Mixed Decoding
15 free practice questions with explanations
PassNova has 15 free Phonics Screening Check practice questions on Mixed Decoding, each with a clear explanation. Practise them in the browser with instant feedback — 100% free, no sign-up, on any device. Updated for 2026.
Mixed Decoding: example questions & answers
15 worked examples with answers and explanations below. Practise them in the browser with instant feedback on every answer.
Which word can you decode using phonics?
- Acat✓
- Bone
- Cwere
- Dthere
Answer: Cat can be decoded using phonics (/c/ /a/ /t/). Were, one and there are tricky words you have to remember.
Which word has the 'long i' sound made by 'i_e'?
- Asilk
- Btint
- Cbits
- Dtime✓
Answer: Time has the long 'i' sound made by the 'i_e' split digraph. Bits, tint, and silk have short 'i' sounds.
Which word has a 'sh' digraph?
- Achimp
- Bshape✓
- Ccrust
- Dtapes
Answer: Shape has the 'sh' digraph at the start. Tapes and crust have no 'sh' sound, and chimp has the 'ch' digraph.
Which word has the 'ear' trigraph?
- Ahelp
- Bhear✓
- Cheat
- Dhead
Answer: Hear has the 'ear' trigraph. Head, heat, and help have different vowel patterns.
Which word has two consonants at the start that blend together?
- Astop✓
- Bthin
- Cthat
- Dshop
Answer: Stop has a blend of /s/ /t/ at the start. Shop, that, and thin have digraphs (two letters making one sound).
Which word has the 'air' trigraph?
- Acard
- Bchair✓
- Cchat
- Dcart
Answer: Three letters, one sound: a-i-r together say 'air' in 'chair'. Card and cart use 'ar', and chat has a short 'a'.
Which word has the 'air' trigraph?
- Ahand
- Bhair✓
- Cham
- Dhat
Answer: Hair has the 'air' trigraph. Hat, ham, and hand have short 'a' sounds.
Which word can be decoded using the 'oa' digraph?
- Acamp
- Bcuts
- Ccost
- Dcoat✓
Answer: Coat has the 'oa' digraph which makes the long 'o' sound. Camp, cost, and cuts have short vowel sounds.
Which word has the sounds /p/ /l/ /ai/ /n/?
- Aplant
- Bplain✓
- Cpants
- Dplank
Answer: Plain has the sounds /p/ /l/ /ai/ /n/ where 'ai' is a digraph. Plant, pants, and plank all have a short vowel sound.
Which word has the long 'o' sound with the 'o_e' split digraph?
- Anest
- Bnote✓
- Cnods
- Dnuts
Answer: Note has the long 'o' sound made by 'o_e'. Nest, nods, and nuts have short vowel sounds.
Which word has the 'ee' sound made by the 'ea' digraph?
- Amean✓
- Bmend
- Cmask
- Dmint
Answer: Mean has the long 'ee' sound spelled with 'ea'. Mask, mend and mint have short vowel sounds.
Which word has the 'ng' digraph at the end?
- Astump
- Bstand
- Csteps
- Dsting✓
Answer: Sting ends with the 'ng' digraph. Stump, stand, and steps have different endings.
Which word has the long 'o' sound made by 'o_e'?
- Ahop
- Bbone✓
- Csock
- Dlost
Answer: In 'bone' the 'e' at the end reaches back and makes the 'o' say its name. Without it you get 'bon'. Hop, sock and lost all keep the short 'o' sound.
Which word has a blend of two consonants at the start?
- Abands
- Bblack✓
- Cbunch
- Dbacks
Answer: Black has a blend of /bl/ at the start. Backs, bands, and bunch have single consonants at the start.
Which word has the 'ch' digraph?
- Achamp✓
- Bcamps
- Ccrops
- Dclamp
Answer: Champ has the 'ch' digraph at the start (/tʃ/ sound). Camps, clamp, and crops have no 'ch' digraph.