Sounds and spelling patterns
By the end of this chapter you will be able to
- Spell the sound at the end of badge and cage with the right letters
- Use the letters c, kn, gn and wr for the sounds they make at the start of words
- Spell words that end in le, el, al, il or y
- Spell words with a, o, ey, or, ar and s for sounds I know, such as all, mother and key
- Read a long word in parts and check that the text makes sense
- Write letters of the right size, with a space between words
You should already know
- The sound for each single letter and common digraphs such as sh and ch (Year 1)
- Blending sounds to read short words, and splitting words into sound boxes (Year 1)
Where this leads
- Spelling rules and endings, such as -es and -ing (Chapter 2)
- Common exception words and homophones (Chapter 3)
National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 1 English, Year 2. Content: Spell the sound at the end of badge with dge, and of cage with ge; g before e and y, The c that makes the s sound before e, i and y (city, cell), kn and gn at the start of words make the n sound; wr makes the r sound, Endings le, el, al and il, and y at the end of words (fly), Other spellings: a before l and ll (all), o (mother), ey (key), a and or and ar after w (want, word, war), s (treasure), Homophones such as sea and see; reading longer words in parts; checking that the text makes sense, Handwriting: letter size, joins, capitals, digits and spacing (practised on paper).
Exercise P Do you remember?
Method. Look at the start of ship.
- Split ship into sound boxes. sh makes one sound, so it is one box.sh | i | p
- Look at the first box. The first box has two letters.sh
- Write the answer. sh
Check. Push the boxes back together: sh + i + p makes ship. ✓
Watch out. Write both letters together, because sh makes one sound.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.d
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.d - o - g
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.dog
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.dog
Check. Split the word back into boxes: d | o | g. ✓
Watch out. Say each letter as its own sound.
Method. Say the alphabet up to m, then look at the letter before it.
- Say the letters in order. The alphabet goes l, m.l, m
- Find the letter before m. It is the one just before m.l comes before m
- Write the answer. l
Check. The letters go k, l, m, so l comes before m. ✓
Watch out. Say the alphabet slowly and count back one letter.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.f - i - sh
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: sh.f | i | sh
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.3 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.f, i, sh
Check. Push the boxes back together: f + i + sh makes fish. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of sh together in one box.
Method. Look at the last letter of the word.
- Say the word in sound boxes. sun has three sounds: s, u, n.s | u | n
- Look at the last box. The last box is the last sound.n
- Write the answer. n
Check. Read the boxes: s - u - n. The last letter is n. ✓
Watch out. The last letter is the one on the far right.
The sound at the end of badge, cage and gem
Some words end with the sound at the end of badge.
After a short vowel, use dge: badge, fudge.
After a long vowel, use ge: cage, huge.
Before e or y, g can make this sound: gem, gym.
| Letters | Example words |
|---|---|
| dge (after a short vowel) | badge, bridge, fudge, edge, hedge |
| ge (after a long vowel) | cage, page, huge, large |
| g (before e or y) | gem, germ, gym |
Key ideas
- After a short vowel, the end sound is dge: badge.
- After a long vowel, the end sound is ge: cage.
- Before e or y, g can make this sound: gem, gym.
- Keep dge, ge and g together in one sound box.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.b - r - i - dge
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: dge.b | r | i | dge
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.4 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.b, r, i, dge
Check. Push the boxes back together: b + r + i + dge makes bridge. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of dge together in one box.
Method. Split the word into boxes, then look at the last box.
- Say the word in sound boxes. Each box is one sound.c | a | ge
- Look at the last box. The last box is the sound at the end.last box: ge
- Write the answer. Write the letters of that box together.ge
Check. Push the boxes back together: c + a + ge makes cage. ✓
Watch out. Write all the letters of the last box, ge, together.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.f
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.f - u - dge
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.fudge
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.fudge
Check. Split the word back into boxes: f | u | dge. ✓
Watch out. Say dge as one sound, not as separate letters.
Watch out
Watch out: cage ends in ge, but badge ends in dge. Look at the vowel before the sound. Is it short, or long?
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Point to the end of each word and ask: is the vowel short or long? Short vowels, as in badge, use dge. Long vowels, as in cage, use ge. Write the words in sound boxes together.
Exercise 1A Practice: dge, ge and g
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.b - a - dge
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: dge.b | a | dge
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.3 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.b, a, dge
Check. Push the boxes back together: b + a + dge makes badge. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of dge together in one box.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.c - a - ge
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: ge.c | a | ge
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.3 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.c, a, ge
Check. Push the boxes back together: c + a + ge makes cage. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of ge together in one box.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.b
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.b - r - i - dge
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.bridge
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.bridge
Check. Split the word back into boxes: b | r | i | dge. ✓
Watch out. Say dge as one sound, not as separate letters.
Method. Write the letters for each box, in order, to spell the word.
- Look at the boxes. Each box holds one sound.h | e | dge
- Write each box in order. Keep the letters of one box together.h + e + dge
- Read the word. Check that it is a real word that matches the boxes.hedge
- Write the answer. hedge
Check. Split the word again: h | e | dge. ✓
Watch out. Write the letters of dge together, not as separate letters.
fu?
Method. Find the letters that fill the gap, so the word is right.
- Look at the word with the gap. Read the letters before and after the gap.fu?
- Find the missing sound. The gap is one sound. Its letters can be two or three.missing sound: dge
- Write the letters in the gap. Fill the gap, then read the whole word again.dge
Check. Put dge in the gap: f + u + dge makes fudge. ✓
Watch out. Write all the letters of the gap together: dge.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.badge, cage, edge, fudge
- Find the word that fits. cage ends in ge. The other three words end in dge.cage: c | a | ge
- Write the answer. cage
Check. Sound boxes for cage: c | a | ge. ✓
Watch out. Look at the last three letters, not only the last letter.
Method. Look at the start of gem and gym.
- Say the word in sound boxes. gem and gym start with the g letter.g | e | m, g | y | m
- Look at the letter after g. Before e or y, g makes this sound.e and y come after g
- Write the answer. g
Check. gem and gym both start with g. ✓
Watch out. Here g does not make its usual sound, as in game. It makes the sound at the start of gem.
Method. Look at the last three letters of each word.
- Look at cage and page. Both end in ge, after a long vowel.cage: ge | page: ge
- Look at badge and fudge. Both end in dge, after a short vowel.badge: dge | fudge: dge
- Write the answer. badge, fudge
Check. badge and fudge end in dge. ✓
Watch out. Check the last three letters of each word, not just the last one.
Method. Look at the end of badge.
- Split badge into sound boxes. The last box has three letters.b | a | dge
- Check the end. The end sound is written dge, not ge.dge
- Write the answer. No. Badge ends in dge.
Check. b | a | dge makes badge. ✓
Watch out. badge has a short vowel before the sound, so it uses dge.
Method. Think about the vowel before each ending.
- Pick a word that ends in dge. The vowel before the ending is short.badge: short a, dge
- Pick a word that ends in ge. The vowel before the ending is long.huge: long u, ge
- Explain the choice. A short vowel uses dge; a long vowel uses ge.badge and huge
- Write the answer. Any correct pair, for example badge and huge. Badge has a short vowel, so dge. Huge has a long vowel, so ge.
Check. Read each word and check its ending. ✓
Watch out. The vowel before the ending is the clue.
The c that sounds like s, and silent letters at the start of words
The letter c can make the start sound of sun.
This happens before e, i or y: cell, city, icy.
Some words start with kn or gn. You say only the n sound, as in knee and gnat.
Some words start with wr. You say only the r sound, as in wrap.
| Letters | Example words |
|---|---|
| c before e, i or y (sounds like sun) | city, cell, cider, icy |
| kn and gn (n sound) | knee, knock, knot, knit, gnat, gnaw |
| wr (r sound) | wrap, wrong, wrist, wreck, wren |
Key ideas
- Before e, i or y, c can make the start sound of sun.
- kn and gn at the start make the n sound: knee, gnat.
- wr at the start makes the r sound: wrap.
- In these words, the first letter is silent. You do not say it.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.kn - o - ck
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: kn, ck.kn | o | ck
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.3 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.kn, o, ck
Check. Push the boxes back together: kn + o + ck makes knock. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of kn together in one box.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.wr
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.wr - a - p
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.wrap
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.wrap
Check. Split the word back into boxes: wr | a | p. ✓
Watch out. Say wr as one sound, not as separate letters.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.gn - aw
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: gn, aw.gn | aw
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.2 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.gn, aw
Check. Push the boxes back together: gn + aw makes gnaw. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of gn together in one box.
Watch out
Watch out: the letter c can make two sounds. In cat, c makes the start sound of cup. In city, c makes the start sound of sun.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Cover the first letter of knee, then look again. Ask which letter you say: the n, not the k. Do not ask your child to hear the silent letter; point to it instead.
Exercise 1B Practice: c, kn, gn and wr
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.c - i - t - y
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Each letter makes its own sound, so it has its own box.c | i | t | y
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.4 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.c, i, t, y
Check. Push the boxes back together: c + i + t + y makes city. ✓
Watch out. Each letter has its own box.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.wr - i - s - t
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: wr.wr | i | s | t
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.4 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.wr, i, s, t
Check. Push the boxes back together: wr + i + s + t makes wrist. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of wr together in one box.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.kn
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.kn - o - ck
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.knock
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.knock
Check. Split the word back into boxes: kn | o | ck. ✓
Watch out. Say kn as one sound, not as separate letters.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.wr
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.wr - o - ng
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.wrong
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.wrong
Check. Split the word back into boxes: wr | o | ng. ✓
Watch out. Say wr as one sound, not as separate letters.
?at
Method. Find the letters that fill the gap, so the word is right.
- Look at the word with the gap. Read the letters before and after the gap.?at
- Find the missing sound. The gap is one sound. Its letters can be two or three.missing sound: gn
- Write the letters in the gap. Fill the gap, then read the whole word again.gn
Check. Put gn in the gap: gn + a + t makes gnat. ✓
Watch out. Write all the letters of the gap together: gn.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.wrap, rap, lap
- Find the word that fits. wrap starts with wr. rap and lap do not have a w.wrap: wr | a | p
- Write the answer. wrap
Check. Sound boxes for wrap: wr | a | p. ✓
Watch out. Look at the first two letters of each word.
Method. Look at the letter after c in each word.
- Look at cat and cup. The letter after c is a or u, so c sounds like k.cat: c = k | cup: c = k
- Look at cell and city. The letter after c is e or i, so c sounds like the start of sun.cell: c = s | city: c = s
- Write the answer. cell, city
Check. cell and city have c before e and i. ✓
Watch out. Look at the letter after the c.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.knee, nap, net
- Find the word that fits. knee starts with kn. nap and net start with n.knee: kn | ee
- Write the answer. knee
Check. Sound boxes for knee: kn | ee. ✓
Watch out. Check the first two letters. The k is silent, so do not say it.
Method. Look at the start of wrist.
- Split wrist into sound boxes. wr is one box, and it makes the r sound.wr | i | s | t
- Look at the w. The w is silent, so you say only the r.w is silent
- Write the answer. No. Wrist starts with the r sound, and the w is silent.
Check. wr | i | s | t. ✓
Watch out. The w is in the word, but it is not said.
Method. Choose four words from the table, then explain the silent letters.
- Pick two kn words. Use words from the table above.knee, knot
- Pick two wr words. Use words from the table above.wrap, wrong
- Explain the silent letters. The k in kn and the w in wr are not said.k and w are silent
- Write the answer. Any four correct words, for example knee, knot, wrap and wrong. The k and the w are silent.
Check. Check each word starts with kn or wr. ✓
Watch out. Say the word. Which letter do you hear first?
Endings: le, el, al, il and y
Some words end with a sound like the end of table.
It can be spelled le, el, al or il.
Each word has one ending, so learn each word with its ending.
Some words end with y: fly, sky.
| Letters | Example words |
|---|---|
| le | table, puzzle, candle, needle, jungle |
| el | camel, level, label, towel, travel |
| al | animal, metal, pedal, medal, total |
| il | pencil, fossil, stencil, nostril |
| y at the end | fly, cry, sky, dry, try, why |
Key ideas
- The endings le, el, al and il make the same end sound.
- No simple rule covers these four endings, so learn each word.
- At the end of a word, y can say the sound in fly.
- Split a word into two parts to find its ending: ta-ble.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.t - a - b - le
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: le.t | a | b | le
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.4 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.t, a, b, le
Check. Push the boxes back together: t + a + b + le makes table. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of le together in one box.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.p - e - n - c - il
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: il.p | e | n | c | il
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.5 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.p, e, n, c, il
Check. Push the boxes back together: p + e + n + c + il makes pencil. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of il together in one box.
Method. Split the word into boxes, then look at the last box.
- Say the word in sound boxes. Each box is one sound.a | n | i | m | al
- Look at the last box. The last box is the sound at the end.last box: al
- Write the answer. Write the letters of that box together.al
Check. Push the boxes back together: a + n + i + m + al makes animal. ✓
Watch out. Write all the letters of the last box, al, together.
Watch out
Watch out: towel ends in el, and tall ends in ll. Look at the last two letters before you write.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Split each word into two parts, such as ta-ble and pen-cil. Write the ending together. Make a card for each ending, le, el, al and il, and sort the words into four piles.
Exercise 1C Practice: le, el, al, il and y
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.c - a - n - d - le
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: le.c | a | n | d | le
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.5 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.c, a, n, d, le
Check. Push the boxes back together: c + a + n + d + le makes candle. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of le together in one box.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.p
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.p - u - zz - le
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.puzzle
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.puzzle
Check. Split the word back into boxes: p | u | zz | le. ✓
Watch out. Say zz as one sound, not as separate letters.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.l
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.l - e - v - el
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.level
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.level
Check. Split the word back into boxes: l | e | v | el. ✓
Watch out. Say el as one sound, not as separate letters.
met?
Method. Find the letters that fill the gap, so the word is right.
- Look at the word with the gap. Read the letters before and after the gap.met?
- Find the missing sound. The gap is one sound. Its letters can be two or three.missing sound: al
- Write the letters in the gap. Fill the gap, then read the whole word again.al
Check. Put al in the gap: m + e + t + al makes metal. ✓
Watch out. Write all the letters of the gap together: al.
Method. Write the letters for each box, in order, to spell the word.
- Look at the boxes. Each box holds one sound.f | o | ss | il
- Write each box in order. Keep the letters of one box together.f + o + ss + il
- Read the word. Check that it is a real word that matches the boxes.fossil
- Write the answer. fossil
Check. Split the word again: f | o | ss | il. ✓
Watch out. Write the letters of ss together, not as separate letters.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.table, camel, pedal, pencil
- Find the word that fits. camel ends in el. The others end in le, al or il.camel: c | a | m | el
- Write the answer. camel
Check. Sound boxes for camel: c | a | m | el. ✓
Watch out. Say the last two letters of each word.
Method. Look at the last two letters of each word.
- Look at medal and needle. medal ends in al. needle ends in le.medal: al | needle: le
- Look at stencil and label. stencil ends in il. label ends in el.stencil: il | label: el
- Write the answer. al, le, il, el
Check. medal: al, needle: le, stencil: il, label: el. ✓
Watch out. Write the ending for each word in the same order as the question.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.fly, fossil, level
- Find the word that fits. fly ends in y. fossil ends in il, and level ends in el.fly: f | l | y
- Write the answer. fly
Check. Sound boxes for fly: f | l | y. ✓
Watch out. Look at the last letter of each word.
Method. Look at the end of pencil.
- Split pencil into sound boxes. The last box is the ending.p | e | n | c | il
- Look at the ending. The ending is il, not el.il
- Write the answer. No. Pencil ends in il, not el.
Check. p | e | n | c | il makes pencil. ✓
Watch out. Some endings look alike. Look at the letters carefully.
Method. Pick one word for each ending, then explain.
- Pick a word that ends in al. Use a word from the table.animal
- Pick a word that ends in il. Use a word from the table.pencil
- Explain. There is no one simple rule for these endings, so we learn each word.learn each word
- Write the answer. Any correct pair, for example animal and pencil. The endings do not follow one simple rule, so each word must be learned.
Check. animal ends in al. pencil ends in il. ✓
Watch out. Say each word in two parts, then look at the ending.
Other spellings: all, mother and key; words that sound the same
The sound in all can be spelled a before l or ll.
The sound in mother can be spelled o.
The sound at the end of key can be spelled ey.
Some words sound the same but have different spellings. Look at sea and see. They sound the same, but they mean different things.
| Letters | Example words |
|---|---|
| a before l or ll (as in all) | all, ball, call, wall, small, tall, fall |
| o (as in mother) | mother, brother, other, another, son |
| ey (as in key) | key, donkey, monkey, turkey |
| homophones | sea and see, pair and pear, sun and son |
Key ideas
- a before l or ll: all, ball, small.
- o can make the sound in mother and brother.
- ey makes the sound in key, donkey and monkey.
- Homophones sound the same but are spelled differently: sea and see.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.m - o - n - k - ey
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: ey.m | o | n | k | ey
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.5 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.m, o, n, k, ey
Check. Push the boxes back together: m + o + n + k + ey makes monkey. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of ey together in one box.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.t
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.t - a - ll
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.tall
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.tall
Check. Split the word back into boxes: t | a | ll. ✓
Watch out. Say ll as one sound, not as separate letters.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.sea, see
- Find the word that fits. The sea is the water a boat sails on. See means to look.sea: s | ea
- Write the answer. sea
Check. Sound boxes for sea: s | ea. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: mother has o, and other has o too. Look at the letters, not only the sound. Also, sea and see sound the same, so use the meaning to choose.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Make a spelling wall with ll, ey and o. Put words under each spelling and read them together. For homophones, point to the sea, then point to your eyes for see, to show the meaning.
Exercise 1D Practice: all, mother, key and homophones
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.t - a - ll
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: ll.t | a | ll
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.3 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.t, a, ll
Check. Push the boxes back together: t + a + ll makes tall. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of ll together in one box.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.m
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.m - o - th - er
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.mother
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.mother
Check. Split the word back into boxes: m | o | th | er. ✓
Watch out. Say th as one sound, not as separate letters.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.d
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.d - o - n - k - ey
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.donkey
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.donkey
Check. Split the word back into boxes: d | o | n | k | ey. ✓
Watch out. Say ey as one sound, not as separate letters.
w?ll
Method. Find the letters that fill the gap, so the word is right.
- Look at the word with the gap. Read the letters before and after the gap.w?ll
- Find the missing sound. The gap is one sound. Its letters can be two or three.missing sound: a
- Write the letters in the gap. Fill the gap, then read the whole word again.a
Check. Put a in the gap: w + a + ll makes wall. ✓
Watch out. Write all the letters of the gap together: a.
br?ther
Method. Find the letters that fill the gap, so the word is right.
- Look at the word with the gap. Read the letters before and after the gap.br?ther
- Find the missing sound. The gap is one sound. Its letters can be two or three.missing sound: o
- Write the letters in the gap. Fill the gap, then read the whole word again.o
Check. Put o in the gap: b + r + o + th + er makes brother. ✓
Watch out. Write all the letters of the gap together: o.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.tall, key, mother
- Find the word that fits. tall has a before ll. key has ey. mother has o.tall: t | a | ll
- Write the answer. tall
Check. Sound boxes for tall: t | a | ll. ✓
Watch out. Look at the letters, not the sound.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.key, small, other
- Find the word that fits. key ends in ey. small ends in ll and other ends in er.key: k | ey
- Write the answer. key
Check. Sound boxes for key: k | ey. ✓
Watch out. Check the last two letters.
Method. Think about the sentence. What is hot in the sky?
- Read the sentence. The sentence is about the sky, not about a child.The ___ is hot
- Choose the word that fits. The sun is in the sky. A son is a boy in a family.sun
- Write the answer. sun
Check. sun: s | u | n. ✓
Watch out. sun and son sound the same. Use the meaning.
Method. Look at the letters in tall.
- Split tall into sound boxes. The middle box is a, and ll comes after it.t | a | ll
- Check the letters. There is no o in tall.no o
- Write the answer. No. Tall has a before ll.
Check. t | a | ll makes tall. ✓
Watch out. Look at the letters before you choose.
Method. Pick one word for each spelling, then explain.
- Pick a word with a before ll. Use a word from the table.ball
- Pick a word with ey. Use a word from the table.monkey
- Explain. Each word has the spelling we are practising.ball: all | monkey: ey
- Write the answer. Any correct pair, for example ball and monkey. Ball has a before ll, and monkey has ey.
Check. Check each word has its spelling. ✓
Watch out. Look at the letters in each word.
After w: a, or and ar; the s in treasure
After w, a can make the sound in want.
After qu, a makes this sound too, as in squash.
After w, the letters or make the sound in word.
After w, the letters ar make the sound in war.
The sound in the middle of treasure can be spelled s. It is also in measure and pleasure.
| Letters | Example words |
|---|---|
| a after w or qu (as in want) | want, wash, swan, squash |
| or after w (as in word) | word, work, world, worm, worth |
| ar after w (as in war) | war, warm, warn, swarm |
| s (as in treasure) | treasure, measure, pleasure |
Key ideas
- After w, a can make the sound in want, swan.
- After qu, a makes the sound in squash.
- After w, or makes the sound in word and work.
- After w, ar makes the sound in war and warm.
- The sound in treasure can be spelled s.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.t - r - ea - s - ure
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: ea, ure.t | r | ea | s | ure
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.5 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.t, r, ea, s, ure
Check. Push the boxes back together: t + r + ea + s + ure makes treasure. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of ea together in one box.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.w
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.w - or - d
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.word
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.word
Check. Split the word back into boxes: w | or | d. ✓
Watch out. Say or as one sound, not as separate letters.
Method. Split the word into boxes, then find the box.
- Say the word in sound boxes. Each box is one sound.w | ar | m
- Find the box you need. Look for the letters in one box.box: ar
- Write the answer. ar
Check. Push the boxes back together: w + ar + m makes warm. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: wash has a after w, but war has ar after w. Look at the letters before you choose.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Write w on a card and put the other letters after it: wa, wo, war. Sort the words into three piles: a, or and ar. Read each word together, then check the table.
Exercise 1E Practice: a, or, ar and s after w
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.w - a - sh
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: sh.w | a | sh
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.3 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.w, a, sh
Check. Push the boxes back together: w + a + sh makes wash. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of sh together in one box.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.w - or - m
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: or.w | or | m
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.3 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.w, or, m
Check. Push the boxes back together: w + or + m makes worm. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of or together in one box.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.w
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.w - ar - m
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.warm
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.warm
Check. Split the word back into boxes: w | ar | m. ✓
Watch out. Say ar as one sound, not as separate letters.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.s
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.s - w - a - n
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.swan
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.swan
Check. Split the word back into boxes: s | w | a | n. ✓
Watch out. Say each letter as its own sound.
squ?sh
Method. Find the letters that fill the gap, so the word is right.
- Look at the word with the gap. Read the letters before and after the gap.squ?sh
- Find the missing sound. The gap is one sound. Its letters can be two or three.missing sound: a
- Write the letters in the gap. Fill the gap, then read the whole word again.a
Check. Put a in the gap: s + qu + a + sh makes squash. ✓
Watch out. Write all the letters of the gap together: a.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.want, word, work
- Find the word that fits. want has a after w. word and work have or after w.want: w | a | n | t
- Write the answer. want
Check. Sound boxes for want: w | a | n | t. ✓
Watch out. Look at the letter after the w.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.warm, worm, wash
- Find the word that fits. warm has ar after w. worm has or, and wash has a.warm: w | ar | m
- Write the answer. warm
Check. Sound boxes for warm: w | ar | m. ✓
Watch out. Look at the two letters after the w.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.worth, warn, wash
- Find the word that fits. worth has or after w. warn has ar, and wash has a.worth: w | or | th
- Write the answer. worth
Check. Sound boxes for worth: w | or | th. ✓
Watch out. Look at the two letters after the w.
Method. Split measure into sound boxes.
- Say measure in sound boxes. The sound before ure is in its own box.m | ea | s | ure
- Look at the box before ure. That box is s.s
- Write the answer. s
Check. m | ea | s | ure makes measure. ✓
Watch out. The s is the sound before the last box.
Method. Look at the letters after the w in each word.
- Look at wash. After w, there is a, then sh.w | a | sh
- Look at war. After w, there is ar.w | ar
- Write the answer. Wash has a after w, and war has ar after w. They are spelled differently.
Check. w | a | sh and w | ar. ✓
Watch out. Look at the letters, then say the words.
Reading longer words, spelling from sound boxes and checking meaning
A syllable is one beat in a word. Read a long word in parts, then join the parts together.
To spell a word, put its sounds in boxes. Write the letters for each box.
Read the story below. Then read it again.
Reading again helps you get faster.
Check that each sentence makes sense as you read it.
Key ideas
- Read a long word in parts: dol-phin, win-dow, num-ber.
- To read a word, blend its sound boxes together.
- To spell a word, split it into boxes, then write each box.
- If a word does not make sense, read it again and check.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.d - o - l - ph - i - n
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: ph.d | o | l | ph | i | n
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.6 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.d, o, l, ph, i, n
Check. Push the boxes back together: d + o + l + ph + i + n makes dolphin. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of ph together in one box.
Method. Write the letters for each box, in order, to spell the word.
- Look at the boxes. Each box holds one sound.b | a | dge
- Write each box in order. Keep the letters of one box together.b + a + dge
- Read the word. Check that it is a real word that matches the boxes.badge
- Write the answer. badge
Check. Split the word again: b | a | dge. ✓
Watch out. Write the letters of dge together, not as separate letters.
Method. Read the sentence again, and check the word.
- Read the sentence the way Lily read it. A chin is part of the face.The chin sat in the nest
- Think about what makes sense. A chin cannot sit in a nest. A chick can.chick fits, chin does not
- Write the answer. No. It should be chick.
Check. chick: ch | i | ck. ✓
Watch out. When a sentence does not make sense, look again at the word.
Watch out
Watch out: a long word can look hard. Read it in parts first, then put the parts together.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Read the story with your child. Let your child read one sentence at a time, then ask: does that make sense? Read the story again, so it gets faster. Point to the letters rather than asking your child to hear the sounds.
Exercise 1F Practice: reading in parts, spelling and the story
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.n - u - m - b - er
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: er.n | u | m | b | er
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.5 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.n, u, m, b, er
Check. Push the boxes back together: n + u + m + b + er makes number. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of er together in one box.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.w - i - n - d - ow
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: ow.w | i | n | d | ow
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.5 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.w, i, n, d, ow
Check. Push the boxes back together: w + i + n + d + ow makes window. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of ow together in one box.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.s
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.s - i - s - t - er
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.sister
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.sister
Check. Split the word back into boxes: s | i | s | t | er. ✓
Watch out. Say er as one sound, not as separate letters.
Method. Write the letters for each box, in order, to spell the word.
- Look at the boxes. Each box holds one sound.m | o | n | k | ey
- Write each box in order. Keep the letters of one box together.m + o + n + k + ey
- Read the word. Check that it is a real word that matches the boxes.monkey
- Write the answer. monkey
Check. Split the word again: m | o | n | k | ey. ✓
Watch out. Write the letters of ey together, not as separate letters.
Method. Write the letters for each box, in order, to spell the word.
- Look at the boxes. Each box holds one sound.wr | i | s | t
- Write each box in order. Keep the letters of one box together.wr + i + s + t
- Read the word. Check that it is a real word that matches the boxes.wrist
- Write the answer. wrist
Check. Split the word again: wr | i | s | t. ✓
Watch out. Write the letters of wr together, not as separate letters.
Method. Find the first sentence of the story.
- Find the first sentence. It says where they went.Amira went to the park with her dad.
- Find the place. The place is the park.the park
- Write the answer. The park
Check. The story says the park. ✓
Watch out. Also accept: to the park.
Method. Find the sentence about the log.
- Find the sentence. It says what Amira saw on the log.Amira saw a frog on a log.
- Find the animal. The animal is the frog.frog
- Write the answer. frog
Check. frog: f | r | o | g. ✓
Watch out. Look for the word after saw.
Method. Look at the words in the story with w.
- Look for w. was, warm and water have w.was, warm, water
- Check the ending. Only water ends in er.water: w | a | t | er
- Write the answer. water
Check. water: w | a | t | er. ✓
Watch out. Check both parts: a after w, and the ending er.
Method. Read the sentence again and check the word.
- Read the sentence Lily read. A frog can sit on a lock, but a lock is not something a frog sits on.on the lock
- Think about what makes sense. A frog sits on a log.log fits
- Write the answer. No. It should be log.
Check. lock is not log. ✓
Watch out. Check the word that does not fit, then read the sentence again.
Method. Count the full stops, question marks and exclamation marks.
- Count the sentences in the story. Each sentence ends with a full stop or an exclamation mark.1 Amira went ... 8 A brown duck ...
- Write the number. There are 8 sentences.8 sentences
- Write the answer. 8
Check. Count the eight sentences in the story. ✓
Watch out. Count the sentence with the speech marks as one sentence.
Handwriting: letter size, joins and spacing
Handwriting is done on paper. Practise with a pencil, and let a grown-up check your work.
Most small letters sit between the middle line and the base line.
Tall letters reach the top line: b, d, h, k, l.
Letters g, j, p, q and y go below the line.
Capital letters and digits sit on the top line.
Leave a finger-width space between words.
Key ideas
- Tall letters (b, d, h, k, l) reach the top line.
- Small letters, such as a and o, sit between the lines.
- Letters g, j, p, q and y go below the base line.
- Capital letters and digits sit on the top line. Leave a finger-width space between words.
Method. Look at the guide lines.
- Look at b. b is a tall letter, so it goes up to the top line.b: tall
- Look at a. a is a small letter, so it stays between the middle and base lines.a: small
- Write the answer. b
Check. b reaches the top line; a does not. ✓
Watch out. Tall letters touch the top line.
Method. Look at each letter of the word.
- Look at h. h is tall, so it reaches the top line.h: tall
- Look at d. d is tall too.d: tall
- Look at a and n. a and n are small.a, n: small
- Write the answer. h, d
Check. h and d reach the top line. ✓
Watch out. Look at the top of each letter.
Method. Think about a finger.
- Put your finger between two words. The space is about as wide as one finger.one finger
- Write the answer. a finger
- Write the answer. a finger
Check. Leave a finger-width space. ✓
Watch out. Too small a space makes words hard to read.
Watch out
Watch out: do not make every letter tall. Small letters such as a, c, e and o stay between the lines.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Draw four guide lines on paper: top, middle, base and below the base line. Ask your child to write a word between the lines, then check together that tall letters touch the top line. Do not correct every letter at once.
Exercise 1G Practice on paper: size, joins and spacing
Method. Look at the top of each letter.
- Look at b. b is tall.b: tall
- Look at o. o is small.o: small
- Write the answer. b
Check. b reaches the top line. ✓
Watch out. Tall letters touch the top line.
Method. Look at the bottom of each letter.
- Look at g. g has a tail below the base line.g: below
- Look at h. h stands on the base line.h: on the line
- Write the answer. g
Check. g goes below the base line. ✓
Watch out. The tail of g goes below the line.
Method. Look at the size of each letter.
- Look at a. a is small.a: small
- Look at k. k is tall.k: tall
- Write the answer. a
Check. a is small; k reaches the top line. ✓
Watch out. Small letters do not reach the top line.
Method. Think about the space you leave between words.
- Measure the space. Use your finger as a ruler.one finger wide
- Write the answer. a finger
Check. A finger-width space is the right size. ✓
Watch out. Too small makes words run together.
Method. Use the guide lines.
- Write ship on the lines. Keep sh, i and p the same height as each other.ship ship ship
- Ask a grown-up. A grown-up checks the height of the letters.checked
- Write the answer. ship
Check. Check that the small letters sit between the middle and base lines. ✓
Watch out. Do not make the letters too big or too small.
Method. Think about the first letter of your name.
- Write your name. The first letter is a capital, so it is tall.capital at the start
- Ask a grown-up. A grown-up checks the capital letter.checked
- Write the answer. A capital letter
Check. The capital letter reaches the top line. ✓
Watch out. A capital letter is taller than a small letter.
Method. Write each digit on the same line.
- Write the digits in order. Each digit sits on the line and is the same size.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
- Ask a grown-up. A grown-up checks the size of each digit.checked
- Write the answer. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Check. Nine digits, one for each number. ✓
Watch out. Each digit should sit on the line and be about the same size.
Method. Look at each letter.
- Look at h and d. Both reach the top line.h, d
- Look at a and n. Both are small.a, n
- Write the answer. h, d
Check. h and d are tall. ✓
Watch out. Tall letters touch the top line.
Method. Join the letters with one short stroke.
- Write a. Finish the a, then add a small stroke.a
- Join to n. The pen stays on the paper to join a and n.an
- Write the answer. an
Check. The join is small and neat. ✓
Watch out. Start the n next to the join, not far away.
Method. Look at the letters in chip.
- Look at p. p has a tail that goes below the base line.p: below
- Answer. So the answer is yes.yes
- Write the answer. yes
Check. p goes below the line. ✓
Watch out. The tail of p goes below the line.
Chapter summary
| Skill | Method |
|---|---|
| The end sound of badge and cage | dge after a short vowel (badge, fudge); ge after a long vowel (cage, huge) |
| c that sounds like sun | c before e, i or y: cell, city, cider |
| Silent letters at the start | kn and gn make the n sound (knee, gnat); wr makes the r sound (wrap) |
| Endings | le, el, al and il, and y at the end (table, towel, animal, pencil, fly) |
| Other spellings | a before ll (all); o (mother); ey (key); a after w or qu (want, squash); or and ar after w (word, war); s (treasure) |
| Blend and spell | Blend the boxes to read; split a word into boxes to spell it |
| Check | Read a longer word in parts, and check that the sentence makes sense |
Can you…?
- I can spell the sound at the end of badge with dge, and of cage with ge
- I can use c, kn, gn and wr for the sounds they make at the start of words
- I can spell words that end in le, el, al, il or y
- I can spell words with a before ll, o, ey and the s in treasure
- I can write the letters after w, as in want, word and war
- I can read a longer word in parts, and check that a sentence makes sense
- I can write letters of the right size, with a space between words
Key terms
- sound box
- one box for each sound in a word
- digraph
- two letters that make one sound, such as sh
- trigraph
- three letters that make one sound, such as igh
- silent letter
- a letter that is written but not said, such as the k in knee
- homophone
- a word that sounds the same as another, but has a different spelling and meaning, such as sea and see
- syllable
- one beat in a word, such as dol-phin
- phoneme
- one sound in a word
- grapheme
- the letters that write one sound
Exercise 1Z Check-up
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.h - e - dge
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: dge.h | e | dge
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.3 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.h, e, dge
Check. Push the boxes back together: h + e + dge makes hedge. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of dge together in one box.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.k
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.k - ey
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.key
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.key
Check. Split the word back into boxes: k | ey. ✓
Watch out. Say ey as one sound, not as separate letters.
?aw
Method. Find the letters that fill the gap, so the word is right.
- Look at the word with the gap. Read the letters before and after the gap.?aw
- Find the missing sound. The gap is one sound. Its letters can be two or three.missing sound: gn
- Write the letters in the gap. Fill the gap, then read the whole word again.gn
Check. Put gn in the gap: gn + aw makes gnaw. ✓
Watch out. Write all the letters of the gap together: gn.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.wrong, long, song
- Find the word that fits. wrong starts with wr. long and song start with l and s.wrong: wr | o | ng
- Write the answer. wrong
Check. Sound boxes for wrong: wr | o | ng. ✓
Watch out. Look at the first two letters.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.table, towel, travel
- Find the word that fits. table ends in le. towel ends in el, and travel ends in el.table: t | a | b | le
- Write the answer. table
Check. Sound boxes for table: t | a | b | le. ✓
Watch out. Say the last two letters of each word.
Method. Write the letters for each box, in order, to spell the word.
- Look at the boxes. Each box holds one sound.j | u | ng | le
- Write each box in order. Keep the letters of one box together.j + u + ng + le
- Read the word. Check that it is a real word that matches the boxes.jungle
- Write the answer. jungle
Check. Split the word again: j | u | ng | le. ✓
Watch out. Write the letters of ng together, not as separate letters.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.wash, work, warm
- Find the word that fits. wash has a after w. work has or, and warm has ar.wash: w | a | sh
- Write the answer. wash
Check. Sound boxes for wash: w | a | sh. ✓
Watch out. Look at the letters after the w.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.key, cry, cell
- Find the word that fits. key has ey. cry ends in y, and cell has ll.key: k | ey
- Write the answer. key
Check. Sound boxes for key: k | ey. ✓
Watch out. Check the letters, not only the end of the word.
Method. Look at the start of knock.
- Split knock into sound boxes. kn is one box, and it makes the n sound.kn | o | ck
- Look at the k. The k is silent, so you say only the n.k is silent
- Write the answer. No. Knock starts with the n sound, and the k is silent.
Check. kn | o | ck makes knock. ✓
Watch out. The k is written, but it is not said.
Method. Write the letters for each box, in order, to spell the word.
- Look at the boxes. Each box holds one sound.p | e | n | c | il
- Write each box in order. Keep the letters of one box together.p + e + n + c + il
- Read the word. Check that it is a real word that matches the boxes.pencil
- Write the answer. pencil
Check. Split the word again: p | e | n | c | il. ✓
Watch out. Write the letters of il together, not as separate letters.
Total 13 marks. Allow about 13 minutes.
Exercise 1X End-of-chapter quiz
Method. Split the word into boxes, then look at the last box.
- Say the word in sound boxes. Each box is one sound.b | r | i | dge
- Look at the last box. The last box is the sound at the end.last box: dge
- Write the answer. Write the letters of that box together.dge
Check. Push the boxes back together: b + r + i + dge makes bridge. ✓
Watch out. Write all the letters of the last box, dge, together.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.wr - a - p
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: wr.wr | a | p
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.3 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.wr, a, p
Check. Push the boxes back together: wr + a + p makes wrap. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of wr together in one box.
Method. Write the letters for each box, in order, to spell the word.
- Look at the boxes. Each box holds one sound.c | a | ge
- Write each box in order. Keep the letters of one box together.c + a + ge
- Read the word. Check that it is a real word that matches the boxes.cage
- Write the answer. cage
Check. Split the word again: c | a | ge. ✓
Watch out. Write the letters of ge together, not as separate letters.
Method. Find the letters that fill the gap, so the word is right.
- Look at the word with the gap. Read the letters before and after the gap.mo?er
- Find the missing sound. The gap is one sound. Its letters can be two or three.missing sound: th
- Write the letters in the gap. Fill the gap, then read the whole word again.th
Check. Put th in the gap: m + o + th + er makes mother. ✓
Watch out. Write all the letters of the gap together: th.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.animal, pencil, camel
- Find the word that fits. animal ends in al. pencil ends in il, and camel ends in el.animal: a | n | i | m | al
- Write the answer. animal
Check. Sound boxes for animal: a | n | i | m | al. ✓
Watch out. Say the last two letters of each word.
Key words. A sound box holds one sound. Two or three letters can share one box.
Method. Say the word slowly, then put the letters for each sound in one box.
- Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.t - ur - k - ey
- Put the letters for each sound in a box. Letters that make one sound share one box: ur, ey.t | ur | k | ey
- Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.4 sounds
- Write the answer. Write the sounds in order, with commas.t, ur, k, ey
Check. Push the boxes back together: t + ur + k + ey makes turkey. ✓
Watch out. Keep the letters of ur together in one box.
Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.
Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to make the word.
- Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.w
- Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.w - a - sh
- Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.wash
- Write the answer. Write the word with its letters.wash
Check. Split the word back into boxes: w | a | sh. ✓
Watch out. Say sh as one sound, not as separate letters.
Method. Check the letters in each word, then choose the one that fits.
- Look at each word. Check the letters that matter for this question.want, tall, pear
- Find the word that fits. want has a after w. tall has a before ll, and pear has ear.want: w | a | n | t
- Write the answer. want
Check. Sound boxes for want: w | a | n | t. ✓
Watch out. Look at the letters, not the sound.
Method. Look at the end of each word.
- Look at small. small ends with a and ll.small: a, ll
- Look at ball. ball ends with a and ll too.ball: a, ll
- Write the answer. Yes. Both end with a and ll.
Check. small and ball both end in all. ✓
Watch out. Look at the last two letters and the letter before them.
Method. Pick one word for each spelling, then explain.
- Pick words. Use words from this chapter.badge, knee, wrap
- Explain the silent k. The k in kn is written but not said.k is silent
- Write the answer. Any three correct words, for example badge, knee and wrap. The k in knee is silent.
Check. badge has dge; knee has kn; wrap has wr. ✓
Watch out. kn at the start makes the n sound only.