Year 4 English: The y in the middle of a word that makes the i sound
Part of the Year 4 English spelling patterns in depth chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
The y in the middle of a word that makes the i sound
The vowel letters are a, e, i, o and u. The letter y is usually a consonant letter when it starts a word, as in yes. In the middle of a word it can act as a vowel letter.
In words such as gymnast, rhythm and physics, the y in the middle makes the i sound, as in sit. In cylinder and syrup, the y does the same.
Some words have a y that makes the eye sound, as in my. Words such as cycle and hydrant do this. The spelling does not tell you which sound to use, so you learn the word.
Key ideas
- The vowel letters are a, e, i, o and u. Y can act as a vowel letter in the middle of a word.
- In the middle of a word, y can make the i sound, as in gymnast, rhythm and physics.
- Some words, such as cycle and hydrant, have a y that makes the eye sound, as in my.
- Learn each word with its y, and say the example sound to yourself.
Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.a person who performs skilled moves on bars, beams and mats
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.gymnast
- Check the tricky part. The y is in the middle of the word and makes the i sound, as in sit.Tricky part: y
- Write the answer. gymnast
Check. Read gymnast and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. The y is in the middle of the word and makes 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.A tin of soup is shaped like a ___.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. a shape with two flat circular ends and a curved sidecylinder
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.A tin of soup is shaped like a cylinder.
- Write the answer. cylinder
Check. Read the whole sentence with cylinder in it. ✓
Watch out. The y is in the middle of the word and makes 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.physics
- 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 makes the i sound, as in sit. The ph at the start makes the f sound.y
Check. Put y back in the box and read physics. ✓
Watch out. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The ph at the start makes the f sound.
Watch out
Watch out: a y in the middle of a word does not always make the i sound. In cycle it makes the eye sound. Check the spelling of each word, and do not guess from the y alone.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child to say the word rhythm, then cycle, and to point to the y each time. Then ask which of the two words has a y that makes the i sound, as in sit.
Exercise 1A Practice: the y in the middle of a word
Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.a regular pattern of beats, as in music or a poem
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.rhythm
- Check the tricky part. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The rh at the start makes the r sound.Tricky part: y
- Write the answer. rhythm
Check. Read rhythm and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The rh at the start makes the r sound.
Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.a thick, sweet liquid, such as the one poured on pancakes
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.syrup
- Check the tricky part. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The u is also a vowel letter in this word.Tricky part: y
- Write the answer. syrup
Check. Read syrup and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The u is also a vowel letter in this word.
Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.a song of praise, often sung in a church or a school assembly
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.hymn
- Check the tricky part. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The n at the end is not said.Tricky part: y
- Write the answer. hymn
Check. Read hymn and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The n at the end is not said.
Method. Match the meaning to the word, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.a baby swan
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word with this meaning.cygnet
- Check the tricky part. The y makes the i sound, as in sit.Tricky part: y
- Write the answer. cygnet
Check. Read cygnet and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. The y makes 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.A ___ has a short tail and tufts on its ears.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. a wild cat with short ears that have tufts on the toplynx
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.A lynx has a short tail and tufts on its ears.
- Write the answer. lynx
Check. Read the whole sentence with lynx in it. ✓
Watch out. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The x is at the end of the word.
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 athletes trained hard for the ___ Games.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. belonging to the big world sports event held every four yearsOlympic
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.The athletes trained hard for the Olympic Games.
- Write the answer. Olympic
Check. Read the whole sentence with Olympic in it. ✓
Watch out. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. Olympic starts 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.Mia is a talented ___ and can do a handstand.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. a person who performs skilled moves on bars, beams and matsgymnast
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.Mia is a talented gymnast and can do a handstand.
- Write the answer. gymnast
Check. Read the whole sentence with gymnast in it. ✓
Watch out. The y is in the middle of the word and makes 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.rhythm
- 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 makes the i sound, as in sit. The rh at the start makes the r sound.y
Check. Put y back in the box and read rhythm. ✓
Watch out. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The rh at the start makes the r sound.
Method. Say the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.
- Say the whole word. Read every letter in order.cygnet
- 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 makes the i sound, as in sit.y
Check. Put y back in the box and read cygnet. ✓
Watch out. The y makes 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.syrup
- 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 makes the i sound, as in sit. The u is also a vowel letter in this word.y
Check. Put y back in the box and read syrup. ✓
Watch out. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The u is also a vowel letter in this word.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word we want.
- Look at olimpic. Compare it with the word Olympic.olimpic is not right
- Find the tricky part. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. Olympic starts with a capital letter.Tricky part: y
- Write the word correctly. Olympic
Check. Read Olympic and check each letter. ✓
Watch out. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. Olympic starts with a capital letter.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word we want.
- Look at linx. Compare it with the word lynx.linx is not right
- Find the tricky part. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The x is at the end of the word.Tricky part: y
- Write the word correctly. lynx
Check. Read lynx and check each letter. ✓
Watch out. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The x is at the end of the word.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word we want.
- Look at rhithm. Compare it with the word rhythm.rhithm is not right
- Find the tricky part. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The rh at the start makes the r sound.Tricky part: y
- Write the word correctly. rhythm
Check. Read rhythm and check each letter. ✓
Watch out. The y makes the i sound, as in sit. The rh at the start makes the r sound.
Method. Look at the y in each word, and compare it with the example sounds.
- Check gymnast and rhythm. Both have a y in the middle that makes the i sound, as in sit.gymnast, rhythm
- Check cycle and hydrant. Both have a y that makes the eye sound, as in my.cycle, hydrant
- Write the answer. i sound: gymnast, rhythm. eye sound: cycle, hydrant.
Check. Each word is in the right list. ✓
Watch out. Sort by the sound the y makes in each word.
Method. Find the vowel letters in syrup.
- Look at each letter. The vowel letters are a, e, i, o and u, and the y acts as a vowel letter here.s, y, r, u, p
- Pick out the vowel letters. The y makes the i sound, and the u is a vowel letter.y, u
- Write the answer. y, u
Check. The vowel letters are y and u. ✓
Watch out. Y can act as a vowel letter in the middle of a word.
Method. Compare the sound of the y with the example word.
- Look at rhythm. The y is in the middle of the word.rhy-thm
- Compare with yes. The y in yes is at the start, and it is a consonant. The y in rhythm makes the i sound.i sound, as in sit
- Write the answer. No. The y in rhythm makes the i sound, as in sit, not the y sound in yes.
Check. rhythm has the i sound, as in sit. ✓
Watch out. Look at where the y is in the word.
Method. Find the word whose y makes a different sound.
- Look at syrup and lynx. The y in both words makes the i sound, as in sit.syrup, lynx
- Look at hydrant. The y in hydrant makes the eye sound, as in my.hydrant: eye sound
- Write the answer. hydrant
Check. hydrant has the eye sound, as in my. ✓
Watch out. Not every y in the middle makes the i sound.
Method. Use cygnet in a sentence that makes sense.
- Think of a baby swan. A cygnet is a baby swan.a baby swan
- Write the sentence. Check the y in the middle of the word.The cygnet swam behind its mother.
- Write the answer. Accept any correct sentence with cygnet, for example: The cygnet swam behind its mother.
Check. cygnet has a y in the middle. ✓
Watch out. Check the y in cygnet.
Method. Choose words where the y is in the middle and makes the i sound.
- Choose words from the list. Pick any three words with the y that makes the i sound, as in sit.gymnast, physics, cylinder
- Check each one. Each word has its y in the middle, not at the end.y in the middle
- Write the answer. Accept any three correct words from this section, for example: gymnast, physics, cylinder.
Check. Each word has a y in the middle. ✓
Watch out. The y must be in the middle, and must make the i sound.