Year 1 English Phonics Check Practice: worked examples and questions with answers

Method. Add the real words and the alien words together.

1. Count the real words. Half of the words are real.
   20 real
2. Count the alien words. Half of the words are alien.
   20 alien
3. Add them together. The check has both kinds.
   20 + 20 = 40
4. Write the answer.
   40

Check. Count the words in each half: 20 and 20. ✓

Watch out. Count both halves of the check.

Method. Think about what the check looks for.

1. Look at what the child does. The child reads the words out loud.
   The child reads
2. Decide what the check is about. The check is about reading, not writing or spelling.
   Reading, not spelling
3. Write the answer.
   False

Check. The child reads the words. They do not write them. ✓

Watch out. The check is about reading.

Method. Think about what an alien word is.

1. Think about an alien word. An alien word is made up.
   made up
2. Think about its meaning. Made-up words have no meaning to learn.
   no meaning
3. Write the answer.
   False

Check. Alien words have no meaning, so there is nothing to learn. ✓

Watch out. Your child reads the letters, not a meaning.

Method. Think about what happens after the check.

1. Read the statement. Some children take the check again in Year 2.
   Year 2 retake
2. Decide if it is true. The statement matches what happens.
   True
3. Write the answer.
   True

Check. A child can take the check again, in Year 2. ✓

Watch out. A retake is not the same as a fail. It is another chance to show reading.

Method. Think about which way helps a child read a new word.

1. Look at each choice. a) guessing is not reading. c) takes away the chance to read.
   a and c do not help the child read
2. Find the way that builds reading. Sounding out builds the skill the check needs.
   b) Sound out, then push the sounds together
3. Write the answer.
   b

Check. Choice b is the only one where the child does the reading. ✓

Watch out. Give the child time to sound out a word before you help.

Method. Think about what an alien word cannot do.

1. Think about the word. An alien word has no meaning, so a child cannot guess it.
   no meaning to guess
2. Think about the reading. The child has to sound out the letters, one sound at a time.
   sound out the letters
3. Write the answer. The check shows that the child can read a word they have never seen.
   To show they can sound out the letters.

Check. A child who can sound out an alien word can read a new word. ✓

Watch out. Alien words test the sounding out, not the memory.

Method. Look at each part of the check.

1. Look at a) and b). The child reads real and alien words aloud.
   a) and b) are in the check
2. Look at c). The child does not spell words from memory in this check.
   c) is not in the check
3. Write the answer.
   c

Check. Only reading is tested, so spelling from memory is not part of it. ✓

Watch out. The check is about reading, not writing.

Method. Think about when the check happens in Year 1.

1. Read the statement. The check is taken in Year 1, near the end of the school year.
   Year 1, near the end
2. Find the month. The check is taken in June.
   June
3. Write the answer.
   June

Check. Count the months from January: June is the sixth month. ✓

Watch out. June comes after May, and before July.

Method. Count the words in each kind of word.

1. Count the real words. Half of the check is real words.
   20 real
2. Count the alien words. Half of the check is alien words.
   20 alien
3. Add them together. The total is the whole check.
   20 + 20 = 40
4. Write the answer. Sam is not right, because the total is 40.
   No. The check has 40 words.

Check. Sam counted 30, but 20 + 20 is 40. ✓

Watch out. Add both kinds of word to find the total.

Method. Think about which word has a meaning.

1. Look at hat. A hat is something you wear on your head.
   hat: something to wear
2. Look at jid. Jid has no meaning, so it is made up.
   jid: no meaning
3. Look at cup. A cup is something to drink from.
   cup: something to drink from
4. Write the answer.
   jid

Check. hat and cup have meanings. jid does not. ✓

Watch out. Look for the word with no meaning. Read each one first.

Method. Think about which word has a meaning.

1. Look at vop. Vop has no meaning, so it is made up.
   vop: no meaning
2. Look at pig. A pig is an animal that lives on a farm.
   pig: an animal
3. Write the answer.
   pig

Check. pig has a meaning, so it is real. ✓

Watch out. The real word is the one that names something you know.

Key words. A sound box holds one sound. A digraph is two letters that make one sound.

Method. Say the word slowly. Put the letters for each sound in one box.

1. Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.
   w - u - m
2. Put the letters for each sound in a box. Each letter makes its own sound, so each letter has its own box.
   w | u | m
3. Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.
   3 sounds
4. Write the answer.
   w, u, m

Check. Push the boxes together again: w + u + m makes wum. ✓

Watch out. Each letter in this word has its own box.

Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.

Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to read the word.

1. Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.
   v
2. Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.
   v - o - p
3. Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.
   vop
4. Write the answer.
   vop

Check. Split the word back into sounds: v, o, p. ✓ This is a made-up word, so there is no meaning to think about. Read the sounds.

Watch out. Say each letter as its own sound.

Method. Look at each rule, then check which one is true for ck.

1. Look at a). ck is not always at the start of a word.
   a) is not true
2. Look at b). ck comes at the end of a word after a short vowel, like sock.
   b) is true
3. Look at c). ck is two letters that make one sound, so a vowel does not split it.
   c) is not true
4. Write the answer.
   b

Check. sock and tack both end with ck after a short vowel. ✓

Watch out. ck is always two letters together, and it is at the end of a word.

Method. Think about what makes a word real.

1. Look at what Sam said. Sam counted the letters.
   zib: 3 letters
2. Think about the meaning. A real word has a meaning that people know.
   zib has no meaning
3. Write the answer. Counting letters does not decide it.
   No. Zib is an alien word.

Check. Read zib by sounding it out: z - i - b. It is made up. ✓

Watch out. The number of letters does not make a word real.

Method. Think about how a child reads a word they have never seen.

1. Think about a new word. A child who has never seen a word can only sound it out.
   sound it out
2. Think about the rules. If the spelling follows the rules, the sounds give the right way to read it.
   rules give the sounds
3. Write the answer.
   So the child can read them by sounding them out.

Check. An alien word that breaks the rules would be hard to read. ✓

Watch out. The rules are what makes a made-up word readable.

Method. Find the real words, then find the alien words.

1. Look at pit. Pit is a hole in the ground, so it is real.
   pit: real
2. Look at tap. A tap is a thing that water comes out of, so it is real.
   tap: real
3. Look at jid and fep. They have no meaning, so they are alien.
   jid, fep: alien
4. Write the two lists.
   Real: pit, tap. Alien: jid, fep.

Check. Pit and tap have meanings. Jid and fep do not. ✓

Watch out. Think about the meaning of each word. Do not sort by length.

Method. Check which spelling follows the rule for ff.

1. Look at the sound at the end. The end sound is f, after a short vowel i.
   wiff: i then ff
2. Check the rule. After a short vowel, the end sound f is written ff.
   ff after a short vowel
3. Write the answer.
   wiff

Check. wiff follows the rule: a short vowel, then ff at the end. ✓

Watch out. Look at the vowel before the end sound.

Key words. A sound box holds one sound. A digraph is two letters that make one sound.

Method. Say the word slowly. Put the letters for each sound in one box.

1. Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.
   m - u - g
2. Put the letters for each sound in a box. Each letter makes its own sound, so each letter has its own box.
   m | u | g
3. Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.
   3 sounds
4. Write the answer.
   m, u, g

Check. Push the boxes together again: m + u + g makes mug. ✓

Watch out. Each letter in this word has its own box.

Key words. A sound box holds one sound. A digraph is two letters that make one sound.

Method. Say the word slowly. Put the letters for each sound in one box.

1. Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.
   b - e - d
2. Put the letters for each sound in a box. Each letter makes its own sound, so each letter has its own box.
   b | e | d
3. Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.
   3 sounds
4. Write the answer.
   b, e, d

Check. Push the boxes together again: b + e + d makes bed. ✓

Watch out. Each letter in this word has its own box.

Key words. A sound box holds one sound. A digraph is two letters that make one sound.

Method. Say the word slowly. Put the letters for each sound in one box.

1. Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.
   t - a - ck
2. Put the letters for each sound in a box. Two or three letters that make one sound share one box: ck.
   t | a | ck
3. Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.
   3 sounds
4. Write the answer.
   t, a, ck

Check. Push the boxes together again: t + a + ck makes tack. ✓

Watch out. Keep the letters of ck together in one box. Do not split them into 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 read the word.

1. Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.
   j
2. Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.
   j - i - d
3. Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.
   jid
4. Write the answer.
   jid

Check. Split the word back into sounds: j, i, d. ✓ This is a made-up word, so there is no meaning to think about. Read the sounds.

Watch out. Say each letter as its own sound.

Method. Find the two letters at the end of sock.

1. Say sock in sound boxes. The last box has two letters.
   s | o | ck
2. Find the last box. ck is one box, so it makes one sound.
   ck
3. Write the answer.
   ck

Check. Read the boxes: s | o | ck. ✓

Watch out. Write both letters, c and k, together.

Method. Count the sound boxes in grip.

1. Split grip into sound boxes. Each letter makes its own sound here.
   g | r | i | p
2. Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.
   4 boxes
3. Write the answer.
   4 sounds

Check. Push the boxes together: g - r - i - p makes grip. ✓

Watch out. Four letters here make four sounds.

Method. Look for the word that ends with ck.

1. Look at the end of pot. pot ends with t.
   pot: t
2. Look at the end of tack. tack ends with ck.
   tack: ck
3. Look at the end of hen. hen ends with n.
   hen: n
4. Write the answer.
   tack

Check. Only tack ends with ck. ✓

Watch out. Look at the last two letters of each word.

Method. Count the sounds in each word.

1. Count the sounds in mug. mug has m, u and g.
   mug: 3 sounds
2. Count the sounds in lamp. lamp has l, a, m and p.
   lamp: 4 sounds
3. Count the sounds in bed. bed has b, e and d.
   bed: 3 sounds
4. Write the answer.
   lamp

Check. Only lamp has four sounds. ✓

Watch out. Count the sounds, not the letters.

Method. Count the sounds in tack, one at a time.

1. Look at the word tack. The letters ck make one sound together.
   t - a - ck
2. Count the sounds. Three sounds, because ck is one box.
   3 sounds
3. Check the answer. Mia said three sounds, with t - a - k. She counted k and c separately.
   No. Tack has three sounds: t, a, ck.

Check. Push the sounds together: t - a - ck makes tack. ✓

Watch out. ck is one sound. Do not count the c and the k separately.

Method. Choose a word that ends with ck and a word that ends with the sound made by ck.

1. Pick a real word with ck at the end. Choose a word you know.
   sock
2. Make a made-up word with ck at the end. Use a short vowel and ck, like a real word, but with no meaning.
   vock
3. Check the rules. Both words end with ck after a short vowel. Only sock has a meaning.
   sock (real), vock (alien)

Check. Read both words: sock and vock. Only sock has a meaning. ✓

Watch out. An alien word follows the rules, but it has no meaning.

Key words. A sound box holds one sound. A digraph is two letters that make one sound.

Method. Say the word slowly. Put the letters for each sound in one box.

1. Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.
   sh - i - p
2. Put the letters for each sound in a box. Two or three letters that make one sound share one box: sh.
   sh | i | p
3. Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.
   3 sounds
4. Write the answer.
   sh, i, p

Check. Push the boxes together again: sh + i + p makes ship. ✓

Watch out. Keep the letters of sh together in one box. Do not split them into separate letters.

Key words. A sound box holds one sound. A digraph is two letters that make one sound.

Method. Say the word slowly. Put the letters for each sound in one box.

1. Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.
   r - i - ng
2. Put the letters for each sound in a box. Two or three letters that make one sound share one box: ng.
   r | i | ng
3. Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.
   3 sounds
4. Write the answer.
   r, i, ng

Check. Push the boxes together again: r + i + ng makes ring. ✓

Watch out. Keep the letters of ng together in one box. Do not split them into separate letters.

Method. Find the two letters at the start of whale.

1. Say whale in sound boxes. The first box has two letters.
   wh | a-e | l
2. Find the first box. The first box is wh, one sound.
   wh
3. Write the answer.
   wh

Check. Read the start: wh, then the rest of whale. ✓

Watch out. wh is one sound. Write both letters together.

Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.

Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to read the word.

1. Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.
   ph
2. Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.
   ph - i - m
3. Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.
   phim
4. Write the answer.
   phim

Check. Split the word back into sounds: ph, i, m. ✓ This is a made-up word, so there is no meaning to think about. Read the sounds.

Watch out. Say ph as one sound, not as two separate letters.

Method. Look at the start of each word.

1. Look at chin. chin starts with ch.
   chin: ch
2. Look at shop. shop starts with sh, one sound.
   shop: sh
3. Look at thin. thin starts with th, a different sound.
   thin: th
4. Write the answer.
   shop

Check. Only shop starts with the sh sound. ✓

Watch out. sh, ch and th look alike. Read each start slowly.

Key words. A sound box holds one sound. A digraph is two letters that make one sound.

Method. Say the word slowly. Put the letters for each sound in one box.

1. Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.
   sh - o - ff
2. Put the letters for each sound in a box. Two or three letters that make one sound share one box: sh, ff.
   sh | o | ff
3. Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.
   3 sounds
4. Write the answer.
   sh, o, ff

Check. Push the boxes together again: sh + o + ff makes shoff. ✓

Watch out. Keep the letters of sh together in one box. Do not split them into separate letters.

Key words. A long word can be two small words put together.

Method. Look for two small words inside the long word.

1. Say the long word slowly. Listen for where it breaks into two small words.
   sunshine
2. Read each small word on its own. Each small word can be read by itself.
   sun and shine
3. Write the two small words.
   sun, shine

Check. Put the two small words together again: sun + shine makes sunshine. ✓

Watch out. Read the small words first, then read the whole long word again.

Method. Count the sounds in wing, one box at a time.

1. Split wing into sound boxes. ng is one box, with two letters that make one sound.
   w | i | ng
2. Count the boxes. There are three boxes, so three sounds.
   3 sounds
3. Write the answer. Aisha counted n and g as two sounds.
   No. Wing has three sounds: w, i, ng.

Check. Push the boxes together: w - i - ng makes wing. ✓

Watch out. ng is one sound. Do not count the n and the g as two sounds.

Method. Look for a digraph: two letters that make one sound.

1. Look at ship. The letters sh make one sound.
   ship: sh
2. Look at rain. The letters ai make one vowel sound.
   rain: ai (a vowel sound)
3. Look at boat. The letters oa make one vowel sound.
   boat: oa (a vowel sound)
4. Write the answer. Only ship has a consonant digraph, two consonants that make one sound.
   ship

Check. sh is the only consonant digraph in the list. ✓

Watch out. A consonant digraph has two consonant letters, like sh.

Method. Look for a vowel, one consonant, and then an e at the end of the word.

1. Look at the end of the word. Split words end with an e.
   bike ends with e
2. Find the vowel before the consonant. The first vowel says its name.
   bike: i-e
3. Write the answer.
   i-e

Check. Say the word with the vowel name: bike. ✓

Watch out. The e at the end is quiet. It helps the vowel say its name, but it is not a sound.

Method. Look at the letters in day, dog and dip.

1. Look at day. The long a sound is written ay.
   day: ay
2. Look at dog and dip. They have o and i, not a long a sound.
   dog, dip: not a
3. Write the answer.
   ay

Check. day has ay. dog and dip do not. ✓

Watch out. Look for the two letters that make the long a sound.

Method. Look for the word with oy.

1. Look at toy. toy has the letters oy, like boy.
   toy: oy
2. Look at tap and tin. Neither has the letters oy.
   tap, tin: no oy
3. Write the answer.
   toy

Check. toy and boy both end with oy. ✓

Watch out. Look at the two letters that make the sound.

Method. Look at the vowel letters in bird and shirt.

1. Look at bird. bird has ir, and the sound is like the ur in fur.
   bird: ir
2. Look at shirt. shirt has ir, with the same sound.
   shirt: ir
3. Look at shop. shop has o, a different sound.
   shop: o
4. Write the answer.
   shirt

Check. bird and shirt both have ir. shop has o. ✓

Watch out. ir can make the same sound as ur.

Method. Find the letter at the end of jipe.

1. Look at the end of jipe. The word ends with an e.
   jipe: ends with e
2. Think about the vowel. The e at the end, with one consonant between, makes the i say its name.
   i ... p ... e
3. Write the answer. The letter at the end is e, and it is quiet.
   e

Check. The i in jipe says its name, because of the e at the end. ✓

Watch out. The e is quiet, but it helps the vowel say its name.

Method. Find the word with the same vowel sound as boat.

1. Look at boat. The long o sound is written oa.
   boat: oa
2. Look at goat. goat has the same letters, oa.
   goat: oa
3. Look at get and got. They have e and o, not oa.
   get, got: not oa
4. Write the answer.
   goat

Check. boat and goat both have oa. ✓

Watch out. Look at the two letters, not only the end of the word.

Method. Find the word with the same spelling as moon.

1. Look at new. new has ew, and ew makes the sound in moon.
   new: ew
2. Look at nap and nip. They have a and i, not ew.
   nap, nip: no ew
3. Write the answer.
   new

Check. new has ew, like moon. ✓

Watch out. ew is another spelling of the long oo sound.

Method. Look at the pattern in cake and bake.

1. Look at cake. cake has a, one consonant k, then e.
   cake: a-e
2. Look at bake. bake has a, one consonant k, then e.
   bake: a-e
3. Write the answer. Both words have the same split digraph.
   Yes. Both have a-e.

Check. cake and bake both have a vowel, one consonant, and an e at the end. ✓

Watch out. Look for the same pattern in both words.

Method. Think of one word for each spelling of the long a sound.

1. Pick a word with ay. Look for the letters ay together.
   day
2. Pick a word with ai. Look for the letters ai together.
   rain
3. Pick a word with a-e. Look for a, one consonant, and an e at the end.
   cake
4. Write the answer. Each word makes the long a sound, but the spelling is different.
   day, rain, cake

Check. day (ay), rain (ai), cake (a-e). Each one has the long a sound. ✓

Watch out. The sound is the same, but the spelling changes.

Method. Count the words in Set A.

1. Count section 1. Section 1 has 20 words.
   20
2. Count section 2. Section 2 has 20 words.
   20
3. Add them together. Both sections make the whole set.
   20 + 20 = 40
4. Write the answer.
   40

Check. Set A has 40 words, the same as the check. ✓

Watch out. Count both sections.

Method. Read section 1 of Set A from the start, and write down only the alien words.

1. Go through the list in order. Check each word: does it have a meaning?
   word 1 to word 20
2. Write down the words with no meaning. These are the alien words.
   vop, jid, wum, fep, zib, slup, quop, frem, nup, vull
3. Write the answer.
   vop, jid, wum, fep, zib, slup, quop, frem, nup, vull

Check. There are 10 alien words in section 1, and 10 real words. ✓

Watch out. Look at every word, not only the first few.

Method. Look at the words in section 2 of Set A, and find the one with the igh sound.

1. Look at the words with igh. The trigraph igh is three letters for one sound.
   light has igh
2. Check the other words. None of the other words has igh.
   no other igh
3. Write the answer. light is a real word.
   light

Check. light: l | igh | t. ✓

Watch out. igh has three letters but one sound.

Method. Find the real word in section 1 of Set B that ends with zz.

1. Look at the end of each real word. Real words in section 1 of Set B: fox, net, dip, map, rock, bus, hug, fizz, kid, tap.
   fizz ends with zz
2. Check the other words. None of the other real words ends with zz.
   no other zz
3. Write the answer.
   fizz

Check. fizz: f | i | zz. ✓

Watch out. The double z at the end makes one sound.

Key words. A sound box holds one sound. A digraph is two letters that make one sound.

Method. Say the word slowly. Put the letters for each sound in one box.

1. Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.
   ch - e - ss
2. Put the letters for each sound in a box. Two or three letters that make one sound share one box: ch, ss.
   ch | e | ss
3. Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.
   3 sounds
4. Write the answer.
   ch, e, ss

Check. Push the boxes together again: ch + e + ss makes chess. ✓

Watch out. Keep the letters of ch together in one box. Do not split them into separate letters.

Method. Look at what the child said, then at the sounds in shop.

1. Look at the word shop. shop starts with the sh sound.
   sh | o | p
2. Look at what the child said. The child said s, then o, then p, so the sh was missed.
   s - o - p
3. Write the answer.
   The sh sound. Sh is one sound, not s and h.

Check. Push the boxes together: sh - o - p makes shop. ✓

Watch out. Two letters can make one sound. Check every digraph.

Method. Think about what the read-it card is for.

1. Look at each choice. a) gives the answer away. c) shows a picture, which the card does not have.
   a) and c) are not right
2. Find the choice that helps the child read. Waiting lets the child sound the word out.
   b) wait, then ask about the first sound
3. Write the answer.
   b

Check. Choice b gives the child time, then a small prompt. ✓

Watch out. Give time first. Help with a question, not with the whole word.

Method. Think about what an alien word is.

1. Think about the word. An alien word is made up and has no meaning.
   no meaning
2. Think about the reading. The child must read the letters, one sound at a time.
   read the letters
3. Write the answer.
   Because there is no meaning. The child should read the letters.

Check. If you tell a meaning, the child is not reading the letters. ✓

Watch out. Reading the letters is the skill the check tests.

Method. Make a made-up word with ck at the end, using a short vowel.

1. Choose a short vowel. Short vowels are a, e, i, o and u in words like tack and sock.
   u
2. Add ck at the end. ck comes at the end, after the short vowel.
   u + ck
3. Write the word, and check it. It must have no meaning and not be a real word.
   nuck

Check. Read it by sounding it out: n - u - ck. It has no meaning. ✓

Watch out. Check that your made-up word is not a real word.

Method. Take the words read correctly away from the total.

1. Find the total. Set A has 40 words.
   40
2. Find the words read correctly. The child read 31 words correctly.
   31
3. Take away the correct words. The rest are the words the child missed.
   40 − 31 = 9
4. Write the answer.
   9

Check. 31 + 9 = 40. ✓

Watch out. The missed words are what is left over.

Key words. A sound box holds one sound. A digraph is two letters that make one sound.

Method. Say the word slowly. Put the letters for each sound in one box.

1. Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.
   th - i - n
2. Put the letters for each sound in a box. Two or three letters that make one sound share one box: th.
   th | i | n
3. Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.
   3 sounds
4. Write the answer.
   th, i, n

Check. Push the boxes together again: th + i + n makes thin. ✓

Watch out. Keep the letters of th together in one box. Do not split them into 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 read the word.

1. Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.
   b
2. Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.
   b - u - s
3. Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.
   bus
4. Write the answer.
   bus

Check. Split the word back into sounds: b, u, s. ✓

Watch out. Say each letter as its own sound.

Method. Look at the last two letters of fizz.

1. Split fizz into sound boxes. The end box has two letters.
   f | i | zz
2. Find the last box. zz is one box, one sound.
   zz
3. Write the answer.
   zz

Check. Read the boxes: f | i | zz. ✓

Watch out. Write both z letters together.

Method. Look at mug and gup.

1. Look at mug. mug has a meaning: a cup with a handle.
   mug: real
2. Look at gup. gup has no meaning, so it is made up.
   gup: alien
3. Write the answer.
   gup

Check. mug is real. gup is alien. ✓

Watch out. Look for the word with no meaning.

Method. Look for the two vowel letters that make the sound in rain.

1. Look at rain. The vowel sound is written with a and i.
   r | ai | n
2. Check the letters together. Together, a and i make one vowel sound.
   ai
3. Write the answer.
   ai

Check. Read the boxes: r | ai | n. ✓

Watch out. ai is two letters, one sound. Keep them together.

Method. Look at the vowel letters in coin.

1. Split coin into sound boxes. The vowel box has two letters.
   c | oi | n
2. Find the vowel box. oi is one box, one sound.
   oi
3. Write the answer.
   oi

Check. Read the boxes: c | oi | n. ✓

Watch out. oi is two letters, one sound, as in coin and point.

Key words. A long word can be two small words put together.

Method. Look for two small words inside the long word.

1. Say the long word slowly. Listen for where it breaks into two small words.
   seaside
2. Read each small word on its own. Each small word can be read by itself.
   sea and side
3. Write the two small words.
   sea, side

Check. Put the two small words together again: sea + side makes seaside. ✓

Watch out. Read the small words first, then read the whole long word again.

Method. Find the word with the ea spelling, which makes the sound in tree.

1. Look at sea. sea has ea, which makes the long e sound, as in tree.
   sea: ea
2. Look at sun and sit. Neither has ea.
   sun, sit: no ea
3. Write the answer.
   sea

Check. sea has ea, like the ee in tree. ✓

Watch out. ea is another way to write the long e sound.

Method. Check the rule for f at the end of a word after a short vowel.

1. Look at the end of vuf. The end sound is f after a short vowel u.
   vuf: u then f
2. Check the rule. After a short vowel, the end f is usually written ff.
   should be ff
3. Write the answer. So vuf does not follow the rule. vuff does.
   No. It should be vuff.

Check. Compare puff (ff) with vuf: puff follows the rule. ✓

Watch out. Check the double letters at the end of short words.

Method. Count the parts, then add them together.

1. Count each part. Write down each part as you count it.
   alien words
2. Add the parts together. Add them to find the total.
   10
3. Write the answer.
   10

Check. Count the parts again. You get 10 again. ✓

Watch out. Check that you have counted every word once.

Key words. Blend means to push the sounds together to read a word.

Method. Say each sound, then push the sounds together to read the word.

1. Say the first sound. Use the letters for that sound together.
   sh
2. Say the sounds in order. Keep going until you reach the last sound.
   sh - e - ll
3. Push the sounds together and read the word. Read them quickly, as one word.
   shell
4. Write the answer.
   shell

Check. Split the word back into sounds: sh, e, ll. ✓

Watch out. Say sh as one sound, not as two separate letters.

Method. Look at the last letters of puff.

1. Split puff into sound boxes. The end box has two letters.
   p | u | ff
2. Find the end box. ff is one sound at the end.
   ff
3. Write the answer.
   ff

Check. Read the boxes: p | u | ff. ✓

Watch out. Write both f letters together.

Method. Look for the word that starts with ch.

1. Look at chip. chip starts with ch.
   chip: ch
2. Look at shut and thin. shut starts with sh. thin starts with th.
   shut: sh, thin: th
3. Write the answer.
   chip

Check. chip: ch | i | p. ✓

Watch out. ch, sh and th look alike. Read the first two letters slowly.

Key words. A sound box holds one sound. A digraph is two letters that make one sound.

Method. Say the word slowly. Put the letters for each sound in one box.

1. Say the word slowly, one sound at a time. Say each sound on its own, like a robot.
   p - o - nk - i - b
2. Put the letters for each sound in a box. Two or three letters that make one sound share one box: nk.
   p | o | nk | i | b
3. Count the boxes. Each box is one sound.
   5 sounds
4. Write the answer.
   p, o, nk, i, b

Check. Push the boxes together again: p + o + nk + i + b makes ponkib. ✓

Watch out. Keep the letters of nk together in one box. Do not split them into separate letters.

Method. Look at each word and decide if it has a meaning.

1. Look at jam and tap. jam is a sweet spread. tap is a thing water comes out of.
   jam, tap: real
2. Look at juk and pex. juk and pex have no meaning, so they are made up.
   juk, pex: alien
3. Write the two lists.
   Real: jam, tap. Alien: juk, pex.

Check. Jam and tap have meanings. Juk and pex do not. ✓

Watch out. Think about the meaning. Do not sort by length.

Method. Count the parts, then add them together.

1. Count each part. Write down each part as you count it.
   real words
2. Add the parts together. Add them to find the total.
   10
3. Write the answer.
   10

Check. Count the parts again. You get 10 again. ✓

Watch out. Check that you have counted every word once.

Method. Look at the pattern in bike.

1. Look at bike. bike has i, one consonant k, then e at the end.
   bike: i-e
2. Think about the e. In a split digraph, the first vowel says its name.
   i says its name
3. Write the answer. Mia is right.
   Yes. The i says its name, because of the e at the end.

Check. bike: b | i-e | k. The i says its name. ✓

Watch out. The e at the end is quiet, but it changes the first vowel.

Method. Look at chess, one sound at a time.

1. Split chess into sound boxes. ch is one box, e is one box, and ss is one box.
   ch | e | ss
2. Count the boxes. There are three boxes, so three sounds.
   3 sounds
3. Write the answer. Sam missed the e.
   No. Chess has three sounds: ch, e and ss.

Check. Push the boxes together: ch - e - ss makes chess. ✓

Watch out. Every vowel makes a sound. Do not miss the e.

Method. Find two words with ou and oy, and check the sound of each.

1. Pick a word with ou. out has ou, which makes the ow sound in cow.
   out: ou
2. Pick a word with oy. boy has oy, which makes the oi sound in coin.
   boy: oy
3. Compare the sounds. ou and oy are different spellings of different sounds.
   out and boy

Check. out: ou | t. boy: b | oy. The sounds are different. ✓

Watch out. Different spellings can make different sounds.