These VCC phonics worksheets are NO PREP and FREE!
Find more of our free phonics printables HERE.
*The free printable can be downloaded by clicking on the teal download button towards the END of this post.
The VCC Pattern
Just to be clear, VCC stands for vowel – consonant – consonant as in the pattern ost or ild.
Typically VCC patterns are closed syllables because the consonants “close in” the vowel. In turn, the vowel typically makes it short sound. Just think about the vowel sound in these words: sick, fist, rock, and lost. The i‘s and the o‘s in these words are all closed in by two consonants and the vowels make their short sound.
Well, there are some exceptions to this closed syllable rule and these VCC words with i and o are one of the exceptions. Just look at the list in the image below.
Often times, when i is followed by ld, mb, or nd, it makes the long i sound instead of the short i sound. And when o is followed by ld, lt, st, or ll, it makes the long o sound instead of its short o sound.
If you are struggling with this concept or have learners that are, read the words out loud so you can better hear the sound of the vowel in each word. All of the words in the list above have long i and long o.
When should you teach this pattern?
You’ll want to make sure your learners know how to read closed syllable words with short vowels first. Once they have a firm grasp, introduce this concept to them.
Of course, they’ll come across these words in common sight/high frequency word lists and may learn them as rule breakers initially. Words like find, kind, both, cold, and most are very common in these lists.
VCC Phonics Worksheets
To help learners with reading and spelling words with the VCC pattern, I’m sharing a free pack with six NO PREP pages.
What’s Included?
- 2 Read It! Write It! Pages – Learners read the words in the bank, find the pictures that match, and write the words under each picture. Note: Three extra words will be left over.
- 2 Read It! Sort It! Pages – Learners read the words in the word bank and decide if the word has a short vowel or a long vowel. Once they know, they sort it by writing it under the correct column. {I purposely put some tricky ones on these pages!}
- 2 Read It! Draw It! Pages – Learners read the phrases containing words with VCC patterns and draw a picture to match the phrase.
Enjoy teaching!
~Becky
More NO PREP Learning Activities? Yes, please!
Thank you for the VCC Phonics Worksheets, Reading Mama!
You are welcome!
Thank you very much. I appreciate the work you did. Wish you the best dear.
Thank you! Same
When my kids used Saxon Phonics (quite a number of years ago) they called the VCC pattern Wild Colt words. I always thought that was a good way to remember that pattern.
Yes, we did Saxon phonics for part of a year, and I remember that now! All About Learning calls them “Find Gold” words. 🙂
O sometimes makes a short sound before st. Lost, cost.