Same sound, different spelling

"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".

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".

"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".

"-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".

"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".

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

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 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