Year 1 and 2 Common Exception Words: A Word Search Plan for Home
Published 23 September 2026
If your child is in Year 1 or Year 2 in England, you’ve probably been sent home a list of common exception words: said, was, could, people, because. They’re called exception words because phonics alone won’t get you there. A child who sounds out s-ai-d writes sed, and a child who sounds out w-a-s writes woz. The only reliable route is seeing the correct spelling often enough that it looks right.
That’s what a word search is good at. Each common exception word is short, frequent and visually odd, and finding one in a grid makes the child look at exactly the letters that phonics would get wrong. Below: the full Year 1 and Year 2 lists split into ten-word sets, the settings that suit 5- to 7-year-olds, and a plan to spread them across the school year.
What the national curriculum actually requires
The common exception words come from the statutory spelling requirements in Appendix 1 of the English National Curriculum (Department for Education, 2013). Year 1 has around 45 words and Year 2 around 65. Schools often teach them in weekly batches, and at the end of Key Stage 1 teachers assess whether children can spell most of them.
Two things are worth knowing:
- Some words are “exceptions” only for now. Friend and school become regular once a child learns more complex phonics patterns later. The list reflects what a Year 1 child has been taught, not what’s irregular for an adult.
- Reading and spelling are separate goals. Many children read said instantly by Christmas of Year 1 and still write sed in June. Recognition comes first; spelling needs more repetitions.
This week: ask your child’s teacher which words the class is on. Match your puzzles to the school’s order, so home practice supports the classroom rather than running ahead of it.
Settings for 5- to 7-year-olds
These words are short and look alike (was/saw, of/off, there/where/here), so a badly made puzzle frustrates a young child. The rules that work:
- 6×6 or 8×8 grid. No bigger. At this age a large grid is a scanning test, not a spelling one.
- Across and down only, no backwards words. Children are still learning that words run left to right. A backwards was reads as saw, which teaches the wrong thing.
- No decoy letters. Random filler only, so a near-miss doesn’t mislead a beginner.
- Five to ten words per puzzle. Ten is the maximum for Year 1.
- Tap to select for children who can’t yet drag a finger in a straight line. We cover why this matters in tap or drag for 5-year-olds.
These are the same principles as our sight words word search guide; common exception words overlap heavily with the Dolch sight words.
Year 1 common exception words, in ten-word sets
Set 1
the · a · do · to · today · of · said · says · are · were
Set 2
was · is · his · has · I · you · your · they · be · he
Set 3
me · she · we · no · go · so · by · my · here · there
Set 4
where · love · come · some · one · once · ask · friend · school · put
Set 5
push · pull · full · house · our
Single-letter words (a, I) are too short for a grid. Skip them in the puzzle and check them in writing instead. A few pairs are worth putting in the same puzzle on purpose: there/where/here share -ere, and one/once share their strange first sound.
Year 2 common exception words, in ten-word sets
Set 6
door · floor · poor · because · find · kind · mind · behind · child · children
Set 7
wild · climb · most · only · both · old · cold · gold · hold · told
Set 8
every · everybody · even · great · break · steak · pretty · beautiful · after · fast
Set 9
last · past · father · class · grass · pass · plant · path · bath · hour
Set 10
move · prove · improve · sure · sugar · eye · could · should · would · who
Set 11
whole · any · many · clothes · busy · people · water · again · half · money
Set 12
Mr · Mrs · parents · Christmas
One practical note: beautiful and everybody in Set 8 have nine letters, so that set needs a 10×10 grid; the other Year 2 sets fit in 8×8.
Year 2 sets are grouped by spelling family on purpose. Set 7 (old, cold, gold, hold, told) is almost a pattern lesson in itself, and Set 10 (could, should, would) is the classic trio children misspell as cud/shud/wud. Putting a family in one grid lets the child notice the shared chunk, which is half the spelling work done.
A plan across the school year
Twelve sets across a school year is about one new set every three weeks, which leaves plenty of room for repetition.
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Week 1 of each set | Two puzzles with the word list visible |
| Week 2 | Two puzzles with the words spoken instead of printed: you say the word, the child finds it |
| Week 3 | One puzzle, then a quick written check of five words |
The spoken version in Week 2 matters most. When the child hears said and has to find it, they must picture the spelling first, and that is the moment the exception gets learned. If you’re using an app, a listen-mode clue does the same job without you reading each word.
Revisit old sets. Every few weeks, mix words from earlier sets into a new puzzle. Common exception words are easy to forget if they stop appearing, and a word found in March and again in May is far more secure than one found three times in March. We explain why in how many times a child needs to see a word.
Beyond the word search
A puzzle won’t do the whole job. Two short habits alongside it help:
- Write it once after finding it. After the puzzle, the child writes two or three of the words from memory. Ten seconds per word.
- Spot them in books. Common exception words are everywhere in early readers. “How many saids can you find on this page?” is a word search with a story attached.
For a wider picture of what spelling is typical at this age, SpellEasy’s guide to what spelling a 5–6 year old should be able to do is a calm, useful read.
Making the puzzles
Type any set above into a word search generator, or into WordSearchEasy on an iPhone or iPad. The app’s Easy setting is an 8×8 grid with words across and down only, which suits Year 1, and Tap mode lets the child select letters one at a time. Each found word is read aloud, and a word counts as mastered only after the child finds it three times without a hint, so you can see which exception words still need work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are common exception words?
They’re high-frequency words whose spelling doesn’t follow the phonics patterns a child has been taught so far, such as said, was, could and people. The English National Curriculum lists them for Year 1 and Year 2, and children are expected to learn to spell them as whole words.
How many common exception words are there in Year 1 and Year 2?
Around 45 in Year 1 and around 65 in Year 2, in the statutory spelling appendix of the national curriculum. Some schools add extra words of their own, so check the list your child’s school sends home.
Is a word search good for common exception words?
Yes, if it’s set up for young children: a small grid, forward-only words, and no decoys. Finding the word makes the child look at every letter in order, which is what exception words need. Switching to spoken clues after a first pass makes it even more effective.
Are common exception words the same as sight words?
They overlap a lot but aren’t identical. “Sight words” usually means the Dolch or Fry lists of high-frequency words taught for reading, mainly in the US. Common exception words are an English National Curriculum spelling list. Words like said, was and the appear on both.
How often should we practise?
Little and often: two or three short puzzles a week of five to ten minutes each. Revisiting older sets every few weeks matters more than covering new words quickly.
WordSearchEasy turns your child’s own word list — or one of 300+ built-in topic lists — into a word search in seconds, with picture and sound clues and a printable answer key. Download free on the App Store.