Phonics word list
BR blend words
In short
Br is an r blend: b and r together at the start of a word, both heard, as in brag, brick and bring. Our checked list has 214 words that start with the br blend.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 214
- By syllables
- one syllable: 103 · two syllables: 103 · three or more syllables: 8
- Taught in
- Lesson 35c in the sequence
Br words, most common first
Spelling units show how each word breaks into the letters that spell one sound; a_e is a vowel and silent e working together. Readable after is the first lesson where a student can sound out the whole word.
One syllable
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| brand | b·r·a·n·d | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| break | b·r·ea·k | 1 | Lesson 114 |
| brief | b·r·ie·f | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| bring | b·r·i·ng | 1 | Lesson 51 |
| broke | b·r·o_e·k | 1 | Lesson 56 |
| brown | b·r·ow·n | 1 | Lesson 96 |
| branch | b·r·a·n·ch | 1 | Lesson 48 |
| breach | b·r·ea·ch | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| breaks | b·r·ea·k·s | 1 | Lesson 114 |
| bridge | b·r·i·dge | 1 | Lesson 70 |
| bright | b·r·igh·t | 1 | Lesson 87 |
| brings | b·r·i·ng·s | 1 | Lesson 51 |
| brought | b·r·ough·t | 1 | Lesson 116 |
| bred | b·r·e·d | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| brain | b·r·ai·n | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| brake | b·r·a_e·k | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| brass | b·r·a·ss | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| brave | b·r·a_e·v | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| bread | b·r·ea·d | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| breed | b·r·ee·d | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| brick | b·r·i·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| brush | b·r·u·sh | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| brains | b·r·ai·n·s | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| brakes | b·r·a_e·k·s | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| brands | b·r·a·n·d·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| breath | b·r·ea·th | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| breeds | b·r·ee·d·s | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| breeze | b·r·ee·z·e | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| bricks | b·r·i·ck·s | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| browse | b·r·ow·s·e | 1 | Lesson 96 |
| breathe | b·r·ea·th·e | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| browsed | b·r·ow·s·ed | 1 | Lesson 96 |
| breathed | b·r·ea·th·ed | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| breathes | b·r·ea·th·e·s | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| brag | b·r·a·g | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| bran | b·r·a·n | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| brat | b·r·a·t | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| bray | b·r·ay | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| brew | b·r·ew | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| brim | b·r·i·m | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| brow | b·r·ow | 1 | Lesson 96 |
| brace | b·r·a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| brags | b·r·a·g·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| braid | b·r·ai·d | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| brash | b·r·a·sh | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| brats | b·r·a·t·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| brawl | b·r·aw·l | 1 | Lesson 93 |
| brawn | b·r·aw·n | 1 | Lesson 93 |
| brews | b·r·ew·s | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| bribe | b·r·i_e·b | 1 | Lesson 55 |
| bride | b·r·i_e·d | 1 | Lesson 55 |
| brine | b·r·i_e·n | 1 | Lesson 55 |
| brink | b·r·i·n·k | 1 | Lesson 52 |
| brisk | b·r·i·s·k | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| broil | b·r·oi·l | 1 | Lesson 95 |
| brood | b·r·oo·d | 1 | Lesson 90 |
| brook | b·r·oo·k | 1 | Lesson 89 |
| broom | b·r·oo·m | 1 | Lesson 90 |
| broth | b·r·o·th | 1 | Lesson 47 |
| brows | b·r·ow·s | 1 | Lesson 96 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| broken | b·r·o·k·e·n | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| bracket | b·r·a·ck·e·t | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| briefly | b·r·ie·f·l·y | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| brother | b·r·o·th·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| brackets | b·r·a·ck·e·t·s | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| branches | b·r·a·n·ch·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| breaking | b·r·ea·k·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 114 |
| bringing | b·r·i·ng·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| brutal | b·r·u·t·a·l | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| branded | b·r·a·n·d·ed | 2 | Lesson 64 |
| bridges | b·r·i·dge·s | 2 | Lesson 70 |
| brigade | b·r·i·g·a_e·d | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| branding | b·r·a·n·d·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| breeding | b·r·ee·d·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| brethren | b·r·e·th·r·e·n | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| brighter | b·r·igh·t·er | 2 | Lesson 87 |
| brightly | b·r·igh·t·l·y | 2 | Lesson 87 |
| brothers | b·r·o·th·er·s | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| browsing | b·r·ow·s·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| breakdown | b·r·ea·k·d·ow·n | 2 | Lesson 114 |
| breakfast | b·r·ea·k·f·a·s·t | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| breathing | b·r·ea·th·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| brightest | b·r·igh·t·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 87 |
| brilliant | b·r·i·ll·i·a·n·t | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| brightness | b·r·igh·t·n·e·ss | 2 | Lesson 87 |
| braces | b·r·a_e·c·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| brainy | b·r·ai·n·y | 2 | Lesson 84 |
| brandy | b·r·a·n·d·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| brassy | b·r·a·ss·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| braver | b·r·a·v·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| brawny | b·r·aw·n·y | 2 | Lesson 93 |
| breezy | b·r·ee·z·y | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| broker | b·r·o·k·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| bracing | b·r·a·c·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| braided | b·r·ai·d·ed | 2 | Lesson 84 |
| braking | b·r·a·k·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| brasher | b·r·a·sh·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| brasses | b·r·a·ss·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| bravely | b·r·a_e·v·l·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| bravest | b·r·a·v·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| braving | b·r·a·v·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| breaded | b·r·ea·d·ed | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| breeder | b·r·ee·d·er | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| breezes | b·r·ee·z·e·s | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| brewing | b·r·ew·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 91 |
| bribing | b·r·i·b·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| briefer | b·r·ie·f·er | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| brisker | b·r·i·s·k·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| briskly | b·r·i·s·k·l·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| broiler | b·r·oi·l·er | 2 | Lesson 95 |
| brokers | b·r·o·k·er·s | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| bronzes | b·r·o·n·z·e·s | 2 | Lesson 60 |
| brooded | b·r·oo·d·ed | 2 | Lesson 90 |
| browner | b·r·ow·n·er | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| bruises | b·r·ui·s·e·s | 2 | Lesson 91 |
| brushes | b·r·u·sh·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| brutish | b·r·u·t·i·sh | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| bragging | b·r·a·gg·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| braiding | b·r·ai·d·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 84 |
| brandish | b·r·a·n·d·i·sh | 2 | Lesson 67b |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| brilliantly | b·r·i·ll·i·a·n·t·l·y | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| bravery | b·r·a·v·er·y | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| brutally | b·r·u·t·a·ll·y | 3 | Lesson 74 |
| breakable | b·r·ea·k·a·b·le | 3 | Lesson 114 |
| brokering | b·r·o·k·er·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| brotherly | b·r·o·th·er·l·y | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| brandishes | b·r·a·n·d·i·sh·es | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| brandishing | b·r·a·n·d·i·sh·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 67b |
When do these words become readable?
The lessons where the most words on this page become decodable. Words marked not in the sequence have a spelling the sequence never teaches as a pattern.
How do you teach br words?
Lips close for /b/, then round straight into /r/. "Rag. Put /b/ in front. Brag." Build brag, brim, brat, brisk. R blends change how the vowel sounds slightly; read lines aloud so the student hears that it is still short.
What mistake do students make with br words?
Students drop the r (bag for brag) or say /bw/. Hold the /r/ longer while modeling, then tap four sounds.
Where do br words come in the sequence?
Br comes with the other r blends after short vowels. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 35c.
Exceptions worth knowing
In words like zebra and library, b and r are in different syllables. After br, a vowel may be long (brave, broke).
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 35c or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- A brisk wind can blast the sand.
- The brim of the hat is red.
- Do not brag.
Questions people ask
What are 5 br words?
What are some br words?
Why does my student say bwing?
When can a student read br words?
How this list was built
Every word comes from our lexicon of common English words, each split into spelling units and checked against a pronouncing dictionary, so a word is listed under the sound its spelling really makes. Words a student sees in our assessments are left out. The readable after lesson comes from our decodability engine, which checks each spelling unit and syllable pattern against the lesson sequence. You can run your own text through the same engine with the free decodable text checker.