Dysorthographia exercise: et or est

« Le chat et noir » or « le chat est noir »? The words « et » and « est » sound the same, which makes them easy to confuse. For a child with dysorthographia, this error comes up in almost every text. A simple and reliable trick helps tell them apart. Here are some exercises to make it stick over time.

A verb or a linking word

« est » is the verb to be conjugated in the third person: « le ciel est bleu ». « et » is a linking word, which connects two words or two ideas: « un chat et un chien ». They have nothing to do with each other, but they sound the same.

The child therefore needs to understand what the word does in the sentence: does it describe something, or does it link two elements? This kind of thinking is hard to do while writing. A concrete trick makes it almost automatic. The child no longer needs to think about the nature of the word, they simply test it. The same principle applies to the pair a or à.

The était trick

To choose, replace the word with « était ». If the sentence still makes sense, it is the verb to be, and you write « est »: « le ciel était bleu ». If the sentence no longer makes sense, it is the linking word, and you write « et »: « un chat était un chien » does not mean the same thing.

You can also use a second trick: replace with « et puis ». If it works, it is « et ». The two tests complement each other. The child chooses the one that speaks to them most. Some prefer the first, others find the second more natural.

Practising aloud

Before writing, practise the test out loud. The adult says a sentence, the child repeats it with « était » and decides. Chain several sentences together, at a steady rhythm.

You can make up funny or absurd sentences, which amuse the child: « Le dragon est gentil et il mange des fraises ». They spot both words and apply the test to each one. This oral game effectively prepares for writing. It takes only a few minutes. It can become a little routine on the way to school.

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Writing sentences with both words

Once the trick is understood, dictate sentences containing both « et » and « est ». For example: « Mon frère est grand et il est fort ». The child writes, then checks each word with the test.

You can also ask them to invent their own sentences with both words, then have a parent check them. They become the author of the exercise. This involvement strengthens memorisation. They retain a rule better when they have staged it themselves. These sentences can then serve as an adapted dictation.

Spotting them in a text

In a short text, the child highlights every « et » in blue and every « est » in red. They check each word with the trick. They discover how frequent these words are.

You can then give them a text with a few deliberate errors, which they must correct. This role of proofreader makes them attentive. They apply the rule without being asked. This type of exercise prepares them to proofread their own texts. They learn to be wary of words that sound the same.

A sheet to keep

A small sheet with both words, the tricks and an example for each can stay in the child’s pencil case or exercise book. It remains within easy reach during homework. It reassures them.

It can be added to over the weeks with other homophones learned. It becomes a personal memory aid. The child refers to it less and less as the tricks become established. They can decorate it their own way, so that it looks like them. The page spelling memo sheets explains how to make them.

Support if needed

If the confusion between « et » and « est » persists despite practice, the speech and language therapist can work on grammar and sentence analysis. These difficulties often form part of a grammatical dysorthographia. These games at home support the follow-up, without replacing it.

The ProfessionnelsDys directory helps you find a speech and language therapist near you, by town and by age. Point out the homophones that cause the most problems. The page on grammatical dysorthographia describes this type of difficulty.