The -ive word family
7 words that rhyme
Every word here ends in "-ive". 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 -ive words
- dive
- five
- hive
- live
- drive
- strive
- thrive
How to run a five-minute session
- Say the ending "-ive" three times together.
- Add one sound in front and read: dive.
- Swap the first sound and read again — five, hive, live.
- Read the whole list top to bottom, then shuffled.
- Finish by having your child write two of the words from memory.
Printable sheet
-ive word family worksheet
Read each -ive word aloud, then trace it. Circle your two favourites and use them in a sentence.
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Common questions
What words are in the -ive family?
dive, five, hive, live, drive, strive, thrive — 7 words in total, all ending in "-ive".
What is a -ive word?
A word that ends with the letters and sound "-ive". Because the ending never changes, a child only has to decode the first sound.
How do you teach the -ive word family?
Write "-ive" 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 -ive game
Sound Wheels spins the first sound while the ending stays put — kids read the whole family without noticing.
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