3.1 Prepare for Irregularly Spelled High-Frequency Words Instruction
Irregularly Spelled High-Frequency Words Skill Explainer

Teacher Tip
Since these words are introduced very early in the year and kindergartners are still developing phonemic awareness and sound-letter knowledge, you may want to start by introducing only one irregular word per week. As students build their phonics skills, you can gradually increase the number of words introduced each week.
Since these words are introduced very early in the year and kindergartners are still developing phonemic awareness and sound-letter knowledge, you may want to start by introducing only one irregular word per week. As students build their phonics skills, you can gradually increase the number of words introduced each week.
Common Irregular Spelling Patterns | High-Frequency Words |
---|---|
1. 's' at the end of the word spells /z/ | has, is, as, his |
2. 's' spells /z/ in words with magic 'e' | these, those |
3. 'v' is followed by 'e' because no word in English ends with a 'v' | have, give, live |
4. 'o-e' spells the short 'u' | some, come, done |
5. 'e' follows an r-controlled vowel at the end of a word | were, are |
6. Short Vowel Rule exceptions - the vowel makes its long sound | old, cold, told, hold, both, find, kind, *mind |
7. rhyming words - spelled with the same last four letters | where, there |
8. rhyming words - the letter 'a' says short 'i' or short 'e' depending on dialect | any, many |
9. 'oor' spells /or/ | door, floor |
10. 'u' spells /oo/ as in book | put, full, pull, *push |
11. 'o' spells /oo/, as in boot | to, do, into |
12. 'oul' spells /oo/ as in book | could, would, *should |
13. 'ea' spells the short 'e' sound | head, bread |
14. words similar in meaning and spelling | once, one |
15. 'a' after 'w' sometimes spells the short 'o' sound | want, wash, *watch, *water |


List of Irregular Words by Grade, K-3
These word lists offer examples of irregular high-frequency words you can teach in each grade, kindergarten through third.
These word lists offer examples of irregular high-frequency words you can teach in each grade, kindergarten through third.

Dolch Word List with Irregular and Decodable High-Frequency Words
This is a list of 256 decodable and irregular words from the Dolch Word List. The words are organized by always irregular, common irregular patterns and decodable phonics patterns.
This is a list of 256 decodable and irregular words from the Dolch Word List. The words are organized by always irregular, common irregular patterns and decodable phonics patterns.