Year 3 English: The y that says i, and the ou that says u
Part of the Year 3 English spelling patterns chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
The y that says i, and the ou that says u
A vowel letter is a, e, i, o or u. The other letters are consonant letters. The letter y is sometimes a vowel.
Sometimes the letter y in the middle of a word makes the i sound, as in sit. Words like gym, myth and pyramid have this sound.
The u sound, as in cup, can be spelled ou. Words like young, touch and trouble have it.
Key ideas
- A vowel letter is a, e, i, o or u (y is sometimes a vowel).
- In the middle of a word, y can make the i sound, as in gym and myth.
- The ou can make the u sound, as in young and touch.
- Learn the tricky part of each word, and say the example word to yourself.
Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.a word that means the same as another word
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.synonym
- Check the tricky part. The y says the i sound, as in sit.Tricky part: y
- Write the answer. synonym
Check. Read synonym and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. The y says the i sound, as in sit.
Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.The library has a new sorting ___ for its books.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. a set of parts that work togethersystem
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.The library has a new sorting system for its books.
- Write the answer. system
Check. Read the whole sentence with system in it. ✓
Watch out. The y says the i sound, as in sit.
Method. Say the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.
- Say the whole word. Read every letter in order.double
- Look at the empty box. The box stands for 2 letter(s) in a row.2 missing letter(s)
- Write the missing letters. The ou says the u sound, as in cup.ou
Check. Put ou back in the box and read double. ✓
Watch out. The ou says the u sound, as in cup.
Watch out
Watch out: the y in gym and system is not at the end of the word, so it does not say ee, as in happy. The ou in trouble says the u sound, not the oo sound in moon.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Point to the y in gym and say its sound, as in sit. Then find the ou in young and trouble. Ask your child to write each word on paper and tick it when it is right.
Exercise 1A Practice: the y that says i, and the ou that says u
Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.a room or hall where you do exercise and sport
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.gym
- Check the tricky part. The y says the i sound, as in sit.Tricky part: y
- Write the answer. gym
Check. Read gym and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. The y says the i sound, as in sit.
Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.caring about how someone else feels
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.sympathy
- Check the tricky part. The y says the i sound, as in sit.Tricky part: y
- Write the answer. sympathy
Check. Read sympathy and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. The y says the i sound, as in sit.
Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.twice as much, or two of the same kind
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.double
- Check the tricky part. The ou says the u sound, as in cup.Tricky part: ou
- Write the answer. double
Check. Read double and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. The ou says the u sound, as in cup.
Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.a country in north-east Africa, with the River Nile
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.Egypt
- Check the tricky part. The y says the i sound, as in sit. Names of countries start with a capital letter.Tricky part: y
- Write the answer. Egypt
Check. Read Egypt and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. The y says the i sound, as in sit. Names of countries start with a capital letter.
Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.The library has a new sorting ___ for its books.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. a set of parts that work togethersystem
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.The library has a new sorting system for its books.
- Write the answer. system
Check. Read the whole sentence with system in it. ✓
Watch out. The y says the i sound, as in sit.
Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.The dog caused ___ by chewing the shoes.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. a problem, or something that worries youtrouble
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.The dog caused trouble by chewing the shoes.
- Write the answer. trouble
Check. Read the whole sentence with trouble in it. ✓
Watch out. The ou says the u sound, as in cup.
Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.England is one ___ in the United Kingdom.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. an area of land with its own governmentcountry
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.England is one country in the United Kingdom.
- Write the answer. country
Check. Read the whole sentence with country in it. ✓
Watch out. The ou says the u sound, as in cup.
Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.A heart shape is a ___ of love.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. a sign or shape that stands for something elsesymbol
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.A heart shape is a symbol of love.
- Write the answer. symbol
Check. Read the whole sentence with symbol in it. ✓
Watch out. The y says the i sound, as in sit.
Method. Say the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.
- Say the whole word. Read every letter in order.mystery
- Look at the empty box. The box stands for 1 letter(s) in a row.1 missing letter(s)
- Write the missing letters. The y says the i sound, as in sit.y
Check. Put y back in the box and read mystery. ✓
Watch out. The y says the i sound, as in sit.
Method. Say the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.
- Say the whole word. Read every letter in order.typical
- Look at the empty box. The box stands for 1 letter(s) in a row.1 missing letter(s)
- Write the missing letters. The y says the i sound, as in sit.y
Check. Put y back in the box and read typical. ✓
Watch out. The y says the i sound, as in sit.
Method. Say the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.
- Say the whole word. Read every letter in order.couple
- Look at the empty box. The box stands for 2 letter(s) in a row.2 missing letter(s)
- Write the missing letters. The ou says the u sound, as in cup.ou
Check. Put ou back in the box and read couple. ✓
Watch out. The ou says the u sound, as in cup.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word we want.
- Look at mith. Compare it with the word myth.mith is not right
- Find the tricky part. The y says the i sound, as in sit.Tricky part: y
- Write the word correctly. myth
Check. Read myth and check each letter. ✓
Watch out. The y says the i sound, as in sit.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word we want.
- Look at tuch. Compare it with the word touch.tuch is not right
- Find the tricky part. The ou says the u sound, as in cup.Tricky part: ou
- Write the word correctly. touch
Check. Read touch and check each letter. ✓
Watch out. The ou says the u sound, as in cup.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word we want.
- Look at sinonym. Compare it with the word synonym.sinonym is not right
- Find the tricky part. The y says the i sound, as in sit.Tricky part: y
- Write the word correctly. synonym
Check. Read synonym and check each letter. ✓
Watch out. The y says the i sound, as in sit.
Method. Compare the sound of the y with the example word.
- Look at gym. The y is in the middle of the word.gym
- Compare with the example. The y says the i sound, as in sit, not the y sound in yes.i sound, as in sit
- Write the answer. No. The y in gym says the i sound, as in sit.
Check. gym has the i sound, as in sit. ✓
Watch out. Look at the example word, not only the letter.
Method. Find the word whose y says a different sound.
- Look at myth and pyramid. Both y letters say the i sound, as in sit.myth, pyramid
- Look at cycle. In cycle the y says the eye sound, as in my.cycle: eye sound
- Write the answer. cycle
Check. cycle has the eye sound, as in my. ✓
Watch out. Not every y says the i sound.
Method. Use pyramid in a sentence that makes sense.
- Think of a pyramid. A pyramid is a shape with a square base and triangle sides.a pyramid
- Write the sentence. Check the y in the middle of the word.The pyramid was built long ago.
- Write the answer. Any correct sentence with pyramid, for example: The pyramid was built long ago.
Check. pyramid is spelled p-y-r-a-m-i-d. ✓
Watch out. Check the y in pyramid.
Method. Check the spelling of each word.
- Find the y words. gym and myth have a y that says i.gym, myth
- Find the ou words. young and touch have an ou that says u.young, touch
- Write the answer. y that says i: gym, myth. ou that says u: young, touch.
Check. Each word is in the right list. ✓
Watch out. Each word has one tricky letter pattern.
Method. Say the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.
- Say the whole word. Read every letter in order.touch
- Look at the empty box. The box stands for 2 letter(s) in a row.2 missing letter(s)
- Write the missing letters. The ou says the u sound, as in cup.ou
Check. Put ou back in the box and read touch. ✓
Watch out. The ou says the u sound, as in cup.
Method. Compare the sound of ou with the example word.
- Look at trouble. The ou is in the middle of the word.trou-ble
- Compare with the example. The ou says the u sound, as in cup, not the oo sound in moon.u sound, as in cup
- Write the answer. No. The ou in trouble says the u sound, as in cup.
Check. trouble has the u sound, as in cup. ✓
Watch out. The ou can make more than one sound.
Method. Choose words from the two patterns in this section.
- Choose two y words. For example crystal and typical, with the y that says i.crystal, typical
- Choose two ou words. For example cousin and couple, with the ou that says u.cousin, couple
- Write the answer. Any four correct words, for example: crystal, typical; cousin, couple.
Check. Check each spelling in the list. ✓
Watch out. Each word must follow one of the two patterns.