Browse

CVC Words: Word List and Worksheets

26 free PDFs5 more on the topic pagesUS Letter or A4Answer key includedNo login

Short-vowel CVC words to read and write: a printable word list, 17 word family sheets, sound boxes for each vowel, vowel sorts and a missing vowel page.

Download the cvc words worksheets

Print at 100% (actual size) for the cleanest tracing lines.

More cvc words worksheets

About these cvc words worksheets

CVC words are three-letter words built from a consonant, a short vowel and another consonant, like cat, pen, sit, hop and bug. Every letter makes one sound, so they are the first words most kindergartners learn to sound out and spell on their own.

Here is a starter CVC word list, sorted by vowel. Short a: cat, hat, mat, rat, can, fan, man, van, cap, map, bag, jam. Short e: hen, pen, ten, men, jet, net, pet, wet, bed, red, leg, web. Short i: pig, big, dig, wig, sit, hit, kit, pin, win, fin, lip, zip. Short o: dog, log, fog, jog, hot, pot, dot, cot, hop, mop, top, pop. Short u: bug, hug, mug, rug, sun, run, fun, bun, cup, pup, tub, cub. The one-page CVC word list below has the same words in big print to keep at the table.

The worksheets move from reading to writing. Word family pages show how changing the first letter makes a new word (cat, hat, mat). Sound box pages have children say each sound and write one letter per box. The vowel sorts and the missing vowel page focus on the middle sound, which is the one most children miss. Pages that need checking come with an answer key on page 2.

Standards

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.2.DSpell simple words phonetically, drawing on knowledge of sound-letter relationships.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.2.CWrite a letter or letters for most consonant and short-vowel sounds (phonemes).
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.2.DIsolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (CVC) words.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.BAssociate the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.

How to use them

  1. Start with short a. Most children hear it most easily, and the -at, -an and -ap families give plenty of words. Then add short i and short o, and leave short e and short u for last, since those two are easy to mix up.
  2. Say the word slowly before your child writes it, stretching each sound: mmm-aaa-p. Ask, “What do you hear first? Next? Last?” Then have them write one letter for each sound.
  3. On the word family pages, read the family together first. After tracing, let your child make their own words in the boxes and read each one back. Silly words are fine; ask whether it is a real word.
  4. On the missing vowel page and the listening part of the sound box pages, you read the words aloud. They are printed on the answer key, so you can call them out and check in one step.

Teaching tips

  • If your child writes cat as ct, the vowel is the missing piece. Say the word with a long, loud middle sound (c-aaa-t) and point to the middle box.
  • Short e and short i are the most confused pair. Say pen and pin, or bed and bid, and ask your child to watch your mouth: e is open, i is a smile.
  • Let children point to each letter as they blend: c-a-t, then slide a finger under the word and say it fast: cat.
  • Print at actual size (100%). The writing lines are full kindergarten size, with a dashed midline and a line below for tails on g, j, p and y.
  • For extra practice, slip a page into a sheet protector and use a dry-erase marker, or cut the CVC word list into cards for a word sort.

Questions teachers and parents ask

What are CVC words?

CVC stands for consonant, vowel, consonant. A CVC word has three letters and three sounds with a short vowel in the middle, like cat, bed, pig, dog and sun.

When should kindergartners learn CVC words?

Most children start reading and writing CVC words once they know most letter sounds, often partway through kindergarten. By the end of the year, many can spell simple words by sound.

Which vowel should we start with?

Short a is the usual starting point, followed by short i and short o. Short e and short u come last because children often mix them up with other vowels.

Why are there no pictures?

The sheets ask children to read the word or listen to it instead of guessing from a picture. Listening pages have the words printed on the answer key so an adult can read them aloud.

Are these CVC worksheets free?

Yes. Every PDF is free to download and print for your classroom or home, with no account or email sign-up.