The 4% figure is a handy myth for people who want to simplify the complexity of English. But here's the thing: the "un-decodable" words aren't just a random 4%. They're often the most common ones—like "the," "of," "to," "a," "in." These are the words that make up the bulk of reading material. So even if only 4% are "tricky," they're the ones you see over and over. That’s why kids get stuck. It’s not just about rules—it’s about frequency and context. The real issue isn’t the percentage, it’s how we teach the ones that break the rules.