Reception English and phonics: Two letters, one sound: sh and ch

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

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.
   ship starts with sh · chick starts with ch · van starts with v
2. Find the sound /sh/. Only one name starts with this sound.
   /sh/ is at the start of ship.
3. Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.
   ship

Check. Say ship slowly, sound by sound. It starts with /sh/. ✓

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 /ch/.

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.
   ship starts with sh · web starts with w · chick starts with ch
2. Find the sound /ch/. Only one name starts with this sound.
   /ch/ is at the start of chick.
3. Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.
   chick

Check. Say chick slowly, sound by sound. It starts with /ch/. ✓

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 /ch/.

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.
   jug starts with j · chair starts with ch · ship starts with sh
2. Find the sound /ch/. Only one name starts with this sound.
   /ch/ is at the start of chair.
3. Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.
   chair

Check. Say chair slowly, sound by sound. It starts with /ch/. ✓

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

Check. The word ship starts with sh. ✓

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.
   chair
2. Find the first sound. The first letter tells the first sound.
   The first sound is /ch/.
3. Choose the letter for that sound. Choose from ch, c, h.
   ch

Check. The word chair starts with ch. ✓

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.
   ship
2. Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.
   sh - i - p
3. Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.
   sh-i-p

Check. Read the letters back: sh-i-p. They spell ship. ✓

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.
   chick
2. Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.
   ch - i - ck
3. Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.
   ch-i-ck

Check. Read the letters back: ch-i-ck. They spell chick. ✓

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.
   sh - i - p
2. Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word.
   /sh/ /i/ /p/
3. Write the word. The blended sounds make the word.
   /sh/ /i/ /p/ = ship

Check. Check the picture of a ship. 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.
   ch - i - ck
2. Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word.
   /ch/ /i/ /k/
3. Write the word. The blended sounds make the word.
   /ch/ /i/ /k/ = chick

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

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

Method. Say the first sound of chick.

1. Say chick slowly. Listen for the first sound.
   ch - i - ck
2. Find the first sound. ch makes one sound, /ch/.
   first sound: /ch/
3. Write the answer. Write both letters together.
   ch

Check. ch is one sound at the start of chick. ✓

Watch out. Do not write c and h as two sounds.

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.
   chick: ch · chair: ch · ship: sh
2. Find the one that is different. The other names all start with ch.
   ship is different.
3. Write the answer. Say what the odd one starts with.
   ship (starts with sh)

Check. The other pictures start with ch, so ship 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 the first sound of ship.

1. Say ship. Say the first sound once.
   sh - i - p
2. Count the sounds at the start. sh is one sound.
   first sound: /sh/
3. Give your answer. Say why Ben is wrong.
   Accept any answer that says no: sh is one sound, /sh/, so ship starts with one sound.

Check. sh makes one sound, /sh/. ✓

Watch out. Two letters can make one sound.