Phonics word list
Soft c words
In short
Soft c says /s/ when c comes before e, i or y, as in city, face and cycle. Before a, o, u or a consonant, c is hard and says /k/. Our checked list has 865 words where c says /s/.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 865
- By syllables
- one syllable: 107 · two syllables: 281 · three or more syllables: 477
- Taught in
- Lesson 60 in the sequence
Soft c 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ice | i_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| cell | c·e·ll | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| cent | c·e·n·t | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| face | f·a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| nice | n·i_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| once | o·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 39b (heart word) |
| race | r·a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| vice | v·i_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| cease | c·ea·s·e | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| force | f·or·c·e | 1 | Lesson 78 |
| hence | h·e·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| peace | p·ea·c·e | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| piece | p·ie·c·e | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| place | p·l·a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| price | p·r·i_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| since | s·i·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| space | s·p·a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| trace | t·r·a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| twice | t·w·i_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| voice | v·oi·c·e | 1 | Lesson 95 |
| chance | ch·a·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| choice | ch·oi·c·e | 1 | Lesson 95 |
| forced | f·or·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 78 |
| placed | p·l·a·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| source | s·our·c·e | 1 | Lesson 78 |
| ace | a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| cite | c·i_e·t | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| dice | d·i_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| mice | m·i_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| pace | p·a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| rice | r·i_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| cells | c·e·ll·s | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| cites | c·i_e·t·s | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| dance | d·a·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| faced | f·a·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| farce | f·ar·c·e | 1 | Lesson 77 |
| fence | f·e·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| grace | g·r·a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| juice | j·ui·c·e | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| pence | p·e·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| raced | r·a·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| sauce | s·au·c·e | 1 | Lesson 93 |
| slice | s·l·i_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| bounce | b·ou·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 96 |
| ceased | c·ea·s·ed | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| danced | d·a·n·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| glance | g·l·a·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| priced | p·r·i·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| prince | p·r·i·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| scarce | s·c·a·r·c·e | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| sliced | s·l·i·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| spaced | s·p·a·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| stance | s·t·a·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| traced | t·r·a·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| whence | wh·e·n·c·e | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| aced | a·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| cede | c·e_e·d | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| cyst | c·y·s·t | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| iced | i·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| lace | l·a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| city | c·i·t·y | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| cycle | c·y·c·le | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| fancy | f·a·n·c·y | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| nicer | n·i·c·er | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| advice | a·d·v·i_e·c | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| circle | c·ir·c·le | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| cycles | c·y·c·le·s | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| decent | d·e·c·e·n·t | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| decide | d·e·c·i_e·d | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| deduce | d·e·d·u_e·c | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| device | d·e·v·i_e·c | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| forces | f·or·c·e·s | 2 | Lesson 78 |
| nicest | n·i·c·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| notice | n·o·t·i·c·e | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| office | o·ff·i·c·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| pieces | p·ie·c·e·s | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| places | p·l·a_e·c·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| police | p·o·l·i·c·e | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| prices | p·r·i_e·c·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| recent | r·e·c·e·n·t | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| reduce | r·e·d·u_e·c | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| spaces | s·p·a_e·c·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| absence | a·b·s·e·n·c·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| advance | a·d·v·a·n·c·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| balance | b·a·l·a·n·c·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| central | c·e·n·t·r·a·l | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| chances | ch·a·n·c·e·s | 2 | Lesson 60 |
| concept | c·o·n·c·e·p·t | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| concern | c·o·n·c·er·n | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| council | c·ou·n·c·i·l | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| decides | d·e·c·i_e·d·s | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| forcing | f·or·c·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| placing | p·l·a·c·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| precise | p·r·e·c·i_e·s | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| process | p·r·o·c·e·ss | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| produce | p·r·o·d·u_e·c | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| receive | r·e·c·ei·v·e | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| reduced | r·e·d·u·c·ed | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| replace | r·e·p·l·a_e·c | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| science | sc·i·e·n·c·e | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| service | s·er·v·i·c·e | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| sources | s·our·c·e·s | 2 | Lesson 78 |
| suffice | s·u·ff·i_e·c | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| surface | s·ur·f·a·c·e | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| advanced | a·d·v·a·n·c·ed | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| announce | a·nn·ou·n·c·e | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| concerns | c·o·n·c·er·n·s | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| convince | c·o·n·v·i·n·c·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| distance | d·i·s·t·a·n·c·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| entrance | e·n·t·r·a·n·c·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| instance | i·n·s·t·a·n·c·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| practice | p·r·a·c·t·i·c·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| presence | p·r·e·s·e·n·c·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| produced | p·r·o·d·u·c·ed | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| received | r·e·c·ei·v·ed | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| receives | r·e·c·ei·v·e·s | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| replaced | r·e·p·l·a·c·ed | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| resource | r·e·s·our·c·e | 2 | Lesson 78 |
| sentence | s·e·n·t·e·n·c·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| sequence | s·e·qu·e·n·c·e | 2 | Lesson 68 |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| agency | a·g·e·n·c·y | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| policy | p·o·l·i·c·y | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| century | c·e·n·t·ur·y | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| citizen | c·i·t·i·z·e·n | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| decided | d·e·c·i·d·ed | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| devices | d·e·v·i_e·c·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| notices | n·o·t·i·c·e·s | 3 | Lesson 68 |
| officer | o·ff·i·c·er | 3 | Lesson 109 |
| offices | o·ff·i·c·e·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| reduces | r·e·d·u_e·c·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| specify | s·p·e·c·i·f·y | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| advances | a·d·v·a·n·c·e·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| anyplace | a·n·y·p·l·a_e·c | 3 | Lesson 67a |
| audience | au·d·i·e·n·c·e | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| deciding | d·e·c·i·d·i·ng | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| decision | d·e·c·i·sion | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| evidence | e·v·i·d·e·n·c·e | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| exercise | e·x·er·c·i_e·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| explicit | e·x·p·l·i·c·i·t | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| incident | i·n·c·i·d·e·n·t | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| innocent | i·nn·o·c·e·n·t | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| noticing | n·o·t·i·c·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 109 |
| policies | p·o·l·i·c·ie·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| produces | p·r·o·d·u_e·c·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| recently | r·e·c·e·n·t·l·y | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| reducing | r·e·d·u·c·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 109 |
| replaces | r·e·p·l·a·c·e·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| sciences | sc·i·e·n·c·e·s | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| services | s·er·v·i·c·e·s | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| specific | s·p·e·c·i·f·i·c | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| tendency | t·e·n·d·e·n·c·y | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| advancing | a·d·v·a·n·c·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 109 |
| convinces | c·o·n·v·i·n·c·e·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| decisions | d·e·c·i·sion·s | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| existence | e·x·i·s·t·e·n·c·e | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| influence | i·n·f·l·u·e·n·c·e | 3 | Lesson 68 |
| insurance | i·n·s·u·r·a·n·c·e | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| interface | i·n·t·er·f·a_e·c | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| introduce | i·n·t·r·o·d·u_e·c | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| precisely | p·r·e·c·i_e·s·l·y | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| principle | p·r·i·n·c·i·p·le | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| processes | p·r·o·c·e·ss·es | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| processor | p·r·o·c·e·ss·or | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| producing | p·r·o·d·u·c·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 109 |
| receiving | r·e·c·ei·v·i·ng | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| reception | r·e·c·e·p·tion | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| reference | r·e·f·er·e·n·c·e | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| relevance | r·e·l·e·v·a·n·c·e | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| replacing | r·e·p·l·a·c·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| reproduce | r·e·p·r·o·d·u_e·c | 3 | Lesson 68 |
| resources | r·e·s·our·c·e·s | 3 | Lesson 78 |
| sentences | s·e·n·t·e·n·c·e·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| sequences | s·e·qu·e·n·c·e·s | 3 | Lesson 68 |
| sincerely | s·i·n·c·e·r·e·l·y | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| specified | s·p·e·c·i·f·i·ed | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| specifies | s·p·e·c·i·f·ie·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| appearance | a·pp·ear·a·n·c·e | 3 | Lesson 113 |
| concerning | c·o·n·c·er·n·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| conference | c·o·n·f·er·e·n·c·e | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| convincing | c·o·n·v·i·n·c·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 109 |
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 60 | 51 |
| Lesson 64 | 24 |
| Lesson 67b | 104 |
| Lesson 68 | 24 |
| Lesson 80 | 24 |
| Lesson 109 | 80 |
| Lesson 117 | 309 |
| Lesson 119 | 29 |
| Not in the sequence | 109 |
How do you teach soft c words?
Teach the signal letters. "When c sees e, i or y, it says /s/." Read cent, city, cycle, then face, rice, ice. Sort words into hard and soft by looking at the letter after c. The rule holds in nearly all common words.
What mistake do students make with soft c words?
Students read city as /kĭty/. Point to the i: "What letter is after c? Then c says /s/." In spelling, students write s for soft c (sity). That is fair; build families (city, cities, citizen).
Where do soft c words come in the sequence?
Soft c at the end of a word (face, ice) comes with silent e. Soft c inside a word (city, pencil) comes later. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 60.
Exceptions worth knowing
Soccer and celtic are rare exceptions. In words like ocean and special, c says /sh/. Cc in accept says /ks/.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 60 or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- The mice ate rice.
- I have a nice face.
- Race to the fence.
Questions people ask
What are 5 soft c words?
When does c say s?
What are common soft c words?
When can a student read soft c 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.