/aɪ/ spelt y at end of words; Year 2 homophones
Year group: 2
Source: DfE, English Appendic 1: Spelling, National Curriculum for England (2013) — Year 2
Curriculum requirement: Statutory
Purpose: Year 2 guide to the /eɪ/ sound spelt -ay and -ey, plus KS1 homophones — rules, word lists, and practice distinguishing sound-alike words.
Part A: /aɪ/ spelt y at the end of words
In Year 1, children learn that y at the end of words makes the /iː/ sound (happy, funny, baby). In Year 2, they learn that y can also make the /aɪ/ sound at the end of shorter words.
by, my, fly, cry, try, sky, dry, fry, spy, why, pry, sly, sty, shy, rye
The pattern: these are mostly short, one-syllable words where y is the only vowel. In longer words (two or more syllables), y at the end almost always makes the /iː/ sound (happy, funny). In short one-syllable words, it makes /aɪ/.
Examples
| /aɪ/ sound (short words) | /iː/ sound (longer words) |
|---|---|
| by | baby |
| my | happy |
| fly | funny |
| cry | silly |
| try | tidy |
| sky | body |
| dry | penny |
| why | every |
| spy | angry |
| shy | lucky |
Common mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| bie | by | y = /aɪ/ in short words |
| mie | my | y = /aɪ/ |
| flie | fly | y = /aɪ/ |
| skie | sky | y = /aɪ/ |
| criy | cry | y at end, not iy |
Part B: Year 2 statutory homophones
(DfE English Appendix 1: Spelling (2013) — Year 2 homophones list)
These homophones are statutory content for Year 2. Each pair sounds identical but means something different.
there / their / they're
- there — a place: The book is over there.
- their — belonging to them: Their bags are heavy.
- they're — they are: They're coming at noon.
Memory: there has here inside it (a place). their has heir inside it (inheritance — belonging to someone). they're has an apostrophe = they are.
here / hear
- here — in this place: Come over here.
- hear — to perceive sound: Can you hear me?
Memory: you hear with your ear. (h + ear = hear)
quite / quiet
(near-homophones — slightly different)
- quite — to a certain degree; completely: She was quite tired.
- quiet — without noise: Please be quiet.
Memory: quite is short and sharp. quiet has an extra letter and is longer — like silence stretching out.
see / sea
- see — to use one's eyes: I can see the boat.
- sea — the ocean: The sea is calm today.
be / bee
- be — to exist; a verb: I want to be a teacher.
- bee — an insect: A bee landed on the flower.
bare / bear
- bare — uncovered; empty: Her bare feet were cold.
- bear — a large animal; to carry or endure: A bear lives in the forest. I can't bear the noise.
one / won
- one — the number 1: One dog sat by the gate.
- won — past tense of win: She won the race.
sun / son
- sun — the star at the centre of our solar system: The sun is bright today.
- son — a male child: His son is seven years old.
blue / blew
- blue — the colour: The sky is blue.
- blew — past tense of blow: The wind blew the leaves.
new / knew
- new — not old; recent: She has a new coat.
- knew — past tense of know: She knew the answer.
night / knight
- night — the time of darkness: It was a dark night.
- knight — an armoured warrior: The knight wore armour.
not / knot
- not — negation: She is not ready.
- knot — a tying of rope: Tie a knot in the string.
no / know
- no — a negative answer: No, I can't come.
- know — to have knowledge: I know the answer.
to / two / too
- to — direction or infinitive: Walk to school. She wants to run.
- two — the number 2: She has two cats.
- too — also; more than enough: I want to come too. It's too hot.
Word sort activity
Choose the correct homophone for each sentence.
- She walked over ____ (there / their / they're) and picked up ____ (there / their / they're) coats.
- Can you ____ (here / hear) the music from ____ (here / hear)?
- The ____ (sun / son) shone brightly while her ____ (sun / son) played outside.
- ____ (Know / No), I don't ____ (know / no) the answer.
- She ____ (blew / blue) out the candle and the room went dark.
Dictation sentences
- There is a bee on the bare branch over there — can you hear it?
- They're going to their house by the sea for two weeks.
- My son knew that the sun would dry the new towels quite quickly.
- She won the race even though the night was dark and she couldn't see the path.
- "Be quiet!" she said, and the room fell quite still — not a sound from one of them.
Source: DfE English Appendix 1: Spelling (2013). Homophones listed are from the statutory Year 2 content. All examples verified.