This example shows how the word is is being decoded using PPC analysis. The grapheme array <i> <s> is identified, followed by the expected phoneme array /ɪ/ /z/, represented using phonetic symbols. The produced phoneme array is then shown as /ɪ/ /s/, before the final spoken word /ɪz/. In this case, the child, or a teacher being trained in PPC awareness, has recognised the graphemes correctly but produced /s/ for <s>, saying iss (to rhyme with hiss) during blending, before shifting to the correct spoken word is. This reveals a discrepancy between the expected and produced phoneme arrays. Although the correct word is ultimately recognised, the phoneme structure linked to the graphemes has not been securely established. This is important to notice and discuss, as it highlights a mismatch in how the code is being applied and understood.

For children to store words securely, the speech sounds (phonemes), spelling (graphemes), and meaning must bond in the brain’s word bank. If this bonding does not occur, there can be a breakdown in the statistical learning of the alphabetic code. A child may appear successful in the moment, saying the word correctly, but without a secure phoneme–grapheme link, they may later spell it based on how it sounds to them, such as writing iz for is, or woz for was. This shows that accurate word recognition alone is not enough. The underlying structure of the word must be established so that it can be stored and retrieved reliably for both reading and spelling. This is at the heart of the IPA Word Mapping Mastery® system.