Phonics word list
SP blend words
In short
Sp is an s blend: s and p together at the start or end of a word, both heard, as in spot, spin, and wasp. Our checked list has 274 words that start with the sp blend.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 274
- By syllables
- one syllable: 134 · two syllables: 110 · three or more syllables: 30
- Taught in
- Lesson 35c in the sequence
Sp 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| spot | s·p·o·t | 1 | Lesson 12 |
| space | s·p·a_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| spare | s·p·are | 1 | Lesson 112 |
| speak | s·p·ea·k | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| speed | s·p·ee·d | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| spell | s·p·e·ll | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| spend | s·p·e·n·d | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| spent | s·p·e·n·t | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| spite | s·p·i_e·t | 1 | Lesson 55 |
| split | s·p·l·i·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| spoke | s·p·o_e·k | 1 | Lesson 56 |
| spots | s·p·o·t·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
| speaks | s·p·ea·k·s | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| speech | s·p·ee·ch | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| spells | s·p·e·ll·s | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| spends | s·p·e·n·d·s | 1 | Lesson 21 |
| splits | s·p·l·i·t·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| spread | s·p·r·ea·d | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| spring | s·p·r·i·ng | 1 | Lesson 51 |
| spreads | s·p·r·ea·d·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| spy | s·p·y | 1 | Lesson 73 |
| span | s·p·a·n | 1 | Lesson 9 |
| sped | s·p·e·d | 1 | Lesson 18 |
| spin | s·p·i·n | 1 | Lesson 9 |
| spit | s·p·i·t | 1 | Lesson 8 |
| spur | s·p·ur | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| spies | s·p·ie·s | 1 | Lesson 110 |
| spike | s·p·i_e·k | 1 | Lesson 55 |
| spill | s·p·i·ll | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| spits | s·p·i·t·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
| spoil | s·p·oi·l | 1 | Lesson 95 |
| spoof | s·p·oo·f | 1 | Lesson 90 |
| spool | s·p·oo·l | 1 | Lesson 90 |
| sport | s·p·or·t | 1 | Lesson 78 |
| spout | s·p·ou·t | 1 | Lesson 96 |
| spray | s·p·r·ay | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| spaced | s·p·a·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| spares | s·p·are·s | 1 | Lesson 112 |
| speeds | s·p·ee·d·s | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| spoils | s·p·oi·l·s | 1 | Lesson 95 |
| sports | s·p·or·t·s | 1 | Lesson 78 |
| sprang | s·p·r·a·ng | 1 | Lesson 51 |
| sprung | s·p·r·u·ng | 1 | Lesson 51 |
| springs | s·p·r·i·ng·s | 1 | Lesson 51 |
| spa | s·p·a | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| spar | s·p·ar | 1 | Lesson 77 |
| spas | s·p·a·s | 1 | Lesson 94 |
| spat | s·p·a·t | 1 | Lesson 6 |
| spay | s·p·ay | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| spew | s·p·ew | 1 | Lesson 115 |
| spry | s·p·r·y | 1 | Lesson 73 |
| spud | s·p·u·d | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| spun | s·p·u·n | 1 | Lesson 15 |
| spade | s·p·a_e·d | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| spans | s·p·a·n·s | 1 | Lesson 21 |
| spark | s·p·ar·k | 1 | Lesson 77 |
| spate | s·p·a_e·t | 1 | Lesson 54 |
| spats | s·p·a·t·s | 1 | Lesson 20 |
| spawn | s·p·aw·n | 1 | Lesson 93 |
| spear | s·p·ear | 1 | Lesson 113 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| spaces | s·p·a_e·c·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| spirit | s·p·i·r·i·t | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| spoken | s·p·o·k·e·n | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| speaker | s·p·ea·k·er | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| special | s·p·e·ci·a·l | 2 | Lesson 119 |
| spotted | s·p·o·tt·ed | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| speakers | s·p·ea·k·er·s | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| speaking | s·p·ea·k·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| spelling | s·p·e·ll·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| spending | s·p·e·n·d·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| spotting | s·p·o·tt·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| splitting | s·p·l·i·tt·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| spreading | s·p·r·ea·d·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| spigot | s·p·i·g·o·t | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| spiral | s·p·i·r·a·l | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| spacing | s·p·a·c·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| spatial | s·p·a·ti·a·l | 2 | Lesson 119 |
| species | s·p·e·ci·e·s | 2 | Lesson 119 |
| spirits | s·p·i·r·i·t·s | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| sponsor | s·p·o·n·s·or | 2 | Lesson 111 |
| spectrum | s·p·e·c·t·r·u·m | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| speeches | s·p·ee·ch·es | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| speeding | s·p·ee·d·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| spitting | s·p·i·tt·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| splendid | s·p·l·e·n·d·i·d | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| spoiling | s·p·oi·l·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 95 |
| sponsors | s·p·o·n·s·or·s | 2 | Lesson 111 |
| spellings | s·p·e·ll·i·ng·s | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| spokesman | s·p·o_e·k·s·m·a·n | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| sponsored | s·p·o·n·s·or·ed | 2 | Lesson 111 |
| springing | s·p·r·i·ng·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| spicy | s·p·i·c·y | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| speedy | s·p·ee·d·y | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| spices | s·p·i_e·c·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| spongy | s·p·o·n·g·y | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| spooky | s·p·oo·k·y | 2 | Lesson 90 |
| spotty | s·p·o·tt·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| spying | s·p·y·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 73 |
| spanner | s·p·a·nn·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| sparing | s·p·a·r·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 112 |
| spatter | s·p·a·tt·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| speller | s·p·e·ll·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| spewing | s·p·ew·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 115 |
| spicing | s·p·i·c·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| spigots | s·p·i·g·o·t·s | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| spiking | s·p·i·k·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| spirals | s·p·i·r·a·l·s | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| splices | s·p·l·i_e·c·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| sponges | s·p·o·n·g·e·s | 2 | Lesson 62 |
| sported | s·p·or·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 78 |
| spouses | s·p·ou·s·e·s | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| spouted | s·p·ou·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| spurted | s·p·ur·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| spanning | s·p·a·nn·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| sparking | s·p·ar·k·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 77 |
| sparring | s·p·a·rr·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| sparsely | s·p·ar·s·e·l·y | 2 | Lesson 77 |
| spatters | s·p·a·tt·er·s | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| spawning | s·p·aw·n·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 93 |
| spearing | s·p·ear·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 113 |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| specify | s·p·e·c·i·f·y | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| specific | s·p·e·c·i·f·i·c | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| specially | s·p·e·ci·a·ll·y | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| specified | s·p·e·c·i·f·i·ed | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| specifies | s·p·e·c·i·f·ie·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| specifying | s·p·e·c·i·f·y·i·ng | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| specimen | s·p·e·c·i·m·e·n | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| spurious | s·p·ur·i·ou·s | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| speculate | s·p·e·c·u·l·a_e·t | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| specialist | s·p·e·ci·a·l·i·s·t | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| sponsoring | s·p·o·n·s·or·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 111 |
| spiritual | s·p·i·r·i·t·u·a·l | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| spectacular | s·p·e·c·t·a·c·u·l·ar | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| speculation | s·p·e·c·u·l·a·tion | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| spontaneous | s·p·o·n·t·a·n·e·ou·s | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| specification | s·p·e·c·i·f·i·c·a·tion | 5 | Lesson 119 |
| spontaneously | s·p·o·n·t·a·n·e·ou·s·l·y | 5 | Not in the sequence |
| specifications | s·p·e·c·i·f·i·c·a·tion·s | 5 | Lesson 119 |
| speedier | s·p·ee·d·i·er | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| spirited | s·p·i·r·i·t·ed | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| specimens | s·p·e·c·i·m·e·n·s | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| speculates | s·p·e·c·u·l·a_e·t·s | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| specialists | s·p·e·ci·a·l·i·s·t·s | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| speculated | s·p·e·c·u·l·a·t·ed | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| speculator | s·p·e·c·u·l·a·t·or | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| spirituals | s·p·i·r·i·t·u·a·l·s | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| speculating | s·p·e·c·u·l·a·t·i·ng | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| speculators | s·p·e·c·u·l·a·t·or·s | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| speculations | s·p·e·c·u·l·a·tion·s | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| spectacularly | s·p·e·c·t·a·c·u·l·ar·l·y | 5 | Not in the sequence |
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 67b | 11 |
| Lesson 80 | 13 |
| Lesson 81 | 12 |
| Lesson 84 | 10 |
| Lesson 85 | 15 |
| Lesson 90 | 13 |
| Lesson 96 | 11 |
| Lesson 107 | 11 |
| Not in the sequence | 15 |
How do you teach sp words?
Hold the /s/ and pop the /p/. "Ssspot." Build pin to spin, pot to spot, pit to spit. In fast speech the p after s loses its puff and can sound like /b/; that is normal.
What mistake do students make with sp words?
Students spell spot as sbot because the p sounds soft. Hold a tissue in front of the mouth: say pot (the tissue moves), then spot (it barely moves). It is still a p.
Where do sp words come in the sequence?
Sp is taught with the other s blends after short vowels. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 35c.
Exceptions worth knowing
Spr and spl are three-letter blends starting with sp. At the end of words (wasp, crisp, clasp), sp appears on the ending blends page too.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 35c or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- Spin the top on the mat.
- A spot of mud is on the rug.
- Spit the pit in the cup.
Questions people ask
What are 5 sp words?
Why does p sound like b in spot?
What are some sp words?
When can a student read sp 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.