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Year 3 - English

Writing common exception words

Building fluency in silent letters, homophones, and common exception words

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils practise their handwriting with a focus on increasing legibility, consistency and quality. They practise writing words with silent letters, homophones and common exception words. The unit culminates in pupils applying their handwriting skills to reviewing and copying poems.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to correctly write common exception words in cursive handwriting.

Key Notes

  • Common exception words do not follow regular spelling or phonics rules.
  • Letters in the common exception words will be joined using a range of joins depending on the letters in the word.
  • The first letter always has a lead in and the last letter always has a lead out.
  • There is appropriate spacing between the letters.
  • You don't lift your pencil when forming the joins.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • common exception word: a word that does not follow the regular phonics or spelling rules
  • join: how the letters are connected together
  • letter string: a group of letters that are written together in a word
  • lead in: the stroke or line that guides us into starting a letter
  • lead out: the stroke or line that guides us to smoothly finish a letter

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Children may lift their pencil in the middle of the letter string to 'dot' the letter i or put the 'cross' on the letter t.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Common exception words do not follow regular spelling or phonics rules. Letters in the common exception words will be joined using a range of joins depending on the letters in the word.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'common exception word'

a word that does not follow the regular phonics or spelling rules.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Children may lift their pencil in the middle of the letter string to 'dot' the letter i or put the 'cross' on the letter t. Correction: Model to the children that you wait until the end of the letter string before adding the 'cross' or the 'dot'.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 3 English guide library.