Reading High-Frequency Words by Sight
Read common high-frequency and exception words automatically by sight, including words with irregular spelling patterns
What a learner can do afterwards
- Read common exception words instantly without sounding out (e.g. 'the', 'said', 'was', 'you')
- Note unusual correspondences between spelling and sound in exception words
- Recognise at least 20-30 high-frequency words in connected text
The lesson
Some words look tricky. They are spelled in a surprising way. We call these sight words. You know them by sight, not by sounding out.
Try it together
Leo sees the word 'said' in his book. He doesn't sound it out. He just says 'said' right away.
Good to know
Practice tricky words often. Look at the whole word, not just letters. Soon you will know it by heart.
Know sight words by looking, since they don't sound as spelled.
Watch it
Where it sits
Then practise
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.