Phonics word list
SPL blend words
In short
Spl is a three-letter blend: s, p and l at the start of a word, all heard, as in split, splash and splint. Our checked list has 25 words that start with the spl blend.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 25
- By syllables
- one syllable: 12 · two syllables: 13 · three or more syllables: 0
- Taught in
- Lesson 35c in the sequence
Spl 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| split | s·p·l·i·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| splits | s·p·l·i·t·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| splat | s·p·l·a·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| splash | s·p·l·a·sh | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| spleen | s·p·l·ee·n | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| splice | s·p·l·i_e·c | 1 | Lesson 60 |
| splint | s·p·l·i·n·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| spliced | s·p·l·i·c·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| splints | s·p·l·i·n·t·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| splurge | s·p·l·ur·g·e | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| splashed | s·p·l·a·sh·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| splurged | s·p·l·ur·g·ed | 1 | Lesson 81 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| splitting | s·p·l·i·tt·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| splendid | s·p·l·e·n·d·i·d | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| splices | s·p·l·i_e·c·s | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| splashes | s·p·l·a·sh·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| splatter | s·p·l·a·tt·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| splicing | s·p·l·i·c·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| splinter | s·p·l·i·n·t·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| splashing | s·p·l·a·sh·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| splatters | s·p·l·a·tt·er·s | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| splinters | s·p·l·i·n·t·er·s | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| splurging | s·p·l·ur·g·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| splattered | s·p·l·a·tt·er·ed | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| splintered | s·p·l·i·n·t·er·ed | 2 | Lesson 80 |
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 26 | 5 |
| Lesson 63 | 2 |
| Lesson 64 | 2 |
| Lesson 67b | 1 |
| Lesson 80 | 6 |
| Lesson 81 | 2 |
| Lesson 107 | 1 |
| Lesson 109 | 2 |
How do you teach spl words?
Spl is the smallest of the three-letter blend groups. Build from pl: lit, plit, split. "Spl says /spl/." Practice split, splat, splint, splash once sh is taught.
What mistake do students make with spl words?
Students drop the p (slit for split) or the l (spit). Both are real words, which hides the error. Ask the student to check the meaning.
Where do spl words come in the sequence?
Spl is taught with the other three-letter blends. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 35c.
Exceptions worth knowing
Splendid and splurge show spl before other vowels. Spl never takes a silent letter.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 35c or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- Split the log.
- The jam went splat on the mat.
- A splint can help a bad leg.
Questions people ask
What are 5 spl words?
What are some spl words?
Why is spl so rare?
When can a student read spl 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.