Tricky words in Year 1: all 45, and how to practise them
Last reviewed 29 September 2026 · 5 minute read
Most words can be read by saying each sound and blending. A few very common words have a part that does not follow the sounds your child has learned so far. Schools call these tricky words, or common exception words. This guide lists the 45 your child is expected to read by the end of Year 1. It groups them to make them easier, and explains why they are not in the Phonics Screening Check.
What makes a word tricky
A tricky word usually has just one tricky part. In “said”, the “s” and the “d” are exactly what your child expects. Only the “ai” is unusual: it sounds like “e” instead of the “ai” in “rain”. Knowing that helps. Your child can read most of a tricky word with phonics and only needs to remember the odd part.
Some words are tricky only for a while. “he” and “go” are tricky in Reception because children have not yet learned that “e” and “o” can make their long sounds. In Year 1, they learn that, and the words stop being tricky.
The 45 words
These are the common exception words for Year 1 in the National Curriculum. We have grouped them so that words with the same tricky part sit together.
| Group | Words | The tricky part |
|---|---|---|
| Little words you see everywhere | the, a, I, of | each has one sound you would not expect |
| Words ending in “o” that sound like “oo” | do, to, today | “o” sounds like “oo” |
| Words with an “s” that sounds like “z” | is, his, has | “s” sounds like “z” |
| Words ending in “e” that sound like “ee” | be, he, me, she, we | “e” sounds like “ee” |
| Words ending in “o” that sound like “oa” | no, go, so | “o” sounds like “oa” |
| Words ending in “y” that sound like “igh” | by, my | “y” sounds like “igh” |
| Words with “ere” | here, there, where, were | “ere” makes different sounds |
| Words with “ai” and “ay” | said, says | these sound like “e” |
| Words with “o” that sounds like “u” | love, come, some | “o” sounds like “u” |
| Words where “one” is special | one, once | the start sounds like “w” |
| Words with “u” that sounds like “oo” | put, push, pull, full | “u” sounds like the “oo” in “book” |
| Words with “ou” | you, your, house, our | the “ou” or the ending is unusual |
| Other common words | are, was, they, ask, friend, school | one part does not follow the rules yet |
That is 45 words in total. Your child’s school may teach them in a different order, and that is fine.
How to practise tricky words
Keep it short, playful and regular. A few words at a time is enough.
- Spot the tricky part. Write the word and ask your child which part is tricky. Draw a little heart over it. Some schools call these “heart words” for this reason.
- Read, then read again. Point to the word whenever it comes up in a book. Tricky words are so common that there will be lots of chances.
- Word hunt. Choose one word, such as “said”, and count how many times it appears on a page of a story.
- Silly sentences. Make a sentence with two or three tricky words: “The dog said no.” Read it together, then change one word.
- Flash and say. Write five words on scraps of paper. Turn one over at a time. If your child knows it, it goes in their pile. If not, read it together and put it back.
Try not to test too many at once. Five words that your child reads with confidence are worth more than twenty that make them anxious.
Why tricky words are not in the Phonics Screening Check
The check looks at whether your child can decode: turn letters into sounds and blend them into a word. Every real word in the check can be read with the sounds taught by the end of Year 1. Tricky words cannot be fully sounded out, so they would not show that skill. That is why they are left out.
Tricky words still matter a lot. They make up a big share of the words in any children’s book. So your child needs both: phonics for new words, and quick recognition of the common tricky ones. Our guide to the Phonics Screening Check explains how the check works.
Tricky words and alien words
Tricky words are the opposite of alien words. With a tricky word, your child learns the odd part by heart. With an alien word, your child cannot know it by heart and must read every sound. Both skills are part of learning to read. Our guide to alien words explains the second one.
What Xenly does, and what it doesn’t
Xenly focuses on phonics: reading new words sound by sound. The 45 tricky words appear in the Big Migration, where your child meets real words as well as alien words. Each tricky word has its own recording, said once, naturally, as on a word card.
Xenly is not a full tricky-word programme, and it does not replace the books your child brings home from school. Reading those books together is one of the best ways to practise tricky words. See how Xenly works.
Questions parents ask
Should my child sound out tricky words?
They can sound out the regular parts, then remember the tricky part. Over time, they will read the whole word at a glance.
My child reads “said” as “sayed”. Is that a problem?
No. It shows they are using phonics, which is good. Point to the “ai” and tell them that in this word it says “e”.
When should my child know all 45?
The National Curriculum expects them by the end of Year 1. Many children are still learning a few after that, and that is normal.
Are there more tricky words in Year 2?
Yes. Year 2 has its own list of common exception words. Your child’s school will share it.
What if my child finds them really hard?
Slow down, choose three words, and practise them for a minute a day. Tell the class teacher, who can help too.