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Mastering /er/ Spelling Patterns

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Mastering /er/ Spelling Patterns

At the kite festival, Hugo and Nikau are checking signs and clues. Read each task carefully. The /er/ sound can be spelled er, ur, ir or or (as in *word*).

Spot the spelling pattern

Look at each word and identify the letters spelling the /er/ sound.

1.Hugo’s kite has a purple tail. Which letters spell the /er/ sound in *purple*?

2.Nikau spots a bird above the field. Which letters spell the /er/ sound in *bird*?

3.A sign says first flight at noon. Write the letters that spell the /er/ sound in *first*.

4.The helpers work together to launch the kites. Which spelling pattern makes the /er/ sound in *work*?

Choose and complete

Use the spelling patterns er, ur, ir or or to solve the festival clues.

5.Nathan needs a warm top for the windy field. Choose the correctly spelt word: sweter / sweater / swatter.

6.The wind lifts a kite into the ______. Choose: wold / world / wurld.

7.A volunteer feels thirsty after running. Choose the correctly spelt word: thirst / thurst / therst.

8.Fill the gaps in the clue with the correct spelling: “The (nurse / nerse) helped a (person / pursun) who had a scraped knee.”

Sort and create

Use what you know about the four spellings to organise and make your own examples.

9.Sort these words by the letters spelling the /er/ sound: fern, turn, shirt, world. Write one word beside each pattern: er, ur, ir, or.

10.Hugo is writing a short kite-festival caption. Write one sentence using at least two words from this list: bird, purple, work, first, person, shirt. Underline the /er/ spelling in each chosen word.

11.Which word has the /er/ sound spelled or: fern, work, or bird? Explain how you know.