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Year 2 - English

The 'l' spellings, including 'le' and 'el'

Alternative GPCS for consonants and homophones

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn to spell homophones, near-homophones and new consonant spellings.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to spell words containing the representations of the 'l' phoneme: 'le' and 'el'.

Key Notes

  • The 'll' representation of the 'l' sound is often found after short vowels in single syllable words.
  • The 'el' and 'le' representations are usually found in polysyllabic words.
  • The 'el' spelling is much less common than 'le'.
  • The 'el' spelling is often used after 'm', 'n', 'r', 's', 'v' and 'w'.
  • How to spell the common exception words: child and children.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • short vowel: a vowel sound that sounds short when spoken like "a" in "cat" or the "o" sound in "hot"
  • syllable: a single sound or beat in a word that contains a vowel sound
  • polysyllabic: describes a word that has more than one syllable

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Children may think that the vowel sound preceding the 'l' will always determine the spelling.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

The 'll' representation of the 'l' sound is often found after short vowels in single syllable words. The 'el' and 'le' representations are usually found in polysyllabic words.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'short vowel'

a vowel sound that sounds short when spoken like "a" in "cat" or the "o" sound in "hot".

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Children may think that the vowel sound preceding the 'l' will always determine the spelling. Correction: Showing examples of incorrect use of 'el' and 'le' alongside the correct can be very useful for children to spot the correct spelling.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 2 English guide library.