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Year 1 - The Sound ai
Reading stories helps you to learn how to spell words.

Year 1 - The Sound ai

Can you spot the “ai” sound in words? Listen carefully, then choose the spelling that matches the sound, like in tail.

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Fascinating Fact:

You can hear ai in tail.

In KS1 English Spelling (Year 1), pupils learn that the same sound can be spelled in different ways. The digraph “ai” usually makes a long “a” sound in the middle of a word, helping children read and spell more accurately.

  • Sound: What you hear when you say a word or part of a word.
  • Digraph: Two letters that work together to make one sound, like “ai”.
  • Syllable: A beat in a word, like win-dow has two beats.
What sound does “ai” make in Year 1 phonics?

In Year 1 phonics, “ai” usually makes a long “a” sound, as in “rain” and “train”. It is one sound made by two letters.

How do I help a child spell words with the “ai” sound?

Say the word slowly, spot the long “a” sound, then try writing “ai” in the middle of the word. Check if the word looks right when you read it back.

What are common Year 1 words that use “ai”?

Common Year 1 “ai” words include “rain”, “pain”, “tail”, and “mail”. Practising these helps children remember the “ai” spelling for the sound.

1 .
Spell the missing word: Don't ____ to catch the ball!
faill
fail
faiil
failn
If you fail at something keep trying, that's where the saying comes from: If at first you don't succeed, try try try again!
2 .
Spell the missing word: I would like to ____ this boat.
saill
sail
sial
ssail
When on a boat, we call the left side of it the port and the right side the starboard.
3 .
Spell the missing word: Have you ____ the milkman?
paid
payid
piad
paidd
If you order milk, a milkman arrives at around 5 or 6 in the morning and leaves the milk on the doorstep.
4 .
Spell the missing word: He committed a crime and ended up in ____.
jale
jial
jail
jaile
Another word for jail is prison.
5 .
Spell the missing word: His ____ is green.
tail
tayal
taiyail
taill
Iguanas can drop or leave their tails. This means that their tails fall off whilst they run and hide. Isn't that amazing!
6 .
Spell the missing word: He was ____ to leave his house.
afrayed
afraid
afrraid
arfraid
If you are scared to leave the house, you suffer from agoraphobia.
7 .
Spell the missing word: The ____ was carrying a large delivery.
train
trian
traine
traint
A train carrying goods is called a cargo train.
8 .
Which spelling is correct?
rayn
splain
rain
flained
Only the third answer is a real word.
9 .
Spell the missing word: The ____ couldn't hear the birds tweet.
snayl
snaill
ssnail
snail
Did you know, snails can see but not hear.
10 .
Spell the missing word: Please ____ for my call.
wayt
waite
wait
wate
There are a few other ways to write the 'ai' sound, for example, ay, ey, eigh and a_e.
You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Spelling

Author:  Finola Waller (MEd, Primary School Teacher & KS1 English Quiz Writer)

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