Free SPaG SATs Practice Paper (2026), PDF Download

What's in the real KS2 English GPS test

SPaG stands for Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar. It's formally called the English grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS) test, and every Year 6 pupil in a state-maintained school sits it as part of the KS2 SATs.

Paper	Tests	Marks	Time
Paper 1	Grammar, punctuation and vocabulary: word classes, sentence types, clauses, punctuation rules	50	45 minutes
Paper 2	Spelling: 20 sentences read aloud, your child writes the missing word	20	~15-20 minutes

How Paper 1 is actually marked. Most of its marks (roughly two-thirds to four-fifths) come from selected-response questions: ticking a box, circling or underlining a word, or matching sentences to their type. The rest are constructed-response: completing, correcting or rewriting a sentence, or writing an original example of a grammar feature.

Both papers sit on the Monday of KS2 SATs week (11 May in 2026, 10 May in 2027), with Reading on the Tuesday and Maths on the Wednesday and Thursday. They're marked externally and reported as a scaled score, where 100 is the expected standard.

For the whole week, paper by paper, see our guide to preparing for Year 6 SATs.

What's in this practice paper

Every one of the 43 KS2 SPaG topics, plus a real spelling practice section, with full answers. 9 pages.

Grammar & punctuation

43 multiple-choice questions, one from every SPaG topic across all seven curriculum strands.

Vocabulary

Prefixes, suffixes, synonyms, antonyms and homophones, folded into the same 43 questions.

Spelling practice

20 words sampled from the real Department for Education statutory Years 5-6 spelling list, each in a sentence.

Answer sheet

A clean printable answer sheet, matching how the real test is marked.

Full mark scheme

Every answer explained, pulled straight from the same audited content as our interactive map.

More practice

Every question links back to the free interactive map for follow-up practice on any weak topic.

How to use this paper

Work through Paper 1 topic by topic. It's grouped by strand, so you can stop and revisit any weak area on the interactive map before continuing.
Ask an adult to read Paper 2 aloud. Each spelling sentence is designed to be read out, matching how the real test works.
Mark with the answer key and note down which topics need another look.
Return to weak topics on the map a few days later for fresh practice, rather than repeating this same paper.
For a full timed mock, GOV.UK's real past papers are the only genuine simulation of the exact 45-minute format.

An honest word on this paper. This is an original Pip practice paper covering the same topics and question style as the real Key Stage 2 English grammar, punctuation and spelling test. It is not a past paper from the Standards and Testing Agency, and Pip is not affiliated with the STA or the Department for Education. Every question and every spelling sentence comes from the same audited content already live on our interactive map, app and vocabulary tools, none of it was written specifically for this PDF.

SPaG SATs paper FAQ

What's the difference between SPaG Paper 1 and Paper 2?

Paper 1 is the grammar and punctuation test, 50 marks in 45 minutes, questions on things like word classes, sentence types, clauses and punctuation. Paper 2 is the spelling test, 20 marks in around 15 to 20 minutes, where a teacher reads out 20 sentences and your child writes the missing word.

How many marks is the SPaG test worth?

70 marks in total: 50 for Paper 1 (grammar and punctuation) and 20 for Paper 2 (spelling). Paper 1 carries more than twice the weight of Paper 2, so it is worth the larger share of revision time, without skipping spelling altogether.

Is the SPaG test compulsory?

Yes, for every Year 6 pupil in a state-maintained school, academy or free school, the same as Reading and Maths. Independent schools are not required to sit any of the three.

When are Year 6 SATs (SPaG papers) in 2026 and 2027?

The SPaG papers were sat on Monday 11 May 2026. For 2027, GOV.UK's confirmed timetable has them on Monday 10 May 2027, the first day of KS2 SATs week.

Is this practice paper a real past paper?

No. This is an original Pip practice paper covering the same 43 topics and question style as the real test, built from the same audited content as our interactive map and app.

It is not a past paper from the Standards and Testing Agency, and Pip is not affiliated with the STA or the Department for Education. GOV.UK publishes the genuine past papers for free once your child is ready for a full timed sit.

For extra spelling and grammar practice, the DoodleEnglish and DoodleSpell apps from the same maker are covered in our DoodleMaths review.

Sources

Key stage 2 English grammar, punctuation and spelling test framework — Standards and Testing Agency, GOV.UK. Sets out Paper 1 and Paper 2's marks, timing and question-type mix.
Key stage 2 tests: 2026 English grammar, punctuation and spelling test materials — Standards and Testing Agency, GOV.UK, published 22 May 2026.
Key stage 2: assessment and reporting arrangements (ARA) — Standards and Testing Agency, GOV.UK, confirms the test is statutory for maintained schools, academies and free schools.
2026 key stage 2 scaled score conversion tables — Standards and Testing Agency, GOV.UK, published 16 July 2026.
Key stage 2 attainment: National headlines, 2025/26 — Department for Education, updated 10 September 2026.
Primary assessments: future dates — Standards and Testing Agency and Department for Education, GOV.UK, confirms the 10 May 2027 date.
English appendix 1: spelling — Department for Education, GOV.UK. The real, statutory Years 5-6 word list this paper's spelling section samples from.

Pip is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Standards and Testing Agency or the Department for Education. This practice paper is original material matched to the published test format and contains no official test questions.

Free SPaG SATs Practice Paper

Get the 9-page SPaG SATs practice paper with answers