Uses some clearly identifiable letters to communicate meaning, representing some sounds correctly and in sequence.
Observe whether the child: uses some clearly identifiable letters to communicate meaning, representing some sounds correctly and in sequence.
What it looks like
Three ways this behaviour shows up as a child grows. Each level includes everyday moments to watch for.
Emerging
Just starting
Produces letter-like shapes or occasional recognisable letters, but uses them randomly or out of order without clear sound-to-letter matching.
What you might see
When asked what their writing says, the child cannot link the marks to a word/message and changes the meaning each time.
Marks are mainly scribbles with no recognisable letters even when provided with alphabet prompts.
Writes a string of recognisable letters (e.g., "ABCD") as a label but cannot connect letters to the sounds in the word they intended.
Uses one favourite letter repeatedly (e.g., "ssss") to stand for many different words.
Expected
On track
Uses some recognisable letters to represent sounds in words (often first/last sounds) and begins to place letters in a plausible sequence for the intended word.
What you might see
For a word like "dog", writes "DG" or "DO" and explains it refers to the dog (some sounds represented, order mostly plausible).
Says a word slowly with an adult and adds letters in sequence as they hear them, but may omit a middle sound.
Exceeding
Going further
Consistently uses identifiable letters to communicate meaning, representing multiple sounds in the correct order so that the word/message is often interpretable.
What you might see
Writes a label/caption that includes multiple correct sound letters in order (e.g., "pet" → "PET"; "cat" → "CAT" or "CT"), and reads it back consistently.
During role-play, writes a simple item/order (e.g., "milk") with letters that largely match the spoken sounds and appear in the correct sequence.
Notices a missing sound and inserts a letter (writes "CT" then adds "A" after repeating "c-a-t").
Rewrites a word to improve clarity for someone else (changes letter order or adds a letter after being asked to read it aloud).
Try this at home
Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.
During drawing, ask your child to label one thing in the picture and then tell you the sounds they heard as they wrote it.
At mealtime, invite them to write a simple food word ("ham", "tea", "cake") and notice whether letters match sounds in order.
In the bath, play "write it with your finger" on a steamy mirror: say a word slowly and watch if they try letters in sequence.
During play (shop/café), ask them to write an item name or order; see if a reader can guess the word from the letter sequence.
At bedtime, pick a toy word and ask: "Say it slowly—what sounds do you hear?" Notice whether they add letters for more than one sound.
Connected behaviours
Behaviours that scaffold, follow, or co-emerge with this one.
The framework source and supporting developmental research.
Framework source
Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (2012), Literacy: Writing (40–60+ months).
Identifies using recognisable letters to represent sounds in order as a typical writing indicator in the 40–60+ month band.
Developmental research
Ehri, L. C. (1995). Phases of Development in Learning to Read Words by Sight. Journal of Research in Reading, 18(2), 116–125.
Explains how children’s growing knowledge of letter–sound relations supports using letters to represent spoken sounds in sequence for reading and spelling.
Five-level rubric (detailed)ShowHide
The full progression underlying the three levels above. Used by the platform’s reasoning agent when planning activities and observations.
Not Yet
Makes marks that are not recognisable as letters and does not attempt to use letters to carry meaning.
When asked what their writing says, the child cannot link the marks to a word/message and changes the meaning each time.
Marks are mainly scribbles with no recognisable letters even when provided with alphabet prompts.
Emerging
Produces letter-like shapes or occasional recognisable letters, but uses them randomly or out of order without clear sound-to-letter matching.
Writes a string of recognisable letters (e.g., "ABCD") as a label but cannot connect letters to the sounds in the word they intended.
Uses one favourite letter repeatedly (e.g., "ssss") to stand for many different words.
Developing
Uses some recognisable letters to represent sounds in words (often first/last sounds) and begins to place letters in a plausible sequence for the intended word.
For a word like "dog", writes "DG" or "DO" and explains it refers to the dog (some sounds represented, order mostly plausible).
Says a word slowly with an adult and adds letters in sequence as they hear them, but may omit a middle sound.
Secure
Consistently uses identifiable letters to communicate meaning, representing multiple sounds in the correct order so that the word/message is often interpretable.
Writes a label/caption that includes multiple correct sound letters in order (e.g., "pet" → "PET"; "cat" → "CAT" or "CT"), and reads it back consistently.
During role-play, writes a simple item/order (e.g., "milk") with letters that largely match the spoken sounds and appear in the correct sequence.
Reflexive
Chooses letters strategically (tries alternative spellings, checks sounds by saying the word slowly), self-corrects letter order, and adapts letter use across contexts.
Notices a missing sound and inserts a letter (writes "CT" then adds "A" after repeating "c-a-t").
Rewrites a word to improve clarity for someone else (changes letter order or adds a letter after being asked to read it aloud).
