StarSpell Word Lists
Phonics - Letters & Sounds Word Lists
For beginning readers. Around 280 lists and more than 1500 words. Includes a "Tops & Tails" section
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Phase 2: Introducing simple graphemes for phonemes
Sets 1, 2: s, a, t, p, i, n, m, d
- letters 's' 'a' 't' 'p'
- pat sat at as
- 'i'
- sit pip is it tip
- 'n'
- nip pin in nap pan an tin
- 'm'
- mat man am map
- 'd'
- dim din dip did dad sad
Set 3: g,o,c,k
- 'g'
- pig dig gap gas
- 'o'
- got dog on pot pop not top
- 'c'
- cot cat can cap cod
- 'k'
- kid kit
Set 4: ck,e,u,r
- 'ck' ending
- back kick pack pick sack sick tick
- 'e'
- ten pet pen peg den get neck
- 'u' (South England)
- mug cut cup duck nut mum mud sun up
- 'r'
- red ran rat ram run rip rug
Set 5: h, b, f, ff, l, ll, ss
- 'h'
- hit hug hot him hid his hen hat has had
- 'b'
- back bad bag bed bin big bit bud but bus bun
- digraph 'ff' at end of word
- off puff cuff huff
- 'l'
- lap let luck lot log lock lip leg lid
- 'll' at end of word
- hill bell fill fell doll tell ill well
- 'ss' at end of word
- fuss boss hiss kiss less loss mess miss
- 'f'
- if fun fog fan of fat fed
- compound words
- padlock catnap fusspot backpack cannot sunset
- 2 syllables
- sunset begun rabbit thunder pocket carrot
Phase 3: The remaining phonemes, with graphemes
Set 6: j, v, w, x
- 'j'
- jog jet job jam jug
- 'v'
- visit vivid van vet
- 'w'
- cobweb win will wag web
- 'x'
- exit six fox box wax mix fix
Set 7: y, z, zz, qu
- 'y'
- yell yet yap yes
- 'z' & 'zz'
- zip buzz zigzag fizz
- 'qu'
- liquid quiz quit quick quack
Consonant digraphs ch, sh ,th , ng
- 'ch'
- rich much chat check chin such chip chop
- 'sh'
- shock wish shall cash fish ship shop shell
- 'th' as in then
- with this that them then
- 'ng'
- song wing sing ring rang long king bang along
- 'th' as in thin
- thick thin thud moth
Vowel digraphs ai, ee etc.
- 'ai'
- paid tail sail main wait aim nail rain
- 'ee'
- need been feel feet teeth seen meet week see
- 'oa'
- soap foam boat coat loaf road load coach
- 'oo' as in boot
- rooftop zoo pool moon cool boot food soon too
- 'oo' as in book
- wood took foot good book cook look hook hood
- 'ar'
- park hard farm dark car jar farmyard bar bark
- 'or'
- torn worn born sort for fork corn short
- 'ur'
- hurt church burn turn turnip fur curl
- 'ow'
- owl bow cow town down how now
- 'oi'
- boil soil join oil foil coil
- 'er'
- summer mixer hammer bigger never hotter better
Vowel trigraphs igh, ear, air, ure
- 'igh'
- night might high sigh right light thigh tight
- 'ear' as in ear
- near hear rear beard ear dear fear gear
- 'air'
- hair fair chair pair unfair airless air
- 'ure'
- pure cure secure mature
Combining phase 3 graphemes
- including 'ch'
- torch chain porch coach march chair church
- including 'sh'
- short shook shoot shoal harsh shark sheet
- including 'ai' 'ar'
- shark sharp raincoat chain raining march
- including 'ee' 'er'
- teeth sheep thicker singer queen sheet sharper
- including 'oa' 'or'
- thorn shoal coach north short
- including 'oo' 'ow'
- smooth foolish tooth shook shoot powder flower
- including 'igh' 'ng'
- charming lightning chopping thing singing higher
Phase 4: Adjacent consonants
Simple CVCC words
- '-ft'
- loft left lift soft tuft
- '-ld' '-lf'
- told held elf old cold bold gold fold
- '-lk' '-lp'
- bulk milk hulk gulp help yelp sulk
- '-lt'
- kilt melt pelt belt felt
- '-mp'
- damp bump camp lump limp lamp jump
- '-nd'
- pond sand send bend hand band mend fond
- '-nk'
- tank wink bank bunk sink pink honk dunk
- '-nt'
- hunt pant sent bent dent tent went mint
- '-sk'
- tusk desk dusk risk rusk husk
- '-st'
- just nest rest best cost fist mist
- '-ct' '-pt' '-xt'
- fact text wept kept next
More CVCC words
- CVCC using 'ch' 'sh'
- chimp bench punch chink chest shift shelf
- CVCC using 'th' 'qu'
- quilt thump tenth think thank theft
- CVCC using 'ai' 'oa' etc
- point paint moist roost roast toast burnt
- polysyllabic CVCC 1
- restless sandpit selfish shelter shampoo windmill children
- polysyllabic CVCC 2
- handbag dustbin pumpkin softest lunchbox helper sandwich
- polysyllabic CVCC 3
- melting toaster weekend munching chimpanzee seventh
Simple CCVC words
- 'bl-' 'br-'
- blot blob black brag brick brim
- 'cl-' 'cr-'
- clap click club clock crab crop clog
- 'dr-'
- drip drop drum drag dress
- 'fl-' 'fr-'
- flop flag flap flat frog from
- 'gl-' 'gr-'
- grub grin grip glum glad gran
- 'pl-' 'pr-'
- plan plus plum prod press
- 'sc-' 'sk-'
- skid skim skin skip scum scan scab
- 'sm-' 'sn-'
- snub snug smug snap snip snag smut
- 'sp-'
- spot spin spit spud
- 'st-' 'sw-'
- stop step swam swig
- 'tr-' 'tw-'
- trot trim trip twin twig
More CCVC words
- CCVC using 'sh' 'th'
- thrill throb three shrug shred crash brush fresh
- CCVC using 'ai 'oa'
- trail groan float brain train
- CCVC using 'ee'
- sweet speed green sleep bleed creep steep
- CCVC using 'oo' 'or'
- droop stood sport spoon snoop
- CCVC using 'ow'
- prowl growl crowd brown clown frown
- polysyllabic CCVC
- treetop floating paintbrush freshness
CCVCC words
- 'bl-' 'br-'
- brisk brand blink blend blank blunt
- 'cl-' 'cr-'
- clump clamp crust cramp crisp
- 'dr-' 'fr-'
- drift drink frond frost
- 'gl-' 'gr-'
- grunt glint grand
- 'pl-' 'pr-'
- print plump prank plank
- 'sc-' 'sl-' etc.
- slept scalp stand spend stunt swank swept
- 'tr-' 'tw-'
- trust tramp trunk twist
CCVCC words further practice
- 'spr-' 'str-'
- string strong spring sprint sprang
- 'shr-, '-nch'
- shrimp shrink trench drench crunch
- polysyllabic CCVCC
- driftwood printer twisting handstand kitchen
Phase 5: Introducing more graphemes
More vowel graphemes
- 'ay' as in play
- day say play crayon spray stay tray way may
- 'ou' as in cloud
- found sound ground cloud count out round mouth mountain
- 'ie' as in pie
- pie fried cries die tie tries lie dried
- 'ea' as in heat
- leaflet teacher seat steam team beak beach meal heat beast
- 'oy' as in boy
- joy loyal royal annoy boy enjoy toy
- 'ir' as in bird
- third thirteen first girl bird birth shirt skirt thirst
- 'ue' as in blue
- blue clue glue true untrue
- 'ue' as in statue
- Tuesday due pursue statue value rescue argue
- 'aw' as in saw
- drawn shawl saw crawl claws paw raw law lawn jaw
- 'ew' as in blew
- screw chew crew grew flew threw blew
- 'ew' as in dew
- stew few dew knew new newt
- 'oe' as in toe
- hoe toe goes foe woe
- 'au' as in haunt
- taunt haunt launch taut
- 'ey' as in donkey
- chimney turkey valley donkey
More consonant graphemes
- 'wh' as in wheel
- wheel when whiskers whip which whisper
- 'ph' as in dolphin
- alphabet elephant dolphin orphan prophet
Split digraphs
- split digraph 'a - e'
- safe same late name made make game came take
- split digraph 'e - e'
- swede these complete delete theme
- split digraph 'i - e'
- side ride five bike like line slide quite time white
- split digraph 'o - e'
- spoke woke those stone stroke rose home chose envelope phone
- split digraph 'u - e' as in rule
- prune June rude rule brute crude
- grapheme 'u - e' as in tune
- cube perfume huge use tune tube
Phase 5: Alternative pronunciations
Other sounds of a, e, i, o, u
- 'a' as in acorn
- acorn April apron
- 'a' as in bath (S. England)
- branch grass bath after class fast father glass last afternoon
- 'a' as in wash
- wash was wander want what squash quarrel wasp
- 'e' as in demon
- she he me be we demon
- 'i' as in child
- wild blind behind child grind find mild mind kind remind
- 'o' as in sofa
- total no so go mobile sofa won't don't
- 'u' as in music
- human stupid pupil uniform unicorn music future
- 'u' as in bull
- full bull bush push put pull
Other sounds of ow, ie, ea, er, ou
- 'ow' as in tow
- slow show flow grow window tomorrow known low tow growth
- 'ie' as in thief
- mischief diesel thief grief field brief chief shield shriek relief
- 'ea' as in head
- head health bread breath dead sweat wealth weather breathless healthier
- 'er' as in fern
- fertile term stern fern her herb kerb person perfect
- 'ou' as in soup
- you soup group
- 'ou' as in shoulder
- mould shoulder poultry
Other sounds of y, ch, c, g, ey
- 'y' as in fly
- why try reply sky my fly fry cry dry by
- 'y' as in crystal
- pyramid syrup symptom typical crystal
- 'y' as in puppy
- rubbing badly greedy sulky telly funny puppy lucky family happy
- 'ch' as in school
- echo chemist character school scheme chorus
- 'ch' as in chef
- parachute chef
- 'c' as in city
- central ceremony cell cinder city December accept success
- 'g' as in giant
- agent surgery larger stingy gym ginger giant cage magic huge
- 'ey' as in they
- survey they grey prey
Phase 5: Alternative spellings
/ch/ /j/ /m/ /n/ /r/ /s/ /z/
- /ch/ as in picture
- capture nature signature future picture mixture creature adventure departure
- /ch/ as catch
- witch switch stretch watch hutch kitchen match pitch scratch catch
- /j/ as in badge
- bridge badge edge judge hedgehog fridge smudge hedge
- /m/ as in lamb
- thumb lamb limb numb crumb climb comb
- /n/ as in gnash
- design gnat gnome gnash sign gnaw
- /n/ as in knob
- knot knock knob knee knew knitted knit knight knife unknown
- /r/ as in wrap
- wrap wreck wren wrench wrist wring wrong write written wretched
- /s/ as in castle
- castle wrestle whistle listen rustle glisten Christmas
- /s/ as in house
- purse promise immense house horse geese loose mouse increase
- /z/ as in cheese
- please pause cheese because disease noise tease choose
/u/ /i/ /eer/ /ar/ /air/ /or/
- /u/ as in son
- son nothing brother come mother wonder done some you
- /i/ as in happy
- symptom syrup funny lucky pyramid family gym happy crystal typical
- /i/ as in donkey
- donkey chimney money honey hockey valley
- /eer/ as in here
- interfere here severe sincere
- /eer/ as in deer
- cheerful jeer cheer beer steer deer
- /ar/ as in father
- bathroom afternoon gasp class glass father fast grass branch
- /ar/ as in calf
- calm half palm calf
- /air/ as in there
- there where nowhere anywhere
- /air/ as in bear
- wear tear swear pear bear
- /air/ as in bare
- compare care dare rare share spare bare square stare
- /or/ as in ball
- walking talk tallest always snowball small fall call ball all
- /or/ as in four
- court fourth four fourteen pour your yours course downpour
- /or/ as in caught
- taught naughty daughter caught
/ur/ /uu/ /ay/ /ee/ /y/
- /ur/ as in earth
- earth early earn learn learning heard pearl search year
- /ur/ as in worm
- worker world work worship worse worm worth word worst
- /uu/ as in could
- would should could
- /oo/ as in bull
- bush bull full push pull armful skilful
- /ay/ as in play
- delay spray stay way tray may play say day crayon
- /ay/ as in game
- flame game came late made make name same take
- /ee/ as in seat
- seat teacher leaflet steam team meal heat beach beak beast
- /ee/ as in swede
- theme delete these complete swede
- /ee/ as in thief
- thief grief field belief chief brief relief shield shriek diesel
- /y/ as in pie
- pie die tie lie
- /y/ as in fly
- reply try why cry dry fly fry by sky my
- /y/ as in kite
- like line inside slide quite bike five dislike time white
/oa/ /oo/ /oh/ /sh/ /zh/
- /oh/ as in tow
- known tomorrow window flow grow slow show tow low growth
- /oh/ as in hoe
- foe woe hoe toe goes
- /oh/ as in rose
- spoke those stone stroke woke home rose envelope chose phone
- /yoo/ as in statue
- rescue avenue value argue statue due pursue continue
- /yoo/ as in tune
- cube perfume huge tube tune use
- /yoo/ as in dew
- stew renew knew newt new dew few
- /oo/ as in blue
- glue clue blue untrue true
- /oo/ as in rule
- brute crude June rule rude prune
- /oo/ as in blew
- jewel blew screw crew grew flew chew threw
- /sh/ as in official
- special artificial crucial social official
- /sh/ as in station
- relation solution patience station nation emotion
- /sh/ as in sugar
- sugar sure
- /sh/ as in chef
- parachute chef
- new phoneme /zh/
- decision division pleasure leisure television treasure collision usual casual measure
- /sh/ as in permission
- passion permission discussion
100 high frequency words
Phase 2
- decodable: an to is
- as at in is if an
- decodable: it to dad
- of it off on can dad
- decodable: had to him
- had get back and big him
- decodable: his to but
- his not mum but got up
- tricky words: the to into
- to the go no into
Phase 3
- decodable: will to with
- that then them this will with
- decodable: see to too
- see too now look for down
- tricky words: he to was
- be me he she was we
- tricky words: you to her
- they you her my are all
Phase 4
- decodable: went to help
- from just went help children it's
- tricky words: said to come
- some have like so said do come
- tricky words: were to what
- one out little there were what when
Phase 5
- decodable: don't to your
- your I'm time don't house old by about
- decodable: day to put
- came put day here make made very saw
- tricky words: their to could
- called their people could asked looked
Tops and tails
Tails(2-letter endings)
- '-ad' as in dad
- sad lad dad
- '-ag' as in bag
- rag bag wag
- '-am' as in jam
- ram jam
- '-an' as in pan
- man pan fan
- '-ap' as in tap
- tap nap gap
- '-at' as in cat
- hat cat rat
- '-ed' as in bed
- red fed bed
- '-eg' as in leg
- leg peg
- '-en' as in hen
- pen hen ten
- '-et' as in net
- net pet
- '-ig' as in pig
- dig pig
- '-in' as in pin
- pin bin tin
- '-ip' as in rip
- rip lip pip
- '-it' as in sit
- hit sit bit
- '-ob' as in sob
- job sob
- '-og' as in dog
- fog dog log
- '-ot' as in cot
- cot dot pot
- '-ud' as in bud
- bud mud
- '-um' as in mum
- mum sum
- '-un' as in bun
- bun sun run
- '-ug' as in mug
- jug rug mug
Tops(single letter starts)
- 'b-' as in bag
- bed bag bun
- 'c-' as in cat
- cup cot cat
- 'd-' as in dog
- dad dog den
- 'f-' as in fox
- fun fox fan
- 'g-' as in gap
- gap get
- 'h-' as in hat
- hug hat hen
- 'j-' as in jam
- jam jet jug
- 'l-' as in leg
- log lip leg
- 'm-' as in man
- man mum mat
- 'n-' as in nut
- nut nap net
- 'p-' as in pig
- pig pet pen
- 'r'- as in rat
- red rat rag
- 's-' as in sad
- sad six sun
- 't-' as in tap
- tap ten tin
- 'w-' as in web
- wag win web
Tails (3-letter endings)
- '-and' as in hand
- hand band sand
- '-amp' as in lamp
- stamp lamp camp
- '-ang' as in bang
- rang sang bang
- '-elt' as in belt
- belt melt
- '-end' as in bend
- mend bend
- '-ent' as in tent
- tent dent bent
- '-est' as in nest
- nest rest
- '-ilk' as in milk
- milk silk
- '-ing' as in ring
- wing ring king
- '-ink' as in sink
- sink drink wink
- '-int' as in mint
- print mint
- '-ist' as in fist
- fist mist list
- '-ond' as in pond
- fond pond
- '-ump' as in bump
- lump bump jump
- '-unk' as in bunk
- dunk trunk bunk
- '-usk' as in rusk
- dusk rusk tusk
Tops(2-letter starts)
- 'dr-' as in drum
- drum drop drink
- 'bl-' as in blot
- blink blob blot
- 'br-' as in brick
- bring brick brim
- 'cl-' as in clap
- cling clap club
- 'cr-' as in crab
- crab crust crisp
- 'fl-' as in flag
- flap flag
- 'fr-' as in frog
- frog frost
- 'gl-' as in glum
- glum glad
- 'pl-' as in plum
- plank plum
- 'sk-' as in skip
- skid skin skip
- 'sl-' as in slug
- slug slip sling
- 'sm-' as in smock
- smug smock
- 'sp-' as in spud
- spud spot
- 'st-' as in step
- sting step stand
- 'sw-' as in swing
- swing swim
- 'tr-' as in trunk
- truck trunk trot
- 'ch-' as in chimp
- check chimp chin
- 'sh-' as in ship
- shop ship shell
- 'th-' as in thin
- thin thing thick
Main Word Lists
DfE National Curriculum 2014 Lists
Yr2 to KS3 Lists (Not 3.1)