The first common spelling of air is with an AIR.
Words which use this spelling of AIR are usually nouns, so it’s important that the children know what a noun is, before you begin to explain this rule.
Nouns which use this spelling of AIR include: chair, hair, pair fair airport or fairy.
An Alternative to AIR is ARE. This is usually found in verbs representing the air sound.
It’s important that the children know what a verb is before you begin to explain this AIR alternative.
You’ll find ARE making the air sound in words like care, dare, share, glare or scare.
Exceptions to avoid in the early stages of explaining this rule will include square and scarecrow.
These anomalies disprove the general rule which the children need to learn first.
The third way of spelling the AIR sound or phoneme is using an EAR to represent the air sound.
This is rare, and it’s more commonly pronounced EAR, as in hear and fear.
It’s a good idea to make sure that the children recognise and remember the EAR phoneme first, before introducing this alternative pronunciation.
The small group of words where an EAR makes the AIR rather than EAR sound, includes bear, pear, wear and swear.
FREE Super Spelling Rules Guide
For all of the spelling rules and alternative pronunciations of sounds you’ll need to teach Letters and Sounds Phase 5 SPECTACULARLY WELL, Download my FREE PDF Super Spelling Rules guide now. It includes:
Easy, plain English, explanations of all of the rules you’ll need
Lists of words which prove each rule
Exceptions to avoid
Don’t forget there are more spelling rules and alternative pronunciations to master when you’re explaining Phase 5 Phonics.
Check out these rules to teach the most common spelling choices in Phase 5 SPECTACULARLY WELL!
Alternative spellings and rules to teach the AI sound
Spelling alternatives for the EA phonics sound Phase 5
Alternative spellings for IGH phonics in Phase 5
Alternative spellings for IR words in phonics Phase 5