Phonics word list
Short u words
In short
Short u is the vowel sound in sun, cup and up, written /ŭ/. In these words the letter u spells that sound in a stressed syllable. Our checked list has 1,272 words where u says /ŭ/.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 1,272
- By syllables
- one syllable: 446 · two syllables: 531 · three or more syllables: 295
- Taught in
- Lesson 15 in the sequence
Short u 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| up | u·p | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| us | u·s | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| bug | b·u·g | 1 | Lesson 17 |
| bus | b·u·s | 1 | Lesson 17 |
| but | b·u·t | 1 | Lesson 17 |
| cup | c·u·p | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| cut | c·u·t | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| fun | f·u·n | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| run | r·u·n | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| sum | s·u·m | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| sun | s·u·n | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| bugs | b·u·g·s | 1 | Lesson 21 |
| bulk | b·u·l·k | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| club | c·l·u·b | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| cuts | c·u·t·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
| dumb | d·u·mb | 1 | Lesson 98 |
| dump | d·u·m·p | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| fund | f·u·n·d | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| hung | h·u·ng | 1 | Lesson 51 |
| hunt | h·u·n·t | 1 | Lesson 23 |
| jump | j·u·m·p | 1 | Lesson 29 |
| junk | j·u·n·k | 1 | Lesson 52 |
| just | j·u·s·t | 1 | Lesson 29 |
| luck | l·u·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| much | m·u·ch | 1 | Lesson 48 |
| must | m·u·s·t | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| numb | n·u·mb | 1 | Lesson 98 |
| plug | p·l·u·g | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| plus | p·l·u·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| runs | r·u·n·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| rush | r·u·sh | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| shut | sh·u·t | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| such | s·u·ch | 1 | Lesson 48 |
| thus | th·u·s | 1 | Lesson 46 |
| funds | f·u·n·d·s | 1 | Lesson 21 |
| judge | j·u·dge | 1 | Lesson 70 |
| jumps | j·u·m·p·s | 1 | Lesson 29 |
| lunch | l·u·n·ch | 1 | Lesson 48 |
| shuts | sh·u·t·s | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| stuck | s·t·u·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| stuff | s·t·u·ff | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| truck | t·r·u·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| trunk | t·r·u·n·k | 1 | Lesson 52 |
| trust | t·r·u·s·t | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| struck | s·t·r·u·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| trucks | t·r·u·ck·s | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| trusts | t·r·u·s·t·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| dug | d·u·g | 1 | Lesson 16 |
| gum | g·u·m | 1 | Lesson 16 |
| gut | g·u·t | 1 | Lesson 16 |
| hum | h·u·m | 1 | Lesson 23 |
| hut | h·u·t | 1 | Lesson 23 |
| mud | m·u·d | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| mug | m·u·g | 1 | Lesson 16 |
| nun | n·u·n | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| nut | n·u·t | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| pun | p·u·n | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| rub | r·u·b | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| ugh | u·gh | 1 | Lesson 118 |
| ups | u·p·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| ugly | u·g·l·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| begun | b·e·g·u·n | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| funny | f·u·nn·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| lucky | l·u·ck·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| study | s·t·u·d·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| under | u·n·d·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| upper | u·pp·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| adjust | a·dj·u·s·t | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| bucket | b·u·ck·e·t | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| budget | b·u·dg·e·t | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| buffer | b·u·ff·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| button | b·u·tt·o·n | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| number | n·u·m·b·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| public | p·u·b·l·i·c | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| putted | p·u·tt·ed | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| result | r·e·s·u·l·t | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| rubber | r·u·bb·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| subset | s·u·b·s·e·t | 2 | Lesson 67a |
| subtle | s·u·b·t·le | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| sudden | s·u·dd·e·n | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| suffer | s·u·ff·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| summer | s·u·mm·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| corrupt | c·orr·u·p·t | 2 | Lesson 111 |
| culture | c·u·l·ture | 2 | Lesson 120 |
| cutting | c·u·tt·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| discuss | d·i·s·c·u·ss | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| hundred | h·u·n·d·r·e·d | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| husband | h·u·s·b·a·n·d | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| numbers | n·u·m·b·er·s | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| publish | p·u·b·l·i·sh | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| putting | p·u·tt·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| results | r·e·s·u·l·t·s | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| rubbish | r·u·bb·i·sh | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| running | r·u·nn·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| studied | s·t·u·d·i·ed | 2 | Lesson 110 |
| studies | s·t·u·d·ie·s | 2 | Lesson 110 |
| submits | s·u·b·m·i·t·s | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| suffers | s·u·ff·er·s | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| trusted | t·r·u·s·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 64 |
| upwards | u·p·w·ar·d·s | 2 | Lesson 111 |
| corrupts | c·orr·u·p·t·s | 2 | Lesson 111 |
| function | f·u·n·c·tion | 2 | Lesson 119 |
| hundreds | h·u·n·d·r·e·d·s | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| puncture | p·u·n·c·ture | 2 | Lesson 120 |
| shutting | sh·u·tt·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| suffered | s·u·ff·er·ed | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| trusting | t·r·u·s·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| discussed | d·i·s·c·u·ss·ed | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| functions | f·u·n·c·tion·s | 2 | Lesson 119 |
| published | p·u·b·l·i·sh·ed | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| structure | s·t·r·u·c·ture | 2 | Lesson 120 |
| structures | s·t·r·u·c·ture·s | 2 | Lesson 120 |
| unto | u·n·t·o | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| buses | b·u·s·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| debug | d·e·b·u·g | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| dummy | d·u·mm·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| dusty | d·u·s·t·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| fussy | f·u·ss·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| fuzzy | f·u·zz·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| mummy | m·u·mm·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| justify | j·u·s·t·i·f·y | 3 | Lesson 73 |
| summary | s·u·mm·ar·y | 3 | Lesson 111 |
| unaware | u·n·a·w·are | 3 | Lesson 112 |
| utterly | u·tt·er·l·y | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| customer | c·u·s·t·o·m·er | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| multiple | m·u·l·t·i·p·le | 3 | Lesson 75 |
| publicly | p·u·b·l·i·c·l·y | 3 | Lesson 74 |
| resulted | r·e·s·u·l·t·ed | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| studying | s·t·u·d·y·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 74 |
| suddenly | s·u·dd·e·n·l·y | 3 | Lesson 74 |
| ultimate | u·l·t·i·m·a·t·e | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| corrupted | c·orr·u·p·t·ed | 3 | Lesson 111 |
| discusses | d·i·s·c·u·ss·es | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| justified | j·u·s·t·i·f·i·ed | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| justifies | j·u·s·t·i·f·ie·s | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| publishes | p·u·b·l·i·sh·es | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| reduction | r·e·d·u·c·tion | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| redundant | r·e·d·u·n·d·a·n·t | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| reluctant | r·e·l·u·c·t·a·n·t | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| resulting | r·e·s·u·l·t·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| suffering | s·u·ff·er·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| assumption | a·ss·u·m·p·tion | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| corrupting | c·orr·u·p·t·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 111 |
| discussing | d·i·s·c·u·ss·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| production | p·r·o·d·u·c·tion | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| publishing | p·u·b·l·i·sh·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| subsequent | s·u·b·s·e·qu·e·n·t | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| substitute | s·u·b·s·t·i·t·u_e·t | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| underneath | u·n·d·er·n·ea·th | 3 | Lesson 85 |
| understand | u·n·d·er·s·t·a·n·d | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| understood | u·n·d·er·s·t·oo·d | 3 | Lesson 89 |
| consumption | c·o·n·s·u·m·p·tion | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| instruction | i·n·s·t·r·u·c·tion | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| understands | u·n·d·er·s·t·a·n·d·s | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| instructions | i·n·s·t·r·u·c·tion·s | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| compulsory | c·o·m·p·u·l·s·or·y | 4 | Lesson 111 |
| industrial | i·n·d·u·s·t·r·i·a·l | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| justifying | j·u·s·t·i·f·y·i·ng | 4 | Lesson 73 |
| ultimately | u·l·t·i·m·a·t·e·l·y | 4 | Lesson 74 |
| fundamental | f·u·n·d·a·m·e·n·t·a·l | 4 | Lesson 67b |
| publication | p·u·b·l·i·c·a·tion | 4 | Lesson 119 |
| punctuation | p·u·n·c·t·u·a·tion | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| introduction | i·n·t·r·o·d·u·c·tion | 4 | Lesson 119 |
| understanding | u·n·d·er·s·t·a·n·d·i·ng | 4 | Lesson 80 |
| unacceptable | u·n·a·cc·e·p·t·a·b·le | 5 | Not in the sequence |
| fundamentally | f·u·n·d·a·m·e·n·t·a·ll·y | 5 | Lesson 74 |
| justification | j·u·s·t·i·f·i·c·a·tion | 5 | Lesson 119 |
| funnier | f·u·nn·i·er | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| luckily | l·u·ck·i·l·y | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| undergo | u·n·d·er·g·o | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| unlucky | u·n·l·u·ck·y | 3 | Lesson 74 |
| accustom | a·cc·u·s·t·o·m | 3 | Lesson 68 |
| adjusted | a·dj·u·s·t·ed | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| cultural | c·u·l·t·ur·a·l | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| funniest | f·u·nn·i·e·s·t | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| gullible | g·u·ll·i·b·le | 3 | Lesson 75 |
| indulges | i·n·d·u·l·g·e·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| insulted | i·n·s·u·l·t·ed | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| multiply | m·u·l·t·i·p·l·y | 3 | Lesson 73 |
| punishes | p·u·n·i·sh·es | 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.
| Readable after | Words |
|---|---|
| Lesson 64 | 69 |
| Lesson 65 | 61 |
| Lesson 67a | 44 |
| Lesson 67b | 146 |
| Lesson 74 | 66 |
| Lesson 80 | 115 |
| Lesson 107 | 62 |
| Lesson 119 | 51 |
| Not in the sequence | 44 |
How do you teach short u words?
Short u is the relaxed vowel: jaw loose, lips neutral. "Say /ŭ/, like you're lifting something heavy. Up." Use up as the keyword. Read lines that keep the frame and change the vowel (bag, bug, big) and lines that keep the vowel and change the frame (bug, rug, hug). End with a short phrase so the vowel is read in context: a bug in a cup.
What mistake do students make with short u words?
Students often write a or o for u, so cup becomes cap or cop. Say the word, then the vowel alone, and have the student find it on a vowel strip. If a or o keeps coming back, check their keywords: a student who says umbrella with an accent may be using a different vowel.
Where do short u words come in the sequence?
Short u usually comes fourth. Once it is in, the student can read a large set of three-letter words with any of four vowels. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 15.
Exceptions worth knowing
The letter u says /oo/ in put and push, /ū/ in unit and music, and schwa in circus. This list keeps only stressed /ŭ/. The same sound is spelled o in son and love, and ou in touch.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 15 or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- The pup dug in the mud.
- A bug sat on a cup.
- Mom can cut the bun.
Questions people ask
What are 5 short u words?
What sound does short u make?
Is the u in put a short u?
When can a student read short u 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.