Okay, imagine words are like LEGO bricks. Some bricks fit together because they have the same ending (word families), and some are special because we just have to remember what they look like (sight words)! Let's dive deeper.
Word families are groups of words that share a common ending, usually a vowel and some consonants. Because of this shared ending, the words often rhyme. This makes them easier to decode!
Sight words (also sometimes called high-frequency words) are words that appear very often in what we read. Some sight words follow phonetic rules, but many don't. The key is to learn to recognize them instantly, 'by sight,' without needing to sound them out.
| Feature | Word Families | Sight Words |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Groups of words sharing a common ending and sound (rhyme). | High-frequency words recognized instantly. |
| Decoding | Decodable using phonics rules. | Often non-decodable; learned by memorization. |
| Emphasis | Sound patterns and rhyming. | Visual recognition. |
| Examples | cat, hat, bat; sing, ring, wing | the, and, a, I, you |
| Learning Strategy | Focus on identifying common word endings. | Flashcards, games, and repeated exposure. |
Please log in to post your answer.
Log InEarn 2 Points for answering. If your answer is selected as the best, you'll get +20 Points! 🚀