You will learn
- Say what an irregular word is.
- Read common irregular words on sight.
- Spell common irregular words.
- Use them 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
- Irregular words do not follow the usual patterns.
- We learn them by sight.
- Look for the tricky part.
- Use them often.
Words to know
not following the usual pattern
a word you know without sounding it out
the letters that break the usual pattern
say or write the letters in order
1. Discover: The tricky words
“What did you say?” asks Tolu. “I said we were late,” says Ama. “They were not here, because the bus was slow.” Kofi smiles. “Who knows why said does not rhyme with paid?” “Because it is a tricky word!” they all shout.
Think: Which words did not follow the usual patterns?
2. Understand: Tricky words
Idea 1: What are they?
An irregular word does not follow the usual sound patterns. said does not rhyme with paid. was does not rhyme with gas.
Idea 2: Learn by sight
We learn these as sight words: said, was, they, were, because, again, friend, people, would, could. Read them without sounding out.
Idea 3: Find the tricky part
Each word has a tricky part: the ai in said, the ie in friend, the eo in people. Mark it, say it and trace it.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Read
Read: said.
- It is a sight word.
Answer: said
Example 2 (We do it together): Tricky part
What is the tricky part of friend?
- Look for letters that break the pattern.
Answer: ie
Example 3 (You try): Spell
Spell the word that tells why: b_____.
Show the steps and answer
- b-e-c-a-u-s-e
Answer: because
Did you know?
Many irregular words are very old and kept spellings from long ago.
Why this matters
Irregular words are in almost every sentence, so knowing them makes reading fast.
4. Explore: Trace the tricky part
Practise irregular words.
- Look at the word.
- Say it.
- Trace the tricky part.
- Write it from memory.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can learn tricky words.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The tricky part of said is ___.
- The tricky part of friend is ___.
- I can read ___.
- I can spell ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Does said rhyme with paid?
no
Question 2. What is the tricky part of was?
a (sounds like o)
Question 3. Spell the word for “more than one person”.
people
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- An ___ word breaks the usual pattern.
- We learn them by ___.
- The tricky part is the letters that break the ___.
- I spell “said” s-a-i-___.
- A word that tells why is ___.
Level 2: Grow
- Spell friend.
- Spell people.
- Read: would.
Level 3: Stretch
- Why do we learn sight words?
- Can you sound out said?
- Write a sentence with because.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Find five irregular words in a book and underline the tricky part.
Show a sample answer
said, was, they, friend, people
Another one. Write a sentence using three irregular words.
Show a sample answer
They said it was a good day.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Remember ai.
Fix: Remember ie.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what an irregular word is.
- I can read common irregular words.
- I can spell them.
- 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
- Irregular words break patterns.
- Learn them by sight.
- Mark the tricky part.
- Practise often.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Decoding longer words. 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 an irregular word? [1 mark]
- Write two irregular words. [2 marks]
- What is the tricky part of friend? [1 mark]
- Spell the word that tells why. [1 mark]
- Explain how to learn a tricky word. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- a word that does not follow the usual pattern [1]
- a valid word [1]; another valid word [1]
- ie [1]
- because [1]
- look at it [1]; mark the tricky part [1]; say, trace and write it [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
- An ___ word breaks the pattern.
- We learn them by ___.
- Spell friend.
- Spell people.
- Spell because.
- Spell said.
- True or false: said rhymes with paid.
- True or false: was is a sight word.
- Write a sentence with they.
- Write a sentence with because.
Homework
Practise spelling five irregular words and use them in sentences.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. An ___ word breaks the pattern. | irregular | 1 |
| 2. We learn them by ___. | sight | 1 |
| 3. Spell friend. | friend | 1 |
| 4. Spell people. | people | 1 |
| 5. Spell because. | because | 1 |
| 6. Spell said. | said | 1 |
| 7. True or false: said rhymes with paid. | false | 1 |
| 8. True or false: was is a sight word. | true | 1 |
| 9. Write a sentence with they. | They are my friends. | 1 |
| 10. Write a sentence with because. | I smile because I am happy. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 irregular; 2 sight; 3 pattern; 4 d; 5 because. Level 2: 1 friend; 2 people; 3 would. Level 3: 1 they are common and not easy to sound out; 2 not easily; 3 I am happy because it is sunny..
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 on sight | 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 Spell common irregular words | 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 Use them 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: Spelling said as sed. Remember ai.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use flash cards.
- 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 tricky words. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Play flash cards.
- Read sentences.
- Praise sight reading.
- 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 on sight; spell common irregular words; use them in sentences.
Prerequisite knowledge. Inflectional endings.
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). Review patterns.
Explanation (10 min). Teach sight words.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise reading and spelling.
Independent activity (10 min). Check recall.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Which part is tricky? Can you spell it?
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. Use flash cards. Extension. Learn more sight words.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Spelling said as sed. Remember ai.
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. Use flash cards. Enrichment. Find more irregular words. 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 2 » 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.2.3f (recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words); IES What Works Clearinghouse Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in K–3; Cambridge Primary English Stage 2 (phonics and spelling). These sources informed the lesson.