Short u (CVC) decodable sentences and word list
29 words with the letter u between two consonants, as in sun, and 10 sentences a child can sound out. Project them, or print the sheet.
Short u (CVC): the letter u between two consonants, as in sun. 29 words.
- bus
- bug
- bun
- cup
- cut
- fun
- gum
- hug
- hut
- jug
- mud
- mug
- nut
- pup
- rug
- run
- sun
- tub
- tug
- up
- us
- rub
- dug
- hum
- bud
- sub
- gut
- jut
- hub
Tricky words used so far, read by sight: a, the, is, has, to.
About this pattern
Short u finishes the five short vowels. Children who have all five can read hundreds of three-letter words, and many more once they learn blends. Short u words are also some of the most playful: bug, mud, jug, pup, hug.
What to say
Say /u/ as in umbrella. Many children say it like /uh/ and it blends in nicely: b-u-g, bug. Keep the vowel short and do not add a sound after it.
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
- Do a short vowel sort with all five vowels: sort word cards into cups labeled a, e, i, o, u.
- Act out the sentences: hug the pup, run in the mud.
- Play Bug Hunt: hide short u word cards in the room and have students find and read them.
- Have students write their own sentence with bug, jug or mud.
Related
Questions
When should we move on from short vowels?
When children can read the CVC words in all five lists quickly and accurately, about 90 percent or better. Then add the digraphs, the silent-e words and the blends. Short-vowel practice never stops, though: it comes back in every later list.
Can I mix the five vowel lists?
Yes. Once students have the five, mixed practice is better than blocks, because real texts do not come in blocks. Use the sentences on this page, which mix every vowel taught so far.
How do I know each sentence is decodable?
Every word in these 10 sentences is either on the word list for short u (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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