shut shall sheep
push wish sharp
fresh shoot rush
crash shirt harsh
shape dashing
short bushes shy
chef chiffon chalet chute
parachute
chandelier
chassis charades chivalry
chaperone
machinery
There are several graphemes which represent the /sh/ phoneme. Revise the ‘sh’ grapheme in the left column which is the most common code
for the /sh/ sound. Explain that in some words the grapheme ‘ch’ can represent the /sh/ sound as in the examples in the right column.
Remind the learner that the grapheme ‘ch’ most commonly represents the /ch/ sound as in ‘chat’ and it can also represent the /k/ sound as
in ‘chemist’.
Pronounce the ‘et’ in ‘chalet’ as /ai/, the ‘is’ in ‘chassis’ as /i/ and the ‘i’ in ‘machinery’ as /ee/.
Hold your pencil correctly and draw a picture representing some ‘ch’ words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘ch’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘ch’. Use the back of the folded-up part to practise
spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Put the grapheme ‘ch’ on one dash. Edit (check)
each word whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 1 of 20
nation motion station
patient patience partial
initials essential torrential
There are several digraphs which represent the /sh/ sound: ‘sh’, ‘ch’, ‘ti’, ‘ci’ and ‘ssi’.
Sound out and blend the words above.
Draw a picture representing some ‘ti’ words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘-ti’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘-ti’. Use the back of the folded-up part to practise
spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Put the grapheme ‘ti’ on one dash. Edit (check)
each word whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 2 of 20
official
special
artificial
delicious
precious
musician
ancient
politician suspicious
There are several digraphs which represent the /sh/ sound: ‘sh’, ‘ch’, ‘ti’, ‘ci’ and ‘ssi’.
The grapheme ‘ou’ as in ‘delicious’, ‘precious’ and ‘suspicious’ is pronounced /u/.
Sound out and blend the words above.
Draw a picture representing some ‘ci’ words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘-ci’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘-ci’. Use the back of the folded-up part to practise
spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Put the grapheme ‘ci’ on one dash. Edit (check)
each word whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 3 of 20
mission admission permission
passion expression discussion
compassion
possession
There are several digraphs which represent the /sh/ sound: ‘sh’, ‘ch’, ‘ti’, ‘ci’ and ‘ssi’.
Note that the end of every word is spelt ‘-ssion’ and this word-chunk is pronounced “shun”.
Sound out and blend the words above.
Draw a picture representing some ‘-ssi’ words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘-ssi’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘-ssi’. Use the back of the folded-up part to practise
spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Put the grapheme ‘ssi’ on one dash. Edit (check)
each word whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 4 of 20
vision
division
television
confusion invasion illusion
persuasion leisure measure
pleasure
azure
treasure
beige visual casual usual
collage barrage courgette
genre
montage
delusion
photomontage
deluge
These words have an unusual pronunciation which is denoted as /zh/. You could almost describe this sound as a ‘soft j’! Teachers usually
teach the word ending of words like ‘vision’ and ‘division’ as a chunk - that is ‘sion’ = “zhun”. You could also teach the word endings of
‘leisure’, ‘measure’, ‘treasure’ and ‘pleasure’ as a chunk - that is ‘sure’ = “zhu” (a schwa effect). The ending of ‘azure’ is more pronounced:
“a - zh - ure”. The ‘ei’ in ‘leisure’ is pronounced /e/. The ‘ea’ in the words above are also pronounced /e/. The ‘ei’ in ‘beige’ is pronounced
/ai/. The ‘a’ in ‘collage’, ‘barrage’, ‘montage’ and ‘photomontage’ is pronounced /ar/. The first ‘e’ in ‘genre’ is pronounced close to /o/ and
the final ‘e’ is pronounced as a shwa /u/.
List all the different graphemes for the /zh/ phoneme and become familiar with the words above.
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first /zh/ box to hide the words but to reveal the /zh/. Use the back of the folded-up part to practise
spelling and writing. Teach that the chunk ‘sion’ and the chunk ‘sure’ is the most helpful way to spell these particular words. Edit (check)
each word whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 5 of 20
sh
shall
wish
sharp
fresh
shirt
splash
shape
rushing
short
shy
ch
chef
chiffon
chalet
chute
parachute
chassis
charades
chaperone
machine
machinery
/sh/
-ti
nation
motion
patient
station
patience
partial
initials
essential
torrential
confidential
-ci
official
delicious
precious
special
musician
ancient
artificial
politician
suspicious
optician
-ssi
mission
admission
permission
passion
expression
discussion
compassion
possession
procession
aggression
There are several graphemes which represent the /sh/ phoneme. Where these words are beyond the reading ability of the learner, the teacher can model how to
sound them out whilst tracking under the graphemes from left to right with the index finger.
1) Blend these words. 2) Say simple sentences with these words used correctly according to their meaning.
3) Hold the pencil correctly and write a few simple sentences (preferably on lines) using a selection of these words. 4) Check (edit) the words by blending them.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 6 of 20
sh
ch
/sh/
-ti
-ci
-ssi
Write down further words in the correct columns as you think of them or find them in your wider reading.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 7 of 20
couple
nourish
double
cousin moustache
flourish limousine
troubles
mucous
tough rough enough touch
roughage serious flourished
famous touching enormous
The grapheme ‘ou’ is another way of representing the /u/ phoneme. This grapheme is most commonly used as part of the suffix ‘ous’ which
forms adjectives such as the words ‘famous’, ‘serious’ and ‘enormous’. See ‘ous’ sounds book sheet for further examples.
Sound out and blend all the words. Discuss the meanings of the words and say them in simple sentences.
Draw a picture representing some ‘ou’ words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘-ou’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘-ou’. Use the back of the folded-up part to practise
spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Break the words down into syllables first where
necessary. Put the grapheme ‘ou’ on one dash. Edit each word whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 8 of 20
anonymous porous vicious
precious previous rigorous
conscious hideous hilarious
numerous devious gracious
dangerous studious curious
courteous tedious atrocious
hazardous envious ambitious
The suffix ‘ous’ commonly forms adjectives as in the words above. The suffix ‘ous’ is made from two grapheme-phoneme correspondences:
‘ou’ + ‘s’ = /u/ + /s/. All the graphemes underlined represent the /sh/ phoneme.
Sound out and blend all the words. Discuss the meanings of the words and say them in simple sentences. Find further examples.
Draw a picture representing some ‘-ous’ words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘-ous’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘-ous’. Use the back of the folded-up part to
practise spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Break the words down into syllables first
where necessary. Put the grapheme ‘ou’ on one dash and grapheme ‘s’ on a dash - or you can choose to put the word ending ‘ous’ on one
longer dash if you prefer. Edit each word by sounding out and blending whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 9 of 20
graph
telegraph
orphan
photograph
phase
photo
elephant
phone telephone
hemisphere
phrase
sphere
phobia
phantom
triumph
The grapheme ‘ph’ is another way of representing the /f/ phoneme. Point out that the words ‘photo’ and ‘phone’ are just shortened versions
of the words ‘photograph’ and ‘telephone’ but that this is not the case with ‘graph’ and ‘telegraph’ and ‘sphere’ and ‘hemisphere’.
Sound out and blend all the words. Discuss the meanings of the words and say them in simple sentences.
Draw a picture representing some ‘ph’ words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘ph’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘ph’. Use the back of the folded-up part to practise
spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Break the words down into syllables first where
necessary. Put the grapheme ‘ph’ on one dash. Edit each word whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 10 of 20
rough tough enough roughage
cough
coughing
trough
laugh
laughter
draughts
The grapheme ‘gh’ is another way of representing the /f/ phoneme.
The grapheme ‘ou’ in the words in the top row is pronounced /u/.
The grapheme ‘ou’ in the words in the middle row is pronounced /o/.
The grapheme ‘au’ in the words in the bottom row is more dependent on regional accent and could be pronounced as /a/ or /ar/.
Sound out and blend all the words. Discuss the meanings of the words and say them in simple sentences.
Draw a picture representing some ‘gh’ words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘gh’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘gh’. Use the back of the folded-up part to practise
spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Break the words down into syllables first where
necessary. Put the grapheme ‘gh’ on one dash. Edit each word whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 11 of 20
/f/
fit
foot
roof
flat
first
after
lift
draft
fresh
crafts
f
-ff
off
huff
puffin
puffing
gruff
raffle
suffer
toffee
stuff
shuffle
ph
photo
graph
phobia
orphan
triumph
sphere
hemisphere
elephant
phone
telephone
-gh
rough
cough
laugh
tougher
enough
trough
laughter
draughts
roughage
coughing
There are several graphemes which represent the /f/ sound.
1) Blend these words. 2) Say simple sentences with these words used correctly according to their meaning.
3) Hold the pencil correctly and write a few simple sentences (preferably on lines) using a selection of these words.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
4) Check (edit) the words by blending them.
Unit 8 - Sheet 12 of 20
/f/
f
-ff
ph
-gh
Write down further words in the correct columns as you think of them or find them in your wider reading.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 13 of 20
gap give got
peg log grab
grapes grand
legs go goes
gone great
egg
eggs
reggae digger
straggly foggy
maggot baggy
jogging jagged
ghost ghettos
ghastly ghoul
ghost town
ghostwriter
gherkin ghetto
The sound /g/ is represented by the three graphemes ‘g’, ‘gg’ and ‘gh’. The grapheme ‘gg’ does not appear at the beginning or the end of
words except for the word ‘egg’. The grapheme ‘gh’ is a rare grapheme although people are aware of it because of its use in the words in
the right column above. Remind the learner that the grapheme ‘gh’ can also represent the /f/ sound as in ‘rough’.
Sound out and blend all the words. Discuss the meanings of the words and say them in simple sentences.
Draw a picture representing some ‘gh’ words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘g-gg-gh’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘g-gg-gh’. Use the back of the folded-up part to
practise spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Break the words down into syllables first
where necessary. Put the graphemes ‘gg’ or ‘gh’ on one dash as appropriate. Edit each word whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 14 of 20
chip such chat
much
chess
chart
rich
chilly chain
chase choose
school chemist
chorus chasm
Christmas
chrome chronic
chrysalis chaos
chef chalet
parachute
chassis chiffon
chivalry chute
machinery
The grapheme ‘ch’ represents the three sounds /ch/, /k/ and /sh/ as in the three columns above.
Sound out and blend all the words. Discuss the meanings of the words and say them in simple sentences.
Draw a picture representing some ‘ch’ words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘ch,ch,ch’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘ch,ch,ch’. Use the back of the folded-up part
to practise spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Break the words down into syllables first
where necessary. Put the grapheme ‘ch’ on one dash as appropriate. Edit each word whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 15 of 20
was want wasp wand wash
waft watch waffle wander
swan swap swamp swallow
swat swashbuckling swatch
Where the letter ‘w’ precedes the letter ‘a’, the reader is alerted to the possibility that the ‘a’ might be pronounced as the /o/ phoneme. The easiest
way to approach this letter combination is to see ‘wa’ and consider whether to sound out “wo”.
The letter ‘s’ in ‘was’ is pronounced /z/.
Sound out and blend all the words. Discuss the meanings of the words and say them in simple sentences.
Draw a picture representing some of the words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘wa’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘wa’. Use the back of the folded-up part to practise
spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Break the words down into syllables first where
necessary. Edit each word by sounding out and blending whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 16 of 20
quarry
quarrel
quality
squat
squash
squabble
squatter
squalor
squander
squad squadron quadrangle
qualify
qualification
quadrilateral
quarantine
Where the grapheme ‘qu’ precedes the letter ‘a’, the reader is alerted to the possibility that the ‘a’ might be pronounced as the
/o/ phoneme. The easiest way to approach this letter combination is to see ‘qua’ and consider whether to sound out “quo”. The learner
needs to become familiar with these words.
Sound out and blend all the words. Discuss the meanings of the words and say them in simple sentences.
Draw a picture representing some of the words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘qua’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘qua’. Use the back of the folded-up part to
practise spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Break the words down into syllables first
where necessary. Edit each word by sounding out and blending whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 17 of 20
war warm warmth warn wart
ward warden warp towards
wartime
wardrobe
warning
Where the letter ‘w’ precedes the grapheme ‘ar’, the reader is alerted to the possibility that the ‘ar’ might be pronounced as the
/or/ phoneme. The easiest way to approach this letter combination is to see ‘war’ and sound out “wor”.
Sound out and blend all the words. Discuss the meanings of the words and say them in simple sentences.
Draw a picture representing some of the words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘war’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘war’. Use the back of the folded-up part to
practise spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. ‘W’ and ‘ar’ are two separate graphemes.
Break the words down into syllables first where necessary. Edit each word by sounding out and blending whilst finger-tracking under the
graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 18 of 20
gnat gnaw gnash gnarled
gnome sign align aligned
reign feign foreign malign
foreigner design campaign
designer consignment resign
The grapheme ‘gn’ is another way of representing the /n/ phoneme. The grapheme ‘ei’ in ‘reign’ and ‘feign’ is pronounced /ai/.
The grapheme ‘ei’ in ‘foreign’ and ‘foreigner’ is close to /u/ (schwa effect).
Sound out and blend all the words. Discuss the meanings of the words and say them in simple sentences.
Draw a picture representing some ‘gn’ words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘gn’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘gn’. Use the back of the folded-up part to practise
spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Break the words down into syllables first where
necessary. Put the grapheme ‘gn’ on one dash. Edit each word whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 19 of 20
hustle and bustle
whistling
rustle jostle trestle wrestle
castle thistle gristle gristly
mistletoe
nestle
nestling
listen fasten hasten glisten
christen christening fastener
The grapheme ‘st’ is another way of representing the /s/ phoneme. The phoneme /s/ in the words above is usually followed by /u/ - the
schwa effect.
Sound out and blend all the words. Discuss the meanings of the words and say them in simple sentences.
Draw a picture representing some ‘st’ words from above and label:
Fold this page up to the bottom of the first ‘-st-’ box to hide the words but to reveal the ‘-st-’. Use the back of the folded-up part to practise
spelling and writing. Say the words slowly and put a dash for each sound in the words. Break the words down into syllables first where
necessary. Put the grapheme ‘st’ on one dash. Edit each word whilst finger-tracking under the graphemes.
Copyright 2007 Debbie Hepplewhite
Unit 8 - Sheet 20 of 20