Reception English and phonics: Tricky words in phrases and sentences
Part of the Reception English and phonics common tricky words chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Tricky words in phrases and sentences
Read the phrase go to the shop. Find the tricky words: go, to and the.
Read the sentence They can see my dog. Tricky words help the sentence make sense.
Key ideas
- Read a phrase from left to right, one word at a time.
- Find the tricky words and read them on sight.
- Read the whole sentence to check that it makes sense.
Method. Read the phrase, then find the tricky words in it.
- Read the phrase. Read each word in order.go - to - the - shop
- Find the tricky words. go, to and the are tricky words.go, to, the
- Write the answer. go, to, the
Check. The tricky words are go, to and the. ✓
Watch out. Check each word against the list.
Method. Look at the first word of the sentence.
- Read the first word. The first word is the one at the start.I
- Check that it is a tricky word. I is a tricky word.I
- Write the answer. I
Check. The first word is I. ✓
Watch out. Start with a capital letter for I.
Method. Read the whole sentence first. Then find the tricky word that fits the gap.
- Read the sentence. Read it all the way to the gap.We can go ___ the park.
- Find the tricky word. Read the word on sight, from the whole word.to
- Read the full sentence. Check that the sentence reads correctly.We can go to the park.
Check. Read the sentence again: We can go to the park.. ✓
Watch out. Tricky words are learned by their look, not by their sounds.
Watch out
Watch out: I is always written as a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Read a sentence with the child. Ask: “Which words do you know on sight?” Then read the sentence again together.
Exercise 8D Tricky words in phrases and sentences
Method. Read the phrase, then find the tricky words in it.
- Read the phrase. Read each word in order.go - to - the - shop
- Find the tricky words. go, to and the are tricky words.go, to, the
- Write the answer. go, to, the
Check. The tricky words are go, to and the. ✓
Watch out. Check each word against the list.
Method. Read the whole sentence first. Then find the tricky word that fits the gap.
- Read the sentence. Read it all the way to the gap.Let us ___ to the park.
- Find the tricky word. Read the word on sight, from the whole word.go
- Read the full sentence. Check that the sentence reads correctly.Let us go to the park.
Check. Read the sentence again: Let us go to the park.. ✓
Watch out. Tricky words are learned by their look, not by their sounds.
Method. Read the whole sentence first. Then find the tricky word that fits the gap.
- Read the sentence. Read it all the way to the gap.We ___ going into the pond.
- Find the tricky word. Read the word on sight, from the whole word.are
- Read the full sentence. Check that the sentence reads correctly.We are going into the pond.
Check. Read the sentence again: We are going into the pond.. ✓
Watch out. Tricky words are learned by their look, not by their sounds.
Method. Read the whole sentence first. Then find the tricky word that fits the gap.
- Read the sentence. Read it all the way to the gap.Look at ___ new hat.
- Find the tricky word. Read the word on sight, from the whole word.my
- Read the full sentence. Check that the sentence reads correctly.Look at my new hat.
Check. Read the sentence again: Look at my new hat.. ✓
Watch out. Tricky words are learned by their look, not by their sounds.
Method. Read the whole sentence first. Then find the tricky word that fits the gap.
- Read the sentence. Read it all the way to the gap.___ sat on a mat.
- Find the tricky word. Read the word on sight, from the whole word.she
- Read the full sentence. Check that the sentence reads correctly.she sat on a mat.
Check. Read the sentence again: she sat on a mat.. ✓
Watch out. Tricky words are learned by their look, not by their sounds.
Method. Read the sentence to the end.
- Read the sentence. Read each word in order.I - can - see - her
- Find the last word. The last word is her.her
- Write the answer. her is a tricky word.her
Check. The last word is her. ✓
Watch out. The last word is at the end, after see.
Method. Read the sentence, then write the tricky words in order.
- Read the sentence. Read each word in order.Mia - said - no - to - the - big - dog
- Find the tricky words. no, to and the are tricky words.no, to, the
- Write the answer. no, to, the
Check. The tricky words are no, to and the. ✓
Watch out. Check each word in order.
Method. Read the phrase from the start.
- Read the phrase. Read the first word first.to - the - shop
- Find the first word. The first word is to.to
- Write the answer. to
Check. The first word is to. ✓
Watch out. Start at the left.
Method. Read the sentence, then write the tricky words in order.
- Read the sentence. Read each word in order.They - go - to - the - park
- Find the tricky words. They, go, to and the are tricky words.They, go, to, the
- Write the answer. They, go, to, the
Check. Four tricky words in order. ✓
Watch out. Check each word against the list.
Method. Say the word, sound by sound. Then write one letter, or one group of letters, in each box.
- Say the name of the picture. A grown-up says the word slowly.all
- Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.a - ll
- Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.a-ll
Check. Read the letters back: a-ll. They spell all. ✓
Watch out. Write the sounds from left to right, and leave no box out.
Method. Find the tricky words in the sentence.
- Read the sentence. Read each word in order.I - can - see - my - dog
- Find I and my. I and my are tricky words.I, my
- Give your answer. Say whether Ravi is right.Accept any answer that says yes: I and my are both tricky words in the sentence.
Check. I and my are tricky words. ✓
Watch out. Check each word in the sentence.
Method. Write a short sentence and use the tricky word the.
- Think of a short sentence. Use words you know.I see the cat.
- Check the tricky word. the must be in the sentence.the
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence with the in it, such as I see the dog.
Check. The sentence has the tricky word the. ✓
Watch out. Read the sentence back to check it.