Phonics word list
Short vowel words
In short
Short vowel words have a vowel that makes its short sound: a in cat, e in bed, i in pig, o in hot, u in sun. Here each word is one syllable, closed by a consonant. Our checked list has 2,303 one-syllable short vowel words.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 2,303
- By syllables
- one syllable: 2,303 · two syllables: 0 · three or more syllables: 0
- Taught in
- Lesson 41a in the sequence
Short vowel 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.
Short a (am, an)
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| am | a·m | 1 | Lesson 2 |
| an | a·n | 1 | Lesson 9 |
| as | a·s | 1 | Lesson 21 |
| at | a·t | 1 | Lesson 4 |
| act | a·c·t | 1 | Lesson 14 |
| add | a·dd | 1 | Lesson 67b |
| and | a·n·d | 1 | Lesson 9 (heart word) |
| ask | a·s·k | 1 | Lesson 22 |
| bad | b·a·d | 1 | Lesson 17 |
| ban | b·a·n | 1 | Lesson 17 |
| can | c·a·n | 1 | Lesson 14 |
| cat | c·a·t | 1 | Lesson 14 |
| fan | f·a·n | 1 | Lesson 9 |
| gap | g·a·p | 1 | Lesson 16 |
| gas | g·a·s | 1 | Lesson 16 |
| had | h·a·d | 1 | Lesson 23 |
| has | h·a·s | 1 | Lesson 23 |
| hat | h·a·t | 1 | Lesson 23 |
| mad | m·a·d | 1 | Lesson 13 |
| man | m·a·n | 1 | Lesson 9 |
| map | m·a·p | 1 | Lesson 6 |
| ran | r·a·n | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| sad | s·a·d | 1 | Lesson 13 |
| sat | s·a·t | 1 | Lesson 4 |
| tax | t·a·x | 1 | Lesson 31 |
| van | v·a·n | 1 | Lesson 33 |
| acts | a·c·t·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
| adds | a·dd·s | 1 | Lesson 67b |
| asks | a·s·k·s | 1 | Lesson 22 |
| back | b·a·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| band | b·a·n·d | 1 | Lesson 17 |
| bank | b·a·n·k | 1 | Lesson 52 |
| fact | f·a·c·t | 1 | Lesson 14 |
| fast | f·a·s·t | 1 | Lesson 7 |
| flag | f·l·a·g | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| flat | f·l·a·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| glad | g·l·a·d | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| hack | h·a·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| half | h·a·l·f | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| hand | h·a·n·d | 1 | Lesson 23 |
Short e (bed, bet)
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| bed | b·e·d | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| bet | b·e·t | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| end | e·n·d | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| err | e·rr | 1 | Lesson 67b |
| fed | f·e·d | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| get | g·e·t | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| led | l·e·d | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| leg | l·e·g | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| let | l·e·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| men | m·e·n | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| met | m·e·t | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| net | n·e·t | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| pen | p·e·n | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| red | r·e·d | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| set | s·e·t | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| ten | t·e·n | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| yes | y·e·s | 1 | Lesson 30 |
| yet | y·e·t | 1 | Lesson 30 |
| best | b·e·s·t | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| bets | b·e·t·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
| cell | c·e·ll | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| cent | c·e·n·t | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| desk | d·e·s·k | 1 | Lesson 22 |
| edge | e·dge | 1 | Lesson 70 |
| else | e·l·s·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| ends | e·n·d·s | 1 | Lesson 21 |
| fell | f·e·ll | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| felt | f·e·l·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| gets | g·e·t·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
| held | h·e·l·d | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| help | h·e·l·p | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| kept | k·e·p·t | 1 | Lesson 22 |
| left | l·e·f·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| legs | l·e·g·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| lend | l·e·n·d | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| less | l·e·ss | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| lets | l·e·t·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| mess | m·e·ss | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| neck | n·e·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| next | n·e·x·t | 1 | Lesson 31 |
Short i (if, is)
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| if | i·f | 1 | Lesson 8 |
| is | i·s | 1 | Lesson 4 (heart word) |
| it | i·t | 1 | Lesson 8 |
| bid | b·i·d | 1 | Lesson 17 |
| big | b·i·g | 1 | Lesson 17 |
| bit | b·i·t | 1 | Lesson 17 |
| did | d·i·d | 1 | Lesson 13 |
| fit | f·i·t | 1 | Lesson 8 |
| fix | f·i·x | 1 | Lesson 31 |
| hid | h·i·d | 1 | Lesson 23 |
| him | h·i·m | 1 | Lesson 23 |
| his | h·i·s | 1 | Lesson 18 (heart word) |
| hit | h·i·t | 1 | Lesson 23 |
| ill | i·ll | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| its | i·t·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
| kid | k·i·d | 1 | Lesson 22 |
| mix | m·i·x | 1 | Lesson 31 |
| rid | r·i·d | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| sit | s·i·t | 1 | Lesson 8 |
| six | s·i·x | 1 | Lesson 31 |
| tin | t·i·n | 1 | Lesson 9 |
| win | w·i·n | 1 | Lesson 28 |
| bids | b·i·d·s | 1 | Lesson 21 |
| bill | b·i·ll | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| bits | b·i·t·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
| chip | ch·i·p | 1 | Lesson 48 |
| disc | d·i·s·c | 1 | Lesson 14 |
| disk | d·i·s·k | 1 | Lesson 22 |
| fill | f·i·ll | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| film | f·i·l·m | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| fish | f·i·sh | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| fits | f·i·t·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
| give | g·i·v·e | 1 | Lesson 37a (heart word) |
| hill | h·i·ll | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| hint | h·i·n·t | 1 | Lesson 23 |
| hits | h·i·t·s | 1 | Lesson 23 |
| inch | i·n·ch | 1 | Lesson 48 |
| king | k·i·ng | 1 | Lesson 51 |
| lift | l·i·f·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| link | l·i·n·k | 1 | Lesson 52 |
Short o (on, box)
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| on | o·n | 1 | Lesson 12 |
| box | b·o·x | 1 | Lesson 31 |
| dog | d·o·g | 1 | Lesson 16 |
| got | g·o·t | 1 | Lesson 16 |
| hot | h·o·t | 1 | Lesson 23 |
| job | j·o·b | 1 | Lesson 29 |
| log | l·o·g | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| lot | l·o·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| not | n·o·t | 1 | Lesson 12 |
| odd | o·dd | 1 | Lesson 67b |
| off | o·ff | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| pop | p·o·p | 1 | Lesson 12 |
| top | t·o·p | 1 | Lesson 12 |
| cost | c·o·s·t | 1 | Lesson 14 |
| drop | d·r·o·p | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| gone | g·o·n·e | 1 | Lesson 37a (heart word) |
| jobs | j·o·b·s | 1 | Lesson 29 |
| lock | l·o·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| logs | l·o·g·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| long | l·o·ng | 1 | Lesson 51 |
| loss | l·o·ss | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| lost | l·o·s·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| lots | l·o·t·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| odds | o·dd·s | 1 | Lesson 67b |
| plot | p·l·o·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| shop | sh·o·p | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| soft | s·o·f·t | 1 | Lesson 12 |
| spot | s·p·o·t | 1 | Lesson 12 |
| stop | s·t·o·p | 1 | Lesson 12 |
| block | b·l·o·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| clock | c·l·o·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| costs | c·o·s·t·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
| cross | c·r·o·ss | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| drops | d·r·o·p·s | 1 | Lesson 24 |
| knock | kn·o·ck | 1 | Lesson 98 |
| locks | l·o·ck·s | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| plots | p·l·o·t·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| shops | sh·o·p·s | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| solve | s·o·l·v·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| spots | s·p·o·t·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
Short u (up, us)
| 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 |
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 short vowel words?
Give each vowel a keyword and a mouth position the student can feel. For /ă/ the jaw drops, for /ĭ/ the smile is small, for /ŭ/ the mouth relaxes. Show five vowel cards and have the student point while you say a word. "Bed. Which vowel?" Then flip it: you point, they say a word. Reading comes next, with the vowel boxed so their eyes land there first.
What mistake do students make with short vowel words?
Short e and short i get swapped more than any other pair. Pin and pen, sit and set. Spend two minutes a day on minimal pairs by ear only, no print, until the student names the vowel correctly ten times running. Then go back to reading the same pairs.
Where do short vowel words come in the sequence?
Short vowels are taught first, one at a time, with consonants added between them. A typical order is a, i, o, u, e, then a mixed review before any long vowel pattern. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 41a.
Exceptions worth knowing
Some dialects say dog and long with a vowel closer to /aw/. We still count them as short o because that is how the sequence teaches them. Words like son and love have o saying /ŭ/; those are on their own page.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 41a or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- Is the red hen in the pen?
- The big dog sat on the bed.
- Mom has a hot cup of milk.
Questions people ask
What are 5 short vowel words?
Why are short vowels taught before long vowels?
How do I know a student has mastered short vowels?
When can a student read short vowel 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.