Reception English and phonics: The sounds of e and u

Method. Find the picture whose name starts with the sound /e/.

1. Look at the start of each name. The first letter, or first letters, give the first sound. A grown-up can read each name aloud.
   kite starts with k · egg starts with e · sun starts with s
2. Find the sound /e/. Only one name starts with this sound.
   /e/ is at the start of egg.
3. Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.
   egg

Check. Say egg slowly, sound by sound. It starts with /e/. ✓

Watch out. Look at the start of the name, not at the end or the middle.

Method. Find the picture whose name starts with the sound /u/.

1. Look at the start of each name. The first letter, or first letters, give the first sound. A grown-up can read each name aloud.
   egg starts with e · cat starts with c · umbrella starts with u
2. Find the sound /u/. Only one name starts with this sound.
   /u/ is at the start of umbrella.
3. Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.
   umbrella

Check. Say umbrella slowly, sound by sound. It starts with /u/. ✓

Watch out. Look at the start of the name, not at the end or the middle.

Method. Say the name of the picture. Then find the letter that makes its first sound.

1. Read the name. Read every letter in the name.
   egg
2. Find the first sound. The first letter tells the first sound.
   The first sound is /e/.
3. Choose the letter for that sound. Choose from e, a, o.
   e

Check. The word egg starts with e. ✓

Watch out. Some letters make a different sound in other words. Check the start of this word only.

Method. Say the name of the picture. Then find the letter that makes its first sound.

1. Read the name. Read every letter in the name.
   umbrella
2. Find the first sound. The first letter tells the first sound.
   The first sound is /u/.
3. Choose the letter for that sound. Choose from u, e, a.
   u

Check. The word umbrella starts with u. ✓

Watch out. Some letters make a different sound in other words. Check the start of this word only.

Method. Say the word, sound by sound. Then write one letter, or one group of letters, in each box.

1. Say the name of the picture. A grown-up says the word slowly.
   pen
2. Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.
   p - e - n
3. Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.
   p-e-n

Check. Read the letters back: p-e-n. They spell pen. ✓

Watch out. Write the sounds from left to right, and leave no box out.

Method. Say the word, sound by sound. Then write one letter, or one group of letters, in each box.

1. Say the name of the picture. A grown-up says the word slowly.
   sun
2. Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.
   s - u - n
3. Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.
   s-u-n

Check. Read the letters back: s-u-n. They spell sun. ✓

Watch out. Write the sounds from left to right, and leave no box out.

Method. Read the parts in order. Then say the sounds together, faster and faster, to make the word.

1. Read each part, one at a time. Each part makes one sound. Read them from left to right.
   s - u - n
2. Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word.
   /s/ /u/ /n/
3. Write the word. The blended sounds make the word.
   /s/ /u/ /n/ = sun

Check. Check the picture of a sun. The picture matches the word. ✓

Watch out. Do not say each sound as a separate word. Join them together.

Method. Read the parts in order. Then say the sounds together, faster and faster, to make the word.

1. Read each part, one at a time. Each part makes one sound. Read them from left to right.
   n - e - s - t
2. Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word.
   /n/ /e/ /s/ /t/
3. Write the word. The blended sounds make the word.
   /n/ /e/ /s/ /t/ = nest

Check. Check the picture of a nest. The picture matches the word. ✓

Watch out. Do not say each sound as a separate word. Join them together.

Method. The middle sound comes after the first sound and before the last sound.

1. Say the word slowly, sound by sound. Each letter makes one sound here.
   c-u-p
2. Find the sound that is not first or last. The middle one sits between the other two.
   The middle letter is u.
3. Write the answer. Write the letter for the middle sound.
   u

Check. Say the word again: c-u-p. The middle sound is u. ✓

Watch out. Do not pick the first or last letter. Look between them.

Method. The middle sound comes after the first sound and before the last sound.

1. Say the word slowly, sound by sound. Each letter makes one sound here.
   p-e-n
2. Find the sound that is not first or last. The middle one sits between the other two.
   The middle letter is e.
3. Write the answer. Write the letter for the middle sound.
   e

Check. Say the word again: p-e-n. The middle sound is e. ✓

Watch out. Do not pick the first or last letter. Look between them.

Method. Find the middle letter of each name.

1. Look at sun. The middle letter is u.
   s - u - n
2. Look at cup. The middle letter is u.
   c - u - p
3. Look at pen. The middle letter is e.
   p - e - n
4. Write the answer.
   pen

Check. Only pen has e in the middle. ✓

Watch out. Find the letter between the first and last letters.

Method. Check the first letter and the middle letter of each name.

1. Look at sun. It starts with s and has u in the middle.
   s - u - n
2. Look at egg. It starts with e, not s.
   e - gg
3. Look at cup. It starts with c, not s.
   c - u - p
4. Write the answer.
   sun

Check. Only sun has both clues. ✓

Watch out. Check both clues before you choose.

Method. Read the parts in order. Then say the sounds together, faster and faster, to make the word.

1. Read each part, one at a time. Each part makes one sound. Read them from left to right.
   p - e - n
2. Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word.
   /p/ /e/ /n/
3. Write the word. The blended sounds make the word.
   /p/ /e/ /n/ = pen

Check. Check the picture of a pen. The picture matches the word. ✓

Watch out. Do not say each sound as a separate word. Join them together.

Method. Say the word, sound by sound. Then write one letter, or one group of letters, in each box.

1. Say the name of the picture. A grown-up says the word slowly.
   net
2. Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.
   n - e - t
3. Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.
   n-e-t

Check. Read the letters back: n-e-t. They spell net. ✓

Watch out. Write the sounds from left to right, and leave no box out.

Method. Read the parts in order. Then say the sounds together, faster and faster, to make the word.

1. Read each part, one at a time. Each part makes one sound. Read them from left to right.
   c - u - t
2. Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word.
   /k/ /u/ /t/
3. Write the word. The blended sounds make the word.
   /k/ /u/ /t/ = cut

Check. Check the picture of a cut. The picture matches the word. ✓

Watch out. Do not say each sound as a separate word. Join them together.

Method. Find the middle sound of each word.

1. Look at pen. The middle letter is e.
   p - e - n
2. Look at cup. The middle letter is u.
   c - u - p
3. Give your answer. Say whether the middle sounds are the same.
   Accept any answer that says no: the middle sound of pen is e, and the middle sound of cup is u.

Check. e and u are different sounds. ✓

Watch out. Say each word slowly to find the middle.