Practical help for Year 1 and Year 2
Common exception words activities for Years 1 and 2
In short: Keep phonics active, draw attention to the unusual part, then ask the child to recall the word without looking. These ten activities move from hearing and noticing to independent spelling and using the word in a sentence.
Free basic practice. No child’s name or account needed. Last reviewed 25 August 2026.
Pick the activity for the job
Ten useful activities, matched to the learning job
You do not need to use all ten. Choose one activity that helps the child inspect the word and one that checks recall without the answer visible. Finish by using the word in speech or writing.
Activity 1 · Notice the exceptional letters
Tricky-part spotlight
Write the word clearly. Ask the child to underline or colour only the part that does not match the sound pattern they currently know, then read the whole word aloud.
Activity 2 · Connect spelling with meaning
Say it in a sentence
Say the word, use it in a short sentence and ask the child to make another sentence. Homophones such as there and their need meaning as well as letter recall.
Activity 3 · Keep phonics active
Sound-to-letter map
Say the word slowly, count its sounds and map the letters or letter groups that represent each sound. Mark the unusual correspondence instead of calling the whole word unphonetic.
Activity 4 · Recall the difficult part
Missing tricky chunk
Show the word with its exceptional letters removed, such as p__ple. Ask the child to complete the word, read it and explain which part they had to remember.
Activity 5 · Move from looking to recall
Build, hide, rebuild
Build the word with letter tiles or written cards. Read it, hide it, mix the letters and rebuild it from memory. Remove the tiles once the child can write it independently.
Activity 6 · Compare genuine similarities
Useful word sort
Sort a small set by a useful feature: the same tricky letter group, a shared ending or a homophone pair. Ask the child to name the reason for each group.
Activity 7 · Check independent recall
Cover and write
Look at the word, say it, cover it and write it once from memory. Reveal it immediately and correct only the part that changed. Copying while looking does not test recall.
Activity 8 · Retrieve words in a new order
Quick mixed quiz
Mix two new words with three already-known words. Say each one in a sentence and keep the pace calm. A mixed list prevents the child relying on the order of a worksheet.
Activity 9 · Use the spelling in writing
Sentence dictation
Read one short sentence containing the target word. The child writes the whole sentence, then checks the target spelling, capital letter and full stop against the original.
Activity 10 · Find out what was retained
Tomorrow test
Bring the word back the next day without showing it first. Keep words that are recalled in an occasional review and return missed words to the short practice pile.
A repeatable short routine
From first look to tomorrow’s recall
Use the words and phonics language supplied by school. This five-step sequence works at home, in a classroom group or as a calm intervention warm-up.
- 1
Choose three to five words
Use the words being taught at school. Mix one or two secure words with the new ones rather than attempting the entire statutory list.
- 2
Say and explain each word
Use each word in a sentence so the child is learning the right meaning, especially for homophones and easily confused words.
- 3
Mark the unusual part
Map the sounds and letters the child knows, then draw attention to the correspondence that is unusual or has not yet been taught.
- 4
Hide it and recall it
Ask for one independent spelling without the answer visible. Check straight away and make a calm, specific correction.
- 5
Return after a gap
Re-test missed words later or the next day. Delayed recall tells you more than another row of copying.
Use the same principle in two settings
At home and in the classroom
For parents
Start with the exact words sent home, choose three to five and stop while the child can still think clearly. Spellito’s basic ten-word practice is free and does not ask for a child’s name. A Family Pass is only for optional extras such as saved progress, home lists, buddies and hints.
For teachers
Group pupils by the spelling feature they need to understand, not simply by the number of words they missed. Use a quick independent recall, inspect the errors and check whether the spelling transfers into an ordinary sentence before changing the teaching plan.
Source-led guidance
What the English curriculum actually says
The Department for Education says pupils should read and spell common exception words while noting unusual correspondences between spelling and sound. Its notes also say teachers should use phonics for these words whenever possible and teach the unusual part explicitly.
Common questions
Common exception words FAQ
What are common exception words?
In England's primary English curriculum, common exception words are frequently used words whose spelling contains sound-to-letter correspondences that are unusual or may not yet have been taught. They should still be read and spelt using phonics as far as possible, with the exceptional part taught explicitly.
Are common exception words the same as tricky words?
The terms are often used in similar ways, but schools may use tricky words for programme-specific phonics vocabulary. Follow the language used by your child's school and use the official Year 1 and Year 2 lists when you need the statutory common exception words.
How many common exception words should a child practise at once?
There is no statutory number for one home session. Start with a small set the child can study and recall calmly, then add more only when the earlier words remain secure after a gap.
Should children memorise common exception words as whole shapes?
Do not discard phonics. Say the word, map the sound-to-letter correspondences the child knows and highlight the exceptional part. Whole-word recall can then support, rather than replace, that analysis.
Can my child practise common exception words online for free?
Yes. Spellito's basic ten-word practice is free and does not require a child's name or an account. Choose Year 1 or Year 2 and the app reads each word in a British voice before the child spells it.
What if my child keeps forgetting the same words?
Reduce the set, check that the word and its meaning are understood, teach the precise unusual part and re-test it after a gap. If spelling remains a concern or practice is causing distress, share the pattern of errors with the child's teacher.
Clear annual pricing
Start free. Pay only when the family extras help.
A child can practise ten built-in words without entering their name, making an account or paying. Family Pass is the optional complete home product.
Basic practice
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- Ten-word curriculum practice
- Hear each word in a sentence
- Clear correction and another try
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- Up to five child profiles
- Buddies, hints and private progress
- School lists, SATs papers and cross-device sync
12 months. No automatic renewal.