Searching for a CVCe word list printable to help your child with phonics, reading, and spelling skills? Maybe you’re teaching or homeschooling first graders and are ready to move on to this next phonics skill. Whatever your goal, today we’re going to dive into fun ways to teach CVCe words. Then, grab the CVCe word list printable at the end to help make teaching this spelling pattern as easy as possible.
What is a CVCe Word?
CVCe words are those famous Silent E words you learned about in school. Specifically, a CVCe word is an English word that’s formed in a Consonant-Vowel-Consonant-E pattern.
CVCe words make a long vowel sound when an E is placed at the end of the word. Examples of “Magic e” words (CVCe) include:
- Kite
- Hide
- Make
- Mode
As you can see, each word listed above is spelled in the CVCe spelling pattern and each contains long vowels.
Six Syllable Types in English
Every English word is made up of sounds represented by letters. Each word is made up of at least one syllable and each syllable has a vowel sound.
There are six syllable types in the English language. Additionally, it’s important to know that each syllable has a vowel sound that is either long or short. The CVCe pattern is one syllable type that produces long vowel words.
Let’s take a brief look at these six-syllable types and the vowel sounds associated with each one.
- Open syllables
- Vowels make long vowel sounds and are “open” because there is no consonant following the vowel.
- For example, we, me, a, no, so
- Vowels make long vowel sounds and are “open” because there is no consonant following the vowel.
- Closed syllable
- Contains a vowel that makes a short vowel sound and is “closed” in by a consonant following the vowel (CVC pattern).
- For example, cat, hat, rat, sat
- Contains a vowel that makes a short vowel sound and is “closed” in by a consonant following the vowel (CVC pattern).
- Consonant-le
- Often referred to as the “final stable syllable” and is found at the end of the word.
- Examples, title, cattle, stable
- Often referred to as the “final stable syllable” and is found at the end of the word.
- Vowel Teams
- Vowel teams are 2 or more vowels that when combined, make a single unit of sound. Typically, we hear the first vowel’s sound as a long vowel sound.
- Long Vowel Teams: ea (read, lead), ai (pail, rail), ee (deep, seed)
- Short Vowel Teams: Rarely, vowel teams can make a short vowel sound. For example
- For example, Yesterday, I read the newspaper.
- Vowel teams are 2 or more vowels that when combined, make a single unit of sound. Typically, we hear the first vowel’s sound as a long vowel sound.
- Magic e (or silent e)
- Long vowel sound is produced when words are spelled in a CVCE spelling pattern.
- Examples of CVCE words: Kite, Bike, Snake, Rake
- Long vowel sound is produced when words are spelled in a CVCE spelling pattern.
- Bossy r (R controlled vowels)
- Called a Vowel-R syllable which refers to the unique sound a vowel makes when followed by an R
- Examples include car, far, star, bar, fir, bird, nurse
- Called a Vowel-R syllable which refers to the unique sound a vowel makes when followed by an R
When we teach children to read and spell using phonics, we typically begin by teaching the short vowels within closed-syllable (or CVC) words. Traditionally, in kindergarten, these CVC words are three-letter words with one syllable.
CVC to CVCE Words
Once CVC three-letter words (short vowel sounds) are mastered, we introduce early readers to the CVCe words. Many teachers refer to the Silent E as the Magic E. This is because as a final E is added to a CVC word, it magically transforms into a new word.
More specifically, the Magic E transforms CVC words into CVCe words. Thus, the vowel sound magically turns from a short vowel sound into a long vowel sound as the spelling patterns change. A simple way to look at it is by looking at a couple of examples.
Let’s start with the CVC word “KIT” and transform it into the word “KITE.”
- K (consonant)
- I (vowel)
- T (Consonant)
In the CVC spelling pattern, the word is pronounced “kit” with a short I vowel sound. Compare that with the word KITE, for example. It’s spelled in the Consonant-Vowel-Consonant-Silent E (CVCe) spelling pattern.
- K (consonant)
- I (vowel)
- T (Consonant)
- E (Silent)
The addition of the Magic E at the end of the word makes the I say its long sound.
Word Chains to Practice CVCe Words
A great way to help your students develop a solid grasp of CVCe or (consonant-vowel-consonant-silent e words) is by using word chains.
A word chain is built by starting with one word and then manipulating various parts of the word to create new words. For example:
- hit
- bit
- sit
- kit
- lit
- knit
- wit
There are many ways to use a word chain.
The Flexibility of Word Chains for Phonics
In the previous word chain, I changed only the initial consonant sounds. However, you can change any part of a word to build new words to your word chain. Using the same initial CVC word, let’s build another word chain.
- hit
- him
- hum
- sum
- mum
- mom
- Tom
In this word chain, I went between changing the ending sound at times as well as the middle sound (vowel sound).
Quick Word Chain Tutorial by UFLI
For extra support on how to use Word Chains to help your student or students, this tutorial by UFLI is excellent.
Principles to Keep in Mind
There’s no correct order to use word chains as long as your child is moving forward. Additionally, manipulating letter sounds through word chain activities is a great exercise for struggling readers of any age.
Here are a few word chain activities to add to your phonics lessons. (Be sure to grab the CVCE word list printable free download at the end of this blog post to help.) As with all teaching, it’s always a good idea to connect new learning with what a child already knows.
Specific to teaching long vowel sounds within the CVCE spelling pattern, begin with the previous set of phonics patterns. In this case, start with CVC words that your child is already familiar with. This familiarity will boost confidence and engagement.
Magnetic Letters
Magnetic letters are one of my favorite phonics resources because you can use them in a variety of ways.
- Lay out a set of (color-coded magnetic letters) in front of your student or students
- Start by having your child build CVC words using the letter tiles
- Practice reading the CVC word aloud
- Then have your student add the Magic e to the end of the word to make a CVCe word
- Say the name of the new word aloud to and with your student
*Download my FREE CVC Word Lists as a reference.
Onset and Rime Activity
In the last activity, you use CVC words as the foundation to build CVCe words. However, in this next activity, you’ll focus on CVCe word families.
Word families are groups of words that share a common pattern. Grouping words into families is an effective way to teach a variety of spelling patterns. In phonics, we often use the terms Onset and Rime. For example,
- Onsets refers to the initial sound before the vowel in a syllable.
- Ch, h, th, c, s, b
- Rimes refers to the vowel and any letters that follow
- -at, -it, -ut
Combine an onset and a rime to make:
- Ch-at -> chat
- H-it -> hit
- B-ut -> but
Sometimes, the easiest way for kids to learn Silent E words (spelling pattern of the magic E) is to let them take control of their own learning. (Obviously, follow your child’s lead and offer support until they’re ready to work independently.)
Nonsense Words and CVCe Words
Try this:
- Give your child a set of “rime” cards
- These are available in the CVCe Word List Printable Download.
- Then have them fill in the missing letter space with a first consonant to make a new word
Challenge them to use onsets and rimes to create nonsense words. Nonsense words are made-up words. When children can read a nonsense word using the correct sounds, you know they’re getting it.
CVCE Worksheets
There are a ton of free printables available to support your student’s understanding of the Silent E pattern. In the free CVCe word list printables I’ve created, you’ll find a CVCe worksheet for extra practice.
Brain-Based Teaching Tip
Always remove barriers to learning. If your child struggles with fine motor skills or hates to write, remove the learning barrier. We don’t want to hold a child back in one subject area because of deficits in another.
- Have them use alphabet stamps or stickers to fill in the missing long vowel sounds or
- Scribe for them
Then, work on penmanship later in isolation. Focus on the learning objective, the CVCe spelling pattern.
Play-Based Phonics Tools for CVCe Words
It’s important to make learning as fun as possible. When we increase fun, we increase dopamine, the reward center of the brain. As dopamine increases, engagement, and learning increase.
One easy way to help your child better understand spelling patterns such as CVCe words, is to use Leap Frog videos. Leap Frog videos are visually engaging, and fun, and use music to help kids develop a solid foundation in phonics.
The large selection of phonics videos includes:
- Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
- Letter sound relationship (alphabetic principle)
- CVC words
- CVCE words
- Vowel Teams
Play these videos in the car, load them to their tablet, or download them for educational screen time.
Related:
Recap: CVCE Word List Printable
When working through reading lessons with your student, it’s important to provide explicit phonics and spelling instruction.
Hopefully, the CVCe word list printable and other activities will help you and your child enjoy the process. In the end, you’ll know it’s the right time to introduce CVCE words when your child has a decent grasp of short vowel words.
Whether you’re teaching a class of second-grade students or homeschooling your own child, enjoy the process as much as possible. Below, download the CVCe word list printable and worksheets to help.
So, Friend. Any questions? Comment below. In this together!
CVCe Word List Printable Download
About the Author:
Lindsay is a trauma-informed educator with a Master’s Degree in Teaching. Her mission is to support moms to equip neurodivergent kids (ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, Anxiety) to thrive as exactly who they’ve been created to be. Wait until you hear the story that led to it all…
