Phonics word list
Soft g words
In short
Soft g says /j/ when g comes before e, i or y, as in gem, giant and gym. It is less reliable than soft c, since get and give keep a hard g. Our checked list has 480 words where g says /j/.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 480
- By syllables
- one syllable: 79 · two syllables: 179 · three or more syllables: 222
- Taught in
- Lesson 61 in the sequence
Soft g 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| age | a_e·g | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| huge | h·u_e·g | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| page | p·a_e·g | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| large | l·ar·g·e | 1 | Lesson 77 |
| range | r·a·n·g·e | 1 | Lesson 68 |
| stage | s·t·a_e·g | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| change | ch·a·n·g·e | 1 | Lesson 68 |
| charge | ch·ar·g·e | 1 | Lesson 77 |
| changed | ch·a·n·g·ed | 1 | Lesson 68 |
| charged | ch·ar·g·ed | 1 | Lesson 77 |
| strange | s·t·r·a·n·g·e | 1 | Lesson 68 |
| gin | g·i·n | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| aged | a_e·g·d | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| cage | c·a_e·g | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| gene | g·e_e·n | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| rage | r·a_e·g | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| urge | ur·g·e | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| wage | w·a_e·g | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| genes | g·e_e·n·s | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| merge | m·er·g·e | 1 | Lesson 80 |
| paged | p·a_e·g·d | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| purge | p·ur·g·e | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| urged | ur·g·ed | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| fringe | f·r·i·n·g·e | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| merged | m·er·g·ed | 1 | Lesson 80 |
| ranged | r·a·n·g·ed | 1 | Lesson 68 |
| gee | g·ee | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| gel | g·e·l | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| gem | g·e·m | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| gym | g·y·m | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| gees | g·ee·s | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| gems | g·e·m·s | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| gent | g·e·n·t | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| germ | g·er·m | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| gist | g·i·s·t | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| gyms | g·y·m·s | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| sage | s·a_e·g | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| barge | b·ar·g·e | 1 | Lesson 77 |
| bulge | b·u·l·g·e | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| caged | c·a_e·g·d | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| dirge | d·ir·g·e | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| forge | f·or·g·e | 1 | Lesson 78 |
| gents | g·e·n·t·s | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| germs | g·er·m·s | 1 | Lesson 117 |
| gorge | g·or·g·e | 1 | Lesson 78 |
| gouge | g·ou·g·e | 1 | Lesson 96 |
| hinge | h·i·n·g·e | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| lunge | l·u·n·g·e | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| mange | m·a·n·g·e | 1 | Lesson 68 |
| raged | r·a_e·g·d | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| siege | s·ie·g·e | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| singe | s·i·n·g·e | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| surge | s·ur·g·e | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| tinge | t·i·n·g·e | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| verge | v·er·g·e | 1 | Lesson 80 |
| waged | w·a_e·g·d | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| barged | b·ar·g·ed | 1 | Lesson 77 |
| bulged | b·u·l·g·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| cringe | c·r·i·n·g·e | 1 | Lesson 61 |
| forged | f·or·g·ed | 1 | Lesson 78 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| ages | a_e·g·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| digit | d·i·g·i·t | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| image | i·m·a·g·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| logic | l·o·g·i·c | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| magic | m·a·g·i·c | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| pages | p·a_e·g·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| usage | u·s·a·g·e | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| damage | d·a·m·a·g·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| danger | d·a·n·g·er | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| digits | d·i·g·i·t·s | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| larger | l·ar·g·er | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| manage | m·a·n·a·g·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| stages | s·t·a_e·g·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| arrange | arr·a·n·g·e | 2 | Lesson 111 |
| changes | ch·a·n·g·e·s | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| charges | ch·ar·g·e·s | 2 | Lesson 77 |
| college | c·o·ll·e·g·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| damaged | d·a·m·a·g·ed | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| garbage | g·ar·b·a·g·e | 2 | Lesson 77 |
| largely | l·ar·g·e·l·y | 2 | Lesson 101 |
| largest | l·ar·g·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| managed | m·a·n·a·g·ed | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| message | m·e·ss·a·g·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| package | p·a·ck·a·g·e | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| storage | s·t·or·a·g·e | 2 | Lesson 78 |
| arranged | arr·a·n·g·ed | 2 | Lesson 111 |
| changing | ch·a·n·g·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| charging | ch·ar·g·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| exchange | e·x·ch·a·n·g·e | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| language | l·a·n·g·u·a·g·e | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| shortage | sh·or·t·a·g·e | 2 | Lesson 78 |
| agent | a·g·e·n·t | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| angel | a·n·g·e·l | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| giant | g·i·a·n·t | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| rigid | r·i·g·i·d | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| urges | ur·g·e·s | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| wages | w·a_e·g·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| agents | a·g·e·n·t·s | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| allege | a·ll·e·g·e | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| angels | a·n·g·e·l·s | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| digest | d·i·g·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| emerge | e·m·er·g·e | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| engage | e·n·g·a_e·g | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| engine | e·n·g·i·n·e | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| gender | g·e·n·d·er | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| genius | g·e·n·i·u·s | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| gentle | g·e·n·t·le | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| gently | g·e·n·t·l·y | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| hugely | h·u_e·g·l·y | 2 | Lesson 101 |
| legend | l·e·g·e·n·d | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| margin | m·ar·g·i·n | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| merges | m·er·g·e·s | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| oblige | o·b·l·i_e·g | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| orange | or·a·n·g·e | 2 | Lesson 78 |
| paging | p·a·g·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| ranges | r·a·n·g·e·s | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| tragic | t·r·a·g·i·c | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| urgent | ur·g·e·n·t | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| urging | ur·g·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| alleged | a·ll·e·g·ed | 2 | Lesson 68 |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| agency | a·g·e·n·c·y | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| images | i·m·a·g·e·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| origin | or·i·g·i·n | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| average | a·v·er·a·g·e | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| damages | d·a·m·a·g·e·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| digital | d·i·g·i·t·a·l | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| general | g·e·n·er·a·l | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| imagine | i·m·a·g·i·n·e | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| integer | i·n·t·e·g·er | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| logical | l·o·g·i·c·a·l | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| manager | m·a·n·a·g·er | 3 | Lesson 109 |
| manages | m·a·n·a·g·e·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| arranges | arr·a·n·g·e·s | 3 | Lesson 111 |
| colleges | c·o·ll·e·g·e·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| damaging | d·a·m·a·g·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| engineer | e·n·g·i·n·eer | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| generate | g·e·n·er·a_e·t | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| integers | i·n·t·e·g·er·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| managing | m·a·n·a·g·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 109 |
| messages | m·e·ss·a·g·e·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| packages | p·a·ck·a·g·e·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| register | r·e·g·i·s·t·er | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| strategy | s·t·r·a·t·e·g·y | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| advantage | a·d·v·a·n·t·a·g·e | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| arranging | arr·a·n·g·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 111 |
| dangerous | d·a·n·g·er·ou·s | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| engineers | e·n·g·i·n·eer·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| generates | g·e·n·er·a_e·t·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| languages | l·a·n·g·u·a·g·e·s | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| registers | r·e·g·i·s·t·er·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| registered | r·e·g·i·s·t·er·ed | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| arrangement | arr·a·n·g·e·m·e·n·t | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| arrangements | arr·a·n·g·e·m·e·n·t·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| apology | a·p·o·l·o·g·y | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| biology | b·i·o·l·o·g·y | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| original | or·i·g·i·n·a·l | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| apologies | a·p·o·l·o·g·ie·s | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| generally | g·e·n·er·a·ll·y | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| generated | g·e·n·er·a·t·ed | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| advantages | a·d·v·a·n·t·a·g·e·s | 4 | Lesson 67b |
| generating | g·e·n·er·a·t·i·ng | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| generation | g·e·n·er·a·tion | 4 | Lesson 119 |
| technology | t·e·ch·n·o·l·o·g·y | 4 | Lesson 118 |
| engineering | e·n·g·i·n·eer·i·ng | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| intelligent | i·n·t·e·ll·i·g·e·n·t | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| registering | r·e·g·i·s·t·er·i·ng | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| disadvantage | d·i·s·a·d·v·a·n·t·a·g·e | 4 | Lesson 67b |
| intelligence | i·n·t·e·ll·i·g·e·n·c·e | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| originally | or·i·g·i·n·a·ll·y | 5 | Lesson 117 |
| imagination | i·m·a·g·i·n·a·tion | 5 | Lesson 119 |
| terminology | t·er·m·i·n·o·l·o·g·y | 5 | Lesson 117 |
| agenda | a·g·e·n·d·a | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| energy | e·n·er·g·y | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| oxygen | o·x·y·g·e·n | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| algebra | a·l·g·e·b·r·a | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| alleges | a·ll·e·g·e·s | 3 | Lesson 68 |
| emerges | e·m·er·g·e·s | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| engages | e·n·g·a_e·g·s | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| generic | g·e·n·e·r·i·c | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| genetic | g·e·n·e·t·i·c | 3 | Lesson 117 |
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 61 | 23 |
| Lesson 64 | 13 |
| Lesson 67b | 53 |
| Lesson 68 | 19 |
| Lesson 77 | 15 |
| Lesson 80 | 13 |
| Lesson 109 | 59 |
| Lesson 117 | 185 |
| Not in the sequence | 25 |
How do you teach soft g words?
Teach the same signal letters as soft c, with a warning. "Before e, i or y, g often says /j/, but not always." Read gem, cage, page, huge, giant. Then show the hard g exceptions: get, give, girl, gift. Teach students to try /j/, then /g/.
What mistake do students make with soft g words?
Students read giant as /gīant/. Prompt the flex. In spelling, final /j/ is never j, so they need ge or dge. Have them check: is the vowel short? Then dge (badge). Otherwise ge (cage).
Where do soft g words come in the sequence?
Soft g at the end of a word (cage, page) comes with silent e. Soft g inside a word comes later. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 61.
Exceptions worth knowing
Get, give, girl, gift, tiger and begin keep a hard g before e or i. In words like guess and guitar, u keeps the g hard.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 61 or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- The cage is huge.
- Get the page.
- The stage is wide.
Questions people ask
What are 5 soft g words?
When does g say j?
What are common soft g words?
When can a student read soft g 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.