Tricky Words Master Chart
Amplify CKLA Skills Curriculum • Grade 2
Tricky Words Master Chart
Grade 2 Word Wall (44 Core Words)
Reference of high-frequency words that cannot be fully sounded out using previously taught sound-spelling patterns.
What Makes a Word "Tricky"? Tricky Words contain letter-sound correspondences students have not yet mastered or that deviate from standard spelling rules. In CKLA, post these on Yellow Word Wall Cards. Teach students to sound out the regular decodable parts and explicitly identify the tricky unexpected sound.
2nd Grade Tricky Word Wall (A–Z Master Grid)
44 Core Wall Words
A
a all are
B
be by
C
could
D
do down
F G
from go
H
have he how
I M
I me my
N O
no of once one
S (7 words)
said says she should so some street
T (6 words)
the their there they to two
W (9 words)
was we were what where who why word would
Y & Z
you your
Key Phonetic Irregularity Clusters (Teaching Strategies)
Group by shared phonetic feature
The ‘-ould’ Rhyming Trio
could should would
‘oul’ = /oo/ (short /ʊ/); silent ‘l’. Teach together as a rhyming unit.
Long Open Vowels
be he me she we go/no/so
Single final vowel letters pronounced /ee/ or /oe/ in open syllables.
‘o’ = /oo/ or /u/ Shifts
to do two who of some
Letter ‘o’ spells unexpected /oo/ or relaxed short /u/ / schwa.
Wh- Question Words
what where who why
‘wh’ + irregular vowels; ‘who’ = /hoo/; ‘what’ = /wut/.
Irregular Vowel Teams
said says their they
‘ai’ and ‘ay’ = short /e/ in said/says; ‘eir’ = /air/; ‘ey’ = /ae/.
Silent Letters & Oddities
have were street once
‘have’ keeps short /a/; ‘once’ adds unwritten /w/ sound (/wuns/).
Amplify CKLA Skills Grade 2 Core Reference Page 1 of 2 • Core Tricky Word Wall
Story Related Tricky Words & Routines
Reader-specific irregular vocabulary, explicit letter-sound callouts, and classroom routines.
CKLA Grade 2 Skills
Story Related Tricky Words (Grade 2 Decodable Readers)
17 Reader Vocabulary Words
Words from 2nd Grade CKLA readers (e.g. The War of 1812) introduced prior to formal phonics instruction.
Great Britain ‘ea’ in Great = /ae/; ‘ai’ = schwa
Americans Initial ‘A’ = schwa /ə/; ‘eri’ = /air.i/
Europe ‘Eu’ = /yoo/; ‘o’ = schwa; silent final ‘e’
Washington ‘a’ = short /o/ after ‘W’ (/wosh-/)
Fort Henry ‘or’ = /or/; ‘y’ in Henry = /ee/
Andrew Vowel team ‘ew’ = /oo/ (/an-droo/)
imagine Soft ‘g’ = /j/; silent ‘e’ without long ‘i’
signature Hard ‘g’ sounded (/sig-/); ‘ture’ = /cher/
shoe Irregular vowel team ‘oe’ = /oo/
iron Pronounced /ˈaɪ.ərn/ (r/o metathesis)
early ‘ear’ = r-controlled /er/; ‘y’ = /ee/
whose ‘wh’ = /h/; ‘o’ = /oo/; ‘se’ = voiced /z/
bomb Final letter ‘b’ is silent (/bom/)
broad Rare vowel pattern: ‘oa’ = /aw/
native ‘a’ = long /ae/; ‘-ive’ has short /i/
new Digraph ‘ew’ = /oo/ sound
war ‘a’ shifted to /or/ by preceding ‘w’
Preview before reading each chapter.
Phonetic Anatomy of High-Frequency Tricky Words
Decodable vs. Tricky Letters
| Word | Decodable Parts | Tricky Part (Underline) | Actual Sound / Phonetic Rule |
|---|
| said | ‘s’ = /s/, ‘d’ = /d/ | ‘ai’ | Sounds like short /e/ (rhymes with bed) |
| could | ‘c’ = /k/, ‘d’ = /d/ | ‘oul’ | Spells /oo/ (short /ʊ/); silent ‘l’ |
| who | None (both tricky) | ‘wh’ + ‘o’ | ‘wh’ makes /h/; ‘o’ makes /oo/ |
| they | ‘th’ = voiced /th/ | ‘ey’ | ‘ey’ sounds like long /ae/ (rhymes with day) |
| were | ‘w’ = /w/ | ‘ere’ | Sounds like /er/ (not rhyming with here) |
| one | ‘n’ = /n/ | ‘o’ + ‘e’ | Adds unwritten /w/ sound + short /u/ (/wun/) |
CKLA Grade 2 Classroom Teaching Routine for Tricky Words
1. Write & Pronounce Write on board. Pronounce clearly and have students chorally repeat.
2. Isolate Tricky Parts Sound decodable letters first; underline unexpected letter(s) in yellow.
3. Blend & Analyze Blend sounds together. Explicitly discuss why the letter sound is tricky.
4. Post & Reader Practice Add yellow card to Word Wall; practice words before student reader chapters.
Amplify CKLA Skills Grade 2 Core Reference Page 2 of 2 • Story Related Words & Routines
