Reception English and phonics: Mixed letters: h, b, f, ff, l, ll, ss

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

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.
   hen starts with h · fan starts with f · bell starts with b
2. Find the sound /b/. Only one name starts with this sound.
   /b/ is at the start of bell.
3. Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.
   bell

Check. Say bell slowly, sound by sound. It starts with /b/. ✓

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 /f/.

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.
   fish starts with f · hen starts with h · bus starts with b
2. Find the sound /f/. Only one name starts with this sound.
   /f/ is at the start of fish.
3. Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.
   fish

Check. Say fish slowly, sound by sound. It starts with /f/. ✓

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.
   fish
2. Find the first sound. The first letter tells the first sound.
   The first sound is /f/.
3. Choose the letter for that sound. Choose from f, h, s.
   f

Check. The word fish starts with f. ✓

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.
   ball
2. Find the first sound. The first letter tells the first sound.
   The first sound is /b/.
3. Choose the letter for that sound. Choose from b, l, p.
   b

Check. The word ball starts with b. ✓

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.
   lid
2. Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.
   l - i - d
3. Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.
   l-i-d

Check. Read the letters back: l-i-d. They spell lid. ✓

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.
   h - e - n
2. Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word.
   /h/ /e/ /n/
3. Write the word. The blended sounds make the word.
   /h/ /e/ /n/ = hen

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

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

Method. Look at the start of each name. One of them starts with a different sound.

1. Look at the first letter of each name. Read the names as a grown-up points to them.
   bed: b · bus: b · hen: h
2. Find the one that is different. The other names all start with b.
   hen is different.
3. Write the answer. Say what the odd one starts with.
   hen (starts with h)

Check. The other pictures start with b, so hen is the odd one. ✓

Watch out. Find the sound that most names share first. The odd one is the name that does not match.

Method. Say hill sound by sound.

1. Say hill. Each sound is one box.
   h - i - ll
2. Find the last sound. The last sound is /l/, written ll.
   last sound: /l/
3. Write the answer.
   ll

Check. ll makes one sound at the end. ✓

Watch out. Write both l letters together.

Method. Look at the end of each name.

1. Look at hen and hat. hen ends with n. hat ends with t.
   hen: n; hat: t
2. Look at bell. bell ends with ll, a double letter.
   bell: ll
3. Write the answer.
   bell

Check. Only bell ends with a double letter. ✓

Watch out. Look at the last two letters.

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.
   f - u - ss
2. Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word.
   /f/ /u/ /s/
3. Write the word. The blended sounds make the word.
   /f/ /u/ /s/ = fuss

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

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

Method. Start with h, then end with ll.

1. Start with h. The first letter is h.
   h - ...
2. Finish with ll. The end is one sound, /l/.
   h - i - ll
3. Write the answer.
   Accept any word that starts with h and ends with ll, such as hill.

Check. The word starts with h and ends with ll. ✓

Watch out. Check the first and last letters.

Method. Look at the sounds at the end of bell and ball.

1. Look at bell. bell ends with one sound, /l/.
   bell: /l/
2. Look at ball. ball ends with one sound, /l/.
   ball: /l/
3. Give your answer. Say what the double letter makes.
   Accept any answer that says yes: ll makes one sound, /l/, at the end of a short word.

Check. Each word ends with one /l/ sound. ✓

Watch out. Two letters can make one sound.