Step 43‑45: er ir ur

These three letter‑groups all sound the same. Look in the mirror to check that your lips come forward, side of mouth in.

er As well as words in the bingo list, you can show how we make a comparative using ‑er,

and a superlative ending in ‑est:

Positive Comparative (+ er) Superlative (+ est)

fast faster fastest

quick quicker quickest

long longer longest

strong stronger strongest

rich richer richest

Choose your words with care. Avoid 'wet' because the t has to be doubled in wetter, wettest, and we have not yet taught doubling. Avoid wide, late, etc. because we have not yet taught what the e does. Just say, for now, that in many words that end in ‑er, the consonant in front is doubled: hammer spanner better letter pepper slipper grasshopper butter.

‑er is far and away the most common spelling for this sound, then ir with ur least common.

They are all easy to read, but we have to remember which we need for spelling.

If you teach reading from sounds to letters, there will be about 5 choices for the long a sound, many dilemmas, which one to use? If you teach reading as this manual does, from letters to sounds, there are dilemmas in the er sound, ea, and homophones (like steel/steal; there/their), but you are on much surer ground than using a scheme that works back from sounds to letters.

Words for bingo: born corner card bird barn burst charm corn curl dart faster father fork forty firm farm fur important jerk morning murmur nurse person shirt skirt sparkling sport term thirty thirsty thorn turn

Explain that 'father' is irregular in the way we say the a.

f _ _ n sk _ _ t f _ _

t _ _ m sh _ _ t b _ _n

hamm _ _ g _ _ l t _ _ n

butt _ _ b _ _ d c _ _ l

fast _ _ th _ _ ty h _ _ t

ladd _ _ f _ _ m m _ _ m _ _

spann _ _ th _ _ st sp _ _ t

er, ir, ur

Practise saying these words, then write them beside the correct picture below.

er: fern river hammer ladder finger swimmer jumper spanner

ir: shirt blackbird skirt thirty

ur: church curls nurse burglar turnip purse spurs turkey fur

Can you read these names: Ernest Bernadette Robert Albert Herbert

Mervyn Bernard Ernest

What do these do: gardener carpenter mender farmer hunter shepherd

Jokes: 1) Why did the lobster blush? 'Cos he saw the salad dressing. (Explain AW, Step75).

2) "Peter, 1 hope 1 didn't see you copying just then!"

"I hope you didn't as well!"

3)Miss: "Mark, where does your mum come from?"

Mark: "Alaska".

Miss: "Don't bother. I'll ask her myself."

Get the pupil to sound the sounds of the new words.

Choose Activities from the Contents page.