Learning Word Families


 

When learning to read, patterns are important. Children recogznize word patterns as opposed to sounding out words. When a learner knows the word 'cat' the pattern to teach is then mat, sat, fat. etc. Over emphasis on phonics will result in 'cu' 'a' 'tuh', the child makes a three syllable word from 1 syllable. This is why it's critical to teach patterns through word families - rhyming words, chunks. Below is a list of the first 18 word families your child will learn.

_am

_at

 _ap _an _ad _ig


am
Pam
Sam
ram
ham
jam


fat
cat
mat
pat
rat
sat
bat
Nat
 

map
tap
rap
sap
cap
nap
trap
gap
pan
ran
man
can
ban
Dan

 

 

sad
mad
fad
glad
bad
dad
had
 
pig
fig
dig
rig
big
wig
_ip _it _in _op _ot _ox

dip
hip
grip
trip
nip
lip
rip
sip
tip
 
bit
sit
grit
hit
fit
lit
pit
kit
mitt
pin
grin
bin
tin




 
mop
hop
flop
pop
cop
to
shop

 
cot
tot
not
got
hot
lot
pot
rot
 
box
fox

 

 

 

 

 

 

_ug _un _ut _et _en _ed

bug
dug
rug
drug
hug
plug
jug
slug
lug
snug
mug
tug

 
sun
bun
run
fun
pun
nun
stun
sunny
funny



 
mut
but
hut
rut
cut
nut
shut





 

set
bet
get
vet
wet
yet
jet
let
met
net
pet


 

pen
Ben
den
hen
men
ten
then
send
when




 
bed
led
Ned
fed
red
Ted
wed
sled




 

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