Irregular Words

Decoding words using phonics enables children to read words fluently and correctly spell words. However, not all words can be decoded; irregular words need to be automatically identified. These words are phonetically irregular as they do not follow the phonic or spelling “rules”. Interestingly approximately 25% of the most frequently used words in children’s books are irregular.

Guidelines for Teaching an Irregular Word

Sharon Vaughn and Sylvia Linan-Thompson wrote a book called Research-Based Methods of Reading Instruction for Grades K -3, which provide the following guidelines when teaching irregular words:

1. Teach irregular words that a student will encounter regularly.
2. The number of words to teach in each session will vary depending upon the student.
3. Teach the irregular words prior to reading them.
4. Review those words on a daily basis.
5. Provide your child with opportunities to use the newly taught words (i.e. writing and reading).

Irregular Word – Beginner Readers

Vaughn and Linan-Thompson provided a list of 30 irregular words for beginner readers. Since these irregular words do not have a letter-sound relationship, they will need to be learned as whole words. A child will need to automatically recogize them and memorize how to spell these words.

the	you	said	his	people
to	they	were	do	know
was	would	are	some	your
of	there	because	as	mother
is	one	what	could	who
two	too	should	put	whose

Most of these irregular words are also sight words or high frequency words – they are commonly found in printed material. All of the above words are included on Dolch’s sight word list with the exception of the following: should, whose, people & mother. Dolch intentionally excluded nouns from his sight word list.

Irregular Words – Common Words

Similiar to the beginner reader irregular words, these common words do not follow regular spelling or phonics rules.

a	again	answer	any	been
both	brought	cold	color	come
does	earth	enough	example	eyes
father	find	four	friend	from
give	great	have	kind	learn
listen	live	many	most	move
off	often	old	on	once
only	other	their	though	through
want	water	where	word	work

Learning to read and spell correctly is a lengthy process that can be approached in many different ways. Every child progresses differently so what may work well with one child may not for another.

Source: Fry, E.B., Ph.D. & Kress, J.E., Ed.D. (2006). The Reading Teacher’s Book of Lists 5th Edition. Sanfransico, CA: Jossey Bass.

Rath, L.K., Ed.D & Kennedy, L. (2004). The Between the Lions Book for Parents. New York, NY: Harper Collins.