UK K12 GCSE/A-Level: Year 2 KS1 English - Spelling, Y2 Common Exception Words

Learning Objectives

By the end of this topic, students will be able to: - Recognize and spell 20 common exception words in Year 2. - Understand the importance of word families and prefixes/suffixes in spelling. - Apply phonics and word pattern knowledge to decode unfamiliar words. - Demonstrate an awareness of irregularities in English spelling.

Core Concepts

In Year 2, students will learn to spell 20 common exception words, which are words that do not follow the usual phonics patterns. These words are often used in everyday language and are essential for reading and writing. The 20 common exception words for Year 2 are:

• the
• and
• is
• in
• it
• for
• on
• at
• with
• as
• you
• said
• see
• me
• my
• no
• go
• by
• have

These words are often grouped into categories, such as:

• Word families: words that end with the same sound, e.g., cat, hat, sat.
• Prefixes: words that begin with a prefix, e.g., un- (unhappy), re- (rewrite).
• Suffixes: words that end with a suffix, e.g., -ed (walked), -ing (swimming).

Worked Examples

Example 1: Word Families

Imagine you have a cat and you want to buy a new hat for your cat. You go to the shop and see a hat that looks like your cat's favorite toy. You say to the shopkeeper, "I'll have that hat, please." The shopkeeper says, "That will be £5. You can pay with your card or cash." You pay with your card and take the hat home. When you get home, you put the hat on your cat and take a photo to show your friend.

In this example, the words "cat," "hat," and "sat" are all part of the same word family. They all end with the "at" sound.

Example 2: Prefixes

Imagine you are playing a game with your friend and you want to make it more challenging. You say to your friend, "Let's make it harder by adding more obstacles." Your friend agrees and you both start to add more obstacles to the game. You say, "Now it's really hard, let's take a break." Your friend agrees and you both take a break.

In this example, the word "harder" begins with the prefix "hard-". The prefix "hard-" means "more difficult".

Example 3: Suffixes

Imagine you are swimming in the pool and you want to tell your friend how long you've been swimming. You say, "I've been swimming for 30 minutes." Your friend asks, "How many lengths have you done?" You say, "I've done 5 lengths." Your friend says, "Well done, you're a great swimmer!"

In this example, the word "swimming" ends with the suffix "-ing". The suffix "-ing" means "in the process of doing something".

Common Misconceptions

Students may struggle with spelling common exception words because they:

• Confuse words that sound similar but have different meanings, e.g., "their" and "there".
• Fail to recognize word families and prefixes/suffixes.
• Rely too heavily on phonics and not enough on word pattern knowledge.
• Struggle to recognize irregularities in English spelling.

Exam Tips

• Make sure to practice spelling common exception words regularly.
• Use word families and prefixes/suffixes to help you spell unfamiliar words.
• Read widely and often to improve your vocabulary and spelling.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help if you're struggling with a particular word.

MCQs

MCQ 1: [F]

What is the prefix in the word "unhappy"?

A) Un- B) Re- C) De- D) In-

Correct answer: A) Un-

Why the distractors fail: Option B) Re- is a prefix, but it's not the prefix in the word "unhappy". Option C) De- is a prefix, but it's not the prefix in the word "unhappy". Option D) In- is not a prefix in the word "unhappy".

MCQ 2: [H]

What is the suffix in the word "swimming"?

A) -ing B) -ed C) -s D) -t

Correct answer: A) -ing

Why the distractors fail: Option B) -ed is a suffix, but it's not the suffix in the word "swimming". Option C) -s is a suffix, but it's not the suffix in the word "swimming". Option D) -t is not a suffix in the word "swimming".

MCQ 3: [F]

What is the word family of the words "cat", "hat", and "sat"?

A) Cat, hat, sat B) Dog, cat, mouse C) Sun, moon, star D) Boy, girl, man

Correct answer: A) Cat, hat, sat

Why the distractors fail: Option B) Dog, cat, mouse are not in the same word family. Option C) Sun, moon, star are not in the same word family. Option D) Boy, girl, man are not in the same word family.

MCQ 4: [H]

What is the meaning of the prefix "re-" in the word "rewrite"?

A) To make something new B) To make something harder C) To make something easier D) To make something longer

Correct answer: C) To make something easier

Why the distractors fail: Option A) To make something new is not the meaning of the prefix "re-". Option B) To make something harder is not the meaning of the prefix "re-". Option D) To make something longer is not the meaning of the prefix "re-".

MCQ 5: [F]

What is the word that ends with the suffix "-ed" in the sentence "I walked to the shop"?

A) Walk B) Shop C) Walked D) Running

Correct answer: C) Walked

Why the distractors fail: Option A) Walk is not the word that ends with the suffix "-ed". Option B) Shop is not the word that ends with the suffix "-ed". Option D) Running is not the word that ends with the suffix "-ed".

Short-answer Questions

1. What is the difference between the words "their" and "there"? Give an example sentence for each word.
2. Explain the meaning of the prefix "un-" in the word "unhappy". Give an example sentence.
3. What is the suffix in the word "swimming"? Give an example sentence.
4. What is the word family of the words "cat", "hat", and "sat"? Give an example sentence for each word.
5. Explain the meaning of the prefix "re-" in the word "rewrite". Give an example sentence.