CVC words are a staple in any kindergarten, first grade, and even second grade classroom. We all read them, we all use them, and for many students they’re the first words that make them feel like readers. Here are all the lists and resources you need to teach CVC words.
Plus grab our free printable CVC word list and cards. Then try some of the activities below.
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Why are CVC words so important?
CVC words are some of the first words students learn to read. They have a simple pattern—consonant-vowel-consonant—which makes it easier for students to blend the sounds into words. Even when students know all their letter sounds, these words are short enough that they don’t require too much working memory to blend from start to finish.
CVC words are also words that students can manipulate easily, switching out beginning and ending sounds to make new words and strengthening their phonemic awareness. Replacing the /c/ in cat for /r/ to make rat, for example.
And CVC words form the basis for syllables later. CVC words and the skills students use to sound out CVC words come into play when students sound out two- and three-syllable words like hamlet or miracle.
CVC Word Lists
These CVC word lists by family organize all the CVC words you need to know to make finding the right word and organizing instruction easy.
Short ‘a’ Word List
ab: cab, dab, gab, jab, lab, nab, tab
at: bat, cat, fat, hat, mat, pat, rat, sat, vat
ad: bad, dad, had, lad, mad, pad, sad, tad
an: ban, can, fan, man, pan, ran, tan, van
ag: bag, gag, hag, lag, nag, rag, sag, tag, wag
ap: cap, gap, lap, map, nap, rap, sap, tap, yap, zap
am: bam, dam, ham, jam, ram, yam
More words: gal, pal, gas, yak, wax, tax
Short ‘e’ Word List
ed: bed, fed, led, red, wed
eg: beg, keg, leg, peg
et: bet, get, jet, let, met, net, pet, set, vet, wet, yet
en: den, hen, men, pen, ten
More words: yes, web, gem, hem, pep
Short ‘i’ Word List
it: bit, fit, hit, kit, lit, pit, sit, wit
id: bid, did, hid, kid, lid, rid
ig: big, dig, fig, gig, jig, pig, rig, wig, zig
im: dim, him, rim
ip: dip, hip, lip, nip, rip, sip, tip, zip
in: bin, din, fin, pin, sin, tin, win
More words: him, mix, six, fix
Short ‘o’ Word List
ot: cot, dot, got, hot, jot, lot, not, pot, rot, tot
ob: cob, gob, job, lob, mob, rob, sob
og: bog, cog, dog, fog, hog, jog, log
op: cop, hop, mop, pop, top
More words: box, fox, pox, rod, sod, mom
Short ‘u’ Word List
ub: cub, hub, nub, rub, sub, tub
ud: bud, cud, dud, mud
ug: bug, dug, hug, jug, lug, mug, pug, rug, tug
um: bum, gum, hum, mum, sum
un: bun, fun, gun, nun, pun, run, sun
ut: but, cut, gut, hut, jut, nut, rut
More words: pup, cup, bus
How To Use the CVC Word Lists and Cards
There are plenty of creative ways to use these CVC word lists. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Magnet-Word Building
Provide letter blocks or letter magnets and have students build CVC words using them.
Word Puzzles
Create puzzles where each piece contains a letter, and have students assemble them to form CVC words.
Picture-Word Matching
Provide pictures of CVC words along with the corresponding words. Ask students to match them.
Word Bingo
Create bingo cards with CVC words. Call out words, and children mark them if they have them on their card.
Memory Game
Make pairs of cards with CVC words. Place them face down and have students turn over two cards at a time to find matching pairs.
Write and Erase
Write CVC words on a whiteboard or paper. Have students read the word, then erase it and write it themselves.
Scavenger Hunt
Hide cards or objects with CVC words around the room. Students have to find them and read the words.
CVC Word Sorting
Provide a mix of CVC word cards. Have students sort them based on their vowel sound.
Fill in the Blanks
Provide sentences with missing CVC words. Have students fill in the blanks.
Rhyming Words
Present a CVC word and ask students to come up with rhyming words.
Roll and Read
Write CVC word endings (e.g., -at, -in, -og) on dry-erase dice. Have students roll the dice and read a word with that ending.
Story Creation
Encourage students to create a short story using a set of CVC words.
Get Your Free CVC Words Printable
Print copies of the word list and cards to keep on hand for spelling lists and instructional examples, as well as games and activies like the ones above.
