Letters sounds word list

Phase 2: Introducing simple graphemes for phonemes

Sets 1, 2: s, a, t, p, i, n, m, d

letters ‘s’ ‘a’ ‘t’ ‘p’

pat sat at as

‘i’

sit pip is it tip

‘n’

nip pin in nap pan an tin

‘m’

mat man am map

‘d’

dim din dip did dad sad

Set 3: g,o,c,k

‘g’

pig dig gap gas

‘o’

got dog on pot pop not top

‘c’

cot cat can cap cod

‘k’

kid kit

Set 4: ck,e,u,r

‘ck’ ending

back kick pack pick sack sick tick

‘e’

ten pet pen peg den get neck

‘u’ (South England)

mug cut cup duck nut mum mud sun up

‘r’

red ran rat ram run rip rug

Set 5: h, b, f, ff, l, ll, ss

‘h’

hit hug hot him hid his hen hat has had

‘b’

back bad bag bed bin big bit bud but bus bun

digraph ‘ff’ at end of word

off puff cuff huff

‘l’

lap let luck lot log lock lip leg lid

‘ll’ at end of word

hill bell fill fell doll tell ill well

‘ss’ at end of word

fuss boss hiss kiss less loss mess miss

‘f’

if fun fog fan of fat fed

compound words

padlock catnap fusspot backpack cannot sunset

2 syllables

sunset begun rabbit thunder pocket carrot

Phase 3: The remaining phonemes, with graphemes

Set 6: j, v, w, x

‘j’

jog jet job jam jug

‘v’

visit vivid van vet

‘w’

cobweb win will wag web

‘x’

exit six fox box wax mix fix

Set 7: y, z, zz, qu

‘y’

yell yet yap yes

‘z’ & ‘zz’

zip buzz zigzag fizz

‘qu’

liquid quiz quit quick quack

Consonant digraphs ch, sh ,th , ng

‘ch’

rich much chat check chin such chip chop

‘sh’

shock wish shall cash fish ship shop shell

‘th’ as in then

with this that them then

‘ng’

song wing sing ring rang long king bang along

‘th’ as in thin

thick thin thud moth

Vowel digraphs ai, ee etc.

‘ai’

paid tail sail main wait aim nail rain

‘ee’

need been feel feet teeth seen meet week see

‘oa’

soap foam boat coat loaf road load coach

‘oo’ as in boot

rooftop zoo pool moon cool boot food soon too

‘oo’ as in book

wood took foot good book cook look hook hood

‘ar’

park hard farm dark car jar farmyard bar bark

‘or’

torn worn born sort for fork corn short

‘ur’

hurt church burn turn turnip fur curl

‘ow’

owl bow cow town down how now

‘oi’

boil soil join oil foil coil

‘er’

summer mixer hammer bigger never hotter better

Vowel trigraphs igh, ear, air, ure

‘igh’

night might high sigh right light thigh tight

‘ear’ as in ear

near hear rear beard ear dear fear gear

‘air’

hair fair chair pair unfair airless air

‘ure’

pure cure secure mature

Combining phase 3 graphemes

including ‘ch’

torch chain porch coach march chair church

including ‘sh’

short shook shoot shoal harsh shark sheet

including ‘ai’ ‘ar’

shark sharp raincoat chain raining march

including ‘ee’ ‘er’

teeth sheep thicker singer queen sheet sharper

including ‘oa’ ‘or’

thorn shoal coach north short

including ‘oo’ ‘ow’

smooth foolish tooth shook shoot powder flower

including ‘igh’ ‘ng’

charming lightning chopping thing singing higher

Phase 4: Adjacent consonants

Simple CVCC words

‘-ft’

loft left lift soft tuft

‘-ld’ ‘-lf’

told held elf old cold bold gold fold

‘-lk’ ‘-lp’

bulk milk hulk gulp help yelp sulk

‘-lt’

kilt melt pelt belt felt

‘-mp’

damp bump camp lump limp lamp jump

‘-nd’

pond sand send bend hand band mend fond

‘-nk’

tank wink bank bunk sink pink honk dunk

‘-nt’

hunt pant sent bent dent tent went mint

‘-sk’

tusk desk dusk risk rusk husk

‘-st’

just nest rest best cost fist mist

‘-ct’ ‘-pt’ ‘-xt’

fact text wept kept next

More CVCC words

CVCC using ‘ch’ ‘sh’

chimp bench punch chink chest shift shelf

CVCC using ‘th’ ‘qu’

quilt thump tenth think thank theft

CVCC using ‘ai’ ‘oa’ etc

point paint moist roost roast toast burnt

polysyllabic CVCC 1

restless sandpit selfish shelter shampoo windmill children

polysyllabic CVCC 2

handbag dustbin pumpkin softest lunchbox helper sandwich

polysyllabic CVCC 3

melting toaster weekend munching chimpanzee seventh

Simple CCVC words

‘bl-‘ ‘br-‘

blot blob black brag brick brim

‘cl-‘ ‘cr-‘

clap click club clock crab crop clog

‘dr-‘

drip drop drum drag dress

‘fl-‘ ‘fr-‘

flop flag flap flat frog from

‘gl-‘ ‘gr-‘

grub grin grip glum glad gran

‘pl-‘ ‘pr-‘

plan plus plum prod press

‘sc-‘ ‘sk-‘

skid skim skin skip scum scan scab

‘sm-‘ ‘sn-‘

snub snug smug snap snip snag smut

‘sp-‘

spot spin spit spud

‘st-‘ ‘sw-‘

stop step swam swig

‘tr-‘ ‘tw-‘

trot trim trip twin twig

More CCVC words

CCVC using ‘sh’ ‘th’

thrill throb three shrug shred crash brush fresh

CCVC using ‘ai ‘oa’

trail groan float brain train

CCVC using ‘ee’

sweet speed green sleep bleed creep steep

CCVC using ‘oo’ ‘or’

droop stood sport spoon snoop

CCVC using ‘ow’

prowl growl crowd brown clown frown

polysyllabic CCVC

treetop floating paintbrush freshness

CCVCC words

‘bl-‘ ‘br-‘

brisk brand blink blend blank blunt

‘cl-‘ ‘cr-‘

clump clamp crust cramp crisp

‘dr-‘ ‘fr-‘

drift drink frond frost

‘gl-‘ ‘gr-‘

grunt glint grand

‘pl-‘ ‘pr-‘

print plump prank plank

‘sc-‘ ‘sl-‘ etc.

slept scalp stand spend stunt swank swept

‘tr-‘ ‘tw-‘

trust tramp trunk twist

CCVCC words further practice

‘spr-‘ ‘str-‘

string strong spring sprint sprang

‘shr-, ‘-nch’

shrimp shrink trench drench crunch

polysyllabic CCVCC

driftwood printer twisting handstand kitchen

Phase 5: Introducing more graphemes

More vowel graphemes

‘ay’ as in play

day say play crayon spray stay tray way may

‘ou’ as in cloud

found sound ground cloud count out round mouth mountain

‘ie’ as in pie

pie fried cries die tie tries lie dried

‘ea’ as in heat

leaflet teacher seat steam team beak beach meal heat beast

‘oy’ as in boy

joy loyal royal annoy boy enjoy toy

‘ir’ as in bird

third thirteen first girl bird birth shirt skirt thirst

‘ue’ as in blue

blue clue glue true untrue

‘ue’ as in statue

Tuesday due pursue statue value rescue argue

‘aw’ as in saw

drawn shawl saw crawl claws paw raw law lawn jaw

‘ew’ as in blew

screw chew crew grew flew threw blew

‘ew’ as in dew

stew few dew knew new newt

‘oe’ as in toe

hoe toe goes foe woe

‘au’ as in haunt

taunt haunt launch taut

‘ey’ as in donkey

chimney turkey valley donkey

More consonant graphemes

‘wh’ as in wheel

wheel when whiskers whip which whisper

‘ph’ as in dolphin

alphabet elephant dolphin orphan prophet

Split digraphs

split digraph ‘a — e’

safe same late name made make game came take

split digraph ‘e — e’

swede these complete delete theme

split digraph ‘i — e’

side ride five bike like line slide quite time white

split digraph ‘o — e’

spoke woke those stone stroke rose home chose envelope phone

split digraph ‘u — e’ as in rule

prune June rude rule brute crude

grapheme ‘u — e’ as in tune

cube perfume huge use tune tube

Phase 5: Alternative pronunciations

Other sounds of a, e, i, o, u

‘a’ as in acorn

acorn April apron

‘a’ as in bath (S. England)

branch grass bath after class fast father glass last afternoon

‘a’ as in wash

wash was wander want what squash quarrel wasp

‘e’ as in demon

she he me be we demon

‘i’ as in child

wild blind behind child grind find mild mind kind remind

‘o’ as in sofa

total no so go mobile sofa won’t don’t

‘u’ as in music

human stupid pupil uniform unicorn music future

‘u’ as in bull

full bull bush push put pull

Other sounds of ow, ie, ea, er, ou

‘ow’ as in tow

slow show flow grow window tomorrow known low tow growth

‘ie’ as in thief

mischief diesel thief grief field brief chief shield shriek relief

‘ea’ as in head

head health bread breath dead sweat wealth weather breathless healthier

‘er’ as in fern

fertile term stern fern her herb kerb person perfect

‘ou’ as in soup

you soup group

‘ou’ as in shoulder

mould shoulder poultry

Other sounds of y, ch, c, g, ey

‘y’ as in fly

why try reply sky my fly fry cry dry by

‘y’ as in crystal

pyramid syrup symptom typical crystal

‘y’ as in puppy

rubbing badly greedy sulky telly funny puppy lucky family happy

‘ch’ as in school

echo chemist character school scheme chorus

‘ch’ as in chef

parachute chef

‘c’ as in city

central ceremony cell cinder city December accept success

‘g’ as in giant

agent surgery larger stingy gym ginger giant cage magic huge

‘ey’ as in they

survey they grey prey

Phase 5: Alternative spellings

/ch/ /j/ /m/ /n/ /r/ /s/ /z/

/ch/ as in picture

capture nature signature future picture mixture creature adventure departure

/ch/ as catch

witch switch stretch watch hutch kitchen match pitch scratch catch

/j/ as in badge

bridge badge edge judge hedgehog fridge smudge hedge

/m/ as in lamb

thumb lamb limb numb crumb climb comb

/n/ as in gnash

design gnat gnome gnash sign gnaw

/n/ as in knob

knot knock knob knee knew knitted knit knight knife unknown

/r/ as in wrap

wrap wreck wren wrench wrist wring wrong write written wretched

/s/ as in castle

castle wrestle whistle listen rustle glisten Christmas

/s/ as in house

purse promise immense house horse geese loose mouse increase

/z/ as in cheese

please pause cheese because disease noise tease choose

/u/ /i/ /eer/ /ar/ /air/ /or/

/u/ as in son

son nothing brother come mother wonder done some you

/i/ as in happy

symptom syrup funny lucky pyramid family gym happy crystal typical

/i/ as in donkey

donkey chimney money honey hockey valley

/eer/ as in here

interfere here severe sincere

/eer/ as in deer

cheerful jeer cheer beer steer deer

/ar/ as in father

bathroom afternoon gasp class glass father fast grass branch

/ar/ as in calf

calm half palm calf

/air/ as in there

there where nowhere anywhere

/air/ as in bear

wear tear swear pear bear

/air/ as in bare

compare care dare rare share spare bare square stare

/or/ as in ball

walking talk tallest always snowball small fall call ball all

/or/ as in four

court fourth four fourteen pour your yours course downpour

/or/ as in caught

taught naughty daughter caught

/ur/ /uu/ /ay/ /ee/ /y/

/ur/ as in earth

earth early earn learn learning heard pearl search year

/ur/ as in worm

worker world work worship worse worm worth word worst

/uu/ as in could

would should could

/oo/ as in bull

bush bull full push pull armful skilful

/ay/ as in play

delay spray stay way tray may play say day crayon

/ay/ as in game

flame game came late made make name same take

/ee/ as in seat

seat teacher leaflet steam team meal heat beach beak beast

/ee/ as in swede

theme delete these complete swede

/ee/ as in thief

thief grief field belief chief brief relief shield shriek diesel

/y/ as in pie

pie die tie lie

/y/ as in fly

reply try why cry dry fly fry by sky my

/y/ as in kite

like line inside slide quite bike five dislike time white

/oa/ /oo/ /oh/ /sh/ /zh/

/oh/ as in tow

known tomorrow window flow grow slow show tow low growth

/oh/ as in hoe

foe woe hoe toe goes

/oh/ as in rose

spoke those stone stroke woke home rose envelope chose phone

/yoo/ as in statue

rescue avenue value argue statue due pursue continue

/yoo/ as in tune

cube perfume huge tube tune use

/yoo/ as in dew

stew renew knew newt new dew few

/oo/ as in blue

glue clue blue untrue true

/oo/ as in rule

brute crude June rule rude prune

/oo/ as in blew

jewel blew screw crew grew flew chew threw

/sh/ as in official

special artificial crucial social official

/sh/ as in station

relation solution patience station nation emotion

/sh/ as in sugar

sugar sure

/sh/ as in chef

parachute chef

new phoneme /zh/

decision division pleasure leisure television treasure collision usual casual measure

/sh/ as in permission

passion permission discussion

100 high frequency words

Phase 2

decodable: an to is

as at in is if an

decodable: it to dad

of it off on can dad

decodable: had to him

had get back and big him

decodable: his to but

his not mum but got up

tricky words: the to into

to the go no into

Phase 3

decodable: will to with

that then them this will with

decodable: see to too

see too now look for down

tricky words: he to was

be me he she was we

tricky words: you to her

they you her my are all

Phase 4

decodable: went to help

from just went help children it’s

tricky words: said to come

some have like so said do come

tricky words: were to what

one out little there were what when

Phase 5

decodable: don’t to your

your I’m time don’t house old by about

decodable: day to put

came put day here make made very saw

tricky words: their to could

called their people could asked looked

Tops and tails

Tails(2-letter endings)

‘-ad’ as in dad

sad lad dad

‘-ag’ as in bag

rag bag wag

‘-am’ as in jam

ram jam

‘-an’ as in pan

man pan fan

‘-ap’ as in tap

tap nap gap

‘-at’ as in cat

hat cat rat

‘-ed’ as in bed

red fed bed

‘-eg’ as in leg

leg peg

‘-en’ as in hen

pen hen ten

‘-et’ as in net

net pet

‘-ig’ as in pig

dig pig

‘-in’ as in pin

pin bin tin

‘-ip’ as in rip

rip lip pip

‘-it’ as in sit

hit sit bit

‘-ob’ as in sob

job sob

‘-og’ as in dog

fog dog log

‘-ot’ as in cot

cot dot pot

‘-ud’ as in bud

bud mud

‘-um’ as in mum

mum sum

‘-un’ as in bun

bun sun run

‘-ug’ as in mug

jug rug mug

Tops(single letter starts)

‘b-‘ as in bag

bed bag bun

‘c-‘ as in cat

cup cot cat

‘d-‘ as in dog

dad dog den

‘f-‘ as in fox

fun fox fan

‘g-‘ as in gap

gap get

‘h-‘ as in hat

hug hat hen

‘j-‘ as in jam

jam jet jug

‘l-‘ as in leg

log lip leg

‘m-‘ as in man

man mum mat

‘n-‘ as in nut

nut nap net

‘p-‘ as in pig

pig pet pen

‘r’- as in rat

red rat rag

‘s-‘ as in sad

sad six sun

‘t-‘ as in tap

tap ten tin

‘w-‘ as in web

wag win web

Tails (3-letter endings)

‘-and’ as in hand

hand band sand

‘-amp’ as in lamp

stamp lamp camp

‘-ang’ as in bang

rang sang bang

‘-elt’ as in belt

belt melt

‘-end’ as in bend

mend bend

‘-ent’ as in tent

tent dent bent

‘-est’ as in nest

nest rest

‘-ilk’ as in milk

milk silk

‘-ing’ as in ring

wing ring king

‘-ink’ as in sink

sink drink wink

‘-int’ as in mint

print mint

‘-ist’ as in fist

fist mist list

‘-ond’ as in pond

fond pond

‘-ump’ as in bump

lump bump jump

‘-unk’ as in bunk

dunk trunk bunk

‘-usk’ as in rusk

dusk rusk tusk

Tops(2-letter starts)

‘dr-‘ as in drum

drum drop drink

‘bl-‘ as in blot

blink blob blot

‘br-‘ as in brick

bring brick brim

‘cl-‘ as in clap

cling clap club

‘cr-‘ as in crab

crab crust crisp

‘fl-‘ as in flag

flap flag

‘fr-‘ as in frog

frog frost

‘gl-‘ as in glum

glum glad

‘pl-‘ as in plum

plank plum

‘sk-‘ as in skip

skid skin skip

‘sl-‘ as in slug

slug slip sling

‘sm-‘ as in smock

smug smock

‘sp-‘ as in spud

spud spot

‘st-‘ as in step

sting step stand

‘sw-‘ as in swing

swing swim

‘tr-‘ as in trunk

truck trunk trot

‘ch-‘ as in chimp

check chimp chin

‘sh-‘ as in ship

shop ship shell

‘th-‘ as in thin

thin thing thick

Main Word Lists
DfE National Curriculum 2014 Lists
Yr2 to KS3 Lists (Not 3.1)

Vowels

Teaching phonemic awareness

Knowing that phonemic awareness is a critical skill and being able to effectively teach it are two different things.  The book 50 Reading
Strategies for K-8 Learners (Sage Publications) suggests 5 guidelines for phonemic awareness instruction: 

1. Analysis of phonemic awareness assessment data should drive instruction, as only
   a small percentage of students need explicit instruction (Ehri & Roberts, 2006).
   
2. Phonemic awareness instruction should be a positive, enriching experience that
   allows students to engage in language play (Yopp, 1992).
3. Effective phonemic awareness instruction provides for individual differences in
   abilities and uses leveled scaffolding to facilitate growth (McGee & Ukrainetz,
   2009).
4. Developmentally appropriate phonemic awareness instruction uses chants, poetry,
   songs, and rhymes to engage students’ curiosity about language and to develop
   metalinguistic awareness (Yopp & Yopp, 2000).
5. Effective phonemic awareness instruction explicitly labels sounds and demonstrates the process of blending-segmenting of sounds (Ehri et al., 2001).

Begin with assessment and then use playful, individualized, multisensory instruction

Consistent with all the researched advice on teaching phonemic awareness above, educational therapist and author Dr. Erica Warren, believes that the key to successfully teaching the 44 phonemes in English is assessment, followed by individualized, multi-sensory instruction. She has developed a helpful assessment tool and a number of fun, effective instruction/remediation tools for helping young readers master the essential sounds of the English language. And she created a custom bundle of tools just for Reading Well parents and professional visitors at a special discounted price. The bundle includes an easy to administer assessment tool and over 50 fun, multisensory games and activities which children love. We suggest you check it out.  

Final sounds on the 44 phonemes in English

The difficulty people with dyslexia have in distinguishing phonemes is most clearly revealed in their poor spelling. While any phoneme can be a challenge, some are more problematic than others. The vowels and digraphs generally present more difficulty than the consonants, although any sound can present difficulty depending on the particular word and phrase in which it resides.   

Good luck and good reading!

1. Home

›

2. Phonemes

›

3. 44 Phonemes in English