A little help for home practice · England
Year 1 common exception words
England's DfE spelling appendix gives 45 Year 1 common exception word examples. A common exception word has a letter-sound match that is unusual or has not yet been taught. Use the sounds your child knows and follow your school's phonics sequence.
Teaching common exception words is statutory. These named examples are non-statutory: the appendix says “and/or others, according to the programme used”. Your school may introduce other words too.
Published and updated .
A small record of growing confidence
Observe a word being read, spelled from memory and used independently in writing. Add ticks or brief notes on paper when helpful. This is an observation aid, not a score or diagnosis.
Use your browser's Print or Save as PDF command for a one-page A4 checklist. No name, account or payment is needed. Only the checklist title, source and table print. Scroll inside the table to see all rows; keyboard users can focus it and use the arrow keys.
Source: Department for Education, English Appendix 1: Spelling, page 6.
| Word | Read | Spell | In writing |
|---|---|---|---|
| the | |||
| a | |||
| do | |||
| to | |||
| today | |||
| of | |||
| said | |||
| says | |||
| are | |||
| were | |||
| was | |||
| is | |||
| his | |||
| has | |||
| I | |||
| you | |||
| your | |||
| they | |||
| be | |||
| he | |||
| me | |||
| she | |||
| we | |||
| no | |||
| go | |||
| so | |||
| by | |||
| my | |||
| here | |||
| there | |||
| where | |||
| love | |||
| come | |||
| some | |||
| one | |||
| once | |||
| ask | |||
| friend | |||
| school | |||
| put | |||
| push | |||
| pull | |||
| full | |||
| house | |||
| our |
Five calm minutes with a few words
Pick two or three words already introduced at school. Spend about a minute on each step, and finish while it still feels manageable.
- Say it in a sentence. Say the word naturally, then make a short sentence together so its meaning is clear.
- Find the tricky part. Say the sounds and match the letters your child knows. Notice the unusual or not-yet-taught match together.
- Cover and write. Cover the word and invite one attempt from memory, without rushing.
- Check together. Uncover it, compare each part and give the tricky letters another look. Help your child correct the spelling kindly.
- Return later. Finish with a familiar word. Revisit the new spellings after a gap and notice them in reading or a sentence another day.
Look closely at one part
These examples explain what to notice, rather than when to teach it. Use your school's terminology and sound pronunciation; a match may become familiar as the programme progresses.
- said: ai
- The letters ai make the short e sound heard in bed. In rain, the same letters make a long a sound. Keep using the familiar sounds for s and d.
- friend: ie
- Here ie makes the short e sound heard in bed. Notice those two letters together while matching the other sounds your child has been taught.
- was: s
- The final s sounds like the z at the start of zip. The vowel also needs attention: in many English accents a has the short o sound heard in hot. Follow the school's pronunciation and teaching.
- school: ch
- The letters ch make the k sound heard at the start of cat, rather than the sound at the start of chip. Explore s, oo and l using the matches taught so far.
Keep home practice connected to school
Ask which words and letter-sound matches your child is learning this week. Spellito's free ten-word rounds select from the Year 1 practice pool, so the selection may vary each time.
Questions from parents
How many Year 1 common exception words are there?
England's DfE English Appendix 1 gives 45 Year 1 example words. Teaching common exception words is statutory, but these named examples are non-statutory: the appendix says “and/or others, according to the programme used”. They sit alongside the wider Year 1 phonics and spelling curriculum.
Do schools test these words?
Schools may check reading and spelling as part of everyday teaching. These 45 examples do not define a compulsory national 45-word exam. Ask your child's teacher which words are being taught and how the school checks learning; this checklist is an observation aid, not a score or diagnosis.
What order should we practise them in?
Follow your school's phonics sequence and the words your child has met in class. The appendix's printed order is not a national teaching order. Choose a small set, use the letter-sound matches already taught and revisit words after a gap.
Are printing and Year 1 practice free?
Yes. Use your browser's Print or Save as PDF command for the one-page A4 checklist, with no name, account or payment. Basic ten-word Year 1 practice is also free. A ten-word round selects from the Year 1 practice pool, so its selection may vary. Family Pass is optional for the family extras.
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