Phonics word list
FL blend words
In short
Fl is an l blend: f and l together at the start of a word, both heard, as in flag, flip and fly. Our checked list has 200 words that start with the fl blend.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 200
- By syllables
- one syllable: 104 · two syllables: 82 · three or more syllables: 14
- Taught in
- Lesson 35c in the sequence
Fl 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| fly | f·l·y | 1 | Lesson 73 |
| flag | f·l·a·g | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flat | f·l·a·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flew | f·l·ew | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| flow | f·l·ow | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| flash | f·l·a·sh | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| flies | f·l·ie·s | 1 | Lesson 110 |
| float | f·l·oa·t | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| floor | f·l·oor | 1 | Lesson 78 |
| flown | f·l·ow·n | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| flight | f·l·igh·t | 1 | Lesson 87 |
| floats | f·l·oa·t·s | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| flashed | f·l·a·sh·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| flaw | f·l·aw | 1 | Lesson 93 |
| flip | f·l·i·p | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flags | f·l·a·g·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flame | f·l·a_e·m | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| flaws | f·l·aw·s | 1 | Lesson 93 |
| fleet | f·l·ee·t | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| flesh | f·l·e·sh | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| flips | f·l·i·p·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flood | f·l·oo·d | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| flows | f·l·ow·s | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| flush | f·l·u·sh | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| flute | f·l·u_e·t | 1 | Lesson 58 |
| flames | f·l·a_e·m·s | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| flawed | f·l·aw·ed | 1 | Lesson 93 |
| floods | f·l·oo·d·s | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| floors | f·l·oor·s | 1 | Lesson 78 |
| flowed | f·l·ow·ed | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| flagged | f·l·a·gg·ed | 1 | Lesson 107 |
| flipped | f·l·i·pp·ed | 1 | Lesson 107 |
| flushed | f·l·u·sh·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| flu | f·l·u | 1 | Lesson 68 |
| flak | f·l·a·k | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flap | f·l·a·p | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flea | f·l·ea | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| fled | f·l·e·d | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flee | f·l·ee | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| flex | f·l·e·x | 1 | Lesson 31 |
| flit | f·l·i·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flog | f·l·o·g | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flop | f·l·o·p | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flue | f·l·ue | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| flux | f·l·u·x | 1 | Lesson 31 |
| flail | f·l·ai·l | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| flair | f·l·air | 1 | Lesson 112 |
| flake | f·l·a_e·k | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| flank | f·l·a·n·k | 1 | Lesson 52 |
| flaps | f·l·a·p·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flare | f·l·are | 1 | Lesson 112 |
| flask | f·l·a·s·k | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flats | f·l·a·t·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| fleas | f·l·ea·s | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| fleck | f·l·e·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| flees | f·l·ee·s | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| flick | f·l·i·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| fling | f·l·i·ng | 1 | Lesson 51 |
| flint | f·l·i·n·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flirt | f·l·ir·t | 1 | Lesson 81 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| flying | f·l·y·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 73 |
| flashes | f·l·a·sh·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| floated | f·l·oa·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 86 |
| flashing | f·l·a·sh·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| floating | f·l·oa·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 86 |
| flour | f·l·our | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| fluid | f·l·u·i·d | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| floppy | f·l·o·pp·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| flower | f·l·ow·er | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| fluent | f·l·u·e·n·t | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| fluffy | f·l·u·ff·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| flooded | f·l·oo·d·ed | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| flowers | f·l·ow·er·s | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| flowing | f·l·ow·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 86 |
| flushes | f·l·u·sh·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| flagging | f·l·a·gg·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| flipping | f·l·i·pp·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| flooding | f·l·oo·d·i·ng | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| flushing | f·l·u·sh·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| flaky | f·l·a·k·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| flashy | f·l·a·sh·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| flatly | f·l·a·t·l·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| fleecy | f·l·ee·c·y | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| fleshy | f·l·e·sh·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| flexes | f·l·e·x·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| flours | f·l·our·s | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| fluids | f·l·u·i·d·s | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| fluxes | f·l·u·x·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| flaking | f·l·a·k·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| flaming | f·l·a·m·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| flaring | f·l·a·r·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 112 |
| flasher | f·l·a·sh·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| flatter | f·l·a·tt·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| fleeces | f·l·ee·c·e·s | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| fleeing | f·l·ee·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| flexing | f·l·e·x·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| flicker | f·l·i·ck·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| flighty | f·l·igh·t·y | 2 | Lesson 87 |
| flipper | f·l·i·pp·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| flirted | f·l·ir·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| flouted | f·l·ou·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| flagpole | f·l·a·g·p·o_e·l | 2 | Lesson 67a |
| flagship | f·l·a·g·sh·i·p | 2 | Lesson 67a |
| flailing | f·l·ai·l·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 84 |
| flanking | f·l·a·n·k·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| flapjack | f·l·a·p·j·a·ck | 2 | Lesson 67a |
| flapping | f·l·a·pp·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| flatness | f·l·a·t·n·e·ss | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| flaunted | f·l·au·n·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 93 |
| flawless | f·l·aw·l·e·ss | 2 | Lesson 93 |
| fleecing | f·l·ee·c·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| fleeting | f·l·ee·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| flickers | f·l·i·ck·er·s | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| flicking | f·l·i·ck·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| flinging | f·l·i·ng·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| flippers | f·l·i·pp·er·s | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| flirting | f·l·ir·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| flitting | f·l·i·tt·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| flocking | f·l·o·ck·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| flogging | f·l·o·gg·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| flexible | f·l·e·x·i·b·le | 3 | Lesson 75 |
| fluctuation | f·l·u·c·t·u·a·tion | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| fluctuations | f·l·u·c·t·u·a·tion·s | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| flexibility | f·l·e·x·i·b·i·l·i·t·y | 5 | Lesson 74 |
| flowery | f·l·ow·er·y | 3 | Lesson 96 |
| flashier | f·l·a·sh·i·er | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| flattery | f·l·a·tt·er·y | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| fluently | f·l·u·e·n·t·l·y | 3 | Lesson 74 |
| flashiest | f·l·a·sh·i·e·s·t | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| flightier | f·l·igh·t·i·er | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| flowering | f·l·ow·er·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 96 |
| flattering | f·l·a·tt·er·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| flawlessly | f·l·aw·l·e·ss·l·y | 3 | Lesson 93 |
| flightiest | f·l·igh·t·i·e·s·t | 3 | Lesson 110 |
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 26 | 18 |
| Lesson 64 | 10 |
| Lesson 67a | 10 |
| Lesson 80 | 10 |
| Lesson 85 | 11 |
| Lesson 86 | 9 |
| Lesson 96 | 13 |
| Lesson 107 | 10 |
| Not in the sequence | 8 |
How do you teach fl words?
Fl is a good first l blend because f can be held. "Fffflag. Keep the air going into /l/." Contrast lag and flag, lip and flip, lap and flap. The student hears the new sound added at the front.
What mistake do students make with fl words?
Students substitute /fw/ for /fl/ in speech, which is normal for young children. In spelling, the l gets lost. Stretch the blend and ask, "What sound comes after /f/?"
Where do fl words come in the sequence?
Fl comes with the other l blends after short vowels. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 35c.
Exceptions worth knowing
In words like flu and flute, fl starts a word with a long vowel. Flies and fly use y for the vowel, which comes much later in a sequence.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 35c or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- The flag can flap in the wind.
- Flip the pan.
- A flat rug is on the step.
Questions people ask
What are 5 fl words?
What are some fl words?
What should I do if my student says fwag?
When can a student read fl 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.