Jolly Phonics 72 Tricky Words: Full List by Level and How to Teach Them
Jolly Phonics has 72 tricky words: common English words that can't be read by sounding out alone. Examples are the, was, said and one. They are taught in a set order in six levels (Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple and Orange), starting with I, the, he, she, me, we, be, was, to, do, of. Children learn to spot the tricky part of each word and sound out the rest.
This page lists all 72 words by level, shows the tricky part of the first words, and gives a simple routine for teaching them at home or in class. It's part of our complete Jolly Phonics guide.
What Are Tricky Words?
Tricky words are high-frequency words with a part that doesn't match the sounds a child has learned. Was should sound like "wass" if read by the sounds, but we say "woz". Children need these words very early, because they appear in almost every sentence.
Tricky words vs sight words: "sight words" is a broader term for any common word learned for instant recognition, including regular ones like and or is. Tricky words are only the irregular ones. Jolly Phonics does not ask children to memorise regular words by sight; those are sounded out. See our full comparison of synthetic phonics vs sight words.
When Are Tricky Words Introduced?
Jolly Phonics recommends starting tricky words once children know a good number of letter sounds and can blend. Jolly Learning's guidance is to begin from about the /sh/ lesson in Group 6 of the 42 sounds.
Before that, children only need a handful of words like I and the to read simple sentences.
All 72 Jolly Phonics Tricky Words by Level
Jolly Learning groups the tricky words into levels that match the colour levels of the Jolly Phonics Readers. Teach each level before children read books at that level.
I, the, he, she, me, we, be, was, to, do, of
11
are, all, you, your, come, some, said, here, there, they
10
go, no, so, my, one, by, only, old, like, have, live, give, little, down, what, when, why, where, who, which
20
any, many, more, before, other, were, because, want, saw, put, could, should, would, right, two, four, goes, does, made, their
20
once, upon, always, also, eight, love, cover, after, every, mother, father
11
Revision: the final Orange level revisits words from the earlier sets
—
Total: 72 words
The level grouping follows Jolly Learning's own tricky word checklist.
Where Is the Tricky Part? (Red and Yellow Levels)
Most tricky words are only partly tricky. Showing children exactly which part is irregular makes them much easier to learn.
I
—
I
A single capital letter says the /ie/ sound
the
th
e
e says a quick "uh" sound
he, she, me, we, be
h, sh, m, w, b
e
e says its long /ee/ sound
was
w, s
a
a sounds like /o/; s sounds like /z/
to, do
t, d
o
o says a long /oo/ sound
of
o
f
f sounds like /v/
said
s, d
ai
ai says a short /e/
they
th
ey
ey says /ai/
How to Teach Tricky Words: A Simple Routine
Use this routine for each new tricky word:
Say the word in a sentence: "She is my sister."
Sound it out together and notice where the sounds don't match the word.
Name the tricky part: "In said, the ai says /e/."
Look, cover, write, check. The child looks at the word, covers it, writes it from memory, then checks.
Read it in sentences the same day, not only on a flashcard.
Revise it over the following days, mixed with older tricky words.
Pace: introduce only two or three new tricky words a week. Children who learn a long list at once usually mix them up.
Fun Ways to Practise Tricky Words
- Tricky word hunt: find today's tricky word in a storybook page.
- Flash and read: show a card for one second, and the child reads it.
- Write it in the air, then on paper, saying the letter names aloud.
- Silly sentences: make a sentence using three tricky words ("Some dogs come to the moon").
- Dictation: say a short sentence with a tricky word and the child writes it.
Common Mistakes with Tricky Words
- Teaching every common word as a tricky word. Regular words like and, it and can should be sounded out, not memorised.
- Going too fast. Two or three words a week, with revision, works better than ten.
- Flashcards only. Children must also read and write the words in sentences.
- Hiding the regular parts. Pointing out that most of the word is regular builds confidence and good reading habits.
Tricky Words and Children Learning English as a Second Language
For many children in India and the Gulf, words like said, was and there are hard for two reasons: they are irregular, and they aren't always heard clearly at home. Saying each word clearly in a short spoken sentence before reading it helps children connect the written word with its meaning and sound.
Keep Building After Tricky Words
Tricky words work alongside the other core skills of Jolly Phonics, especially blending. Children who are older, or still spell tricky words from memory by guessing, often benefit from our advanced phonics classes for ages 7–12.
Our small-group online Jolly Phonics classes teach tricky words in the correct order with daily revision. Teachers can learn the full method in our Jolly Phonics teacher training course.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tricky words are there in Jolly Phonics? +
There are 72 tricky words, taught in levels that match the Jolly Phonics Readers colours.
What are the first tricky words in Jolly Phonics? +
I, the, he, she, me, we, be, was, to, do and of. These are the Red level words.
When should tricky words be introduced? +
Once children know a good number of letter sounds and can blend. Jolly Learning suggests starting from about the /sh/ lesson in Group 6.
Are tricky words the same as sight words? +
Not exactly. Sight words are any common words learned for instant recognition. Tricky words are the irregular ones that can't be fully sounded out.
How many tricky words should a child learn each week? +
Two or three new words a week, with regular revision, is a good pace for most children.
How do you teach tricky words to kids? +
Sound out the word together, point to the tricky part, then practise with look-cover-write-check and short sentences.
Is "and" a tricky word? +
No. "And" can be sounded out as /a/ /n/ /d/, so it is a regular word, even though it is very common.