Alien Words and Pseudo Words: Why Schools Use Made-Up Words

"Mum, I had to read 'voo' today. That's not even a real word."

If your child has come home confused about reading made-up words at school, you're not alone. Alien words — also called pseudo words or nonsense words — are one of the most misunderstood parts of phonics teaching. Parents often wonder why on earth schools would ask children to read words that don't exist.

There's actually a very good reason.

What are alien words?

Alien words are made-up words that follow English phonics rules but have no meaning. Words like "bim," "steg," "chook," or "pligh." They're sometimes presented with a little alien picture to show children they're not real.

They appear in phonics teaching throughout Reception and Year 1, and they make up half of the Year 1 phonics screening check (20 out of 40 words).

Why schools use them

The purpose is simple but important: alien words test whether a child can actually decode — that is, use their phonics knowledge to read a word they've never seen before.

With real words, there's a problem. A child might recognise "cat" or "the" by sight, from memory, or from context. They might be guessing based on the first letter or the picture on the page. They might know the word from their reading book. None of that tells you whether they can actually apply phonics.

Alien words remove all those shortcuts. A child can't have memorised "bim" because it doesn't exist. The only way to read it is to use phonics: b-i-m, blend the sounds, say the word. It's a pure test of decoding skill.

Why decoding matters

You might think: who cares about made-up words? Real reading is about real words.

That's true — eventually. But decoding is the engine that powers reading. When your child encounters an unfamiliar word in a book — "caterpillar," "enormous," "adventure" — they need to be able to sound it out. The skill they use is exactly the same skill they use for alien words.

Research by Professor Diane McQuiston and others has shown that strong decoding skills in Year 1 are one of the best predictors of reading fluency in later years. Children who can decode confidently move on to reading for meaning more quickly, because they spend less mental energy figuring out what words say.

How to help at home

If your child finds alien words tricky, here are some practical things you can do:

Play "real or alien." Say a word — sometimes real, sometimes made-up — and ask your child to decide. "Is 'grop' a real word or an alien word?" This builds their confidence with the format.

Sound them out together. When practising alien words, model the process: "Let's look at each sound. P-l-o-g. Plog!" Make it fun. Use silly voices. Pretend the alien words are names for aliens and give them characters.

Don't skip them. Some parents focus only on real words during practice. But if your child can read "cat" from memory, you're not practising phonics — you're practising recall. Mix in some alien words to keep the decoding muscle working.

Use phonics apps. Spark Learn includes alien words alongside real words in its phonics practice, so children get comfortable with both formats in a low-pressure way.

Common concerns

"Won't it confuse them about real words?"

No. Research shows that children can easily distinguish between real and nonsense words when the context is clear. Schools always label alien words as such, usually with an alien picture. Children understand the game.

"It feels like a waste of time."

It might feel that way, but it's one of the most efficient ways to check and build a fundamental reading skill. Five minutes with alien words tells a teacher more about a child's phonics ability than twenty minutes of reading a familiar book.

"My child hates them."

Some children find alien words frustrating because they can't use their usual strategies (guessing, picture cues, memory). That frustration actually highlights why the practice is valuable — it's working on exactly the skill that needs strengthening.

Keep sessions short and playful. If your child gets upset, stop. Come back to it another day.

The bigger picture

Alien words aren't the goal. Fluent, confident reading is the goal. But alien words are one of the tools that get children there — by building the decoding skills that underpin all reading.

Think of it like scales on a piano. Nobody plays scales in a concert. But every pianist practises them, because they build the finger skills needed for real music.

Alien words build the phonics skills needed for real reading. And once those skills are solid, your child won't need alien words anymore — they'll be too busy reading real books.