20 words, shortest first. Level 1 has the most common words.
for
nor
bore
core
door
form
more
poor
port
sort
word
wore
work
worn
borne
doors
error
floor
force
forms
The spelling pattern
Every word on this list contains or (fork). Seeing the same letters in many words helps children spot the pattern and spell new words that follow it. Level 1 uses the shortest, most common words.
Ways to practise
Read the list aloud, then cover each word and write it from memory.
Use the fill-in sheet below: the pattern letters are blanked out.
Sort the words by length or by where the pattern appears (start, middle or end).
Where the pattern appears
In the middle (14): bore, core, form, more, port, sort, word, wore, work, worn, borne, doors, force, forms.
At the end (6): for, nor, door, poor, error, floor.
Sorting the words like this is a good first activity: children say each word, find the or (fork) letters and decide which group it belongs to. It shows that the same letters keep the same sound wherever they appear in a word.
Running a spelling test with this list
Read each word aloud, use it in a short sentence, then read it once more. Children write the word without looking. Mark the test with the list above and practise any misspelled words again the next day. Five or ten words at a time is plenty for younger children.
Practice sheet: fill in the missing letters
f__
n__
b__e
c__e
do__
f__m
m__e
po__
p__t
s__t
w__d
w__e
w__k
w__n
b__ne
do__s
err__
flo__
f__ce
f__ms
Questions
How many words are on this list?
20 words, all containing or (fork). The shortest has 3 letters and the longest, borne, has 5.
What does level 1 mean?
Levels sort the or (fork) words by how common and how long they are. Level 1 has the shortest, most frequent words; higher levels add longer and rarer ones.
What should come next?
When this list is secure, move on to level 2 of the same pattern.