Pseudo Words (Alien Words)

Read the alien word 'chab'. Which sounds do you blend to say it?

• A/ch/ /a/ /b/✓
• B/c/ /h/ /a/ /b/
• C/k/ /a/ /b/
• D/sh/ /a/ /b/

Answer: The letters 'ch' work together to make one sound, /ch/, so 'chab' is /ch/ /a/ /b/. Saying /c/ and /h/ separately splits a digraph that belongs together.

Read the alien word 'fape'. Which sounds do you blend to say it?

• A/f/ /a/ /p/ /e/
• B/f/ /ai/ /p/✓
• C/f/ /a/ /p/
• D/f/ /ee/ /p/

Answer: 'a' and 'e' are split by the 'p', and together they make the /ai/ sound. So 'fape' is /f/ /ai/ /p/, and the 'e' on the end is not said on its own.

Read the alien word 'blorn'. Which sounds do you blend to say it?

• A/b/ /l/ /or/ /n/✓
• B/b/ /or/ /n/
• C/b/ /l/ /o/ /r/ /n/
• D/b/ /l/ /o/ /n/

Answer: 'or' is one sound, and both 'b' and 'l' are said at the start: /b/ /l/ /or/ /n/. Missing the /l/ or splitting 'or' into two sounds gives a different word.

Read the alien word 'zigh'. Which sounds do you blend to say it?

• A/z/ /i/ /g/ /h/
• B/z/ /igh/✓
• C/z/ /i/ /g/
• D/z/ /ai/

Answer: The three letters 'igh' make one sound, /igh/, as in 'night'. So 'zigh' has just two sounds: /z/ /igh/.

Say the alien word 'snemp' out loud. How many sounds does it have?

• A2
• B3
• C4
• D5✓

Answer: 'snemp' has five sounds: /s/ /n/ /e/ /m/ /p/. Every letter is said, including both consonants at the start and both at the end.

Read the alien word 'thoin'. Which sounds do you blend to say it?

• A/t/ /h/ /o/ /i/ /n/
• B/th/ /oi/ /n/✓
• C/th/ /o/ /n/
• D/th/ /i/ /n/

Answer: 'th' is one sound and 'oi' is one sound, as in 'coin'. So 'thoin' is /th/ /oi/ /n/, just three sounds.

Read the alien word 'blain'. Which real word does it rhyme with?

• Aman
• Btin
• Cbean
• Drain✓

Answer: 'ai' makes the /ai/ sound, so 'blain' is /b/ /l/ /ai/ /n/. It ends with the same sounds as 'rain'.

Read the alien word 'groy'. Which real word does it rhyme with?

• Aboy✓
• Bgrow
• Cdry
• Dgrey

Answer: 'oy' makes the /oi/ sound, as in 'toy'. So 'groy' is /g/ /r/ /oi/ and it rhymes with 'boy'.

Read the alien word 'shoom'. Which sounds do you blend to say it?

• A/sh/ /oo/ /m/✓
• B/s/ /h/ /o/ /o/ /m/
• C/sh/ /o/ /m/
• D/ch/ /oo/ /m/

Answer: 'sh' is one sound and 'oo' is one sound, as in 'moon'. So 'shoom' is /sh/ /oo/ /m/.

Say the alien word 'strom' out loud. How many sounds does it have?

• A3
• B4
• C5✓
• D6

Answer: 'strom' has five sounds: /s/ /t/ /r/ /o/ /m/. The three consonants at the start are each said, one after the other.

Read the alien word 'kife'. Which real word does it rhyme with?

• Asniff
• Bkit
• Clife✓
• Dleaf

Answer: 'i' and 'e' are split by the 'f' and make the /igh/ sound. So 'kife' is /k/ /igh/ /f/, which rhymes with 'life'.

Read the alien word 'queep'. Which sounds do you blend to say it?

• A/q/ /u/ /e/ /e/ /p/
• B/k/ /w/ /e/ /p/
• C/k/ /w/ /ee/ /p/✓
• D/k/ /ee/ /p/

Answer: 'qu' says /k/ /w/, as in 'queen', and 'ee' is one sound. So 'queep' is /k/ /w/ /ee/ /p/.

Say the alien word 'chark' out loud. How many sounds does it have?

• A2
• B4
• C3✓
• D5

Answer: 'ch' is one sound and 'ar' is one sound, as in 'park'. So 'chark' has three sounds: /ch/ /ar/ /k/, even though it has five letters.

Read the alien word 'hote'. Which real word does it rhyme with?

• Anote✓
• Bhot
• Choot
• Dhut

Answer: 'o' and 'e' are split by the 't' and make the /oa/ sound. So 'hote' is /h/ /oa/ /t/, which rhymes with 'note'.

Read the alien word 'spleed'. Which sounds do you blend to say it?

• A/s/ /p/ /l/ /ee/ /d/✓
• B/s/ /p/ /l/ /e/ /e/ /d/
• C/s/ /l/ /ee/ /d/
• D/s/ /p/ /ee/ /d/

Answer: 'spleed' starts with three consonant sounds, /s/ /p/ /l/, and 'ee' is one sound. So it is /s/ /p/ /l/ /ee/ /d/.