Glossary · Letters, phonics and word reading
What is a word chain?
Definition
A word chain is a sequence of words where each one differs from the last by a single sound, such as cat, cot, cog, dog.
The student builds each word with letter tiles or writes it, changing one grapheme at a time. The teacher says the new word, not the letter to change, so the student has to work out which sound moved.
Chains force attention to every position in the word. A student who reads by the first letter can't fake a chain, because the first letter often stays the same. The middle vowel is where most of the useful practice happens.
Good chains change one thing at a time and mix positions: beginning, end, then vowel. Adding or removing a sound (cat to cast) is harder than swapping one, so save those for later in the chain.
In a lesson
Start with ship. “Make it say shop.” The student swaps i for o. “Now chop.” They swap sh for ch. “Now chip.” Back to i. Each step changes one grapheme.
Examples
Each word with its spelling units, one per sound.
- shipsh·i·p
- shopsh·o·p
- chopch·o·p
- chipsch·i·p·s
Words come from our lexicon, checked against a pronouncing dictionary. Words a student sees in our assessments are left out.
Why does this matter for the record?
Note which step breaks down. A student who handles first and last sounds but stalls on vowel changes has told you exactly what to review.
Rate each skill as you teach it
Needs support, Developing, Secure. The rating schedules the review and builds the report.