Elementary School Reading Quiz: Read Irregularly Spelled Words
20 questions · exam conditions
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Read Irregularly Spelled WordsQuestion 1 of 20

Look at the words: could, cold, told, sold. Which word is NOT spelled the way it sounds?

could
cold
told
sold
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Elementary School Reading Quiz

Elementary School Reading Quiz: Read Irregularly Spelled Words

Practice Read Irregularly Spelled Words in Elementary School Reading with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Read Irregularly Spelled Words, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Elementary School Reading.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

Look at the words: could, cold, told, sold. Which word is NOT spelled the way it sounds?

  1. could (correct answer)
  2. cold
  3. told
  4. sold
Explanation: The correct answer is right because could has a silent letter and is not spelled the way it sounds. Choice B is wrong because cold is spelled the way it sounds. Choice C is wrong because told is spelled the way it sounds. Choice D is wrong because sold is spelled the way it sounds.

Question 2

Look at the word: know. In the word know, which letter is silent?

  1. n
  2. k (correct answer)
  3. o
  4. w
Explanation: In the word know, the letter k is silent, meaning it is not pronounced. The letters n, o, and w are all pronounced as part of the word's sound. Some English words have silent letters left over from older spellings, and readers need to recognize them to read the word correctly. Knowing that k is silent in words like know and knee helps readers decode similar words.

Question 3

Look at the word: write. In the word write, which letter is silent?​

  1. w (correct answer)
  2. r
  3. t
  4. e
Explanation: This question tests reading irregularly spelled words (CCSS.RF.3.3.d: Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words). Students must recognize words by sight that don't follow regular phonics rules. Irregular words are words that can't be decoded using standard phonics rules - they must be learned by sight through repeated exposure. Common irregular patterns include: Silent letters (know has silent k, write has silent w, thumb has silent b, talk has silent l), Unexpected vowel sounds (said sounds like 'sed' not 'sade,' does sounds like 'duz' not 'doas,' come sounds like 'kum' not 'koam'), Unusual spellings (people spelled with eo not ee, friend with ie making /e/ sound). Students must memorize these words as whole units because sounding them out letter-by-letter doesn't work. In this question, the word write is irregular because it has a silent w at the beginning. Write has a silent w - it's spelled w-r-i-t-e but pronounced /rīt/ without the w sound. Choice A is correct because w is the silent letter in write - it's written but not pronounced, making the word sound like /rīt/ not /w-rīt/. Students who know this word by sight will recognize it immediately without trying to sound it out. Choice B is incorrect because r is pronounced in write - you can hear the /r/ sound at the beginning of /rīt/, so it's not silent. This error occurs when students confuse which letters are actually heard versus written in irregular words. To help students: Explicitly teach high-frequency irregular words as sight words through repeated exposure. Use multi-sensory techniques: See it (flashcard), say it (pronunciation), spell it (write it), use it (in sentence). Create word walls organized by irregular patterns (silent letters, unusual vowel sounds). Practice irregular words in context through repeated reading of connected text. Teach common patterns: Silent k before n (know, knew, knight), silent w before r (write, wrong, wrap), silent b after m (climb, thumb, lamb), silent l after a before k (talk, walk, chalk). For silent w words, emphasize the wr- pattern where w is always silent before r (write, wrong, wrap, wrist, wreck). Use memory strategies: 'When w comes before r, w takes a rest.' Practice distinguishing between the spelling (w-r-i-t-e) and the pronunciation (/rīt/). Watch for: Students who try to pronounce the w (saying 'w-rite'), or who get confused about which letter is silent when multiple consonants appear together. Build automatic recognition through frequent exposure and explicit instruction on the wr- pattern.

Question 4

Look at the words: could, would, should, and stop. Which word is spelled exactly the way it sounds?

  1. could
  2. stop (correct answer)
  3. would
  4. should
Explanation: The correct answer is right because stop is spelled exactly the way it sounds, with no silent letters. Choice A is wrong because could has a silent letter and is not spelled the way it sounds. Choice C is wrong because would has a silent letter and is not spelled the way it sounds. Choice D is wrong because should has a silent letter and is not spelled the way it sounds.

Question 5

Look at the words: said, does, was, play. All of these words are irregular EXCEPT:​

  1. said
  2. play (correct answer)
  3. does
  4. was
Explanation: This question tests reading irregularly spelled words (CCSS.RF.3.3.d: Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words). Students must recognize words by sight that don't follow regular phonics rules. Irregular words are words that can't be decoded using standard phonics rules - they must be learned by sight through repeated exposure. Common irregular patterns include: Silent letters (know has silent k, write has silent w, thumb has silent b, talk has silent l), Unexpected vowel sounds (said sounds like 'sed' not 'sade,' does sounds like 'duz' not 'doas,' come sounds like 'kum' not 'koam'), Unusual spellings (people spelled with eo not ee, friend with ie making /e/ sound). Students must memorize these words as whole units because sounding them out letter-by-letter doesn't work. In this question, students must identify the regular word among irregular ones. Said has irregular vowel sounds - ai makes /e/ sound instead of expected /ā/. Does has irregular vowel sounds - oe makes /u/ sound instead of expected /ō/. Was has irregular vowel sounds - a makes /u/ sound instead of expected /a/. Play follows regular phonics rules - ay makes the expected /ā/ sound. Choice B is correct because play can be decoded using regular phonics rules - the letters p-l make their expected sounds and ay makes the long a sound /ā/, so it's not irregular. Students who know phonics patterns will recognize this as decodable. Choice A is incorrect because said is irregular - the ai makes an unexpected /e/ sound (said sounds like 'sed'), not the regular long a sound, so students must memorize it by sight. This error occurs when students don't recognize which words follow regular patterns versus which require memorization. To help students: Explicitly teach high-frequency irregular words as sight words through repeated exposure. Use multi-sensory techniques: See it (flashcard), say it (pronunciation), spell it (write it), use it (in sentence). Create word walls organized by irregular patterns (silent letters, unusual vowel sounds). Practice distinguishing regular from irregular words: Regular words follow phonics rules (play = p-l-ay), irregular words don't (said ≠ s-ai-d phonetically). For vowel irregularities, explicitly teach correct pronunciation (said = /sed/, does = /duz/, was = /wuz/). Help students recognize that 'EXCEPT' questions ask for the different one - here, the regular word among irregulars. Watch for: Students who confuse high-frequency words as automatically irregular (not all common words are irregular), or who don't recognize regular phonics patterns like ay = /ā/. Build automatic recognition through frequent exposure and explicit instruction, always contrasting regular patterns with irregular exceptions.

Question 6

Look at the words: could, would, should, cold. All of these words are irregular EXCEPT:

  1. could
  2. would
  3. cold (correct answer)
  4. should
Explanation: Irregular sight words like could, would, and should do not follow regular spelling-sound rules. Cold, however, is a regular word that follows normal phonics patterns, which makes it the exception. Recognizing which words follow common spelling patterns and which do not helps readers sound out new words correctly.

Question 7

Look at the word: know. In the word know, which letter is silent?

  1. n
  2. k (correct answer)
  3. o
  4. w
Explanation: This question tests reading irregularly spelled words (CCSS.RF.3.3.d: Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words). Students must recognize words by sight that don't follow regular phonics rules. Irregular words are words that can't be decoded using standard phonics rules - they must be learned by sight through repeated exposure. Common irregular patterns include: Silent letters (know has silent k, write has silent w, thumb has silent b, talk has silent l), Unexpected vowel sounds (said sounds like 'sed' not 'sade,' does sounds like 'duz' not 'doas,' come sounds like 'kum' not 'koam'), Unusual spellings (people spelled with eo not ee, friend with ie making /e/ sound). Students must memorize these words as whole units because sounding them out letter-by-letter doesn't work. In this question, the word know is irregular because it has a silent k at the beginning. Know has a silent k - it's spelled k-n-o-w but pronounced /nō/ without the k sound. Choice B is correct because k is the silent letter in know - it's written but not pronounced, making the word sound like /nō/ not /k-nō/. Students who know this word by sight will recognize it immediately without trying to sound it out. Choice A is incorrect because n is pronounced in know - you can hear the /n/ sound at the beginning of /nō/, so it's not silent. This error occurs when students confuse which letters are actually heard versus written in irregular words. To help students: Explicitly teach high-frequency irregular words as sight words through repeated exposure. Use multi-sensory techniques: See it (flashcard), say it (pronunciation), spell it (write it), use it (in sentence). Create word walls organized by irregular patterns (silent letters, unusual vowel sounds). Practice irregular words in context through repeated reading of connected text. Teach common patterns: Silent k before n (know, knew, knight, knee, knife, knock). For silent k words, emphasize the kn- pattern where k is always silent before n. Use memory strategies: 'k is silent when it knocks on n's door' or 'I know the k is silent.' Practice distinguishing between the spelling (k-n-o-w) and the pronunciation (/nō/). Contrast with now (no k) to show how know is spelled differently but sounds similar. Watch for: Students who try to pronounce the k (saying 'k-now'), or who get confused about which letter is silent when multiple consonants appear together. Build automatic recognition through frequent exposure and explicit instruction on the kn- pattern.

Question 8

Look at the word: write. In the word write, which letter is silent?

  1. w (correct answer)
  2. r
  3. t
  4. e
Explanation: This question tests reading irregularly spelled words (CCSS.RF.3.3.d: Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words). Students must recognize words by sight that don't follow regular phonics rules. Irregular words are words that can't be decoded using standard phonics rules - they must be learned by sight through repeated exposure. Common irregular patterns include: Silent letters (know has silent k, write has silent w, thumb has silent b, talk has silent l), Unexpected vowel sounds (said sounds like 'sed' not 'sade,' does sounds like 'duz' not 'doas,' come sounds like 'kum' not 'koam'), Unusual spellings (people spelled with eo not ee, friend with ie making /e/ sound). Students must memorize these words as whole units because sounding them out letter-by-letter doesn't work. In this question, the word write is irregular because it has a silent w at the beginning. Write has a silent w - it's spelled w-r-i-t-e but pronounced /rīt/ without the w sound. Choice A is correct because w is the silent letter in write - it's written but not pronounced, making the word sound like /rīt/ not /w-rīt/. Students who know this word by sight will recognize it immediately without trying to sound it out. Choice B is incorrect because r is pronounced in write - you can hear the /r/ sound at the beginning of /rīt/, so it's not silent. This error occurs when students confuse which letters are actually heard versus written in irregular words. To help students: Explicitly teach high-frequency irregular words as sight words through repeated exposure. Use multi-sensory techniques: See it (flashcard), say it (pronunciation), spell it (write it), use it (in sentence). Create word walls organized by irregular patterns (silent letters, unusual vowel sounds). Practice irregular words in context through repeated reading of connected text. Teach common patterns: Silent k before n (know, knew, knight), silent w before r (write, wrong, wrap), silent b after m (climb, thumb, lamb), silent l after a before k (talk, walk, chalk). For silent w words, emphasize the wr- pattern where w is always silent before r (write, wrong, wrap, wrist, wreck). Use memory strategies: 'When w comes before r, w takes a rest.' Practice distinguishing between the spelling (w-r-i-t-e) and the pronunciation (/rīt/). Watch for: Students who try to pronounce the w (saying 'w-rite'), or who get confused about which letter is silent when multiple consonants appear together. Build automatic recognition through frequent exposure and explicit instruction on the wr- pattern.

Question 9

Look at the words: said, does, was, play. All of these words are irregular EXCEPT:

  1. said
  2. play (correct answer)
  3. does
  4. was
Explanation: This question tests reading irregularly spelled words (CCSS.RF.3.3.d: Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words). Students must recognize words by sight that don't follow regular phonics rules. Irregular words are words that can't be decoded using standard phonics rules - they must be learned by sight through repeated exposure. Common irregular patterns include: Silent letters (know has silent k, write has silent w, thumb has silent b, talk has silent l), Unexpected vowel sounds (said sounds like 'sed' not 'sade,' does sounds like 'duz' not 'doas,' come sounds like 'kum' not 'koam'), Unusual spellings (people spelled with eo not ee, friend with ie making /e/ sound). Students must memorize these words as whole units because sounding them out letter-by-letter doesn't work. In this question, students must identify the regular word among irregular ones. Said has irregular vowel sounds - ai makes /e/ sound instead of expected /ā/. Does has irregular vowel sounds - oe makes /u/ sound instead of expected /ō/. Was has irregular vowel sounds - a makes /u/ sound instead of expected /a/. Play follows regular phonics rules - ay makes the expected /ā/ sound. Choice B is correct because play can be decoded using regular phonics rules - the letters p-l make their expected sounds and ay makes the long a sound /ā/, so it's not irregular. Students who know phonics patterns will recognize this as decodable. Choice A is incorrect because said is irregular - the ai makes an unexpected /e/ sound (said sounds like 'sed'), not the regular long a sound, so students must memorize it by sight. This error occurs when students don't recognize which words follow regular patterns versus which require memorization. To help students: Explicitly teach high-frequency irregular words as sight words through repeated exposure. Use multi-sensory techniques: See it (flashcard), say it (pronunciation), spell it (write it), use it (in sentence). Create word walls organized by irregular patterns (silent letters, unusual vowel sounds). Practice distinguishing regular from irregular words: Regular words follow phonics rules (play = p-l-ay), irregular words don't (said ≠ s-ai-d phonetically). For vowel irregularities, explicitly teach correct pronunciation (said = /sed/, does = /duz/, was = /wuz/). Help students recognize that 'EXCEPT' questions ask for the different one - here, the regular word among irregulars. Watch for: Students who confuse high-frequency words as automatically irregular (not all common words are irregular), or who don't recognize regular phonics patterns like ay = /ā/. Build automatic recognition through frequent exposure and explicit instruction, always contrasting regular patterns with irregular exceptions.

Question 10

Which word is spelled correctly?

  1. where (correct answer)
  2. wher
  3. whair
Explanation: The word 'where' is a word we see a lot in reading. It is spelled w-h-e-r-e, with a silent 'h' and an 'e' at the end. Say it out loud: 'where.' The choice 'wher' is missing the 'e' at the end, so it is not spelled correctly. The choice 'whair' has an extra 'a' and no 'e' at the end, so it is not the right spelling either. Only 'where' has all the right letters in the right order.

Question 11

Read the word. What is it?

  1. want
  2. wet
  3. what (correct answer)
Explanation: The word is what. It has the letters w, h, a, t, and it sounds like "wut" even though it is spelled with an h. The word want looks a lot like what, but it has an n before the t, so it says want. The word wet has only three letters and an e in the middle, so it says wet. Read every letter carefully to pick the word that matches the one you see: what.

Question 12

Look at the word: you. What is the word?

  1. yoo
  2. you (correct answer)
  3. yuo
Explanation: The word shown is spelled y-o-u, which is you, so that is the correct answer. Yoo is not the correct spelling, even though it sounds similar. Yuo has the letters in the wrong order and is not a real spelling of the word. Looking closely at the exact order of the letters helps you tell similar-looking words apart.

Question 13

Which word finishes the sentence? Mom   hello to me.

  1. sed
  2. said (correct answer)
  3. sayd
  4. sad
Explanation: Said is correct because it is spelled the right way and finishes the sentence, telling us Mom spoke to me. Sed is not a real word, even though it sounds like said. Sayd is also not a real spelling. Sad is a real word, but it is a feeling and does not make sense here. Only said completes the sentence correctly.

Question 14

Which word finishes the sentence? The girl   to me.

  1. said (correct answer)
  2. sad
  3. say
  4. sit
Explanation: The sentence tells about something the girl already did, so we need a word for talking in the past. "Said" means she talked to me, and it fits perfectly. "Sad" is a feeling word, not a talking word, so it does not fit. "Say" is a talking word, but it is for right now, not for something already done, so the sentence would sound wrong. "Sit" means to rest on a seat, so it does not tell about talking at all. The best word is "said."

Question 15

Which word finishes the question?   is my hat?

  1. Were
  2. Where (correct answer)
  3. Wher
  4. Wear
Explanation: Where is correct because it asks about a place and finishes the question about the hat. Were is a real word, but it does not ask about a place. Wher is not a real spelling. Wear is a real word that sounds the same, but it means putting clothes on and does not fit here. Only Where completes the question correctly.

Question 16

Which word finishes the sentence? I   two pets.

  1. hav
  2. have (correct answer)
  3. haf
  4. hive
Explanation: Have is correct because it is spelled the right way and finishes the sentence, telling us about the two pets. Hav is missing the final e, so it is not spelled correctly. Haf is not a real spelling. Hive is a real word, but it is a home for bees and does not fit. Only have completes the sentence correctly.

Question 17

Which word finishes the phrase? A cup   milk.

  1. uv
  2. of (correct answer)
  3. ov
  4. off
Explanation: Of is correct because it is spelled the right way and finishes the phrase about the cup of milk. Uv is not a real word, even though it sounds like of. Ov is also not a real spelling. Off is a real word, but it means away from something and does not fit here. Only of completes the phrase correctly.

Question 18

Read the sentence: The dog   wet. Which word completes it?

  1. saw
  2. was (correct answer)
  3. wus
  4. wax
Explanation: Was is correct because it completes the sentence, telling us that the dog was wet. Saw means looked at something, and it does not fit here. Wus is not a real word, even though it sounds like was. Wax is a real word, but it does not make sense in the sentence. Only was completes the sentence correctly.

Question 19

Which word finishes the sentence?   played at the park.

  1. They (correct answer)
  2. Thay
  3. Ther
  4. Thet
Explanation: Read the sentence and try each word in the blank. 'They played at the park' sounds right and makes sense, so 'They' is the correct word. It names more than one person who played. 'Thay' looks a little like 'they,' but it is not a real word and is spelled wrong. 'Ther' is also not a real word, so it cannot finish the sentence. 'Thet' is not a real word either, so it does not fit. Only 'They' is a real, correctly spelled word that fits the sentence.

Question 20

Which word finishes the sentence? Please   here to see the cat.

  1. come (correct answer)
  2. came
  3. comb
  4. cone
Explanation: We want someone to move to us right now, so "come" is the word that fits: "Please come here to see the cat." The word "came" tells about the past, so it does not work with "Please." The word "comb" is a thing you use on your hair, not something you do to get here. The word "cone" is a shape or the tip of an ice cream, so it does not finish this sentence either. Only "come" makes the sentence sound right.