Phonics word list
GR blend words
In short
Gr is an r blend: g says /g/ and r follows at the start of a word, as in grin, grass and green. Our checked list has 224 words that start with the gr blend.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 224
- By syllables
- one syllable: 104 · two syllables: 101 · three or more syllables: 19
- Taught in
- Lesson 35c in the sequence
Gr 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| grew | g·r·ew | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| grow | g·r·ow | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| grand | g·r·a·n·d | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grant | g·r·a·n·t | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| graph | g·r·a·ph | 1 | Lesson 50 |
| grave | g·r·a_e·v | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| great | g·r·ea·t | 1 | Lesson 114 |
| green | g·r·ee·n | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| grind | g·r·i·n·d | 1 | Lesson 72 |
| gross | g·r·o·ss | 1 | Lesson 68 |
| group | g·r·ou·p | 1 | Lesson 115 |
| grown | g·r·ow·n | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| grows | g·r·ow·s | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| grands | g·r·a·n·d·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grants | g·r·a·n·t·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grinds | g·r·i·n·d·s | 1 | Lesson 72 |
| ground | g·r·ou·n·d | 1 | Lesson 96 |
| groups | g·r·ou·p·s | 1 | Lesson 115 |
| growth | g·r·ow·th | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| grounds | g·r·ou·n·d·s | 1 | Lesson 96 |
| grab | g·r·a·b | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grid | g·r·i·d | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grim | g·r·i·m | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grip | g·r·i·p | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grabs | g·r·a·b·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grace | g·r·a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| grade | g·r·a_e·d | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| grain | g·r·ai·n | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| grasp | g·r·a·s·p | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grass | g·r·a·ss | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| greed | g·r·ee·d | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| grief | g·r·ie·f | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| grips | g·r·i·p·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| groan | g·r·oa·n | 1 | Lesson 86 |
| grades | g·r·a_e·d·s | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| graphs | g·r·a·ph·s | 1 | Lesson 50 |
| grabbed | g·r·a·bb·ed | 1 | Lesson 107 |
| grouped | g·r·ou·p·ed | 1 | Lesson 115 |
| gram | g·r·a·m | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grin | g·r·i·n | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grit | g·r·i·t | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grub | g·r·u·b | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| graft | g·r·a·f·t | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grams | g·r·a·m·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grape | g·r·a_e·p | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| grate | g·r·a_e·t | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| graze | g·r·a_e·z | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| greet | g·r·ee·t | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| grids | g·r·i·d·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| grill | g·r·i·ll | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| grime | g·r·i_e·m | 1 | Lesson 55 |
| grins | g·r·i·n·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| gripe | g·r·i_e·p | 1 | Lesson 55 |
| grits | g·r·i·t·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| groom | g·r·oo·m | 1 | Lesson 90 |
| grove | g·r·o_e·v | 1 | Lesson 56 |
| growl | g·r·ow·l | 1 | Lesson 96 |
| grubs | g·r·u·b·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| gruff | g·r·u·ff | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| grunt | g·r·u·n·t | 1 | Lesson 24 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| granted | g·r·a·n·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 64 |
| graphic | g·r·a·ph·i·c | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| greater | g·r·ea·t·er | 2 | Lesson 114 |
| greatly | g·r·ea·t·l·y | 2 | Lesson 114 |
| grosses | g·r·o·ss·es | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| growing | g·r·ow·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 86 |
| granting | g·r·a·n·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| graphics | g·r·a·ph·i·c·s | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| grateful | g·r·a_e·t·f·u·l | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| greatest | g·r·ea·t·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 114 |
| grinding | g·r·i·n·d·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 72 |
| greasy | g·r·ea·s·y | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| greedy | g·r·ee·d·y | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| grammar | g·r·a·mm·ar | 2 | Lesson 111 |
| grossly | g·r·o·ss·l·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| grabbing | g·r·a·bb·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| grouping | g·r·ou·p·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 115 |
| gravy | g·r·a·v·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| grimy | g·r·i·m·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| graces | g·r·a_e·c·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| graded | g·r·a·d·ed | 2 | Lesson 64 |
| grader | g·r·a·d·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| grassy | g·r·a·ss·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| grated | g·r·a·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 64 |
| grater | g·r·a·t·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| graver | g·r·a·v·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| grimly | g·r·i·m·l·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| gritty | g·r·i·tt·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| groovy | g·r·oo·v·y | 2 | Lesson 90 |
| grower | g·r·ow·er | 2 | Lesson 86 |
| grubby | g·r·u·bb·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| grabber | g·r·a·bb·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| gracing | g·r·a·c·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| grading | g·r·a·d·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| grafted | g·r·a·f·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 64 |
| grander | g·r·a·n·d·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| grandly | g·r·a·n·d·l·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| grasses | g·r·a·ss·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| grating | g·r·a·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| gravely | g·r·a_e·v·l·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| gravies | g·r·a·v·ie·s | 2 | Lesson 110 |
| grazing | g·r·a·z·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| greener | g·r·ee·n·er | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| greeted | g·r·ee·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| grimmer | g·r·i·mm·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| grinder | g·r·i·n·d·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| griping | g·r·i·p·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| grosser | g·r·o·ss·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| grouchy | g·r·ou·ch·y | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| grouper | g·r·ou·p·er | 2 | Lesson 115 |
| grouses | g·r·ou·s·e·s | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| growers | g·r·ow·er·s | 2 | Lesson 86 |
| grudges | g·r·u·dge·s | 2 | Lesson 70 |
| gruffly | g·r·u·ff·l·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| grunted | g·r·u·n·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 64 |
| graceful | g·r·a_e·c·f·u·l | 2 | Lesson 102 |
| grafting | g·r·a·f·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| grandest | g·r·a·n·d·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| grandson | g·r·a·n·d·s·o·n | 2 | Lesson 67a |
| grasping | g·r·a·s·p·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| gravity | g·r·a·v·i·t·y | 3 | Lesson 74 |
| graffiti | g·r·a·ff·i·t·i | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| graphical | g·r·a·ph·i·c·a·l | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| gratefully | g·r·a_e·t·f·u·ll·y | 3 | Lesson 74 |
| grandfather | g·r·a·n·d·f·a·th·er | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| grandmother | g·r·a·n·d·m·o·th·er | 3 | Lesson 67a |
| gratuitous | g·r·a·t·u·i·t·ou·s | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| grammatical | g·r·a·mm·a·t·i·c·a·l | 4 | Lesson 67b |
| gratuitously | g·r·a·t·u·i·t·ou·s·l·y | 5 | Not in the sequence |
| gravitational | g·r·a·v·i·t·a·tion·a·l | 5 | Lesson 119 |
| greedier | g·r·ee·d·i·er | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| greedily | g·r·ee·d·i·l·y | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| greenery | g·r·ee·n·er·y | 3 | Lesson 85 |
| greediest | g·r·ee·d·i·e·s·t | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| gracefully | g·r·a_e·c·f·u·ll·y | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| grandfathers | g·r·a·n·d·f·a·th·er·s | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| grandmothers | g·r·a·n·d·m·o·th·er·s | 3 | Lesson 67a |
| grandfathered | g·r·a·n·d·f·a·th·er·ed | 3 | Lesson 94 |
| grandfathering | g·r·a·n·d·f·a·th·er·i·ng | 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.
How do you teach gr words?
Make a growl: "Grrr." That one word teaches the blend. Build grin, grab, grip, grand. Gr starts many describing words (great, gray, green, grand), which gives good sentence practice.
What mistake do students make with gr words?
Students drop the r (gab for grab) or confuse gr with gl. Say the pair slowly and point to where the tongue goes.
Where do gr words come in the sequence?
Gr is taught with the other r blends. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 35c.
Exceptions worth knowing
In angry and hungry, g and r are split by a syllable but still heard together. The g in gr never turns soft.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 35c or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- The cat can grab the twig.
- Grin at the big grub.
- The grub is wet.
Questions people ask
What are 5 gr words?
What are some gr words?
Can g be soft before r?
When can a student read gr 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.