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Let’s talk about those so-called “tricky” words.
You know the ones—
said, was, one, laugh, people.
I used to call them “rule breakers.”
But here’s the truth:
Almost every one of them makes sense once you know what to look for.
Take people. The funny “o” isn’t there to help spell the long e. It’s there to show that this word is related to popular, population, and populated.
Or one. The “o” looks strange, but it’s connected to a family of words that have to do with "one": only, alone, and once. Seeing that connection helps explain the spelling.
And laugh? The “gh” reminds us of its original pronunciation, back when the word had a sound made in the back of the throat that isn't part of modern English.
When we understand where a word comes from, we can teach it with confidence.
And when kids understand how a word works, they can finally stop guessing and start remembering.
That’s why every lesson in my High-Frequency Word Lessons with Decodable Text includes a Notes for the Teacher section—with background information, spelling insights, and tips for making sense of tricky words like these.
If you haven’t yet, download the free sample for the words people, one, and laugh. You’ll see exactly how each lesson helps both you and your students connect sound, spelling, and meaning.
And if you’re ready to have every high frequency word lesson planned out for you—complete with decodable sentences, stories, and teacher notes—you can find the full set here:
Anna
P.S. Tricky words only stay tricky until we understand them. Once you know their stories, they finally make sense—and your students will think so too. The full set is just $27 when you purchase by December 1. That's 58% off! Buy now.
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