What Can You Ask in a Spelling Bee?

In a spelling bee you can ask the pronouncer to say the word again, define it, use it in a sentence, give its part of speech, give its language or languages of origin, and give any alternate pronunciations listed on the pronouncer’s competition list. That’s the list in the Scripps National Spelling Bee’s 2027 Suggested Rules for Spelling Bees, the guidance Scripps publishes for classroom, school and regional bees in the 2026-27 season (Scripps, 2027 Suggested Rules). The pronouncer won’t answer root word questions, give a different definition or say the word more slowly (same source). Root questions are allowed only at the National Competition (Scripps, 2026 Contest Rules).

The questions at a glance

Scripps publishes two sets of rules. The Suggested Rules cover every bee except the National Competition, and local officials are encouraged but not required to use them. The national finals run under separate Contest Rules (Scripps, 2027 Suggested Rules). As of October 20, 2026, the 2027 Contest Rules haven’t been posted. Scripps says they will be available in late fall 2026 (Scripps rules page), so the national column below uses the 2026 Contest Rules.

What you ask for	Local bees (2027 Suggested Rules)	National Competition (2026 Contest Rules)
Say the word again	Yes	Yes
Definition	Yes	Yes
Use it in a sentence	Yes	Yes
Part of speech	Yes	Yes
Language(s) of origin	Yes	Yes
Alternate pronunciations	Yes, as listed on the competition list	Yes, as listed in the word list
Does the word contain a certain root?	No	Yes, asked in a set way
A different definition or sentence	No	No
Say it slower or in syllables	No	No

The national column comes from the 2026 Contest Rules, where the pronouncer “responds only” to the six listed requests, and root questions go to the associate pronouncer (Scripps, 2026 Contest Rules).

How to use each answer

Hearing the word again

Ask for a repeat any time you aren’t sure what you heard. The pronouncer tries to match the pronunciation marked in the competition list, and the judges tell the pronouncer to correct any mismatch. Say the word back before you spell it. The judges listen to how you pronounce it, and if they think you’ve misheard, they work with you and the pronouncer until reasonable attempts have been made to help. Understanding the word is still your responsibility (Scripps, 2027 Suggested Rules).

Alternate pronunciations

Pronouncers don’t have to read every pronunciation. Scripps’ organizer guide says many give the first one and offer the alternates only if a speller asks or seems unsure (Scripps, Spelling Bee 101). A second version of the word can make an unclear sound easier to pin down, so it’s worth asking.

The definition

The definition is how you tell sound-alike words apart. When a word has a homonym, the pronouncer should define it. Scripps tries to flag every homonym in its lists but doesn’t guarantee it has found them all, and the rules put the final responsibility for knowing which word is meant on the speller (Scripps, 2027 Suggested Rules). If a word could be confused with another one, ask for the definition before you spell.

The sentence

A sentence shows the word doing its job, which helps you check that you have the right word and recognize a word you know but didn’t catch at first. You get one sentence: the rules don’t let you ask for a different one (same source).

Part of speech

The part of speech can point to an ending, especially when you put it together with the definition. In one exchange Scripps wrote up on its website, a speller given bacciferous asked for everything at once. The pronouncer said there were no alternate pronunciations, that it’s an adjective from Latin with an English combining form, and that it means “bearing berries” (Scripps). Merriam-Webster lists -ferous as an adjective combining form meaning “bearing” or “producing,” from Latin -fer (Merriam-Webster). An adjective that means “bearing something” leads you straight to that ending.

Language of origin

The language of origin tells you which spelling patterns to expect. Scripps lists the languages that significantly changed a word and doesn’t promise to list every language it passed through (Scripps, 2026 Contest Rules). Our guide to language of origin and spelling patterns covers the patterns that come up most.

Root questions (national finals only)

Under the 2026 Contest Rules, a speller may ask whether the word contains a particular root by giving the root’s pronunciation, its form and its meaning in the word’s ultimate language of origin, as shown in the etymologies of Merriam-Webster Unabridged. The associate pronouncer answers and isn’t obligated to look beyond that word’s dictionary entry (Scripps, 2026 Contest Rules). Below the national level, Scripps discourages root questions (Scripps, Spelling Bee 101). You can still use roots in your head: if the definition and origin suggest a root you know, that root may give you several letters. See our list of Greek and Latin roots.

What the pronouncer won’t do

Under the 2027 Suggested Rules, the pronouncer doesn’t take root word questions, requests for a different definition or requests to say the word more slowly. A speller also can’t win an appeal because the pronouncer refused to slow down, break the word into syllables, or give another definition or sentence (Scripps, 2027 Suggested Rules).

The pronouncer may also offer information from the competition list without being asked. If that unrequested information leads you to misspell, it isn’t grounds for appeal (same source). And you can’t lose for asking: the judges may not disqualify a speller for asking a question (same source).

Vocabulary rounds work differently

Some bees add oral vocabulary rounds, where you pick the meaning of a word from answer choices. There you can ask for the question or the answer choices to be repeated, and the pronouncer may spell the word for you (Scripps, 2027 Suggested Rules). You can’t ask for a sentence or a definition in a vocabulary round (Scripps, Spelling Bee 101).

Check your own bee’s rules

Your bee may not follow Scripps’ list exactly. The 2027 Suggested Rules say local officials can customize and adapt their competitions, and that spellers, parents and teachers should check with local officials for the rules in effect in their area. Scripps has no authority over local bees and won’t rule on their conduct or results (Scripps, 2027 Suggested Rules), and it states that decisions of local officials are final (Scripps rules page).

Scripps’ short how-to for school bees also lists alternate pronunciations, parts of speech, definitions and a sentence as the standard requests, and adds that at the school level students can ask about the word’s origin (Scripps rules page). If your bee uses the Suggested Rules, officials should give every speller a chance to get a complete copy before the bee starts (Scripps, 2027 Suggested Rules). Read it ahead of time, then practice asking the questions out loud. Our guides to practicing for a bee at home and competition day cover the rest.