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            
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