RICA Word Analysis 2 β Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student reads 'knight' as /kΙΛnaΙͺt/. Which word analysis concept explains the correct silent-letter pattern?
- Consonant digraph
- Silent letter convention in Old English-derived words (Correct answer)
- Vowel digraph rule
- Schwa reduction in unstressed syllables
Correct answer: Silent letter convention in Old English-derived words
Many English words derived from Old English or Middle English retain silent letters (e.g., 'kn-', 'wr-') that were once pronounced.
Question 2: Which of the following word pairs best illustrates the concept of minimal pairs used in phonemic awareness instruction?
- cat / bat (Correct answer)
- running / runner
- unhappy / happiness
- play / playground
Correct answer: cat / bat
Minimal pairs differ by exactly one phoneme (e.g., /k/ vs. /b/), making them ideal for isolating phonemic contrasts.
Question 3: A teacher introduces the Latin root 'scrib/script' meaning 'to write.' This instruction primarily develops students' ability to use:
- Phonics generalizations
- Morphemic analysis (Correct answer)
- Syllabication rules
- Orthographic mapping
Correct answer: Morphemic analysis
Morphemic analysis involves understanding meaningful word parts such as Latin and Greek roots to decode and build vocabulary.
Question 4: When a student encounters the word 'photography,' which syllable type is represented by the final syllable '-phy'?
- Closed syllable
- Open syllable
- Consonant-le syllable (Correct answer)
- Vowel team syllable
Correct answer: Consonant-le syllable
The consonant-le syllable pattern applies to syllables ending in a consonant + 'le,' and '-phy' follows a similar consonant + vowel pattern found in Greek-origin suffixes treated as a unit.
Question 5: A student spells 'jumped' as 'jumpt.' This error most likely indicates the student has not yet mastered:
- The doubling rule for adding -ed
- The concept that -ed represents a past-tense morpheme regardless of pronunciation (Correct answer)
- The difference between long and short vowels
- The schwa sound in unstressed syllables
Correct answer: The concept that -ed represents a past-tense morpheme regardless of pronunciation
The -ed morpheme is spelled consistently even when it sounds like /t/ (jumped), /d/ (grabbed), or /Ιͺd/ (wanted).
Question 6: Which instructional sequence follows the recommended order for teaching phonics skills?
- Vowel digraphs β CVC words β consonant blends β long vowel patterns
- CVC words β consonant blends β long vowel patterns β vowel digraphs (Correct answer)
- Long vowel patterns β consonant blends β CVC words β vowel digraphs
- Consonant blends β CVC words β vowel digraphs β long vowel patterns
Correct answer: CVC words β consonant blends β long vowel patterns β vowel digraphs
Research-based phonics instruction moves from simple to complex: CVC patterns first, then blends, then long vowel patterns, then digraphs.
Question 7: A second grader reads 'hopping' correctly but reads 'hoping' as 'hopping.' This confusion is best addressed by teaching:
- The VCe pattern and how a final silent-e signals a long vowel
- The schwa sound in unstressed syllables
- R-controlled vowel patterns
- The difference between open and closed syllables in two-syllable words (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The difference between open and closed syllables in two-syllable words
In 'hoping' the first syllable is open (ho-), giving a long vowel; in 'hopping' the first syllable is closed (hop-) with a short vowel and doubled consonant.
RICA Word Analysis 2
A student reads 'knight' as /kΙΛnaΙͺt/.
Which word analysis concept explains the correct silent-letter pattern?