🔤 Sounds and Spelling

What your child will learn

• Students will be able to read words with common consonant blends (bl, st, tr) and digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh).
• Students will be able to spell words with magic e (cap/cape) and common vowel teams (ai, ee, oa, oo).
• Students will be able to form plurals by adding -s or -es to singular nouns.
• Students will be able to spell common Grade 3 sight words (said, because, friend) correctly in writing.

Lessons in this unit

1. Blends and digraphs: Read and spell words with blends (bl, st, tr) and digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh). Use picture cards and word sorts to hear the sounds and see the letters.
2. Magic e: Read and spell words where a silent 'e' at the end makes the vowel say its name (cap/cape, kit/kite, not/note, cut/cute).
3. Vowel teams: Read and spell words with vowel teams 'ai', 'ee', 'oa', and 'oo'. Use picture cards and word sorts to hear the long vowel sounds.
4. Plurals with -s and -es: Form plurals by adding -s (cat/cats) and -es (box/boxes). Learn the rule for words ending in s, x, ch, sh.
5. Tricky sight words: Read and spell common Grade 3 sight words: said, because, friend. Use memory tricks and repeated practice.
6. Spelling in sentences: Apply spelling patterns and sight words in short sentences. Write 2–3 sentences from dictation.

Key words

blend

Two sounds you say quickly together, like 'bl' in 'blue'.

digraph

Two letters that make one new sound, like 'sh' in 'ship'.

magic e

A silent 'e' at the end that makes the vowel say its name, like 'cap' to 'cape'.

vowel team

Two vowels together that make one sound, like 'ai' in 'rain'.

plural

More than one, like 'cats' or 'boxes'.

sight word

A word you know by seeing it, without sounding it out, like 'said'.

Help your child at home

What to watch for

A blend and a digraph are the same.

Help: In a blend, you hear both sounds (b-l). In a digraph, the two letters make one new sound (sh).

The 'e' is silent, so it does nothing.

Help: The 'e' is a magic helper: it makes the vowel say its name.

The two vowels are said separately.

Help: In a vowel team, the two vowels make one sound together.

Add -s to every word.

Help: Words ending in s, x, ch, sh need -es to make a new syllable.

Try this at home

• Model sounding out a blend: 'bl' in 'blue'
• Model reading 'cap' and 'cape'
• Model reading 'rain' with 'ai'
• Model adding -s to 'cat'

Quick questions to ask aloud

1. Which word starts with the same sound as 'blue'? (star / tree / black / ship)
   Show answer

   'Blue' and 'black' both start with the 'bl' sound. 'Star' starts with 'st', 'tree' with 'tr', and 'ship' with 'sh'.
2. True or false: 'Not' and 'note' sound the same.
   Show answer

   False. 'Not' has a short 'o', and 'note' has a long 'o' because of the magic 'e'.
3. Which word has the same sound as 'rain'? (bee / boat / moon / train)
   Show answer

   'Rain' and 'train' both have the 'ai' sound. 'Bee' has 'ee', 'boat' has 'oa', and 'moon' has 'oo'.

Parent guide: how to help your child with Class 3 English

Frequently asked questions

What will my child learn in "Sounds and Spelling" (Class 3 English)?

Your child will be able to: read words with common consonant blends (bl, st, tr) and digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh).; spell words with magic e (cap/cape) and common vowel teams (ai, ee, oa, oo).; form plurals by adding -s or -es to singular nouns.; spell common Grade 3 sight words (said, because, friend) correctly in writing..

How does MangoMindz teach "Sounds and Spelling"?

In 6 short parts (Blends and digraphs, Magic e, Vowel teams, Plurals with -s and -es, Tricky sight words, Spelling in sentences). Each part has a picture-based lesson read aloud by Mango Teacher, a quick check, and a quiz built from common mistakes children make, with Mango, a study buddy, for questions.

How long does "Sounds and Spelling" take?

About 120 minutes in total, spread over 6 parts of 15–25 minutes each.

How can I help my child with "Sounds and Spelling" at home?

Work through a small example together, such as: Model sounding out a blend: 'bl' in 'blue'; Model reading 'cap' and 'cape'. Then ask a quick question aloud: Which word starts with the same sound as 'blue'? (star / tree / black / ship)

What mistakes do children often make in "Sounds and Spelling"?

A blend and a digraph are the same. Fix: In a blend, you hear both sounds (b-l). In a digraph, the two letters make one new sound (sh). The 'e' is silent, so it does nothing. Fix: The 'e' is a magic helper: it makes the vowel say its name. The two vowels are said separately. Fix: In a vowel team, the two vowels make one sound together.

Is "Sounds and Spelling" free on MangoMindz?

Yes. Every lesson part and quiz in "Sounds and Spelling" is free on MangoMindz, with no ads.