Step-by-step English Level 2: Spelling th and ng
Part of the Step-by-step English Level 2 consonant digraphs: th and ng chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Spelling th and ng
When you write a word with th or ng, keep the two letters together.
To spell moth, write m, o, th. To spell ring, write r, i, ng.
Check that each digraph is complete before you write the next letter.
Key ideas
- Keep th together.
- Keep ng together.
- Check the picture name first.
Method. Say the name, then check which spelling has the right letters.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.m - o - th
- Check each spelling. Only one spelling uses the right letters.moth is right; moht is not
- Write the answer. B
Check. moth matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. moht is not a word we use for this picture.
Method. Say the name, then check which spelling has the right letters.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.r - i - ng
- Check each spelling. Only one spelling uses the right letters.ring is right; rinh is not
- Write the answer. A
Check. ring matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. rinh is not a word we use for this picture.
Method. Say the name slowly, then write its letters in order.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.bath
- Put the letters in order. Start with the first sound.b - a - th
- Read the letters from left to right. Check the word matches the picture.bath
- Write the answer. bath
Check. Read the letters back: b - a - th. They make bath. ✓
Watch out. Each letter goes in the order of the sounds, not in alphabetical order.
Watch out
Watch out: ng is two letters that make one sound. Do not write n and g in the wrong order.Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask the child to say the picture name, then point to the digraph at the end. Write it together.
Exercise 3D Practice: spelling th and ng
Method. Say the name, then check which spelling has the right letters.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.s - o - ng
- Check each spelling. Only one spelling uses the right letters.song is right; sogn is not
- Write the answer. A
Check. song matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. sogn is not a word we use for this picture.
Method. Say the name slowly, then write its letters in order.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.ring
- Put the letters in order. Start with the first sound.r - i - ng
- Read the letters from left to right. Check the word matches the picture.ring
- Write the answer. ring
Check. Read the letters back: r - i - ng. They make ring. ✓
Watch out. Each letter goes in the order of the sounds, not in alphabetical order.
Method. Say the name, then check which spelling has the right letters.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.b - a - th
- Check each spelling. Only one spelling uses the right letters.bath is right; bahth is not
- Write the answer. B
Check. bath matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. bahth is not a word we use for this picture.
Method. Say the name slowly, then write its letters in order.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.song
- Put the letters in order. Start with the first sound.s - o - ng
- Read the letters from left to right. Check the word matches the picture.song
- Write the answer. song
Check. Read the letters back: s - o - ng. They make song. ✓
Watch out. Each letter goes in the order of the sounds, not in alphabetical order.
Method. Read every choice, then pick the one that fits.
- Read each choice. Check which one fits.nk / gn / ng
- Find the one that fits. song ends with ng.ng is choice C
- Write the answer. C
Check. Read ng in the sentence or list again. ✓
Watch out. Read every choice before you decide.
Method. Say the name, then check which spelling has the right letters.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.w - i - ng
- Check each spelling. Only one spelling uses the right letters.wing is right; wign is not
- Write the answer. A
Check. wing matches the picture. ✓
Watch out. wign is not a word we use for this picture.
Method. Say the name slowly, then write its letters in order.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Say each sound, first to last.moth
- Put the letters in order. Start with the first sound.m - o - th
- Read the letters from left to right. Check the word matches the picture.moth
- Write the answer. moth
Check. Read the letters back: m - o - th. They make moth. ✓
Watch out. Each letter goes in the order of the sounds, not in alphabetical order.
Method. Say the name, then write the spelling with the right letters.
- Look at the picture and say its name slowly. Say each sound.w - i - ng
- Compare the spelling. the ng ending is missing, and wig has a g in the wrong placewig is not right
- Write the correct spelling. Use the letters for each sound.wing
- Write the answer. wing
Check. wing matches the picture and the sounds. ✓
Watch out. Use the letters that make each sound, such as ee or ai.
Method. Say the name, then write the spelling with the right letters.
- Look at the picture and say its name slowly. Say each sound.p - a - th
- Compare the spelling. the th is written wronglypahth is not right
- Write the correct spelling. Use the letters for each sound.path
- Write the answer. path
Check. path matches the picture and the sounds. ✓
Watch out. Use the letters that make each sound, such as ee or ai.