Same sound, different spelling

"-al" written as "-el"

The /ul/ ending here is spelt "-al", not "-el": "metal", "hospital", "capital". Many "-al" words describe something ("natural", "magical").

"-al" written as "-le"

The /ul/ ending here is spelt "-al", not "-le": "animal", "pedal", "oval". Many "-al" words describe something ("natural", "magical").

"augh" written as "af" (as in "laughter")

In "laugh" and its family the /arf/ sound is spelt "augh": the "gh" says /f/. Writing what you hear gives "lafter" for "laughter".

"augh" written as "aff" (as in "laughed")

A short vowel before /f/ often doubles it ("cliff", "staff"), so "laughed" comes out as "laffed". "laugh" is one of the few words where "gh" makes the /f/ sound instead.

"augh" written as "aw" (as in "taught")

"aw" spells the /or/ sound in "saw" and "draw", so "taught" comes out as "tawt". In "caught", "taught", "daughter" and "naughty" that sound is spelt "augh".

"augh" written as "or" (as in "caught")

"augh" sounds just like "or", so writing what you hear gives "cort" for "caught". These words keep the "augh" spelling: "caught", "taught", "daughter", "naughty".

"-cher" or "-ture"

Most /chuh/ endings are spelt "-ture", but a word built from one ending in "ch" keeps it: "teach" + "er" = "teacher", "rich" + "er" = "richer", and "butcher", "archer". Say "tyoor" in your head to remember the "t".

Hard "c" written as "k" ("ct" as "kt")

A "c" and a "k" can both make the /k/ sound, so the more obvious "k" gets written. Before another consonant English almost always uses "c": "picture", "doctor", "October".

"-cture" written as "-cher"

In "picture", "lecture" and "fracture" there is a /k/ sound before the "-ture" ending: say "pic-ture" slowly to hear the "c" and the "t".

"ei" written as "ai"

"vein" and "vain", "rein" and "rain" sound the same; the "ei" words are a short list to learn: "vein", "rein", "reign", "beige", "veil", "reindeer".

"ei" written as "ay" (as in "vein")

In a few words "ei" says /ay/: "vein", "rein", "reign", "beige", "veil". Most children write "ay" because that is how the sound is usually spelt at the end of a word.

"eigh" written as "ai"

"ai" is the usual spelling of /ay/ in the middle of a word, but a small family of words keeps the old spelling "eigh": "eight", "weight", "freight", "sleigh". There is no rule to hear; these are learned.

"eigh" written as "ay" (as in "eight")

In "eight", "weigh", "sleigh" and "weight" the /ay/ sound is spelt "eigh". The "g" and "h" make no sound of their own, so writing what you hear gives "ayt" for "eight".

"eight" written as "ate" (as in "weight")

A split "a-e" is the commonest way to write /ayt/, which is why "weight" comes out as "wate". In "eight", "weight" and "freight" that sound is spelt "eight" instead.

"-el" or "-le"

The /ul/ sound at the end of a word can be spelt "-le", "-el", "-al" or "-il". Some words take "-el", which often follows m, n, r, s, v and w: "camel", "tunnel", "travel", "towel". "-le" is the most common: "table", "apple", "bottle", "little".

"ey" written as "ay" (as in "they")

At the end of "they", "obey", "prey" and "survey" the /ay/ sound is spelt "ey", not the usual "ay". In most other words ending "ey" ("key", "money") it says /ee/.

"-il" written as "-el"

The /ul/ ending here is spelt "-il", not "-el": "pupil", "pencil", "April". "-il" is the least common of the four /ul/ endings, so these words have to be learned.

"-il" written as "-le"

The /ul/ ending here is spelt "-il", not "-le": "pencil", "fossil", "nostril". "-il" is the least common of the four /ul/ endings, so these words have to be learned.

"j" written as soft "g" ("je" as "ge")

A "j" and a soft "g" make the same sound before "e", so either spelling looks right. Some words use "j": "jelly", "object", "reject".

"j" written as soft "g" ("ji" as "gi")

A "j" and a soft "g" make the same sound before "i", so either spelling looks right. Some words use "j": "jigsaw", "jingle".

"ou" written as "u"

In some words the short /u/ sound is spelt "ou": "young", "touch", "double", "trouble", "country".

"-ough" written as "-uff" (as in "enough")

"ough" is the least predictable spelling in English: the same four letters say something different in "enough", "though" and "through". Here it sounds like "uff" but is still written "ough".

"ph" written as "f"

"ph" says /f/, which is why writing what you hear gives "fone". Words English took from Greek keep the "ph": "phone", "photograph", "elephant", "alphabet".

"-ssure" written as "-shure"

The "sh" sound here is spelt "ss" before "ure": "pressure", "assure", "reassure". There is no "h".

"-sure" written as "-shure"

The "sh" sound here is spelt with a plain "s" before "ure": "sure", "ensure", "unsure", "insure". There is no "h".

"-sure" written as "-zure"

The /zhuh/ sound at the end of these words is spelt "-sure", with an "s", even though it sounds like a "z": "treasure", "measure", "pleasure", "closure".

"-ture" written as "-tcher"

The /chuh/ sound at the end of these words is spelt "-ture", not "-tcher": "adventure", "furniture", "creature", "signature".

"wh" written as "w"

In most accents "wh" and "w" sound exactly the same, so the "h" gets dropped. The question words keep it: "where", "when", "which", "why", and so do "wheel" and "white".

"y" written as "i"

At the end of a word the /igh/ sound is usually spelt with a "y", not an "i": "cry", "fly", "dry", "multiply". English words hardly ever end in "i".

"y" written as "i" (the short /i/ sound)

In some words, many of them Greek, the short /i/ sound is spelt "y": "myth", "gym", "Egypt", "pyramid", "mystery".

"y" written as "ie"

At the end of a word the /igh/ sound is usually spelt with a "y": "cry", "fly", "shy", "reply". The "ie" comes back when you add "-s" or "-d": "cries", "replied".

"y" written as "igh"

At the end of a word the /igh/ sound is usually spelt with a "y": "cry", "fly", "sky", "reply", "multiply". "igh" comes in the middle of a word, as in "night".

Y2The /dʒ/ sound spelt as ge and dge at the end of words, and sometimes spelt as g elsewhere

Examples: badge, edge, bridge, dodge, fudge, age, huge, change, village, giant

Y2The /l/ or /əl/ sound spelt -le, -el, -al and -il at the end of words

Examples: table, apple, bottle, little, middle, camel, tunnel, travel, metal, pencil

Y2The /aɪ/ sound spelt -y at the end of words

Examples: cry, fly, dry, try, reply, July

Y3 / 4The /ɪ/ sound spelt y elsewhere than at the end of words

Examples: myth, gym, Egypt, pyramid, mystery

Y3 / 4The /ʌ/ sound spelt ou

Examples: young, touch, double, country

Y3 / 4Words with endings sounding like /ʒə/ or /tʃə/

Examples: measure, treasure, creature, furniture

Y3 / 4The /eɪ/ sound spelt ei, eigh, or ey

Examples: vein, weigh, eight, neighbour, they, obey

Y5 / 6Words containing the letter-string ough

Examples: though, through, rough, cough

Dictation sentences

Read each one aloud and ask your child to write it down.

1. The elephant in the photo was eating.
2. Where is my daughter's phone?
3. She caught a cold on the way home, which was unlucky.

Quick check

Can they spell these without help?

• dolphin
• naughty
• whisper
• tough

Keep going

• Year 2 spelling words - the statutory list with a free worksheet
• Year 3 and 4 spelling words - the statutory list with a free worksheet
• Year 5 and 6 spelling words - the statutory list with a free worksheet
• Printable spelling test sheet - for writing the words on paper
• Practise in Spelling.Live - add these words as a list, take a Skills Check, or play games built from them