Writing words with silent letters
I can correctly form words with silent letters, using cursive handwriting.
Writing words with silent letters
I can correctly form words with silent letters, using cursive handwriting.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Silent letters are letters that are not pronounced when the word is spoken.
- Practising writing words with silent letters in cursive can improve your handwriting.
- The words start with a lead in and finish with a lead out.
- There are four cursive joins; which is used depends on which letter is joining to which letter within a letter string.
- You do not lift your pencil when forming the joins.
Keywords
Silent letter - a letter in a word that is not pronounced when the word is spoken
Join - how the letters are connected together
Letter string - a group of letters that are written together in a word
Lead in - the stroke or line that guides us into starting a letter
Lead out - the stroke or line that guides us to smoothly finish a letter
Common misconception
Children might forget the silent letter when forming the words in Tasks B and C.
Remind children that the purpose of the task is to write words with silent letters. Ask them to look back and ensure they have included the silent letter.
To help you plan your year 3 english lesson on: Writing words with silent letters, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 3 english lesson on: Writing words with silent letters, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 english lessons from the Building fluency in silent letters, homophones, and common exception words unit, dive into the full secondary english curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Risk assessment required - physical activity
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions








