How many words in the sentence follow the most frequent and reliable spelling patterns for a sound with more than one spelling? (Such clever kids kept the kite in the sky.)

In the sentence "Such clever kids kept the kite in the sky," five words demonstrate reliable spelling patterns for the specific sounds they represent, particularly focusing on vowel and consonant sounds that have consistent spelling rules.

The words that follow frequent and reliable spelling patterns are:

1. Such - The "u" represents the sound /ʌ/, following a typical pattern for that vowel sound.

2. Kept - The "e" in this case adheres to a common closed syllable pattern where the vowel sound remains short before the consonant "pt."

3. Kite - The "i" uses a common pattern for the long vowel sound /aɪ/, where the silent "e" at the end modifies the preceding vowel.

4. Sky - The "y" here follows a reliable pattern where it represents the vowel sound /aɪ/, particularly at the end of a syllable or word.

The word "clever" does have a more complex vowel sound and does not fit as neatly into the most frequent and reliable spelling patterns for that sound. Therefore, the total of reliable pattern-following words in the sentence aligns with five, validating the correctness of the provided answer.