Tricky Words Trainer
Completely Free Phonics Game • Over 400 Unique Tricky and Common Exception Words • No Premium Tiers
Help your child master tricky words through fun, audio-based gameplay. All UK phonics phases free forever - no ads, no signup required.
Choose Your Game Mode:
Listen & Pick
Hear the word, then choose the correct spelling from 4 options
Type & Spell
Hear the word, then type the correct spelling letter by letter
Word Search
Find hidden words in the grid by tapping each letter in order
Free Resources for Parents & Teachers
Everything you need to support your child's reading journey
Browse Word Lists
View all 896 words organized by UK phonics phases. Includes free download links for practice worksheets.
How to Teach Tricky Words
Discover 5 proven methods for teaching tricky words and sight words. Expert strategies, games, and activities for parents and teachers.
UK Phonics Guide
Complete introduction to UK phonics phases explained. Everything parents need to know about teaching reading.
What is Tricky Words Trainer?
Tricky Words Trainer is a completely free phonics game designed to help UK children aged 4-8 master sight words and tricky words through engaging, audio-based gameplay. Built by a parent who believes every child deserves access to quality learning tools, it aligns perfectly with the UK National Curriculum phonics phases (Reception through Year 3).
Our three game modes—Listen & Pick, Type & Spell, and Word Search—make learning phonics fun and effective. Children hear professionally recorded pronunciations, practice spelling, and find hidden words in interactive puzzles. All 896 words are completely free forever – no premium tiers, no paywalls, no ads, no data collection.
Perfect for teachers and parents: Create custom word lists for weekly spellings, generate printable worksheets, download for offline use, and track progress with our reward system. Everything is free. If TrickyWords has helped your family, consider supporting the project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tricky Words Trainer is designed for UK Reception to Year 3 children (ages 4-8). The word sets are aligned with UK phonics phases and the National Curriculum.
Everything is free! All 896 words across all UK phonics phases (2-6), Year 1-2 statutory spellings, high-frequency words, and challenge words. All three game modes (Listen & Pick, Type & Spell, and Word Search). Create custom word lists, generate printable worksheets, and download for offline use. No premium tiers, no paywalls, completely free forever.
TrickyWords was built by a parent who believes every child deserves access to quality learning tools. All 896 words, all game modes, custom word lists, and offline mode are completely free – no premium tiers, no ads, no data collection.
Running costs are low, and the project is supported by optional donations from families who find it helpful. If TrickyWords has helped your child, you can support the project:
Donations are optional and never required. This tool will always be free for everyone.
Absolutely safe! There are no ads, no tracking, and no external links that children can accidentally click. All data is stored locally on your device. We never collect personal information.
Yes! You can create custom word lists for free. This is perfect for practicing specific words your child is learning in school or targeting particular phonics patterns. You can use custom words in all three game modes and print custom word searches.
Yes! The game needs an internet connection initially to load. After that, you can use the 'Download Voices' feature to pre-download all 896 audio files for completely offline use - perfect for car journeys or areas with poor connection!
Tricky Words Trainer works on any modern device with a web browser - phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. It's optimized for touchscreens and can be added to your home screen like an app.