Sight words with  a,    i,  o,     o-e / ow / ou / u / oo;    ea / ei / ie;    ui
                         ch, ge/gi, –se, -ure and v,
                               missing or misleading doubled consonants after short vowels,
                               redundant letters
102 words with more than one pronunciation
                         and a few dozen assorted oddities.

Some of the above spellings, a for example, have so many exceptional pronunciations that all the words with them really have to be learnt as sight words (rather than by decoding). Such words are therefore listed together with common words in which they have a regular pronunciation.
           *
Words marked with an asterisk have more than one problem or variable pronunciation.

Young children's progress in reading is most impeded by 190 very common words which contain letters that are not pronounced in their usual way (to be found in the link).

A, able, advance, after, aghast, ah, almond, almost, also, altar, alter, alternative, always,

amble, ample, an, and, angle, answer, ant, antler, any, apple, April, apron, armada, ask, at,

await awake, award, aware, away, awe, awful, awkward, awning, axle, baffle, bag, bald,

ban, banana, band, bang, bash, bask, bastard, bat, bath, battle, black, blank, blast, bra,

brag, bramble, branch, brand, cable, cackle, calf, calm, camp, can, canal, candle, cap, cash,

cask, cast, caste, castle, cat catch, cattle, chalk, chance, chant, chasten, chastity, chat,

clam, clamp, clan, clang, clank, clap, clash, clasp, crab, crackle, craft, cramp, crank, crash, dab,

dabble, daft, dahlia, dam, damp, dance, dangle, dank, dappled, dazzle, disaster, drab, draft,

drag, drama, drank, dwarf, enhance, example, expanse, fable, fact, fad, falter, fan, fang,

fast, fasten, fat, father, flabbergast, flag, flan, flank, flap, flash, flask, flat, frank, gabble,

gable, gag, gala, gang, gash, gasp, ghastly, glad, glance, grab graft, gram, gran, grand,

graph, grapple, grasp, hack, had, half, halfpenny, halt, halve, ham, hand handle, hang,

hank, has, haste, hat, hatch, instalment, jab, jack, jam, jangle, khaki, la, lab, lack, lag, lamp,

lance, land, lap, lash, last, latch, lather, ma, mad, mama, man, mangle, many, map, mash,

mask, mass*, mast, mat, match, maths, pa, pack, pact, pad, paddle, palm, paltry, pan,

panorama, pants, papa, past, paste, pasty x 2 [paisty, pasty], pastry, pat, patch, path, patrol,

piano, plan, plank, plant, pram, prance, prank, prattle, psalm, pyjamas, quack, quadrangle,

qualify, quality, quantity, quarrel, quarry, quarter, quartz, quay, rack, raffle, raft, ramble,

ran, rang, rank, rascal, rash, rat, rather, rattle, reward, sack, sad, saddle, sag, salami, salt,

sand, sang sank, sap, sat, scald, scalp, scan, scramble, scrap, scratch, shaft, shah, shambles,

shrank, slack, slam, slang, slant, slap, slash, smack, smash, snack, snap, snatch, soprano, spa,

span, spangle, spank, spat, sprang, sprat, squabble, squad, squander, squash, squat, stab,

stable, stack, stag, stalk, stamp, stance, stand, straggle, strangle, strap, strata, swag,

swagger, swallow, swam, swamp, swan, swap, table, tack, tackle, tag, talk, tan, tangle,

tank, tap, task, tax, than, thank, that, thatch, thrash, track, tract, tram, tramp, trample, trance,

trap, twang, van, vast, waddle, waft, wag, wagon, walk, wallow, walnut, walrus, waltz,

wan, wand, wander, wangle, want, wanton, war, warble, ward, warm, warn, warp,

warrant, warren, warrior, wart, was, wash, wasp, watch, water, wattle, wax, yap, zap.

A

is particularly tricky for learners of standard UK English because in this accent it is often    pronounced ah/ar; other pronunciation problems of the letter affect all readers                                     (when it is pronounced like ai in aimau in haul, o in not, e in bed).

 I

followed by two consonants is normally short (tint), but in a few words listed below it has a
long sound as in line

Align, behind,  benignbible – biblical,  bind,  blindchild, climbconsign, designfind,

grind, idle, indictkind - kindle,  kindred, mildmind,  ninthpint,  resignrind,  sign;     rifle,

stifle,  title, trifle - triple,  whilst , wild - wilderness.

 O

is often not as in spot.
It can sound like the u in cupoa in toast, oo as in book or  oo in boot and e as in herb

Among, block, blond, blot, bob, bog, bomb, bond, boss, both, bottle, box, brother, clock,

cobble, cock, cod, comfort, control, cop, cot, crop, cross, dock, dodge, dog, doll, don, dot, drop,

enrol, fishmonger, flock, flog, flop, fog, folk, fond, fox, frog, from, front, ghost, gloss, gobble,

god, goggle, golf, gong, got, gross, hobble, hog, hop, host, hot, job, jog, jostle, jot, lob, lock,

loft, log, long, lop, lot, mob, mock, Monday, mongrel, monk, monkey, month, mop, moss,

most, mother, nod, not, nothing, nozzle, off, on, once [wunce], only, other, ox, patrol, plot,

pod, pond, post, poster, pot, prod, prop, rob, rock, rod, roll, romp, rot, scroll, slog, slot,

smock, smother, snob, sob, sock, soft, solve, son, song, sponge, spot, stock, stop, stroll,

strong, sword, sworn, throttle, to*, today, tomb, ton, tongs, tongue, top, topple, toss, tot,

trod, troll, trot, whom, wobble, wolf, womb, won, wonder, word, work, world, worm,

worn, worry, worse, worship, worst, worth.

O-e

is often not as in bone, solo or so
(like u of cup, o of hot, short oo of wood, long oo of sooner of her, i of bit)

 

Aboveadolescence, alcove,  alone,  altogether, anemone [anemmony], antelope, approve,

arose, beloved, benevolent,  bone,  broke,  choke,  chose,  chosen, close*,  closet,  clover,

code,  colonel, colour, come, comedian,  comedy, comet, component, compose,

composer,  cone, cope,  cove, covenant,  cover,  covetcovey, devote, discover,

discovery, dispose, doe, doesdole,  dome, domestic, done, dose,  dove, doze, dozen,

drone, drove, elope, envelope, expose,  froze,  frozen, globe, glove, goes, gone, govern,

grocer,  grope,  grovel,  gruesome, handsome, hole,  holey,  home, honest, honey, hope,

hose,  hover, impose,  improve, insolence, insolent, joke,  Joseph, lone,  lonely, lose,

love, lozenge, mode, model, moderate*, modern, modest,  mole,  moment, monetary,

money, move, node,  none, nose,  note, novel, November,  October, omelette, omen,

one [wun], open, opera, operate, operation, oven, over, phone, poke,  pole, pope,  pose,

postpone, poverty, primrose,  process,  procession, profession, professor,  promenade,

promote,  proper,  property, propose,  protein, proveproven, proverb, pullover,

purpose, quote, recover, remote, rhinoceros, robe,  rode, role,  rope, rose, scone, scope,

shone, shoveshovel, slope, slovenly, smoke, sober, sole, solemn, some,

somersault, sovereign, spoke, spoken,  stoke,  stole,  stolen, stone, stove, strode,  stroke,

suppose, syndrome, tadpole, those, throne,  together, tomorrow, token, tolerate, tone,

trombone,  vote, whole, whose, woke, woman, women, wove,  wrote,  yodel,  yoke, zone,

do,  to, two, who.

 

Ow

can sound like o in sor ou in thou

 

Blow,  blown, bow x 2 [bo/bou], bowlbrow, brown, brownie, browse,  clown,  cow,

coward, crowcrowd, crown, down,  drowndrowse,  eider-down, flow, flowerflown,

frown, glow, gown, grow, growl, grown, growth, how, howl, know, knowledge [nollege],

known, low, mow, mown, now, owe, owl, own, powder, power, prowl, row x 2 [ro/rou],

rowan, rowdy, scowl, show, shower, shownslow, snow, sow x 2 [so, sou], sown,

stow, throw, thrown, tow, toward [tuward], towel, tower, town,  vow,  vowel, wow;

   and 'allow' is not like 'shallow' or 'window' [shallo, windo].

 

Ou

is often not as in out,
with long oo of bootaw of saw, o-e of sole, short oo of wood, u of cup,
o of for,   e of her

 

Abound,  about,  account,  acoustic, aloud ,  amount, announce,  around, arouse,  astound,

bivouac, blouse, bough*, bought, boulder, bounced, bound, boundary, bouquet,

boutique, brought, camouflage, choux, cloud, compound,  couch,  cough, could,

council, counsel, count, counter, country, county, coup [coo], couple, coupon, courage,

courier, coursecourt, courtesy, cousin, crouch,  double, doubt, dough, douse,

drought, encounter,  encourage, enough, favourite, flounder,  flour,  fought, foul,  found,

foundation,  fountain, four,  fourth, ghoulish, ground,  group, hiccough [hickup],

honour [onnor], hound, hour [our],  house,  journal,  journey, loud,  lounge, lout,  mould,

moult,  mound,  mount,  mountain, mourn, mouse, mousse, moustache, mouth,

neighbour, nought, nourish, ought, ounce, our, out, outer, plough,  pouch,  poultry,

pounce,  pound,  pour, pout,  profound, pronounce, proud, rebound, resource, rough,

round, rouse, route, routine, savour, scoundrel, scout, should,  shouldershout,

silhouette, slouch,  slough x2 [sluf, slou], smoulder,  snout, sought, soul,  sound,  soup,

sour, source, south, southernsouvenir, spout, sprout,  stout,  surround, tambourine,

thorough, thou,  though,  thought, thousand,  through, toucan, touch, tough, tour,

tourist, tournament, trouble, trough, trousers,  trout,  voucher, would, wound x2

[wound/ woond],  you, young, your.

 

 U

is not as in cup but with the short oo sound of book, i of big and long oo of spoon

 

Bush,  busy, butchercushion, pudding, push, put, shush, sugar, truth.

 

 OO

is also short, not long as in spoon, in:

 

Book, brook, cook, cookie, foot, good, hood, hook, look, rook, shook, stood, took,

understood, whoosh, wood, wooden, wool, woollen.

 

In blood, flood and brooch oo has other sounds [blud,  flud, broach]

 Ea

spells mostly eeThe other sound for it is mainly a short e, with a few exceptions,
as ai of air or train, silent in 'beauty', as a in art, eeya in 'linear' and eea in 'theatre'              

 

Already, appeal,  appear, area, beach, beacon,  bead, beak,  beam, bean,  bear, beard,

beast, beat,  beauty, beaver,  beneath,  bleach, bleak, bleat, bread, breadth, break,

breakfast, breast,  breath,  breathe,  cease,  cheap,  cheat,  clean,  cleanliness, cleanse,

clear, colleague, conceal, congeal, creak, cream, crease,  create, creature,  dead,  deaf,

deal,  dealt, dean, dear,  death, decrease,  defeat, disease, dread,  dream,  dreamt,

dreary,  each, eager, eagle, ear, earl,  early, earn,  earnest, earth, ease,  Easter, east,

eat, eaves, endeavour, fear,  feast,  feat, feather, feature, flea,  freak, gear,  gleam,

glean, grease,  great, head,  heal, health,  heap, hear,  heard, heart, hearth, heat,

heath, heathen, heather, heave, heaven,  heavy, hydrangea,  increase, instead,

jealous,  jeans,  knead,  laureate, leach, lead x 2 [leed, led], leaf,  league, leak,  lean, leant,

leap,  leapt, learn, lease, leash, least, leather, leave, linear, meadow, meagre,  meal,

mean,  meant, measles, measure,  meat, near,  neat, nuclear, ordeal,  pageant, peace,

peach, peak,  peal, peanut, pear, pearl, peas,  peasant, peat,  pheasant, plea,  plead,

pleasant, please,  pleasure, pleat, preach,  queasy, reach, read x 2 [leed, led]ready, real,

reality, really,  realm, reap, rear,  reason, rehearse, release, repeat,  retreat,  reveal,

scream,  sea,  seal, seam,  sear, search, season,  seat, sheaf, shear, sheath,  smear,  sneak,

speak, spear, spread, squeak,  squeal, squeamish, steady,  steak, steal, stealthy, steam,

streak,  stream, swear, sweat, tea, teach, teak,  team, tears x 2 [teers, tairs],  tease,

theatre, thread,  threat, treacherous, treacle, treadmill,  treason,  treasure, treat,

treaty,  veal, weak,  wealth, wean,  weapon,  wear, weary, weasel,  weather, weave,

wheat, wreak, wreath,  year, yearn, yeast, zeal,  zealous.

 

Ei

spells   eeai and several other sounds: e of bed, ie of tie, i of bit and ee-i

 

Ceiling, conceit, conceive,  deceit, deceive, deign, eight, either*, Fahrenheitfeign, foreign,

forfeit, freight, heifer, height, heir, kaleidoscope, leisure*, neigh, neither*,  protein,

receipt, receive, reign, reindeer, reinforce, reins, seize, sheikh,  skein, sleigh, sleight,

sovereign, their, veilvein, weigh, weight, weir,  weird.

 

Ie

spells ee   and several other sounds:
ie of tie e of end, -ye of dryeree-ye,   i of sit and je).

 

Achieve, alien, amplifier, ancient, anxiety, barrier, belief,  believe, brief, carrier, cavalier,

chandelier,  chief,  client, conscience, convenient, crier, die, diesel, diet, field, fiend, fierce,

friend, frontier, glacier, glockenspiel,  grief,  grieve, handkerchief,  hygiene,  ingredient,

interview, lenient, lie,  lieutenant [leftennant], medieval,  mischief, movie, niece, obedient,

oriental, pannier, patient, pie, piece, pier,  pierce, pliers, premier, priest, proprietor,

quiet, relief,  relieve, review, science, series, shield,  shriek, siege, sieve, society, soldier,

soviet, spaniel, species, thief,  thieve, tie, tier, twentieth, variety, vie, view, wheelie,  wield,

yield.

 

Ui

has several unpredictable pronunciations: short i, i-e, yoo,  yoo-i/oo-i, oo, wi, wee.

 

Anguish, biscuit, bruise, build, built, circuit, cruise, disguise, distinguish, fluid, fruit,

genuine, guidance,  guide, guillotine,  guilt,  guinea-pig, guitar, intuition, juice, nuisance,

penguin, pursuit, recruit, ruined, sluice, suicide, suit,  suitable, suite, tuition.

 

Ch

is not always as in chat: ksh   and some other pronunciations

 

Ache, anchor, archaeology, architect, architecture, avalanche, bronchial, bronchitis,

chalet,  chameleon, chamois, champagne, chaos, character, charade, chasm, chef,

chemical, chemistry, chivalrous, choir [quier], cholesterol, chorus, christen,  Christmas,

chrysalischute, crochet, echo, lichen* [litchen or liken], machine, mechanical, mechanism,

microfiche, monarch, orchestra, orchid, parachute, psychology, richochet,  schedule,

scheme, spinach [spinnage], stomach,  technique, yacht [yot].

 

Ge, gi

and

gy

have the sounds je and ji, as in  gentle, ginger and gym.
In the words below the g is hard, as in gap and got.

 

Anger,   bogey,  eager,   finger,   fishmonger,   forget,   gear,   geese,  get,   geyser,

hamburger,   hunger,   linger,   target,   tiger,  together,

begin,   corgi,  giddy,  gift,  giggle,  gild,  gills,   gilt,   girder,   girdle,   girl,   give, given,

forgive, longevity,   longitude,

gymkhana.

 

-se

When this ending follows a vowel, it is pronounced mainly Z
                                                 (as in erase, cheese, rise, rose, fuse).
In the following words it has an S-sound:

 

Base, case, chase, purchase, cease, crease, grease, increase, release, geese, these,

practise, precise, premise, promise, tortoise, dose, goose, loose, noose, purpose,

douse, mouse.

 

Missing or misleading doubled consonants

One of the biggest problems in learning to read English is decoding vowel length.

Vowels followed by one consonant and another vowel, as in
game, legal, time, bonetune,
are supposed to be long.

Short vowels in words of more than one syllable should be followed by a doubled consonant, as in
grammar, beggar, imminent, bonny, button, or ck and dge, as in chicken and badger,

This rule is often broken.

Many words with a short vowel have missing doubled consonants or other spellings
                                     
Sometimes the short vowels are spelt unpredictably too.

Cabinet, cabaret, cabin,  elaborate, fabulous, habit,  nebula, liberal, liberty,  tribute,
probable,  robin;

academy, vacuum, decade, executive, recognise,  record (noun),  second, secular, liquor,
liquorice, crocodile, documents;

adequate, radical, radish,   already credit, dedicated, edible,  edit,  educate, federal,
medal,
medical,   meadowpedal, pedigree,   ready,   steady, hideous, video, body,
modern, modest, produce (noun),  study;

café, refuge, refuse (noun),   heifer, magnificent, significant, profit,
agony, dragon, flagon,  hexagonal,  wagon,  negative, brigand, frigate;

magic, tragic,  legend, legislate, regiment, register, vegetable,  pigeon, religion, rigid,  logic;

analysis, balance, calendar, chalet,  galaxy, italic,  morality, palace, palate, palette,
reality, salad,  salary, salon, talent, talon,  valentine,  valiant,  valid, value, vitality, celery,
delegate, delicacy, deluge, develop,  element, eligible, helicopter,
    jealous, melody,
melon, pelican,
relevant, relic,  skeleton,  telescope,   zealous,
ability, bilious, military, ventriloquist,  polythene,  cylinder, abolish, colony, column, demolish, holiday,  olive,
knowledge, policy, politics,   quality , solemn, solid,  tolerate, volume ,  voluntary, colour;

amateur, camel, camera, damage, dynamic,  enamel, famine, famished, laminate,
cemetery, chemical,  democrat, emerald, epidemic, memory, remedy, lemon,  feminine, premise, semi, criminal, eliminate, limit,  timid,  image, abominable,  comet, comic,
dominate, domino, economic,  prominent, promise, vomit;

animal, anorak, banish, banister, canopy, manage, manor, organic, panel,  panic,  spaniel, vanish, manual, benefit, any, enemy, energy,  menace, many, penetrate,  venison,
lieutenant,
aluminium, cinema, clinical,
cynical,   synagogue,  synonymcontinue, finish,
linear, minimal,
minister, minute*,  opinion, sinister, spinach, vinegar, anonymous,
astonish, conifer, economy,
electronic, mnemonic, monastery,  monarch,  monument,
supersonic, tonic,
  honey,   money,  onion;

capital, capitol, chapel,  rapid,  tapestry, epic,  leper, tepid, separate, typical,  copy, opera, operate, proper,  property,  topic,  popular,  tropics;

Arab, arable, arid,  asparagus,  baron,  caramel,  caravan, caricature, carol,  chariot, charity, clarity, comparison, garage, parasol,  parish, transparent, America, beret, bury, ceremony, cherish, derelict, herald, heritage, heroine,  heron, merit, peril,  perish, sincerity, sterilise, therapist, very, ,conspiracy, empirical,   lyric, miracle, pyramid, spirit, syrup,  tyranny, authority, coral, florist, forest, historic,  horoscope,   laurel, majority, minority, moral,  orange, priority,   quarantine, thorough,  courage,   nourish;

acid, capacity, pacifist, recipe, specify, specimen,  decimal,  chrysalis, electricity, explicit, municipal,  participate, precipice, publicity, simplicity, solicitor, velocity, sausage;

atom, baton, catalogue,  catapult, category, compatible,  lateral, latitude, matinee,
platinum,  platypus,  satin,  strategy, athletic, magnetic,  metal,  petal,  tetanus,  veteran,
yeti, competitive, analytic, British, citizen, city, critical,  literally,  obliterate, pity, botany;

hazard, hesitate, desert, designate, desolate, hesitate, present, president, resident,
lizard, miserable, prison,  risen,  scissors, visible, visit,  wizard, wizened,  closet,  deposit,
lozenge,  positive.

Some words have doubled consonants which do not follow a short, stressed vowel

They make words longer (and thereby automatically more difficult for beginners) and they undermine the reliability of doubled consonants that serve a phonic function, as in
  accurate, daffodil,  rebellious, comment, annual, opposite, tomorrow, professor, forgotten.
They also mislead inexperienced readers to place stress on the wrong syllable, instead of the vowel which carries it (underlined):

Accommodate, accommodation, accompany, accomplish, accord, accordion, account,
accumulate, accuse, accustom, occasion, occupation, occurrence, succumb,

affection, afford, paraffin, affair, affect, effect, efficient, differential, diffusion, offend, official, sufficient, chauffeur,

llama, parallel, really, excellent, hello, jewellery, marvellous, satellite, constellation, caterpillar, illegible, illiterate, illusion, illustration, illuminate, pastille, tonsillitis, collage, collapse, collect, collide,

ammunition, programme, immediate, immense, immortal, immune, command, commemorate, commence, commercial, commit, commodities, commotion, communication, communion, community, commuter, committee, recommend, 

anniversary, announce, annoy, connect, personnel, mayonnaise, questionnaire,

appal, apparatus, apparent, appeal, appear, appendix, applaud, apply, appoint, appreciate, apprentice, approach, appropriate, approve, approximate, hippopotamus, opportunity, oppose, supply, support, suppose,

arrange, array,  arrest,  arrive,  barricade, erratic, interrupt, serrated, terrific, irregular,
irrigation, torrential, correspond, correct, correlation, hurrah, curriculum, surrender, surround,

assail, assassin, assault , assemble, assert, assessment, assign, assist, associate, assort, assume, cassette, embassy, dessert, essential, necessary, possess, possibility,

battalion, tattoo, mattress, attach, attain, attempt, attend, attention, attorney, attract, attributed, omelette, palette, settee.

 

Words with v

nearly all pose problems in learning to read English, because this letter is usually not doubled after a short vowel (e.g. never) and a final –v is usually followed by –e, making it difficult to tell if a vowel before a v is long or short (gave – have) or which vowel is stressed (severe – several).
   Os before Vs are especially tricky.

Above, alcove, alive, approve, arrive, avenue, average, aviary,  aviation, avoid, behave, beloved, brave, cavalry, cave, cavern, cavity, chivalrous,  civiccivil, civilian, clever, clover,  cove, covenant, cover, covet, covey, crave, crevice, deliver, derive,  devil, devise, devote, discover, divan, dive,  dove,  drive, drivel,  driven, driver,  drove,  eleven, eve, even, event, ever, every, evictevidence,  evident,  evil,  evolution,  evolve, fever, five,  flavour, gave,  give,  given, glove, govern,  governor, grave, gravel, gravity, gravy, grovel,  have, havoc, hive, hover, improve, ivory, javelin, jive,  jovial, juvenile,  knave,  lava, lavender, level, lever, live,  lively, love, move, movie, naval, nave, navigate, navy, never, novel, November, novice, olive, oval,  oven,  over,  pavement, pavilion,  poverty, previous,  private, privilege, prove, proverb, provide, quiver, rave, raven, ravenous, revive,  rival, river, rivet, savage, save,  scavenge,  seven,  severalsevere,  severity, shave, shiver,  shove, shovel shrivel, slave, slovenly,  snivel, sovereign, soviet,  stove, survive, swivel, thrive,  travel, wave,  waver,  wives,  wove.

Words ending in –ture are usually stressed on the first syllable (fracture, furniture, nature),
apart from adventure, departure, expenditure, manufacture, mature.

Words ending in –ure have variable stress.

Assure, conjure, cure, endure, exposure, failure,  figure,  fissure, injure, insure, lure, manure,

measureobscure, pleasure, pressure, procedure, procure, pure,  secure, sure, treasure.

102 English words have different pronunciations in different contexts.
      
Most have just changes in stress; those with –ate endings change their vowel length too.

Lead, read, tear;    bow, row, sow;     abuse, excuse, use, close, house;   mass bass;

buffet, live, minute, mouth, pasty, Polish/ polish, pussy, second, slough, wind, wound;

content, frequent,  invalid,  perfect,  attribute,  commune,  compact,  compound, concert, conduct, conflict,  conscript,  console,  consort,  construct,  contest,  contract, contrast,  converse, convert, convict, defect,  digest, discharge, entrance,  escort, export,  extract,  fragment, impact,  incense,  insert, object,  permit, present, produce, progress,  project,  prospect, protest, rebel, rebound, recall,  record, refund,  refuse, reject,  relay,  subject,  survey, suspect, torment, transfer,  transport;

advocate,  alternate,  appropriate,  approximate, articulate,  associate,  co-ordinate,  degenerate, delegate,  deliberate, designate, desolate,  dictate,  duplicate,  elaborate,  estimate, graduate,  intimate,  laminate, moderate, separate,    subordinate,  syndicate, triplicate.

 

Redundant or  silent letters also cause reading difficulties

Acquaint, acquire, acquit, adjacent, adjoin, adjust, aisle, anaesthetic, apostle, are, blue,

board, bogey, bristle , bruise, build, built, bustle, buy, bye, campaign, caught, clue,

coarse, composite, conscious, controlled, copse, corps, creosote, cruise, cupboard,

daughter, debris, debt, definite, dense, depot, determine, devalue, dialogue, diaphragm,

dumb, dungeon, dye, eclipse, elapse, else, empty, epilogue, exceed, excel, except,

excite, exhaust, exhibit , expense, exquisite, forgive, geese, genuine *, geyser*, ghastly,

ghost, give, given, glimpse, glisten, gluegnarled, gnash, gnat, gnaw, gnu, gorse,

granite, gristle, guarantee, guard, haughty, hoarse, hustle, imagine, impulse, infinite,

intense, island, isle , jostle, juice, knack, knacker, knave, knee, knew, knickers, knife,

knight, knit, knob, knock, knot, knuckle, lapse, listen, live*, luncheon, luscious,

masculine, medicine, meringue, midday, mnemonic, mortgage, naughty, nestle,

nuisance , nurse, often , parliament, pharaoh, phlegm, pneumatic, proboscis, pseudonym,

pterodactyl, purchase, raspberry, response, reverse, rheumatism, rhubarb, rhyme,

rhythm , rinse, roller, rustle, rye, salmon, scholar, school, schooner, scissors, seven,

several, shepherd, slaughter, straight, subtle, suggest, suicide, suitable, surgeon,

suspense, swollen, scythe, taught, tense, thistle, tortoise , trestle , truncheon, verse,

vineyard, Wednesday, were, whack, whale, wharf, what, wheedle, wheel, wheeze, whelk,

when, whether, whey, which, while, whimper, whine, whip, whir, whirl, whisk, whiskers,

whiskey, whisky, whisper, whistle, white, whiz, why, wore, wrangle, wrap, wreck, wren,

wrench, wrestlewretch, wriggle, wring, wrinkle, wrist, writ, write, writhe, written, wrong,

wrote, wrung, wry, yoghurt.

A few dozen  more words have assorted reading problems

Said, says, plait;   hi, hi-fi, prix, kiwi, ski;   there, clerk, forehead, poignant, wrath, broad;
assault, aunt, Australia, because, cauliflower, chauffeur, draught, fault, gauge, hydraulic, laugh, laureate, laurel, mauve, restaurant, sausages, vault; 
antique, cheque, conquer, croquet, liquor, liquorice, marquee, mosque, opaque, parquet,
picturesque, queue, quoit, turquoise, unique;
geography, geology, theology, jeopardy, leopard, people, leotard,
conscientious, convalesce, crescent, descend, disciple, discipline, fascinating, fascism, mollusc,
muscle, scene, scenery, scent, science.

The teaching of phonics is of limited use in English because identical letters often have different sounds, especially in words that children meet in their early reading. Among the 412 much used words listed below are 190 very common words which contain letters that are not pronounced in their usual way. They make the other 222 common words difficult to decode as well.

Table 1. The graphemes ea,  o,  o-e, ou,  ow and oo are particularly unreliable.

Already beach  beard beast  beat  beautiful bread break breakfast breath breathe
clean  cream creature dead deaf dear dream  dreamt each ear  early  earn earth
easy eat  great   head  healthy hear heard heave  heavy instead  jealous jeans 
leap leapt learned learnt least  leave meadow mean meant measure meat near peach
peanut please reach  read / read  ready real scream sea  seal  search seat speak
spread  steady tea  teach tear / tear   thread  treasure wear year


Another block both box brother clock  clop colour cot  dog don't dot  flop  fog fox
front got hot  job jog  jot lock lost lots Monday most mother nod  not nothing oh
once only other plop pop  pot pots programme sock somersault son spots  stop
strong
tongue won won't worried worry

do go no so to into onto two who

Alone above broke  bone  choke come cone covered  done drove gone home joke love
loved
lovely money move over poke pole prove one rode rope some stone today
tomorrow

About  blouse  bought bounce brought cloud  could country couple crouch double
enough
famous fought found ground group  house loud mountain mouse  moustache
mouth  ouch out  pouch rough round  should shoulder shout snout  sound soup spout
thought thousand through touch tough trouble trousers without  would you young
course  court four favourite flour  our sour your

Blow blown  bow / bow brown  clown cow  crow crown  down  flown frown  glow grow
growl  grown how  know known  low mow mown now  owl own row / row show
shown  slow snow
town wow

Ballooblood boo book boot  coo cook door droopy flood floor foofoot  good
hook
hoop  hoot  kangaroo look mood  roof  room  root  school  shampoo shook
soon  spoon  too took tooth wood  wool zoo

Table 2. In standard UK English, the sound of a also varies in 85 common words.

after  all  an and  answer any  anyway asked  at bad  bag bananas  band basket bath call calm camp can  can't  cash castle cat  catch change chap chat clamp  clap  class  crab crash  dad dancing  danger drag fall family fast father flag flap flat glad grab had  half hand happy  hat lamp lap  last many mash match  nasty  pass  past  pat  path quack  rash  sand  sat scratch  slam  snatch  splash  stamp stranger strap  tall than thank  that  trap  wall wander want was  wash  watch water

Table 3. Five further inconsistencies impede reading progress in another 49 words.

The (cat, mat) - be he me she weelse uncle;
Every seven -  even these here - there where – were;
Friend  - field   believe genie thief -  l
ie pie tie;
Gave savehave travel    live give - drive alive;
But  cut dull gull hush rush - full pull push put.

© Masha Bell 2006, author of Understanding English Spelling 2004,
LEARNING TO READ letter sounds and common tricky words, 2006mashabell@aol.com

Perhaps the following lay-out make the problem of identical letters with different pronunciations even clearer?

Regular pronunciation

Irregular pronunciation

beach  beard beast  beat breathe  clean cream  creature dear dream each ear easy eat hear heave jeans leap least  leave mean meat near peach peanut please reach real scream sea  seal seat speak tea  teach year             read tear                                              
                                              
[38 words]

Already beautiful bread break breakfast breath dead deaf  dreamt  early earn earth great head healthy heard  heavy instead  jealous leapt learned  learnt meadow meant measure  ready search spread steady thread treasure wear
read tear

[34 words]

block box clock  clop cot  dog dot  flop  fog  fox got  hot job  jog jot  lock  lost  lots nod  not plop pop  pot pots sock spots  stop strong

Another both brother colour don't front Monday most mother nothing oh once only other programme somersault son tongue won won't worried  worry

Go no so
Alone broke bone choke cone drove home joke over poke pole rode rope stone

Do to  into onto two  who

above come covered  done gone love lovely money move prove one some today tomorrow

About  blouse bounce cloud crouch found ground house loud mountain mouse mouth  ouch out  pouch round  shout  snout sound spout thousand trousers without
flour  our sour

Bought brought could country couple double enough famous fought group  moustache rough should shoulder soup thought through  touch  tough trouble would you young       course court  four favourite your
 


Brown  clown cow crown  down frown growl  how now  owl town wow
                                               bow row
 

Blow blown  crow  flown glow grow grown know known  low mow  mown  own show  shown  slow  snow
bow  row
 


Balloon boo boot coo droopy food hoop hoot kangaroo mood roof room  root  school  shampoo soon spoon  too tooth zoo
                                            
                                            
[105 words]


Blood book cook door flood floor foot good hook look shook took wood wool

 

[105 words]

A at cat hat bad dad had bag sat pat lap an and can sand hand band camp lamp clamp stamp clap flap flat flag slam glad crab drag grab trap strap mash rash crash cash splash chap chat catch match snatch scratch than that thank quack  happy family
                                            
[49 words]

After  all answer  any anyway asked  bananas basket bath call calm can't castle change class dancing  fall fast father half last many nasty pass past path  tall wall wander want was  wash watch water  danger stranger


[36 wprds]


Alphabetic list of 2024 common words with reading problems

Above approve acoustic
ache achieve  aisle 
abuse  adequate advocate alternate  appropriate approximate  articulate  associate

advance aghast ah

abdomen ability able abolish abominable absolutely academy accommodate accommodation  accompany  accomplish accord accordion account accrue accumulate accuse accustom acid  acquaint acquire acquit address adequate adjacent adjoin adjust advertisement advertising affair affect affection afford aggressive agony align  alike alive all alliance allocation allotment allow ally almond almost alone along aloud  already  also altar  alter  alternative altogether aluminium aluminum always amateur America ammunition among amount amplifier  anaesthetic analysis analytic anchor ancient  anemone anger animal anniversary announce annoy anonymous anorak answer antique anxiety anxious any  apostle  appal apparatus apparent appeal appear appendix applaud apply appoint appreciate apprentice approach April apron aquatic Arab  arable archaeology architect architecture  are area arena arid armada around arouse arrange  array arrest arrive as ask asparagus asphyxiate assail assassin assault  assemble assert assessment assign assist assorted assume assure astonish astound athletic atom attach attain attempt attend attention attorney attract attributed aunt Australia  authority avalanche  avenue average aviary await awake awaken award aware away awe awful  awkward  awning

balance bald ball ballet  ballistic balloon banana banish banister baron barricade barrier base bask bastard bath baton battalion beach beacon bead beak beam bean bear  beard   beast beat beauty beaver because   begin behave behind   belief believe   beneath benefit benign beret bible bilious bind biscuit  bivouac blast bleach bleak bleat blew   blind blood blouse blow blown   blue board body   bogey book botany both bough bought   boulder bounced bound boundary bouquet  boutique bow  bowl  bra branch brass brave   bread breadth break   breakfast breast breath breathe   brew brief   bristle  British broad  bronchial bronchitis brooch brook brother brought   brow brown   brownie browse bruise buffet  build  built  bull bullet bury  bush bustle  busy  butcher buy bye

cabaret cabin cabinet cable cadet cafe calendar calf call calm camel camera camouflage campaign  canal canoe canopy capacity capita capital capitol caramel caravan career caricature carol carrier  case cask cassette  cast caste castle catalogue catapult category caterpillar caught cauliflower cavalier  cave cavern cease ceiling celery cello cemetery ceremony

chalet chalk chameleon chamois  champagne chance chandelier  chant chaos chapel character charade chariot charity chase  chasm chasten  chauffeur  cheap cheat chef  chemical chemistry cheque chequered cherish chief child chisel chivalrous choir     cholesterol chorus choux christen Christmas  chrysalis  chute 

cigarette cinema circuit citizen city clarity clasp  class clean cleanliness cleanse clear clerk clever client climb clinical close closet cloud clover clown clue coarse cognac  coincide   collage collapse colleague collect collide colonel colony colour  column comb come comet comfort comic

command commemorate commence commercial commit committee commodities commotion communication communion community commuter

 comparison compass compatible competitive composite compound conceal conceit conceive concert conclude conduct conflict congeal conifer conjure connect conquer conscience conscious conscript consign  consort conspiracy constellation content contest  continue contract contrast convenient  converse convert  convey  convict cook cookie co-ordinate  copse copy coral corgi corps correct correlation correspond couch cough could council counsel count counter country county coup  couple coupon courage  courier  course court courtesy cousin  cove covenant cover covet  covey  cow coward craft crave creak cream crease create creature credit crevice crier criminal critical crochet crocodile croquet  crouch crow crowd crown cruise crusade cuckoo cupboard curlew curriculum cushion cycle cyclical cyclone cylinder  cynical  cypress

daft dahlia damage dance daughter dead deaf deal dealt dean dear death debris debt decade deceit deceive decimal decrease dedicated defeat definite defy degenerate deign delegate deliberate delicacy deluge democrat demolish dense deny departure deposit depot derelict derive desert design  designate desolate dessert determine devalue develop dialogue diaphragm die diesel diet differential diffusion digest dilute disaster discipline disease dive divert documents doe does doll dominate domino done door dose double doubt dough douse dove down dozen draft dragon drama draught dread dream dreamt dreary drive drivel driven drought drove drown drowse dumb  dungarees duplicate duvet  dwarf dye dynamic

each eager eagle ear earl early earn earnest earth ease east Easter eat eaves echo eclipse economic economy edible edit educate effect efficient eider-down eight either elaborate elapse electricity electronic element eligible eliminate else embassy emerald empirical empty emu enamel encounter encourage endeavour endure enemy energy engrave enhance enough epic epidemic epilogue equal erratic essential estimate eucalyptus eve even ever exaggerate example exceed excel excellent except excess excite exclude excuse  executive exhaust exhibit  exhibition expanse expenditure expense explicit exposure exquisite eye

fable fabulous Fahrenheit failure fall fallen falter famine famished fascist fast fasten father fatigue fault favourite fear feast feat feather feature federal feign feminine fete   fever field fiend fierce figure find finger finish fishmonger fissure five flabbergast flagon flask flea flood floor florist flounder flour flow flower flown flu flue fluent fluid  fluke flute folk  foot foreign forest forfeit forget forgive forward fought foul found foundation fountain four fourth freak freight frequent friend frigate front frontier  frown fruit  full

gable gala galaxy gall garage  gasp gauge gave gear geese genuine  get geyser ghastly ghost ghoulish giddy gift giggle gild gills gilt giraffe girder girdle girl give given glacier glance glass gleam glean glimpse glisten glockenspiel glove glow glue gnarled gnash gnat gnaw gnome gnu  goes gone good goose gorse govern  gown graduate  graft granite graph grasp grass grave gravel grease great   grey  grief grieve grind gristle gross ground group grovel  grow growl grown growth gruesome guarantee guard

habit half halfpenny hall halt halve hamburger handkerchief handsome has hasten  haughty have hazard head heal health heap hear heard heart   hearth  heat heath heathen heather heave heaven heavy heifer  height heir helicopter hello herald heritage heroic heroine heron hesitate hexagonal hey  hi!  hiccough hideous hi-fi  hippopotamus his historic hive hoarse holiday honest  honey  honour  hood hook horoscope horse host hound hour house   hover  how howl hunger hurrah hustle   hydrangea hydraulic hydrogen hygiene hygrometer

illegible illiterate illuminate illusion illustration image imagine immediate immense immortal immune imply improve  impulse include increase indict infinite influence ingredient  injure install installation instalment instead insure intense interrupt interview  intimate intuition irregular irrigation island isle italic

javelin jealous  jeans jeopardy  jewellery jive jostle  journal journey juice  July

kaleidoscope karate khaki kind kiosk kiwi knack knacker knave knead knee knew knickers knife knight  knit knob knock knot know  knowledge  known knuckle

la lacquer  laminate lance lapse lasso last lateral lather latitude laugh laureate laurel leach lead  leaf league leak lean leant leap leapt learn lease leash least leather leave legend legislate leisure lemon lenient  lens leopard leotard leper lettuce level lever lewd liberal liberty license lichen lie lieutenant limit linear linger liquor liquorice listen literally live lively lizard llama logic longevity longitude look loose loud lounge lout love low lozenge lubricate ludo lukewarm luminous lunar lunatic lure luscious lyric 

ma machine magic magnetic magnificent majority mama manage manor manual manufacture manure many marquee Mars marvellous masculine  mask mass mast matinee mattress mature mauve mayonnaise meadow meagre meal mean meant measles measure meat mechanical mechanism medal medical medicine medieval melody melon memory menace meringue merit metal miaow microfiche midday mild military mind minimal minister minority minute miracle mischief  miserable mnemonic model moderate  modern modest monarch monastery Monday money  monger mongrel monk monkey month monument moral morality mortgage  mosque mosquito  most mother mould moult mound mount mountain mourn mouse mousse moustache mouth move movie mow mown multiply municipal

   naughty nave near neat nebula necessary negative neigh neighbour neither nestle  never niece ninth none noose nothing nought nourish  novel  now nuclear nuisance nurse

   oasis  obedient  obey  object obliterate obscure occasion occupation occupy occurrence offend official often  olive omelette once one onion only opaque opera operate opinion opportunity oppose opposite orange orchestra orchid ordeal organic oriental other ought ounce our out outer oven  over overwhelm owe owl own oxygen

pa pacifist pageant palace palate palette pall palm paltry panel panic pannier  panorama papa parachute paraffin parallel parasol parish parliament parquet  participate pass past pastille pastry path patient  patrol pavement peace peach peak peal peanut pear  pearl peas peasant  peat pedal pedigree pelican penetrate people peril perish personnel petal pharaoh pheasant  phlegm physical physics  physiology  piano picturesque pie piece pier pierce

pigeon pigsty pint pity plague plait plant platinum platypus plea plead pleasant  please pleasure pleat pliers  plough plumage plural Pluto pneumatic poignant  policy politics polythene popular

positive possess possibility post poster pouch poultry pounce pound pour pout poverty  powder power practise prance preach precipice precise premier  premise present president pressure priest priority prison prix  probable probe procedure procure produce profit profound programme promenade prominent promise pronounce proper property proprietor protein proud prove  prowl psalm pseudonym psychology pterodactyl publicity pudding pull purchase purpose pursuit  push puss put pyjamas  pyramid

       quack quadrangle qualify quality  quantity quarantine  quarrel quarry quarter quartz quay  queasy questionnaire queue  quiet quiver quoit

radical radish raft rapid rascal raspberry rather rave raven ravenous reach read ready  real reality really realm reap rear reason rebound recall receipt receive recipe recognise recommend record recruit  refuge refuse regiment register rehearse reign reindeer reinforce reins reject release relevant relic relief relieve religion rely remedy repeat reply reservoir  resident resign  resolution resource response restaurant retreat reveal reverse review  revive revolution reward 

rheumatism rhinoceros rhododendron rhubarb rhyme  rhythm

ricochet  rifle rigid rind rinse risen river rivet robin rogue rook rough round rouse route routine row  rowan rowdy ruin  rustle  rye

said salad salami salary salmon salon salt salute sapphire satellite satin sausage save savour says scald schedule scheme scholar school schooner science scone scoundrel scout scowl scream sea seal seam sear search season seat seclude second secular secure seize semi separate series serrated serviette  settee seven several sew sewn shaft shah shall shave sheaf

shear sheath sheikh shepherd shield shiver shone shook should shoulder shout shove shovel show shower shown shriek shrivel shush siege sieve sign significant silhouette simile simplicity sincerity sinister skein

skeleton slant slaughter slave sleigh sleight slew slouch slough slovenly  slow sluice  small smear smother smoulder sneak snivel snout snow soccer society soldier  solemn solicitor solid solution some somersault son soprano sough  sought soul sound soup sour source south southern souvenir sovereign soviet  sow  sown spa spaniel speak spear species specify specimen spinach spirit sponge spout spread sprout squabble squad squall squander squash squat squeak squeal squeamish stable staff stalk stall stance steady  steak   steal stealthy steam sterilise steward stifle stomach  stood stout stove stow straight strata strategy streak stream study subtle succumb sufficient sugar  suggest suicide suit  suitable  suite  supersonic supply support suppose sure  surrender surround survey  survive suspect suspense swag swagger swallow swam swamp swan swap swear  sweat swivel sword swore sworn synagogue syndicate synonym  synopsis syringe syrup 

table talent talk  tall talon tambourine tapestry target task tattoo taught tea teach teak team tear tease technique telescope tense tepid terrific tetanus

theatre their therapist there  these they  thief thieve thistle  thorough  thou though thought thousand thread threat thrive through throw thrown

tie tier tiger timid to  today together tolerate tomb  tomorrow ton tongue tonic tonsillitis took topic torrential tortoise   toucan touch tough tour tourist tournament tow toward towel tower town tragic trance transparent travel treacherous treacle treadmill treason treasure treat treaty
trestle  tribute trifle trio triple tropics trouble trough trousers trout truncheon truth tuition  turquoise twang twentieth  two  type typical  tyranny  tyrant

 unique universe upon upward use

vacuum valentine valet  valiant valid value vanish variety vast vault veal vegetable veil vein velocity venison ventriloquist verse very veteran video vie view vinegar vineyard visible visit vitality volume voluntary vomit voucher vow vowel

waddle waft wag wagon walk wall wallaby wallet wallop wallow walnut walrus waltz wan wand wander wangle want wanton war warble ward warm warn warp warrant warren warrior wart was wash wasp watch water watt wattle wave waver wax

weak wealth wean weapon  wear  weary weasel weather weave Wednesday weigh weight weir weird were

whack whale wharf what wheat wheedle wheel wheelie wheeze whelk when where whether whey which whiff while whilst  whimper whine whip whir whirl whisk whiskers whiskey whisky whisper whistle  white whiz who  whole whom  whooping whoosh whose  why

wield wild wind  wives wizard wizened wolf woman womb women won wonder wood wooden wool woollen word wore work world worm worn worry worse worship worst worth would wound wove wow

wrangle wrap wrath wreak wreath wreck wren wrench  wrestle wretch wriggle wring wrinkle wrist writ write writhe written wrong wrote wrung wry

yacht   yak  year yearn yeast yes  yeti yield yoghurt you young your

zeal zealous  zulu 

© Masha Bell 2007
author of
Understanding English Spelling 2004
and Learning to Read 2007

English Spelling