What Are Tricky Words? A Parent-Friendly Guide
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What Are Tricky Words? A Parent-Friendly Guide
If you have a child in Reception, to Year 3, you’ve probably heard teachers talking about tricky words — sometimes called common exception words. But what exactly makes a word “tricky”? Why can’t children simply sound them out? And how can you help at home without causing frustration?
This guide explains everything parents need to know, in simple, clear language.
What Are Tricky Words?
Tricky words are words that children can’t fully sound out using their phonics knowledge.
They often contain spellings that don’t follow the regular phonics rules children have learned so far.
For example:
- the
- said
- was
- you
- they
- come
Children may know the letter sounds, but these particular words don’t match those expected sounds. That’s what makes them tricky.
Why Do We Teach Tricky Words?
Tricky words appear very frequently in books. Children need to be able to read them quickly to build fluency and confidence.
Imagine trying to read a story where every few words you have to stop and think about “the”, “to”, “said”, “you”, or “some”. Teaching tricky words helps children read smoothly, so they can focus on the meaning of the story — not decoding every single word.
Are Tricky Words Really ‘Tricky’?
Here’s the secret:
Many tricky words are only temporarily tricky.
As children learn more advanced phonics patterns (like alternative spellings), some tricky words become decodable later on.
How Schools Teach Tricky Words
Schools generally introduce two tricky words each week, giving children lots of repetition and exposure. The words are revisited daily through quick recall activities, games, flashcards, and reading practice. This steady drip-feed approach helps the words ‘stick’ without overwhelming children.
When reading books in the early stages, teachers make a point of telling the children that a word is a tricky word before they meet it in the text. This is important because we don’t want children trying to sound these words out using phonics rules that don’t yet apply. Instead, we teach them to recognise tricky words by sight first, and understand the tricky part later as their phonics knowledge grows.
How You Can Support Your Child at Home
Here are some simple, fun and effective ways to practise tricky words at home:
1. Sensory Learning (Perfect for Younger Children)
Children learn brilliantly through touch and movement. Try:
- writing tricky words in sand, flour or salt trays
- creating tricky words out of playdough
- writing the word with a finger on the carpet or in the air
These multi-sensory methods help the brain store the word more effectively.
2. Tricky Word Treasure Hunt
Hide tricky words around the house.
When your child finds one, they read it aloud.
Simple, active, and great for building confidence.
3. Rainbow Writing
Ask your child to write a tricky word using a different colour for each letter.
Repeating the word helps with memory, and switching colours keeps it playful.
4. Say It in a Silly Voice
Read tricky words in robot voices, giant voices, whisper voices — anything goes!
Children remember words more easily when learning is joyful.
5. Trace, Write, Check
Encourage your child to trace the word, write it independently, then check it.
Concrete, repeatable practice.
Common Tricky Words by Year Group
Reception (Early Words)
the, to, I, no, go, into
Reception (Later Words)
he, she, we, me, be, was, my, you, they, all, are
Year 1
said, have, like, some, come, were, here, there, one, once, ask
Year 2
because, people, water, again, thought, through, friend, busy, beautiful
(Schools may vary slightly depending on their phonics scheme.)
What NOT to Do
❌ Don’t ask your child to memorise long lists
Children learn better through repetition and quick daily practice.
❌ Don’t let your child guess
Help them spot the tricky part instead.
❌ Don’t worry if they forget
Tricky words take time — revisiting them is normal.
Final Thoughts
Tricky words are an essential part of early reading — and they don’t have to be frustrating. With a few fun activities and a little consistency, your child will quickly build confidence and fluency.
If you’d like personalised support for your child’s reading and phonics, I offer engaging, interactive tutoring sessions for Reception to Year 3.
Feel free to get in touch to book a friendly chat.