23. Phonics Game – ‘er’ /ɜː/ Dots and Lines - Set 3

A strategic decoding game for advanced /ɜː/ words

This printable phonics game focuses on complex and less frequent spellings of the /ɜː/ sound — ideal for learners exploring multisyllabic vocabulary, Latinate forms, and subject-specific terms. Players take turns drawing lines and reading each word aloud. Complete a box? It’s yours.

Use in 1:1 tutoring, at home, or as a warm-up in structured intervention sessions.

🧩 Words included:

submerge, verbatim, vertical, terminal, verbose

…plus others like Sherlock, serving, thermal, superb, vermin

Spellings explored include ‘er’, ‘ir’, ‘ur’, ‘or’, ‘ear’, and endings like -al, -ous, -um, -us, -ic.

✅ Learning focus:

• Supports decoding of longer, less familiar /ɜː/ spellings

• Reinforces phoneme–grapheme mapping in subject vocabulary

• Builds fluency through structured repetition

• Encourages concentration, turn-taking, and spoken rehearsal

🖨 What’s included:

• 1 full-colour printable Dots and Lines grid (PDF)

• Instructions for play

• Ideal for annotation or printing

• No prep beyond the download

Recommended age:

KS2–KS3, or any learner working on advanced /ɜː/ representations

Format:

PDF download – colour game grid

Use:

Phonics revision, tutoring, home learning, or SEND intervention

Licensing:

For personal/single-teacher use. Please don’t share, adapt or upload.

Copyright: Joanna Whale, Great Expectations Education.