138. Plurals: y after a vowel; irregular plurals

The lesson, step by step

1. Learn the rule

   When y comes after a vowel, just add s (toys, drays). Then the odd plurals that follow no rule: mice, children, and some from Latin and Greek (crises, alumni).

   The book puts it this way:

   Words in which the Plurals are formed irregularly.

2. Read the list aloud together

   Open the book to the lesson. Read the words aloud together, one column at a time. Some of them:

   toys, drays, buoys, whys

   mice, children

   Then your child reads a column alone, pointing to each word.

3. Take the words apart

   For each word, your child says the main word and the ending separately, and tells what the ending adds to the meaning. Note any letter that was doubled, dropped or changed when the parts were joined.

4. Spell aloud

   Your child looks at a word, says it, spells it aloud letter by letter, and says it again. Then close the book and try the same words from memory.

   Do eight or ten words, a few from each column.

5. Write from dictation

   Close the book. Read 10 words from the list, one at a time. Say each word clearly, use it in a short sentence of your own if it is unfamiliar, then say it again.

   Your child writes each word on a slate or paper. No peeking at the book.

6. Check and correct

   Open the book and check each word together, letter by letter. For each mistake, your child looks at the right spelling, says it, spells it aloud, and writes it correctly three times.

   Add any word that was missed to a hard-words list.