Short a (CVC) decodable sentences and word list
43 words with the letter a between two consonants, as in cat, and 10 sentences a child can sound out. Project them, or print the sheet.
Short a (CVC): the letter a between two consonants, as in cat. 43 words.
- cat
- bat
- mat
- sat
- hat
- rat
- pat
- fat
- vat
- can
- man
- pan
- ran
- fan
- van
- tan
- bad
- dad
- had
- mad
- sad
- pad
- cap
- map
- nap
- tap
- lap
- gap
- zap
- jam
- ham
- yam
- bag
- tag
- rag
- wag
- nag
- sap
- at
- an
- am
- and
- ant
Tricky words used so far, read by sight: a, the, is, has, to.
About this pattern
Short a is the first vowel most programs teach, because the sound is easy to hear and to stretch: a-a-a-t. Words are consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC), so a child can slide through three sounds and blend them. This is where children first see that every sentence they read can be sounded out.
What to say
Say the sound /a/ as in apple, then stretch a word: mmm-aaa-nnn. Point to each letter as you say its sound, then run your finger under the word and say it fast: man.
How to use it
- Start in Word list: say the pattern, then read the words together with the coloured letters as your clue.
- Press Full screen (F), choose Sentences, one at a time, and use the arrow keys for the next sentence.
- Press Print for a sheet with the words and the numbered sentences to take home.
Ideas for class
- Build words with letter tiles, changing only the first letter: cat, bat, mat, sat.
- Roll a die or spin a wheel for a starting sound and have students read the word it makes with -at or -an.
- Hide the word list on the wall and play a quick Read it fast game with the projector.
- Have each child draw a sentence they read, such as the man in the van.
Related
Questions
Why teach a before the other vowels?
It is a clear, open sound that is easy to stretch, and it makes many common words, so children can read real sentences after only a handful of letters. Many programs start with just a few letters, such as s, a, t, p, i and n, and add more one at a time.
What are the tricky words in these sentences?
The, a, is, has and to. They are common and do not follow the rules yet, so they are taught by sight, a few at a time, alongside the sound work.
How do I know each sentence is decodable?
Every word in these 10 sentences is either on the word list for short a (cvc) or for a pattern taught before it, or is one of the tricky words read by sight (a, the, is, has, to). The list is checked by a program, so a word that has not been taught cannot slip in.
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