You will learn
- Say what an irregular word is.
- Read common irregular words such as the, was, said and you.
- Spot the tricky part of an irregular word.
- Read irregular words in sentences.
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
- Some words are tricky.
- We cannot always sound them out.
- We learn them by heart.
- We see them often when we read.
Words to know
a word that does not follow the usual sound rules
the part that is not as it sounds
so you know it without sounding out
many times
1. Discover: Tricky words
Kofi reads the sentence: “I said you were here.” He sounds out said and gets “sayd”. His teacher says, “Said is a tricky word. It sounds like /sed/. We learn it by heart.”
Think: What sound does the ai make in said?
2. Understand: Tricky words
Idea 1: What is an irregular word?
An irregular word is a word that does not follow the usual sound rules. the, was, said, you, are, they are irregular.
Idea 2: Find the tricky part
In said, the ai says /e/. In was, the a says /o/. That is the tricky part.
Idea 3: Learn by heart
We see these words very often. Look at the word, say it, spell it and read it in sentences until you know it.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Read an irregular word
Read the.
- Look at the word.
- Say it.
Answer: the
Example 2 (We do it together): Spot the tricky part
Find the tricky part in said.
- Say the sounds.
- The ai does not say /ai/.
Answer: ai says /e/
Example 3 (You try): Read in a sentence
Read: You are my friend.
Show the steps and answer
- Read the tricky words you, are.
- Read the whole sentence.
Answer: You are my friend.
Did you know?
The word the is the most common word in English writing.
Why this matters
These tricky words are in almost every sentence, so knowing them makes reading much faster.
4. Explore: Tricky word cards
Practise tricky words with cards.
- Make cards for the, was, said, you, are, they.
- Look at each word and say it.
- Spell it and read it again.
- Use it in a sentence.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can learn tricky words by seeing and saying them often.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The tricky word is ___.
- The tricky part is ___.
- I can read ___ by heart.
- I used ___ in a sentence.
Guided practice
Question 1. Read the.
the
Question 2. Tricky part in said?
ai
Question 3. Read: You are my friend.
You are my friend.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Read: was
- Read: said
- Read: you
- Read: they
- Tricky words are learned by ___.
Level 2: Grow
- Read: They said you are here.
- Spell: the
- Tricky part in was?
Level 3: Stretch
- Write a sentence with two tricky words.
- Why do we learn tricky words by heart?
- Ama sounds out said as sayd. What should she do?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Find five tricky words in a story.
Show a sample answer
the, was, said, you, they.
Another one. Make a sentence with the, was and said.
Show a sample answer
The dog was big and the boy said hello.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Learn tricky words by heart.
Fix: Look at the whole word.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what a tricky word is.
- I can read common tricky words.
- I can find the tricky part.
- I can use them in sentences.
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
- Some words are tricky.
- We cannot always sound them out.
- Learn them by heart.
- See them often in reading.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Reading connected texts. 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.
- What is a tricky (irregular) word? [1 mark]
- Name two tricky words. [2 marks]
- Read: They said you are here. [1 mark]
- What is the tricky part of said? [1 mark]
- Why do we learn tricky words by heart? [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- a word that does not follow the usual sound rules [1]
- one valid example [1]; a second valid example [1]
- reads correctly [1]
- the ai sound [1]
- they cannot be sounded out [1]; they are very common [1]; it makes reading faster [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Read: the
- Read: was
- Read: said
- Read: you
- Read: they
- Spell: the
- Tricky part in said
- Which is tricky: cat or said?
- True or false: tricky words are learned by heart.
- Write a sentence with the word said.
Homework
Practise six tricky words every day this week.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Read: the | the | 1 |
| 2. Read: was | was | 1 |
| 3. Read: said | said | 1 |
| 4. Read: you | you | 1 |
| 5. Read: they | they | 1 |
| 6. Spell: the | t-h-e | 1 |
| 7. Tricky part in said | ai | 1 |
| 8. Which is tricky: cat or said? | said | 1 |
| 9. True or false: tricky words are learned by heart. | true | 1 |
| 10. Write a sentence with the word said. | a valid sentence | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 was; 2 said; 3 you; 4 they; 5 heart. Level 2: 1 They said you are here.; 2 t-h-e; 3 a. Level 3: 1 a valid sentence with two tricky words; 2 they cannot be sounded out; 3 remember it is a tricky word and say sed.
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 Say what an irregular word is | 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 Read common irregular words such as the, was, said and you | 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 Spot the tricky part of an irregular 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 Read irregular words in sentences | 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: Sounding out every word. Learn tricky words by heart.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Teach two tricky words at a time.
- 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 common words that cannot be fully sounded out. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Make word cards.
- Read them each day.
- Point out tricky words in books.
- 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: say what an irregular word is; read common irregular words such as the, was, said and you; spot the tricky part of an irregular word; read irregular words in sentences.
Prerequisite knowledge. Reading decodable sentences.
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). Show a sentence with said and ask how to read it.
Explanation (10 min). Teach tricky words.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise with cards.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners complete the practice and share.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Is this a tricky word? What is the tricky part?
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. Teach two words at a time. Extension. Read sentences full of tricky words.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Sounding out every word. Learn tricky words by heart.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-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. Teach two tricky words at a time. Enrichment. Find more tricky words in books. 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; Grade 1 » Reading: Literature; Grade 1 » Reading: Informational Text. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RF.1.3.g (recognise and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words); IES What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade (teach irregular words); Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (high-frequency words). These sources informed the lesson.