One of the most common ways of spelling the ER sound or phoneme, is with UR. This is usually found in the middle of words. This is the first UR sound or phoneme that children learn in Reception Class. You’ll recognise this UR sound in words like burn, turn, hurt, church or surf.
The next most obvious spelling alternative to teach is an ER making the ER sound or phoneme. This is mostly found at the end of words. You’ll recognise this in words like power, shower, tower, or longer words like flower, longer, or toaster.
Exceptions to be aware of, which disprove these rules, include words like fur and perfume. It’s best to avoid these at this stage because children need to have a basic understanding of general rules, before we introduce exceptions.
The final ER alternative spelling uses an IR to make the ER sound. This is a less common spelling for the sound or phoneme ER, and it is usually found in the middle of words.
A good way to remember when an IR should be used (rather than a UR) is that, if you hear an m, d, t, or th after the ER sound, the best choice for spelling is to use the IR, rather than the UR.
Some helpful examples include words like; bird, third, shirt, or even longer words like skirt, squirm, or squirt.
Some exceptions to avoid at this stage include words like fur and circus, because these disprove the rule.
Learning Lady Top Tip
When you’re teaching these Phase 5 Phonics spelling rules and alternatives, always pick the words to prove the rule before you start. Otherwise, if you ask the children for examples, they’ll come up with all sorts of ideas and exceptions,. Explaining the rules then becomes much, much harder!
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
HI there
Thank you for these resources however I am struggling to find the place to download the visuals. Please can you help?
many thanks
Vick Beard
vick.beard@me.com
Hi Vick
Many apologies for the delay in replying, I’ve been unwell.
Here’s a link to my TES store where you’ll be able to download the visuals for free.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12645697
Hope this helps
Emma
Hello Emma,
I am very interested in your super spelling rules guide. However, the link on your site doesn’t work.
Please let me know if you wouldn’t mind emailing it to me?
Hi
I’m so sorry for the delay in replying, I’ve unwell for weeks. Here’s a link to the spelling rules guide, I hope you find it useful.
https://bit.ly/3znIyun
Emma
The download link for the super spelling spelling rules for phonics doesn’t work.
I apologise for the broken link. Here is the link that works https://view.flodesk.com/pages/61f437bd60ada4164ea6fb33