Reception Spelling Words
Reception is where spelling starts. There is no statutory National Curriculum spelling list for Reception - the Year 1 list is the first one - but in Reception children learn to write simple words by segmenting them into sounds, and begin to meet the tricky words that can't be sounded out yet, like the, said and was.
Most schools teach this through a DfE-validated systematic phonics programme, and each programme orders its sounds and tricky words a little differently. The lists below follow the widely used Letters and Sounds phases, so check your child's reading book or school newsletter for the exact words their class is on this week.
Reception tricky words, phase by phase
Common tricky words · Phases 2–4 (Letters and Sounds)
Phase 2 tricky words
- the
- to
- I
- no
- go
- into
Phase 3 tricky words
- he
- she
- we
- me
- be
- was
- you
- they
- all
- are
- my
- her
Phase 4 tricky words
- said
- have
- like
- so
- do
- some
- come
- were
- there
- little
- one
- when
- out
- what
The Early Years Foundation Stage expects children, by the end of Reception, to write recognisable letters and to spell words by identifying their sounds, writing some irregular common words. Source: Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, Department for Education.
Sound-it-out words to practise
Most of what a Reception child writes is decodable: every sound is spelled the way they've been taught. These are good first words to say slowly, count the sounds on your fingers, then write one sound at a time.
- cat
- sat
- pin
- dog
- run
- fish
- chip
- shop
- rain
- boat
- feet
- night
- moon
- farm
- stop
- frog
- jump
- tent
Words like chip, rain and night use digraphs and trigraphs (two or three letters making one sound) from Phase 3, so save them until your child has met those sounds in class.
How to help at home
- Little and often. Five minutes a day beats half an hour at the weekend.
- Say it, sound it, write it. Say the word, break it into sounds (c-a-t), then write each sound as you say it.
- Tricky words are learned by sight. Point out the tricky part ("the e in the says /uh/"), then have your child write the word from memory.
- Letter formation matters as much as spelling. Correct starting points now save a lot of unlearning in Year 1.
Practise on Spelling.Live
Spelling.Live is built for children aged 5 upwards, with an early-years mode for the youngest spellers. Each word is read aloud in a British voice, can come with an AI picture clue drawn from its meaning, and can be written with a finger on screen with letter tracing and gentle handwriting feedback - or on paper, marked from a photo.
Add your child's school tricky words in seconds by typing them or photographing the list that came home, and missed words come back automatically until they stick.
Picture clues, letter tracing and words read aloud. Free to start, no card needed.
Start practising freeNational Curriculum lists: Year 1 · Year 2 · Year 3 & 4 · Year 5 & 6 Read more: Picture hints for early spellers · Tracing and handwriting Browse all free spelling resources →
Common questions
Is there a Reception spelling list?
Not a statutory one. The National Curriculum spelling lists start in Year 1. In Reception, children learn to spell simple words by their sounds and begin to learn common tricky words through their school's phonics programme, so the exact words vary a little from school to school.
What are tricky words in Reception?
Tricky words are common words with a part that can't be sounded out using the phonics a child knows yet, such as the, was, said and they. Children learn to read them first and then gradually to spell them.
How many words should a Reception child be able to spell?
There is no fixed number. By the end of Reception, the Early Years Foundation Stage expects children to spell words by identifying their sounds and to write some irregular common words. Many children leave Reception able to write most of the Phase 2 and 3 tricky words above.
Should my 4 or 5 year old practise spelling on a tablet?
Short, supervised sessions that include writing help most. Spelling.Live lets younger children write each word with a finger on screen, with letter tracing, and every word is read aloud, so they are practising forming letters as well as choosing them.