Word families
131 families to read
Word families are the biggest shortcut in early reading. Change one sound at the front and a child reads an entirely new word. Pick a family below for its full word list, a printable and a game.
- -ab
- -ack
- -ad
- -ag
- -am
- -amp
- -an
- -and
- -ang
- -ank
- -ap
- -ash
- -ass
- -at
- -atch
- -ath
- -ax
- -eck
- -ed
- -eg
- -ell
- -elt
- -em
- -en
- -end
- -ent
- -ess
- -est
- -et
- -ib
- -ick
- -id
- -iff
- -ig
- -ill
- -im
- -in
- -ind
- -ing
- -ink
- -ip
- -ish
- -it
- -ix
- -ob
- -ock
- -od
- -og
- -ong
- -op
- -ot
- -ox
- -ub
- -uck
- -ud
- -uff
- -ug
- -um
- -ump
- -un
- -ung
- -unk
- -ush
- -ut
- -ace
- -ade
- -age
- -aid
- -ail
- -ain
- -air
- -ake
- -ale
- -ame
- -ane
- -ape
- -ate
- -ave
- -ay
- -ea
- -each
- -ead
- -eak
- -eal
- -eam
- -ean
- -eat
- -ee
- -eed
- -eek
- -eel
- -een
- -eep
- -eet
- -ice
- -ide
- -ife
- -ight
- -ike
- -ile
- -ime
- -ine
- -ipe
- -ire
- -ite
- -ive
- -oat
- -oke
- -old
- -ole
- -one
- -ook
- -ool
- -oom
- -oon
- -oop
- -oot
- -ope
- -ore
- -orn
- -ort
- -ose
- -ound
- -out
- -ow
- -own
- -oy
- -ue
- -ule
- -une
- -ure
Common questions
What is a word family?
A word family is a group of words that share the same ending sound and spelling — cat, hat, mat and sat are all in the -at family. Learn one and you can read the rest by swapping the first sound.
Why teach word families?
Because it multiplies effort. A child who reads 'at' can read nine more words in about a minute. It also builds the rhyming ear that spelling depends on later.
Which word families should be taught first?
-at, -an, -ap and -ag, then move to short i (-it, -in, -ig), then o, u and finally e.
Play the word family game
Sound Wheels spins the first sound while the family ending stays put — kids read ten words without noticing.
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