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