CVC words: a list by vowel, and how to teach your child to sound them out

What are CVC words?

CVC stands for consonant, vowel, consonant: a three-letter word like cat, pig or sun. The vowel in the middle makes its short sound, and every letter makes one sound, so a child can read the word by saying each sound and blending them. That makes CVC words the first real words most children read on their own.

Leave out words that end in w, x or y for now, like saw, box or toy. Those letters don't make their usual sound at the end of a word, so they break the rule your child is learning.

CVC words list by vowel

Start with one vowel and add the next when your child reads the first set without much effort. Say the sound, not the letter name: the a in cat sounds like the start of apple, not like the name of the letter.

How to teach your child to sound out CVC words

1. Check the letter sounds. Your child needs the sound of each letter, not its name: /k/ /a/ /t/, not "see, ay, tee".
2. Point and say. Point under each letter from left to right while your child says its sound.
3. Blend. Say the sounds again, a little faster each time, until they run together into the word.
4. Say the word. Ask what the word is, and check it makes sense: "Cat! What does a cat say?"
5. Read it again. Come back to the same words the next day. Each repeat makes the word quicker to read, until your child knows it at a glance.

Tips that make blending easier

• Start with stretchy sounds. Words that begin with s, m, f, n, l or r are easiest, because those sounds can be held: sssun, mmmat. Words that start with b, d or g come later.
• Keep the sounds clean. Say /m/, not "muh". An extra "uh" on each sound turns cat into "cuh-a-tuh", which doesn't blend.
• Blend in two steps. If three sounds are too many, blend the first two (ca), then add the last one (cat).
• Practise out loud first. Say the sounds yourself (/d/ /o/ /g/) and let your child say the word, with no letters at all. This listening skill comes before reading.
• Stop while it's fun. Five to ten minutes a day works better than a long session.

Which vowel should come first?

Most children learn short a first. In Letters and Sounds, the phonics programme long used in English schools, children learn s, a, t and p first, then i, n, m and d, then g, o, c and k, then e, u and r. So a comes first, i and o next, and e and u last. Short e and short i sound alike, so keep them apart until your child knows both well.

Children whose first language is Turkish, Arabic or Polish may mix up some English vowels at first, such as the short i in ship and the long e in sheep. That's normal, and extra practice on those words helps. More topics are in the guides for parents.

Practice sentences with CVC words

Once your child reads single words, try short sentences. Small words like the, a and is are learned by sight: say them for your child if needed.

• The cat sat on a mat.
• A big pig is in the mud.
• The red hen got wet.
• The pup can run in the sun.
• A bug is on the rug.
• Dad had a nap in the van.

When CVC words feel easy, your child is ready for longer words like jump and frog, and then digraphs: two letters that make one sound, like sh, ch and th. Reading speed comes later; the reading fluency chart shows what to expect in each grade.

When your child gets stuck

• Guessing from the first letter (cat read as "car"): cover the word, then uncover one letter at a time and say each sound together.
• Saying the sounds but not the word: go back to blending out loud with no letters, then try again with words that start with s or m.
• Mixing up b and d: work on one of them for a few days before adding the other.
• Getting tired or upset: stop and read to your child instead. Come back to it tomorrow.

Questions parents ask

Source

The letter order follows Letters and Sounds, Phase 2 (Department for Education, 2007): gov.uk/government/publications/letters-and-sounds.