Phonics word list
Ea words with short e
In short
In some words ea says short e, /ĕ/, as in head, bread and weather. It is the second most common sound of ea. Our checked list has 181 words where ea says /ĕ/.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 181
- By syllables
- one syllable: 32 · two syllables: 107 · three or more syllables: 42
- Taught in
- Lesson 94 in the sequence
One spelling, more than one sound
Most lists mix these up. We count each sound separately, so a student practicing one sound only sees words that make it.
| Sound | Example | Words | List |
|---|---|---|---|
| /ē/ | eat | 542 | See the list |
| /ĕ/ | dead | 181 | This page |
| /ā/ | break | 23 | See the list |
Ea words that say /ĕ/, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| dead | d·ea·d | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| head | h·ea·d | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| dealt | d·ea·l·t | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| death | d·ea·th | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| heads | h·ea·d·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| meant | m·ea·n·t | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| health | h·ea·l·th | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| spread | s·p·r·ea·d | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| threat | th·r·ea·t | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| spreads | s·p·r·ea·d·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| deaf | d·ea·f | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| bread | b·r·ea·d | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| dread | d·r·ea·d | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| realm | r·ea·l·m | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| sweat | s·w·ea·t | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| tread | t·r·ea·d | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| breath | b·r·ea·th | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| deaths | d·ea·th·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| dreads | d·r·ea·d·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| realms | r·ea·l·m·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| sweats | s·w·ea·t·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| thread | th·r·ea·d | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| wealth | w·ea·l·th | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| threats | th·r·ea·t·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| breads | b·r·ea·d·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| treads | t·r·ea·d·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| breadth | b·r·ea·d·th | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| breaths | b·r·ea·th·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| cleanse | c·l·ea·n·s·e | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| stealth | s·t·ea·l·th | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| threads | th·r·ea·d·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| cleansed | c·l·ea·n·s·ed | 1 | Lesson 94 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| ahead | a·h·ea·d | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| heavy | h·ea·v·y | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| ready | r·ea·d·y | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| headed | h·ea·d·ed | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| header | h·ea·d·er | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| leaded | l·ea·d·e·d | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| weapon | w·ea·p·o·n | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| heading | h·ea·d·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| healthy | h·ea·l·th·y | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| instead | i·n·s·t·ea·d | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| measure | m·ea·s·ur·e | 2 | Lesson 119 |
| weather | w·ea·th·er | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| measured | m·ea·s·ur·ed | 2 | Lesson 119 |
| measures | m·ea·s·ur·e·s | 2 | Lesson 119 |
| pleasant | p·l·ea·s·a·n·t | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| spreading | s·p·r·ea·d·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| widespread | w·i_e·d·s·p·r·ea·d | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| deadly | d·ea·d·l·y | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| heaven | h·ea·v·e·n | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| steady | s·t·ea·d·y | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| unread | u·n·r·ea·d | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| dreaded | d·r·ea·d·ed | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| headers | h·ea·d·er·s | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| heavens | h·ea·v·e·n·s | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| jealous | j·ea·l·ou·s | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| leather | l·ea·th·er | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| peasant | p·ea·s·a·n·t | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| wealthy | w·ea·l·th·y | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| weapons | w·ea·p·o·n·s | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| deadline | d·ea·d·l·i_e·n | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| dreadful | d·r·ea·d·f·u·l | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| dreading | d·r·ea·d·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| headache | h·ea·d·a·ch·e | 2 | Lesson 118 |
| headline | h·ea·d·l·i_e·n | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| peasants | p·ea·s·a·n·t·s | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| pleasure | p·l·ea·s·ur·e | 2 | Lesson 119 |
| sweating | s·w·ea·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| threaten | th·r·ea·t·e·n | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| treasure | t·r·ea·s·ur·e | 2 | Lesson 119 |
| breakfast | b·r·ea·k·f·a·s·t | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| headlines | h·ea·d·l·i_e·n·s | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| threatens | th·r·ea·t·e·n·s | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| threatened | th·r·ea·t·e·n·ed | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| heady | h·ea·d·y | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| deader | d·ea·d·er | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| sweaty | s·w·ea·t·y | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| breaded | b·r·ea·d·ed | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| headway | h·ea·d·w·ay | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| heavies | h·ea·v·ie·s | 2 | Lesson 110 |
| readied | r·ea·d·i·ed | 2 | Lesson 110 |
| readies | r·ea·d·ie·s | 2 | Lesson 110 |
| redhead | r·e·d·h·ea·d | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| sweater | s·w·ea·t·er | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| warhead | w·a·r·h·ea·d | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| breading | b·r·ea·d·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| cleanser | c·l·ea·n·s·er | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| deadlock | d·ea·d·l·o·ck | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| deafness | d·ea·f·n·e·ss | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| deathbed | d·ea·th·b·e·d | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| forehead | f·ore·h·ea·d | 2 | Lesson 94 |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| already | a·l·r·ea·d·y | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| heavily | h·ea·v·i·l·y | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| readily | r·ea·d·i·l·y | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| measuring | m·ea·s·ur·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| unpleasant | u·n·p·l·ea·s·a·n·t | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| heavier | h·ea·v·i·er | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| heaviest | h·ea·v·i·e·s·t | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| overhead | o·v·er·h·ea·d | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| steadily | s·t·ea·d·i·l·y | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| overheads | o·v·er·h·ea·d·s | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| unhealthy | u·n·h·ea·l·th·y | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| pleasantly | p·l·ea·s·a·n·t·l·y | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| measurement | m·ea·s·ur·e·m·e·n·t | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| threatening | th·r·ea·t·e·n·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| measurements | m·ea·s·ur·e·m·e·n·t·s | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| readier | r·ea·d·i·er | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| deadlier | d·ea·d·l·i·er | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| heavenly | h·ea·v·e·n·l·y | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| jealousy | j·ea·l·ou·s·y | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| leathery | l·ea·th·er·y | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| readying | r·ea·d·y·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| steadier | s·t·ea·d·i·er | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| treasury | t·r·ea·s·ur·y | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| deadliest | d·ea·d·l·i·e·s·t | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| healthier | h·ea·l·th·i·er | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| jealously | j·ea·l·ou·s·l·y | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| readiness | r·ea·d·i·n·e·ss | 3 | Lesson 124 |
| treasurer | t·r·ea·s·ur·er | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| wealthier | w·ea·l·th·i·er | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| dreadfully | d·r·ea·d·f·u·ll·y | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| headlining | h·ea·d·l·i·n·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 109 |
| healthiest | h·ea·l·th·i·e·s·t | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| jealousies | j·ea·l·ou·s·ie·s | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| treasurers | t·r·ea·s·ur·er·s | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| treasuries | t·r·ea·s·ur·ie·s | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| wealthiest | w·ea·l·th·i·e·s·t | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| weathering | w·ea·th·er·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| displeasure | d·i·s·p·l·ea·s·ur·e | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| measurable | m·ea·s·ur·a·b·le | 4 | Lesson 119 |
| pleasurable | p·l·ea·s·ur·a·b·le | 4 | Lesson 119 |
| unpleasantly | u·n·p·l·ea·s·a·n·t·l·y | 4 | Lesson 94 |
| unpleasantness | u·n·p·l·ea·s·a·n·t·n·e·ss | 4 | Lesson 94 |
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.
| Readable after | Words |
|---|---|
| Lesson 94 | 134 |
| Lesson 109 | 2 |
| Lesson 110 | 17 |
| Lesson 112 | 2 |
| Lesson 113 | 1 |
| Lesson 118 | 2 |
| Lesson 119 | 18 |
| Lesson 124 | 1 |
| Not in the sequence | 4 |
How do you teach ea words that say /ĕ/?
Teach this after ea /ē/ is solid. "Ea can also say /ĕ/. If /ē/ doesn't make a word, try /ĕ/." Read head, bread, dead, deaf, then longer words like ready, heavy and weather. Group them by family (head, ahead, headache; health, healthy).
What mistake do students make with ea words that say /ĕ/?
Students read bread as /brēd/. Praise the first try and prompt the flex. For spelling, the hard part is knowing to use ea for /ĕ/ at all. Keep a short card of common ea /ĕ/ words; the list isn't long.
Where do ea words that say /ĕ/ come in the sequence?
Ea /ĕ/ usually comes in a later vowel team lesson, after oo, ew and au. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 94.
Exceptions worth knowing
Read and lead can be either /ē/ or /ĕ/. Ea /ĕ/ often comes before d, th or v (head, breath, heavy), which gives a weak clue.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 94 or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- I fed the bread to the duck.
- Put the hat on your head.
- Get ready for bed.
Questions people ask
What are 5 ea words that say /ĕ/?
Why does ea say e in bread?
What are common ea short e words?
When can a student read ea words that say /ĕ/?
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.