Back to worksheetsEnglishAges 4-6
Word families & short vowels
Group consonant-vowel-consonant words by rime family and identify short middle vowel sounds. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 4-6
Word families & short vowels
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Which word belongs to the “-ap” word family along with “cap” and “map”: tap or tip?
2. Which word has the same short “o” vowel sound as “clock”: pond or sand?
3. Which word belongs to the “-et” word family along with “jet” and “net”: pet or pat?
4. Which word belongs to the “-at” word family along with “cat” and “hat”: bat or bit?
5. Change the first letter of “tub” to “c”. What new “-ub” word do you make?
6. Which word belongs to the “-op” word family along with “hop” and “mop”: top or tap?
7. Change the first letter of “red” to “s”. What new “-ed” word do you make: fed or sed?
8. Which word belongs to the “-un” word family along with “run” and “sun”: bun or bin?
9. What is the middle short vowel letter in the word “jam”?
10. Which word belongs to the “-en” word family along with “hen” and “pen”: ten or tin?
11. Which word belongs to the “-ug” word family along with “bug” and “rug”: mug or meg?
12. Change the first letter of “log” to “f”. What new “-og” word do you make?
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
View the answer key
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 4-6
Word families & short vowels
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. Which word belongs to the “-ap” word family along with “cap” and “map”: tap or tip?
tap“Tap”, “cap” and “map” all share the “-ap” ending.
2. Which word has the same short “o” vowel sound as “clock”: pond or sand?
pondBoth “clock” and “pond” contain the short “o” vowel sound.
3. Which word belongs to the “-et” word family along with “jet” and “net”: pet or pat?
pet“Pet”, “jet” and “net” all share the “-et” rime.
4. Which word belongs to the “-at” word family along with “cat” and “hat”: bat or bit?
bat“Bat”, “cat” and “hat” all end with the “-at” rime.
5. Change the first letter of “tub” to “c”. What new “-ub” word do you make?
cubReplacing “t” with “c” in “tub” spells “cub”.
6. Which word belongs to the “-op” word family along with “hop” and “mop”: top or tap?
top“Top”, “hop” and “mop” all belong to the “-op” word family.
7. Change the first letter of “red” to “s”. What new “-ed” word do you make: fed or sed?
fedReplacing “r” with “f” in “red” spells the real word “fed”.
8. Which word belongs to the “-un” word family along with “run” and “sun”: bun or bin?
bun“Bun”, “run” and “sun” all end with “-un”.
9. What is the middle short vowel letter in the word “jam”?
aThe word “jam” has the short vowel letter “a” in the middle.
10. Which word belongs to the “-en” word family along with “hen” and “pen”: ten or tin?
ten“Ten”, “hen” and “pen” all end with “-en”.
11. Which word belongs to the “-ug” word family along with “bug” and “rug”: mug or meg?
mug“Mug”, “bug” and “rug” all share the “-ug” rime.
12. Change the first letter of “log” to “f”. What new “-og” word do you make?
fogReplacing “l” with “f” in “log” spells “fog”.
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 4-6
Word families & short vowels
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Which word belongs to the “-ap” word family along with “cap” and “map”: tap or tip?
2. Which word has the same short “o” vowel sound as “clock”: pond or sand?
3. Which word belongs to the “-et” word family along with “jet” and “net”: pet or pat?
4. Which word belongs to the “-at” word family along with “cat” and “hat”: bat or bit?
5. Change the first letter of “tub” to “c”. What new “-ub” word do you make?
6. Which word belongs to the “-op” word family along with “hop” and “mop”: top or tap?
7. Change the first letter of “red” to “s”. What new “-ed” word do you make: fed or sed?
8. Which word belongs to the “-un” word family along with “run” and “sun”: bun or bin?
9. What is the middle short vowel letter in the word “jam”?
10. Which word belongs to the “-en” word family along with “hen” and “pen”: ten or tin?
11. Which word belongs to the “-ug” word family along with “bug” and “rug”: mug or meg?
12. Change the first letter of “log” to “f”. What new “-og” word do you make?
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 4-6
Word families & short vowels
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. Which word belongs to the “-ap” word family along with “cap” and “map”: tap or tip?
tap“Tap”, “cap” and “map” all share the “-ap” ending.
2. Which word has the same short “o” vowel sound as “clock”: pond or sand?
pondBoth “clock” and “pond” contain the short “o” vowel sound.
3. Which word belongs to the “-et” word family along with “jet” and “net”: pet or pat?
pet“Pet”, “jet” and “net” all share the “-et” rime.
4. Which word belongs to the “-at” word family along with “cat” and “hat”: bat or bit?
bat“Bat”, “cat” and “hat” all end with the “-at” rime.
5. Change the first letter of “tub” to “c”. What new “-ub” word do you make?
cubReplacing “t” with “c” in “tub” spells “cub”.
6. Which word belongs to the “-op” word family along with “hop” and “mop”: top or tap?
top“Top”, “hop” and “mop” all belong to the “-op” word family.
7. Change the first letter of “red” to “s”. What new “-ed” word do you make: fed or sed?
fedReplacing “r” with “f” in “red” spells the real word “fed”.
8. Which word belongs to the “-un” word family along with “run” and “sun”: bun or bin?
bun“Bun”, “run” and “sun” all end with “-un”.
9. What is the middle short vowel letter in the word “jam”?
aThe word “jam” has the short vowel letter “a” in the middle.
10. Which word belongs to the “-en” word family along with “hen” and “pen”: ten or tin?
ten“Ten”, “hen” and “pen” all end with “-en”.
11. Which word belongs to the “-ug” word family along with “bug” and “rug”: mug or meg?
mug“Mug”, “bug” and “rug” all share the “-ug” rime.
12. Change the first letter of “log” to “f”. What new “-og” word do you make?
fogReplacing “l” with “f” in “log” spells “fog”.
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification