Welcome, Word Detectives!
In this chapter, we are going to learn about some very special words. Most words can be read by "sounding them out" using your phonics skills. But some words are a bit more mischievous! They are called common exception words. We learn to read these because they pop up all the time in our favorite books, even though they don't always follow the normal rules of sounds.
What are Common Exception Words?
Usually, when we see a word like cat, we say the sounds \(/c/ - /a/ - /t/\) and blend them together. This is called phonic decoding. You can learn more about this in our chapter on GPCs and the 40+ phonemes.
However, exception words are "rule-breakers." If you tried to sound out the word the as \(/th/ - /e/\), it wouldn't sound right! We call these common exception words because:
1. They are common: We see them in almost every story.
2. They are exceptions: They don't follow the usual phonics rules we have learned so far.
Top Tip: Some people call these "Tricky Words" or "Red Words." Don't worry if they seem hard at first—the more you see them, the easier they get to recognize!
Words for Year 1 Readers
When you first start Year 1, you will meet some very frequent rule-breakers. You might already know some of these just by looking at them! Here are some examples of words you should try to recognize by sight:
• the and a (We use these in almost every sentence!)
• do, to, and today
• of and said (The word said is very tricky because it sounds like it should have an /e/ sound in the middle!)
• says
Did you know? Even though these words are tricky to sound out, we call them "sight words" because our goal is to recognize them as soon as our eyes see them, without needing to blend!
Words for Year 2 Readers
As you get older and move into Year 2, you will find even more words that like to break the rules. These words often have "secret" sounds hidden inside them. Here are some common ones to look out for:
• door, floor, and poor (The oo here sounds like /or/!)
• because (This is a long word, but it helps us explain things.)
• find and kind (In these words, the i says its own name /igh/ instead of /i/.)
How to Master Tricky Words
Since we can't always sound these words out, we have to use different "detective tools" to learn them. Try these steps:
1. The "Look and Say" Method: Look at the word, point to it, and say it out loud. Do this three times.
2. Find the "Tricky Part": Look at the word said. The s and the d make the sounds we expect. It’s only the ai in the middle that is being silly! If you know which part is tricky, the rest of the word is easy.
3. Word Hunting: When you are reading a book, see how many times you can spot a common exception word like the or because. Give yourself a "detective point" every time you find one!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Don't get frustrated: It is perfectly normal to try and sound out was as \(/w/ - /a/ - /s/\) at first. If the word you sound out doesn't make sense in the sentence, check if it's a "rule-breaker" instead!
• Mixing up similar words: Words like to, two, and too can look similar. We call these homophones, and we learn more about them in our spelling chapters. When reading, use the rest of the sentence to help you decide which word it is.
Quick Review
• Common exception words are words that appear often but don't follow standard phonics rules.
• We learn to read them by sight rather than by blending sounds.
• Examples include the, said, because, and floor.
• Recognizing these words helps us become faster, more fluent readers!
Remember: You don't need to learn them all in one day. Every time you read a story, you are practicing your word detective skills!