Learning to read

The word lists below can be used for teaching the basic sounds of a, e, i, o and u combined with consonants, as in
     bag,   cat,   dad,  bed,   fun,  hat,   jam,  kit,  lid,   mum,  pop, red, sun, vet, wet,
     box,  yes, zip;   chat, catch,   shop,   this thing,   quick,  tickle,  little
and the patterns for the long vowels, blends with r and the SH sound in word endings.

The basic English phonic system is also set out in Masha Bell's reading course in a single book
LEARNING TO READ published May 2007.

Over 2000 common English words contain some letters which are not pronounced in their usual way and have to be learned as sight words. These are listed separately.

Short  a

a

clang

flag

lab

sad

tag

than

shrank

black

apple

amble

an

clank

flan

lag

sag

tan

thank

 

hack

baffle

ample

at

clap

flap

lap

sap

tap

that

bash

jack

battle

angle

and

 

flat

lamp

sat

tax

 

cash

lack

cackle

antler

ant

crab

frank

land

sand

 

thatch

clash

pack

cattle

axle

 

cramp

 

 

sang

tank

thrash

crash

rack

crackle

bramble

bad

crank

 

mad

sank

tract

maths

flash

sack

dabble

candle

bag

 

gag

man

 

tram

 

gash

slack

dappled

dangle

ban

dab

gang

map

scalp

tramp

 

lash

smack

dazzle

handle

bat

dad

glad

mat

scrap

trap

chat

mash

snack

gabble

jangle

band

dam

grab

 

slam

twang

 

rash

stack

grapple

mangle

bang

damp

gram

pad

slang

 

catch

sash

tack

paddle

ramble

blank 

dank

gran

pan

slap

van

hatch

slash

track

prattle

scramble

brag

 

grand

pat

snap

 

latch

smash

 

raffle

shambles

brand

drab

 

pact

span

wag

latch

 

 

rattle

spangle

 

drag

had

pants

spat

wax

match

 

 

saddle

strangle

can

drank

ham

plan

sprang

 

patch

 

 

straggle

tangle

cap

 

has

plank

sprat

yak

scratch

 

 

tackle

trample

cat

fad

hat

pram

stab

yap

snatch

 

 

 

wangle

camp

fan

hand

prank

stag

 

 

 

 

 

 

clam

fat

hang

 

stamp

zap

 

 

 

 

 

clamp

fact

 

ran

stand

 

 

 

 

 

 

clan

fang

jab

rat

strap

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

jam

rang

swam

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short  e

 

elf

dent

hem

left

net

set

tell

vent

check

the

deck

 

elm

desk

hen

lend

nest

sell

tempt

vest

chess

them

neck

 

end

dress

held

lens

next

send

ten

vet

chest

then

peck

 

 

dwelt

hell

lent

 

sent

tend

vex

bench

 

speck

 

bed 

 

helm

less

peg

 

tense

 

clench

theft

speckled

 

beg

fed

help

 

pen

slept

tent

never

drench

 

 

 

bet

fell

hence

men

pet

smell

test

 

stench

 

kettle

 

belt

felt

 

met

pelt

sped

text

web

trench

 

nettle

 

bend

fence

jet

 

press

spell

trend

weld

sketch

 

pebble

 

bent

fend

jest

melt

 

spelt

 

well

stretch

 

settle

 

best

fled

 

mend

red

spend

 

went

 

 

temple

 

bled

flex

kept

mess

rent

spent

 

wept

shed

 

 

 

blend

fret

 

 

rest

stem

 

west

shelf

 

dredge

 

bless

 

led

 

 

step

 

 

shell

 

edge

 

bred

 

leg

 

 

stress

 

 

shred

 

hedge

 

 

 

let

 

 

swell

 

 

flesh

 

ledge

 

crept

 

 

 

 

swept

 

 

fresh

 

sledge

 

crest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short i

 

ill

fill

jig

pig

slid

till

 

chip

thin

cripple

crinkle

cringe

 

in

film

jilt

pills

slim

tilt

 

finch

thing

dribble

dimple

fridge

 

inn

fin

 

pin

sling

tin

 

flinch

think

drizzle

dwindle

fringe

 

is

fist

kid

pink

slink

tint

 

inch

thrift

fiddle

jingle

hinge

 

it

fit

kill

pip

slip

tip

 

pinch

thrill

giggle

kindle

ridge

 

its

fix

kiln

print

slit

trim

 

winch

 

grizzle

mingle

singe

 

 

fling

kilt

picnic

 

trip

 

chin

fifth

little

nimble

tinge

 

bid

flint

kin

 

snip

twig

 

chink

filth

middle

pimple

twinge

 

big 

flip

king

rib

spill

twin

 

chintz

pith

nibble

shingle

 

 

bin

flit

kink

rid

spilt

twist

 

 

width

quibble

swindle

 

 

bit 

frisk

kiss

rig

spin

 

 

rich

with

riddle

thimble

 

 

blink

 

 

rim

spit

will

 

 ditch

 

ripple

tingle

 

 

brim

gift

lid

ring

split

win

 

 hitch

brick 

scribble

tinkle

 

 

bring 

gild

lift

rip

spring

wind

 

 itch

click

sizzle

twinkle

 

 

brisk

gills

limp

risk

sprint

wing

 

 pitch

flick

skittle

winkle

 

 

 

gilt

link

 

squint

wink

 

 stitch

kick

sniffle

 

 

 

cling

glint

lip

silk

stiff

wit

 

 switch

nick

tipple

 

 

 

clink

grill

list

sin

still

 

 

 twitch

pick

twiddle

gristle

 

 

clip

grim

lit

sing

stilts

zinc

 

 witch

prick

wiggle

 

 

 

crib

grin

 

sink

sting

zip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

crisps

grip

milk

sip

strict

 

 

shift

sick

quick

 

 

 

 

grit

mill

sit

string

 

 

shin

slick

 

 

 

 

did

 

mink

six

strip

 

 

ship

stick

quilt

 

 

 

dig

hid

mint

 

swift

 

 

shrill

thick

quit

 

 

 

dim

hill

miss

skid

swim

 

 

shrimp

tick

 

 

 

 

dip

him

mist

skill

swing

 

 

shrink

trick

 

 

 

 

disk

hint

mix

skim

 

 

 

 

pickle

 

 

 

 

drift

hip

 

skin

 

 

 

dish

tickle

 

 

 

 

drink

his

 

skip

 

 

 

fish

trickle

 

 

 

 

drip

hiss

 

 

 

 

 

swish

 

 

 

 

 

 

hit

 

 

 

 

 

wish

 

 

 

 

Short  o

 

off

dog

hog

nod

slog

tongs

 chop       

block

bottle

 

on

doll

hop

not

slot

top

 

clock

cobble

 

ox

don

hot

 

snob

toss

 notch

cock

gobble

 

 

dot

 

plot

sob

tot

 

dock

goggle

 

blond

drop

job

pod

soft

trod

 shock

flock

hobble

 

blot

 

jog

pond

solve

trot

 shod

lock

nozzle

 

bob

flog

jot

pot

song

 

 shop

mock

throttle

 

bog

flop

 

prod

spot

 

 shot

rock

topple

 

bomb

fog

lob

prop

stop

 

 

smock

wobble

 

bond

fond

log

 

strong

 

 throb

stock

 

 

boss

fox

lop

rob

 

 

 throng

sock

jostle

 

box 

frog

lot

rod

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

from

 

romp

 

 

 

 

dodge

 

cod

 

loft

rot

 

 

 

 

 

 

cop

gloss

long

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cot

god

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

crop

golf

mob

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cross

gong

mop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

got

moss

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short u

 

up

dust

hug

nun

scull

 chug

shrub

thrust

bubble

bumble

grudge

 

 

drug

hum

nut

snug

 chum

shrug

thud

cuddle

bundle

judge

 

but

drum

hump

 

spun

 chunk

shrunk

thug

guzzle

bungle

nudge

 

buzz

drunk

hung

plug

sprung

 

shun

thumb

huddle

crumble

smudge

 

bulb

 

hunt

plum

stuck

 much

shunt

thump

muddle

fumble

trudge

 

bung

fun

 

puff

stud

 such

shut

 

muffle

grumble

 

 

bunk

fuss

jug

pulp

stuff

 

 

buck

muzzle

humble

bulge

 

blunt

flung

jump

pump

stump

  Dutch

blush

cluck

nuzzle

jumble

lunge

 

 

 

junk

 

stun

  hutch

brush 

luck

puddle

jungle

plunge

 

club

gulf

just

rug

stung

 

crush

pluck

puzzle

mumble

 

 

clump

gull

jut

run

strum

 bunch

flush

struck

rubble

rumble

 

 

clung

gulp

 

rung

strung

 crunch

gush

suck

ruffle

stumble

 

 

crust

gun

lug

rust

strut

  hunch

hush

truck

scuffle

tumble

 

 

cub

gust

lull

 

swum

   lunch

rush

buckle

scuttle

uncle

 

 

cuff

glum

lump

suds

swung

 munch

slush

chuckle

shuffle

 

 

 

cup

grub

lungs

sulk

 

  punch

 

knuckle

smuggle

 

 

 

cut

gruff

 

sum

tug

 

 

 

snuggle

 

 

 

 

grunt

mud

sun

tusk

 

 

 

struggle

bustle

 

 

dug

 

mug

sung

tuft

 

 

 

supple

hustle

 

 

dull

 

mumps

sunk

tuck

 

 

 

tussle

rustle

 

 

dump

 

must

scrub

trunk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

dusk

 

 

scrum

trust

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spelling patterns for long vowels

A-e

 

age

face

made

save

 

aid

plain

exclaim

 bay

 

 

ale

fade

make

scale

 

ail

quaint

explain

 bray

grey

 

ape

fake

male

scrape

 

aim

raid

obtain

 clay

hey

 

 

fame

mane

 

 

ain't

rail

prevail

 day

obey

 

babe

fate

mate

shade

 

bail

rain

proclaim

 fray

they

 

bake

flake

maze

shake

 

bait

sail

refrain

 gay

 

 

bale

flame

 

shame

 

braid

slain

remain

 hay

 

 

blade

frame

name

shape

 

brain

snail

retail

 jay

 

 

blame

 

nape

 

 

chain

sprain

retain

 lay

 

 

blaze

gale

nave

slate

 

claim

stain

 

 May

 

 

brace

game

 

slave

 

drain

strain

 

 may

 

 

brake

gape

pace

snake

 

fail

straits

 

 pay

 

 

brave 

gate

page

space

 

gain

tail

plaice

 play

 

 

 

gave

pale

spade

 

grain

trail

praise

 pray

 

 

cage

gaze

pane

stage

 

hail

train

raise

 ray

 

 

cake

glade

place

stake

 

jail

vain

raisin

 say

neigh

 

came

grace

plane

stale

 

laid

wail

tailor

 slay

sleigh

 

cape

grade

plate

state

 

maid

waist

trailer

 splay

 

 

cave

grape

 

 

 

mail

 

trainers

 spray

 

 

crane

grate

quake

take

 

maim

 

traitor

 stay

 

 

crate

grave

 

tale

 

main

 

waiter

 stray

 

 

crater

 

race

tame

 

nail

 

 

 sway

 

 

crave

hate

rage

tape

 

paid

 

 

 tray

 

 

craze

haze

rake

trace

 

pail

 

 

 way

weigh

 

 

 

rate

trade

 

pain

 

 

 

whey

 

dale

lace

rave

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

dame

lake

 

wade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

date

lame

safe

wage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

drake

lane

sake

wake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

drape

late

sale

wave

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

laze

same

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I-e

 

bike

jive

pipe

slide

tribe

 

 blight

high

 by

die

 

bite

kite

price

slime

trite

 

 bright

nigh

 cry

lie

 

chime

life

pride

smile

twice

 

 fight

sigh

 dry

pie

 

crime

like

prime

snipe

twine

 

 flight

thigh

 fly

tie

 

dice

lime

prize

spike

vice

 

 knight

 

 fry

vie

 

dine

line

quite

spine

vile

 

 light

 

 my

 

 

dive

live

rice

spite

vine

 

 might

 

 ply

bye

 

drive

mice

ride

stile

while

 

 night

 

 pry

dye

 

file

mike

ripe

stride

whine

 

 right

 

 shy

rye

 

fine

mile

rise

strike

white

 

 sight

 

 sky

 

 

five

mine

rite

stripe

wide

 

 slight

 

 sly

guy

 

glide

nice

shine

swine

wife

 

 tight

 

 spy

 

 

gripe

Nile

shrine

swipe

wine

 

 

 

 sty

fire

 

hide

nine

side

thrive

wipe

 

delight

 

 thy

hire

 

hike

pike

site

tide

wise

 

frighten

 

 try

spire

 

hive

pile

size

tile

wives

 

lightning

 

 why

tire

 

ice

pine

slice

time

write

 

 

 

 wry

wire

O-e

 

bone

quote

 

 boast

 bold

 fro

 

broke

robe

 

 boat

 cold

 go

 

choke

rode

 

 cloak

 fold

 no

 

chose

role

 

 coach

 gold

 pro

 

close

rope

 

 coal

 golden

 so

 

code

rose

 

 coast

 hold

 solo

 

cone

rove

 

 coat

 old

 

 

cope

scope

 

 coax

 scold

 doe

 

cove

slope

 

 croak

 sold

 floe

 

dole

smoke

 

 float

 solder

 foe

 

dome

sole

 

 foal

 soldier

 hoe

 

dose

spoke

 

 foam

 told

 oboe

 

dote

stoke

 

 gloat

 

 roe

 

doze

stole

 

 goat

 bolt

 sloe

 

drone

stone

 

 groan

 colt

 toe

 

drove

strode

 

 load

 dolt

 woe

 

elope

stroke

 

 loaf

 jolt

 

 

froze

those

 

 loan

 revolt

 

 

frozen

throne

 

 loathe

 

 

 

hole

tone

 

 moan

 folk

 

 

home

vote

 

 oaf

 yolk

 

 

hope

whole

 

 oak

 

 

 

hose

woke

 

 oath

 control

 

 

joke

wove

 

 oats

 enrol

 

 

lone

wrote

 

 poach

 patrol

 

 

mode

yoke

 

 road

 

 

 

mole

zone

 

 roam

 poll

 

 

node

 

 

 roast

 roll

 

 

nose

 

 

 shoal

 scroll

 

 

note

 

 

 soak

 stroll

 

 

poke

 

 

 soap

 toll

 

 

pole

 

 

 throat

 troll

 

 

pope

 

 

 toad

 

 

 

pose

 

 

 toast

 

 

Ee

 

eel

deed

peek

speech

beetle

 here

angry

 abbey

 

bee

deep

peel

speed

feeble

   eve

badly

 alley

 

fee

deer

peep

steel

needle

   even

baggy

 attorney

 

flee

feed

peer

steep

steeple

   evil

belly 

 barley

 

free

feel

preen

steer

 

 mere

berry

 bogey

 

glee

feet

queen

street

fleece

 theme

billy 

 chimney

 

see

fleet

reed

sweep

geese

 these

candy

 cockney

 

three

greed

reef

sweet

 

   fever

carry

 donkey

 

tree

green

reel

teem

sleeve

   lever (UK)

cherry

 hockey

 

 

greet

screech

teeth

 

 

chubby

 holey

 

beech

heel

screen

tweed

breeze

 compete

daddy

 honey

 

beef

jeep

seed

weed

cheese

 complete

dusty

 jersey

 

been

jeer

seek

week

freeze

 decent

empty

 jockey

 

beer

keel

seem

weep

sneeze

 demon

ferry

 journey

 

beet

keen

seen

wheel

squeeze

 female

fifty

 key

 

bleed

keep

seep

 

wheeze

 frequent

forty

 kidney

 

bleep

knee

sheep

 

 

 hero

frilly

 medley

 

breed

kneel

sheer

 

 

 meter

funny

 money

 

cheek

leek

sheet

 

 

 period

fuzzy

 monkey

 

cheer

meek

sleek

 

 

 peter

giddy

 parsley

 

creek

meet

sleep

 

 

 recent

granny

 pulley

 

creep

need

sneer

 

 

 relay

grumpy

 storey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 serious

happy

 trolley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 sphere

             ....

 turkey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 swede

 and hundreds

 valley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 tedious

 more like that

 volley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 zero

 

 whiskey

Oi and oy

 

boil

oil

anoint

poison

 boy

annoy

loyal

 

coil

soil

appoint

rejoice

 buoy [boy]

convoy

loyalty

 

coin

spoil

avoid

soil

 joy

corduroy

royal

 

foil

toil

boisterous

spoil

 toy

destroy

oyster

 

hoist

 

cloister

thyroid

 

enjoy

voyage

 

join

choice

embroider

toilet

 

employ

 

 

joint

noise

exploit

turmoil

 

employee

 

 

joist

voice

loiter

turquoise

 

employer

 

 

moist

 

ointment

 

 

employment

 

Au

  auburn

  applaud

gaudy

Santa-Claus

  auction

  applause

haughty

sauce

  August

  astronaut

haul

saucer

  author

  caught

haunt

slaughter

  autumn

  cauldron

jaunt

somersault

  audacious

  cause

launch

staunch

  audible

  caution

launder

tarpaulin

  auspicious

  cautious

laundry

taught

  authentic

  cosmonaut

maul

taunt

  authorise

  daub

naughty

taut

  authority

  daughter

nautical

vaunt

  automatic

  dinosaur

Paul

 

  autonomy

  exhaust

pause

 

Vowel blends with r

Ar

  arc

  car

  far

march

shark

tart

cargo

larva

  arch

  card

  farm

mark

sharp

yard

carnival

market

  ark

  cart

  hard

mars

smart

yarn

carpet

parcel

  arm

  carve

  harm

marsh

snarl

 

carton

pardon

  art

  char

  harp

par

spark

alarm

charge

partner

  bar

  charm

  harsh

parch

star

apart

depart

party

  barb

  chart

  jar

park

starch

army

garden

remark

  barge

  dark

  lard

part

start

artery

gargle

target

  bark

  darn

  large

scar

starve

bargain

garlic

 

  barn

  dart

  lark

scarf

tar

barley

larder

 

Air – sound

  air

   affair

 

 bare

rare

 area

various

  chair

  despair

 

 blare

scare

 aware

vegetarian

  fair

   éclair

 

 care

share

 canary

wary

  flair

   repair

 

 dare

snare

 compare

 

  hair

 

 

 fare

spare

 declare

 

  lair

 

 

 flare

square

 hilarious

 

  pair

 

 

 glare

stare

 malaria

But  are spells   ar

 

 

 

 hare

wares

 Mary

 

     dairy

 

 

 mare

 

 parent

 

   prairie

 

 

 pare

 

 prepare

 

   stairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Er, ur and ir

 berth

 alert

observe

 blur

surge

absurd

 

birch

whir

 fern

 certain

perfect

 burn 

urge

burden

 

bird

whirl

 germ

 concern

permanent

 burst

burgle

burglar

 

birth

 

 her

 convert

permit

 church

gurgle

burly

 

chirp

circle

 herb

 deserve

person

 churn

hurdle

disturb

 

dirt

circus

 herd

 detergent

pertinent

 curl

hurtle

excursion

 

fir

skirmish

 jerk

 emerge

preserve

 curt

purple

furnish

 

firm

thirty

 nerve

 eternal

reserve

 fur

turtle

further

 

first

 

 perch

 expert

reverse

 hurl

 

murder

 

flirt

 

 serve

 external

sermon

 hurt

curse

murmur

 

girl

 

 stern

 hermit

serpent

 lurch

nurse

nursery

 

mirth

 

 swerve

 impertinent

terminate

 lurk

purse

return

 

shirk

 

 term

 insert

termite

 purr

curve

sturdy

 

shirt

 

 verb

 internal

thermal

 slur

 

surgery

 

sir

 

 verge

 interpret

universe

 spur

 

surplus

 

skirt

 

 verse

 kernel

verbal

 spurn

 

Thursday

 

smirk

 

 

 merchant

verdict

 spurt

 

topsy-turvy

 

squirm

 

 

 Mercury

vermin

 surf

 

turban

 

squirt

 

 

 mercy

vertical

 turf

 

turkey

 

stir

 

 

 nervous

 

 turn

 

turmoil

 

swirl

 

 

 

 

 urn

 

turnip

 

third

 

 

 

 

 yurt

 

urban

 

thirst

 

 

 

 

 

 

urchin

 

twirl

 

Or,  ore and oar

 

or

nor

absorb

important

reporter

 bore 

 adore

 

orb

norm

afford

morning

resort

 chore

 before 

 

born

north

border

normal

scorpion

 core

 ignore

 

cord

porch

conform

northern

shortly

 gore

 implore

 

cork

pork

corgi

orbit

storage

 more

 

 

corn

port

corner

orchard

story

 ore

 forecast

 

corpse

scorch

cornet

order

tortoise

 pore

 forehand

 

for

scorn

divorce

ordinary

transform

 score

 foreleg

 

force

shorn

enormous

ornament

uniform

 shore

 foreman

 

ford

short

forbid

perform

 

 snore

 

 

forge

snort

forever

platform

 

 sore

 

 

fork

sort

forget

popcorn

 

 store

 

 

form

sport

forgive

portable

 

 swore

 boar

 

fort

stork

forgot

portion

 

 tore

 board

 

forth

storm

forgotten

portrait

 

 wore

 coarse

 

gorge

sword

fortress

proportion

 

 

 hoard

 

gorse

sworn

fortune

record

 

 

 hoarse

 

horn

thorn

forty

recorder

 

 

 oar

 

horse

torch

forward

reform

 

 

 roar

 

lord

torn

glory

report

 

 

 soar

SH sound in word endings

  with long vowel

 with short vowels

  Vowel in bold

 

  before '-tion'

 

 

  are long

 

 

 

 

 

 

   nation

  ration

  passion

  circumstantial

  artificial

   station

 

 

  confidential

  beneficial

 

 competition

 admission

  consequential

  facial

  calculation

 composition

 emission

 

  financial

  conversation

 condition

 fission

 

 

  declaration

 expedition

 

  Alsatian

  cosmetician

  demonstration

 intuition

 

  Christian

  electrician

  destination

 

 confession

  Dalmatian

 

  education

 

 depression

 

 

  explanation

 

 procession

 

 

  foundation

 

 

  ambitious

  atrocious

  generation

 

 discussion

  cautious

  delicious

  motivation

 

 

  fictitious

  ferocious

 

  action

  conversion

  nutritious

  suspicious

  lotion

  construction

  diversion

 

 

  promotion

  election

  excursion

 

 

 

  fiction

 

 

 

  constitution

  fraction

  dimension

 

 

  distribution

 

  expansion

 

 

  solution

  consumption

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  conception

 

 

 

 

  perception

 

 

 

 

  prescription

 

 

 

 

  reception

 

 

 

© Masha Bell 2007
author of
Understanding English Spelling 2004
and Learning to Read 2007

English Spelling