education, neuroscience, and cognitive psychology — that explores how we learn to read. It aims to understand the processes involved in reading and to apply that understanding to improve reading instruction and literacy outcomes.

The Science of Reading supports using spelling tests to strengthen orthographic mapping, helping students link sounds to letters. Tests should emphasize recognizing patterns and rules over rote memorization. Learn more about how the Science of Reading interacts with spelling and spelling tests.

What Languages and Accents Are Supported?

Spelling Test Buddy currently supports audio words and sentences in US English, UK English, Australian English, and Indian English.

Can I Add Spelling Games and Practice?

Yes. Spelling Test Buddy includes a library of spelling games that use the words in your word lists. When you assign Practice, your students can play these games with their own words. You can also turn any list into a continuous, personalized practice track with Adaptive Learning Programs, which use spaced repetition to resurface the words each student needs most.

Can I Create a Custom Spelling Bee?

Yes. Many schools have created virtual Spelling Bees with Spelling Test Buddy, and parents have used it to help students practice for an upcoming Spelling Bee or UIL Spelling Test.

I’m a Parent or Homeschooler. Is This for Me?

Yes. The Standard edition of Spelling Test Buddy offers the same science-backed features for spelling instruction, practice, games, adaptive learning, and tests. You can use it for every student in your household or microschool. Learn more about Spelling Test Buddy for Home.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make my own spelling test?

Sign in at SpellingTestBuddy.com, add your words by photo, upload, or typing, customize and name the test, then share the link. Students hear each word read aloud, use it in a sentence, type their answer, and the test grades itself automatically. The whole process takes under a minute — start with the spelling test generator.

Can I make a spelling test with my own words?

Yes. Spelling Test Buddy is built around custom word lists: the words you are actually teaching this week, frequently misspelled words, or vocabulary from a current unit. A generic publisher list isn’t your curriculum, so building your own test around this week’s pattern is how you reinforce what you teach.

Is there a free spelling test generator?

Yes. You can start for free with our spelling test generator, which creates audio spelling tests from your own word lists in seconds. No software to install.

Do the spelling tests include audio?

Yes. Every generated spelling test automatically reads each word aloud and uses it in a sentence for context. Audio support is available in US, UK, Australian, and Indian English accents.

How are the spelling tests graded?

Tests are graded automatically as students complete them. You see each student’s score and exactly which words they missed, so you know what to reteach without grading by hand.

Make Your Own Spelling Test Today!

Ready to create your first online spelling test? It’s free and takes less than a minute. Get started with the spelling test generator.