What stage of writing is characterized by a combination of real and invented spelling with clear sound structure?

The semiphonetic stage of writing is characterized by the development of children's spelling abilities where they begin to understand the relationship between sounds and letters, yet they may not apply that understanding perfectly. In this stage, young writers often use a blend of invented spelling—where they create their own representations for sounds—and real spelling, drawing from the words they know.

Children at this stage typically show significant progress in their ability to represent sounds with letters, indicating that they have begun to grasp sound structures in words. This ability, while not completely accurate in terms of conventional spelling, reflects their emerging phonetic awareness and provides a vital foundation for more advanced writing skills.

The transition from phonetic to semiphonetic involves moving beyond simply spelling out sounds and begins incorporating more complex spelling elements, while the transitional stage represents even further development toward conventional spelling. The fluency stage comes later in the writing process, when students can produce text more seamlessly and with greater correctness, showcasing their full understanding of spelling conventions.