You will learn
- Swap the first sound in a word.
- Swap the last sound in a word.
- Swap the middle sound in a word.
- Say the new word after the swap.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- We can swap sounds in words.
- Cat becomes bat when /c/ changes to /b/.
- We can swap the first, middle or last sound.
- Swapping sounds makes new words.
Words to know
change one for another
put another in its place
between the start and end
a different word
1. Discover: Sound swap
The teacher says, “Say hat. Now change /h/ to /b/.” Ama says “bat”. “Change /a/ to /i/.” “Bit!” says Kofi. “Change /t/ to /g/.” “Big!” shouts the whole class.
Think: What is cat when you change /c/ to /m/?
2. Understand: Swapping sounds
Idea 1: Swap the first sound
Change the first sound: cat → bat → mat.
Idea 2: Swap the last sound
Change the last sound: cat → cap → can.
Idea 3: Swap the middle sound
Change the middle sound: cat → cot → cut.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Swap the first sound
Change /c/ in cat to /m/.
- Say cat.
- Swap /c/ for /m/.
Answer: mat
Example 2 (We do it together): Swap the last sound
Change /t/ in cat to /p/.
- Say cat.
- Swap /t/ for /p/.
Answer: cap
Example 3 (You try): Swap the middle sound
Change /a/ in cat to /u/.
Show the steps and answer
- Say cat.
- Swap /a/ for /u/.
Answer: cut
Did you know?
English has about forty-four different sounds, and we make thousands of words from them.
Why this matters
Swapping sounds is how we read and spell word families and many new words.
4. Explore: Sound swap game
Make a swap chain.
- Start with the word “pin”.
- Change the first sound to make a new word.
- Change the last sound to make another.
- Keep going and see how long your chain is.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can make many words by swapping a sound.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- Change /__/ to /__/ in ___ and it is ___.
- The first sound changed.
- The last sound changed.
- The middle sound changed.
Guided practice
Question 1. Change /c/ in cat to /m/.
mat
Question 2. Change /t/ in cat to /p/.
cap
Question 3. Change /a/ in cat to /u/.
cut
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Change /c/ in cat to /b/.
- Change /h/ in hat to /m/.
- Change /t/ in cat to /n/.
- Change /a/ in bat to /i/.
- Change /d/ in dog to /l/.
Level 2: Grow
- Change /p/ in pig to /b/.
- Change /i/ in pig to /e/.
- Change /n/ in pin to /g/.
Level 3: Stretch
- Make a chain of four words from sat by changing one sound each time.
- Which part of the word did you change in cat to cot?
- Ama says changing /c/ in cat to /h/ makes hit. Is she right?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Make a word chain with a family member.
Show a sample answer
bed, red, rod, rob.
Another one. Play “What if I change?” with a friend.
Show a sample answer
What if I change the /p/ in pen to /h/? Hen!
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Change only one sound each time.
Fix: Say the new word.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can swap the first sound.
- I can swap the last sound.
- I can swap the middle sound.
- I can say the new word.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Swap sounds to make new words.
- We can swap first, middle or last sounds.
- Change only one sound at a time.
- Say the new word.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Uppercase and lowercase letters. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Change /c/ in cat to /m/. [1 mark]
- Change /t/ in cat to /p/. [1 mark]
- Change /a/ in cat to /u/. [1 mark]
- Which sound changed in cat to cot? [1 mark]
- Make a chain of three words from pin by changing one sound each time. [3 marks]
Total: 7 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- mat [1]
- cap [1]
- cut [1]
- the middle sound [1]
- valid word [1]; valid word [1]; only one sound changed each time [1]
Score guide: 6 to 7 = secure. 5 to 5 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- cat → bat: which sound changed?
- cat → can: which sound changed?
- cat → cot: which sound changed?
- Change /h/ in hat to /m/.
- Change /d/ in dog to /l/.
- Change /p/ in pig to /b/.
- Change /a/ in bat to /i/.
- Change /n/ in pin to /g/.
- Make a word chain from sat.
- True or false: swapping a sound can make a new word.
Homework
Play sound swap with a family member for five minutes.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. cat → bat: which sound changed? | the first | 1 |
| 2. cat → can: which sound changed? | the last | 1 |
| 3. cat → cot: which sound changed? | the middle | 1 |
| 4. Change /h/ in hat to /m/. | mat | 1 |
| 5. Change /d/ in dog to /l/. | log | 1 |
| 6. Change /p/ in pig to /b/. | big | 1 |
| 7. Change /a/ in bat to /i/. | bit | 1 |
| 8. Change /n/ in pin to /g/. | pig | 1 |
| 9. Make a word chain from sat. | a valid chain | 1 |
| 10. True or false: swapping a sound can make a new word. | true | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 bat; 2 mat; 3 can; 4 bit; 5 log. Level 2: 1 big; 2 peg; 3 pig. Level 3: 1 for example: sat, mat, map, mop; 2 the middle sound; 3 no, it makes hat.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Swap the first sound in a word | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Swap the last sound in a word | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Swap the middle sound in a word | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Say the new word after the swap | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Changing more than one sound at once. Change only one sound each time.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Swap only the first sound in simple words.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns to swap sounds in spoken words to make new words. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Play sound swap.
- Take turns choosing words.
- Praise effort.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: swap the first sound in a word; swap the last sound in a word; swap the middle sound in a word; say the new word after the swap.
Prerequisite knowledge. Adding and deleting sounds.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Start with the word hat and change the first sound.
Explanation (10 min). Teach first, last and middle swaps.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise with word chains.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners play sound swap in pairs and share.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Which sound did you change? What is the new word?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Swap only the first sound with picture cards. Extension. Build word chains with all three sound positions.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Changing more than one sound at once. Change only one sound each time.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 7-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Swap only the first sound in simple words. Enrichment. Make longer chains by swapping all three sound positions. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Reading: Foundational Skills. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RF.1.2.c and RF.1.2.d (phoneme substitution); IES What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade; Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (phonics). These sources informed the lesson.