Reception English and phonics: Checking a spelling
Part of the Reception English and phonics segmenting and writing words chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Checking a spelling
Tom writes the word for a picture of a bus. He writes bos. Is it right?
Read the spelling sound by sound: /b/ /u/ /s/. The middle letter should be u, not o.
bus
Key ideas
- Read a spelling back, sound by sound.
- Check that each letter matches a sound in the word.
- A spelling that does not match the sounds is wrong, even if it looks close.
catcatkatcot
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.c - a - t
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling cot does not match the sounds.cot
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.cat
Check. Read the right spelling back: cat. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
shipshipsipshop
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.sh - i - p
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling shop does not match the sounds.shop
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.ship
Check. Read the right spelling back: ship. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
rainrainranereen
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.r - ai - n
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling rane does not match the sounds.rane
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.rain
Check. Read the right spelling back: rain. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
Watch out
Watch out: the sounds decide the spelling. A word can look right and still be wrong.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “Which sound does this letter make?” Read the word back, sound by sound, and check each box.
Exercise 7E Checking spellings
dogdogdgodag
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.d - o - g
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling dgo does not match the sounds.dgo
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.dog
Check. Read the right spelling back: dog. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
sunsunsnsum
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.s - u - n
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling sn does not match the sounds.sn
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.sun
Check. Read the right spelling back: sun. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
duckduckdukdack
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.d - u - ck
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling duk does not match the sounds.duk
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.duck
Check. Read the right spelling back: duck. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
fishfishfshfis
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.f - i - sh
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling fsh does not match the sounds.fsh
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.fish
Check. Read the right spelling back: fish. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
coincoincoyncoen
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.c - oi - n
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling coyn does not match the sounds.coyn
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.coin
Check. Read the right spelling back: coin. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
bus
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.b - u - s
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling bos does not match the sounds.bos
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.bus
Check. Read the right spelling back: bus. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
fish
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.f - i - sh
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling fsh does not match the sounds.fsh
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.fish
Check. Read the right spelling back: fish. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
dog
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.d - o - g
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling dgo does not match the sounds.dgo
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.dog
Check. Read the right spelling back: dog. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
tree
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.t - r - ee
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling tre does not match the sounds.tre
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.tree
Check. Read the right spelling back: tree. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
coin
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.c - oi - n
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling coyn does not match the sounds.coyn
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.coin
Check. Read the right spelling back: coin. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
rain
Method. Say the picture name, sound by sound. Then check each part of the spelling.
- Say the picture name. Say each sound in order.r - ai - n
- Check the spelling that was written. The spelling rane does not match the sounds.rane
- Write the right spelling. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.rain
Check. Read the right spelling back: rain. It matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. Check every letter, in order, against the sounds.
cat
Method. Think about the steps you took in this section.
- Say the word. Say the sounds in order.c - a - t
- Check each box. Each letter or group must match one sound.c, a, t
- Give your answer. Use the word sounds in your answer.Accept any answer that says you read the word sound by sound and check each letter against the picture.
Check. Read the sounds, then check each box. ✓
Watch out. Read the word back, sound by sound.