The -ay word family
18 words that rhyme
Every word here ends in "-ay". Keep the ending on the page and change only the sound at the front — that one trick turns a single decoded word into a whole list your child can read.
All -ay words
- bay
- day
- hay
- jay
- lay
- may
- pay
- ray
- say
- way
- clay
- gray
- play
- pray
- spay
- stay
- stray
- tray
How to run a five-minute session
- Say the ending "-ay" three times together.
- Add one sound in front and read: bay.
- Swap the first sound and read again — day, hay, jay.
- Read the whole list top to bottom, then shuffled.
- Finish by having your child write two of the words from memory.
Printable sheet
-ay word family worksheet
Read each -ay word aloud, then trace it. Circle your two favourites and use them in a sentence.
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Common questions
What words are in the -ay family?
bay, day, hay, jay, lay, may, pay, ray, say, way, clay, gray, play, pray, spay, stay, stray, tray — 18 words in total, all ending in "-ay".
What is a -ay word?
A word that ends with the letters and sound "-ay". Because the ending never changes, a child only has to decode the first sound.
How do you teach the -ay word family?
Write "-ay" once and keep it fixed. Change only the letter in front, one at a time, and have your child read each new word aloud. Ten words in five minutes is normal.
Play the -ay game
Sound Wheels spins the first sound while the ending stays put — kids read the whole family without noticing.
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