Homophones
Distinguish and correctly spell common homophones and near-homophones encountered at Y3-4 level (e.g., accept/except, affect/effect, brake/break, grate/great), including using the /eɪ/ sound spelt ei, eigh, or ey
Suggested ages 7–9
Learning journey
Your child is learning important spelling rules — using apostrophes correctly for possession, distinguishing between words that sound the same, and understanding how prefixes and suffixes work.
Evidence of understanding
- Spell pairs of homophones correctly in context (e.g., 'there/their/they're', 'brake/break', 'grate/great')
- Choose the correct homophone to complete a sentence (e.g., 'The dog wagged its/it's tail')
- Spell words with the /eɪ/ sound as ei, eigh, or ey (e.g., vein, eight, they, neighbour)
Assessment prompt
When Homophones writes, do they use the right spelling for words that sound the same but mean different things — like "brake" (on a bike) and "break" (snap something)?
Standards alignment
Words with the /eɪ/ sound spelt ei, eigh, or ey
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · Key Stage 2
Homophones and near-homophones
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · Key Stage 2
Spell further homophones
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · Key Stage 2