Word Lists by Syllable Type (Orton-Gillingham)
Drill Bits
Drill Bits Phonics-oriented word lists for teachers
If you’re helping someone learn to read, you’re helping them unlock the connection between the printed word and the words we speak — the “sound/symbol” connection. This book is a compilation of lists of words which follow the predictable associations of letters, syllables and words to the sounds we use in speaking to each other.
This book does not attempt to be a reading program. Recognizing words and patterns in sound/symbol associations is just one part of reading, though a critical one. This book is designed to be used as a reference so that you can:
• Meet individual needs of students from a wide range of ages and backgrounds; VAT and TAX may be more appropriate examples of the short a sound for some students than CAT and FAN, which they may have memorized without learning the sounds associated with the letters.
• Teach students that exceptions are also predictable, and there are usually many examples of each kind of exception. These are called special categories or special patterns.
HOW THE LISTS ARE ORGANIZED
Word lists are presented in the order they are taught in
many structured, multisensory language programs:
Syllable type 1: Closed syllables — short vowel sounds (TIN, EX, SPLAT)
Syllable type 2: Vowelconsonant-e — long vowel sounds (BAKE, DRIVE, SCRAPE)
Syllable Type 3: Open syllables — long vowel sound (GO, TRI, CU
Syllable Type 4: r-controlled syllables (HARD, PORCH, PERT)
Syllable Type 5: consonant-l-e words (CANDLE, TABLE, MUZZLE)
Syllable Type 6: Vowel pairs — unique sounds (OUT, PAW), long vowel sounds
(MAIN, COACH)
Where syllables are broken down into different vowel sounds, easily confused vowels such as e and i are separated, so that the order of presentation is A-I-O-U-E-Y instead of the alphabetical A-E-I-O-U-Y.
For the first syllable types, there are lists which focus on specific problems students may have, such as syllables with blends or without beginning consonants. (Not every student needs the skills broken down into small steps.) As the sound patterns advance, the first lists are still those which do not require the student to have picked up common patterns which have not been taught.
More comprehensive lists follow, which include other syllable patterns and exceptional patterns such as -TION and -TURE. In this way, teachers can choose appropriate words to include in an individual student’s program.
Separate lists address some of the common special categories. Instead of telling students that NATION is one of so many words which are exceptions because the t in NATION does not make the sound it makes in TIN, the student can learn there are thousands of words he or she can master by knowing that -TION often is pronounced SHUN. By learning that TI says SH in many other cases (-TIAL,- TIOUS), even more words can be unlocked.
This section has word lists for closed syllables. It’s an edited, updated version of the PDF I already shared.
“short a” .............................................................................................................................. 3
“short I”................................................................................................................................. 8
“short o”.............................................................................................................................. 10
“short u”.............................................................................................................................. 12
E.......................................................................................................................................... 14
Y.......................................................................................................................................... 16
Syllable type 1: Closed syllables
SHORT A — EASY WORDS Have the student read each word in the word progressions and discover the connection between changing a consonant and changing the sounds in the word.
An important and often overlooked part of this process is having the student figure out and explain in his or her own words what is happening when consonants change. The thought processes that he or she goes through to get beyond intuitively recognizing the effect of the change, to the point of being able to explain it, help lay the foundations for being able to transfer that knowledge successfully.
At first this may be laborious and its worth questionable, especially if the student is accurately reading. And, since at this stage of teaching you’re trying to establish trust and successful habits, use your judgment if the talking-out task is frustrating. However, it’s precisely the connections between action and language that unlock the reading code for many struggling readers. It's especially those bright kids with specific language problems (and especially the impulsively fast responders), who learn isolated skills easily but don’t transfer that skill to reading in context, who most benefit from taking time to think and talk the process through. Use the second and third groups of words for the student to apply this knowledge and explain the changes to you. Encourage discovery and review of patterns (that SH makes one sound with two letters, for example), and discussions of meanings of words. Listen for troublesome consonants. Are blends much harder than single consonants? Are there some consonants — q, x or y especially — which are less securely known? If so, practice them! Never assume that a student is picking up on things — ask. Ask what’s changing from word to word. Asking is better than telling, too — just try to ask the right question so your student tells you the right answer. If you tell the student an answer, be sure to ask that question again. SHORT I INCT is not as hard as it looks; ask the student what INC would sound like (and if there is still hesitation, show INK and then change the k to c), and then add the t at the end. It also rhymes with WINKED. The hard nonsense syllables may be too frustrating to introduce at first. There may be students who need a lot of practice with the two sounds of c and g, so a special list is included. Too often a student has mastered vowel pairs — but still pronounces CENT as KENT.
ABOUT THOSE EXCEPTIONS
· Consider CHR as in CHRIS as a category to be taught as its own mini-lesson and incorporated into drill and review with the other letter/sound associations. CH is /k/ in many words of Greek derivation. The longer and more scientific the word, the more likely CH will represent the /k/ sound. CHR is always pronounced /kr/, as in CHRIS, CHRISTINE, CHRISTMAS, CHRYSANTHEMUM and PULCHRITUDE.
· Especially with younger students, it can help to give letters “personalities.” “Bossy Ls that change the vowels” can be easier to remember than “the consonant which tends to change the vowel sound right before it.”
· SHORT O There are several groups of o syllables that end in consonants, but have a long vowel sound (-OST, -OLD). These would be considered special categories. For the reasons stated above, they shouldn’t be introduced at the same time the student is learning closed syllables with short o sounds. O is also pronounced differently in different areas of the country. Students may confuse COM with CALM. If so, point out that CALM starts with the sounds of the word CALL, then adds an m at the end. Stretch out the l part of CALM (CAL-L-L-L-LM DOWN) and have the student discover the different feeling of the word.
· A similar confusion may occur between COW and CAL, which can be addressed in the same way. If the student is a sports fan, he or she may appreciate that Cal Ripken should not be confused with Cow Ripken. SHORT U The -UL combination is very easily confused with the o sound. The “Bossy L” personification can help here.
·
CALLUS is the word for the things that show up
on your hands from doing hard work;
CALLOUS is the adjective to describe people with “calluses on their heart.”
SHORT E Note that the /j/ sound in -JECT is always spelled with a j, while in
the syllable -GEST it is always spelled with a g (not the word, but again,
don’t teach that simultaneously to avoid confusion.) Y AS A VOWEL Since words
with y as a vowel have the same sound as short i, and are also easily confused
with short e, it’s tempting to give these short shrift. Don’t! You may want to
choose useful words and learn the closed syllables with y in the context of
those words. If your students play hangman, the words where y is a vowel may
prove very popular for the word givers.
Word progressions
at
cat
sat
sad
had
lad
glad
lad
lack
quack
sack
slack
stack
smack
smash
mash
ash
at
at
sat
spat
splat
splash
flash
flask
ask
mask
mast
last
past
pat
at
ax
tax
ash
hash
mash
trash
track
tract
act
fact
fast
fat
flat
that
splat
splash
trash
thrash
Basic short a syllables
Ab
fash
quap
nax
grat
fract
grav
glam
shrap
jab
scrab
val
asm
alt*
mag
gand
ag
prac
wax
atch
ack
lask
flam
quag
plat
yak
Syllables with blends
flam
grat
sprat
scram
thrax
strag
blan
clam
fraz
plast
shrag
splam
drast
bran
swag
graph
cras
smank
prax
wrath
glash
blab
brack
spratch
glant
Without beginning consonant
ag
apt
ank
ash
ap
ant
ac
ad
am
amp
az
al*
ab
asm
af
ax
atch
alt*
aph
act
alp*
· *As in ‘altitude’, not alternative
Especially Challenging Syllables
phland quank thrant shrap slank stratch
pram blap swaft cath whamp stract
clasm rapt
Vocabulary Enrichment
brash rant spasm grasp shank drab
chap sham shag clash bland cram
prank malt clad daft flank graft
chasm thrash slab cran dram asp
hasp yak flax span clan ban
dank swank yak shad
Words with different ‘a’ sound – pay attention to the patterns J
call
stall
squall
fall
mall
stall
small
swall
salt
malt
balt
phalt
twad
halt
thank
flank
stank
swank
crank
thank
rang
sang
sprang
bang
clang
squat
swat
swab
swap
stalk
scald
chalk
walk
bald
quaff
calm
balm
CLOSED SYLLABLES: SHORT I
Short I word progression
it
fit
hit
quit
sit
sip
lip
slip
yip
quip
quiz
quick
quit
risk
frisk
Basic syllables
lix
inct
lib
twis
pict
im
inch
jim
kip
dif
ipt
shrim
ism
chig
quib
vid
gid
yit
gist
zil
tric
splin
sprit
kish
itch
shriv
fric
plish
twid
Syllables with Blends
brit
stim
fris
squin
strict
writ
smin
swiv
lisk
ism
ilt
tinct
ipt
crin
prish
thrill
chrit
blimp
ink
sprin
scrib
ing
rift
slim
dwin
Syllables without a beginning consonant
ism
im
inc
it
ilt
ipt
ink
ing
in
inct
inch
itch
inge
ill
ic
isp
id
ig
ish
idge
ist
ilk
il
ind
Vocabulary Enrichment
sprint
shrill
jig
skill
skimp
shrimp
thrift
grim
strict
kilt
writ
spilt
chrism
flit
script
brink
vim
glitch
strict
nix
glib
shrift
rift
squid
miff
brig
grid
grist
brisk
twinge
shtick
a, i multisyllable nonsense review --Includes special category syllables
salpig
laprag
imcash
rifsam
frintap
blapstag
mistflad
twiljam
danquim
shigman
thrapism
implist
valdip
stanting
biftril
dalnaft
safdis
trimplast
radvil
stalgram
haspic
a, I basic syllables review
chisp
frag
ad
in
ist
strad
sist
inct
hap
link
grat
imp
twim
sprat
chris*
ast
quib
squill
anch
shat
ish
asm
ang
glam
isk
ab
fash
im
dras
ic
gic
cig
mand
brash
rift
squip
rav
glatch
phic
shrap
apt
ipt
amp
ict
act id
ad
ish
Closed Syllables: Short O
Word Progressions
PROGRESSION 1
top
stop
slop
flop
flog
log
lob
slob
slot
lot
pot
plot
plod
prod
pod
rod
cod
shod
shop
shock
stock
sock
mock
mom
mob
PROGRESSION 2
mob
glob
slop
slob
rob
throb
shop
clop
clod
trod
shod
log
bob
blob
cob
fob
gob
hob
job
lob
mob
sob
sock
frock
shock
PROGRESSION 3
shock
smock
stock
lock
flock
flog
dog
frog
bog
botch
notch
scotch
scoff
doff
toff
Basic Syllables – omit “chron” if student hasn’t learned the ‘chr’ special category.
ob
vom
yonk
quon
bol
ston
com
coc
cos
fol
ox
bot
chron*
hom
trop
bod
rost
holl
lob
pont
gond
tox
osk
strom
Vocabulary Enrichment
frond
throb
opt
clot
blot
bloc
blob
clod
grog
prod
doff
fob
bond
Bronx
throng
splotch
cog
posh
romp
lob
chock
broth
smock
phlox
a, I, o basic syllables review
*skip chron and chris if student hasn’t learned the “chr” pattern yet.
clom
writ
snag
oct
om
ism
asm
osm
im
ad
shriv
scot
chris*
chron*
wrath
strad
bom
drif
wint
inc
apt
drom
twip
thrax
sprill
dwin
vom
quip
quon
squin
ash
cim
cint
kom
mast
drab
hom
stinct
Two and three syllable words with a, i, and o
consist
contact
astonish
admonish
district
cosmic
combat
napkin
ostrich
contract
caltrop
transpond
constrict
optic
quondam
oblong
codfish
bombastic
discomfit
tomtom
mascot
tonsil
jonquil
agnostic
contrast
abscond
insist
inflict
instinct
distinct
indistinct
district
kingpin
victim
misprint
pigskin
anthrax
lambast
flatfish
napkin
dishpan
dishrag
zigzag
Finland
candid
kidnap
frantic
tranquil
bandit
transfix
disband
miscast
pilgrim
brandish
windbag
mantis
baptism
drastic
fantastic
plastic
sandwich
mishap
baptist
tinsmith
tactic
impact
intact
aspic
WORDS
WITH
DOUBLE
LETTERS
gossip
shopping
commit
bobbin
soffit
rabbit
tannic
SHORT U
Word Progressions
up
cup
cut
cub
rub
shrub
scrub
stub
stump
slump
clump
rump
trump
truck
trust
rust
rut
hut
hug
rug
shrug
drug
drum
plum
plump
Basic Syllables
mus
tux
tub
rupt
sug
sub
lug
hud
junct
sud
yup
punct
rud
jum
hum
scut
mum
sput
nun
pum
sus
suc
sum
mund
flus
Basic Blends
blust
rupt
trum
clut
frug
guv
struct
fluct
ump
flust
shrug
funct
truc
drun
glud
spud
splud
runk
flut
grub
crump
bund
lunt
stut
scrub
Without Beginning Consonant
un
up
ug
unc
ush
ust
ump
ud
unct
ut
umb
und
us
uck
unk
ux
ub
uct
upt
UL words and syllables
full
dull
mull
cull
gull
bull
cul
cult
dult
sult
hulk
bulk
sulk
mult
bulb
culc
ult
vul
dul
ulk
ul
Multi-syllable words with a, I, o, u
(*pronounce adult as “ad - ult” with short a, not ‘uh-dult’)
fungus
tiptop
disgust
mistrust
construct
instruct
conduct
adjust
disrupt
unzip
adjunct
pundit
uncommon
influx
drumlin
callus
induct
unsnap
obstruct
cuspit
updraft
submit
subsist
mustang
campus
abduct
sunlamp
album
brushland
WITH UL
adult *
Istanbul
culprit
pulpit
fulcrum
insult
consult
sultan
bashful
handful
cupful
wilful
SHORT E
WORD PROGRESSIOSN
ed
red
fred
bred
bed
bet
jet
pet
wet
whet
fret
set
sent
bent
went
west
quest
quench
bench
stench
step
strep
stretch
fetch
fed
Basic Syllables
fess
zed
dren
vex
ject
elt
rel
wren
vent
lect
vest
gest
trem
rel
cred
cem
cess
gel
cept
phren
ex
em
empt
reft
ef
met
esc
Syllables with blends
fret
ench
rept
trem
cred
est
clem
brell
shelt
dren
elk
feld
temp
flex
stress
shred
squelch
plent
splen
tress
fled
gresh
sprent
blen
venge
esh
c/g practice
cent
cest
cem
cell
cept
cess
ence
edge
enge
gest
gent
gel
gen
gem
gex
Syllables without a beginning consonant
ex
eb
ent
et
est
elm
ef
elk
ed
empt
em
esk
en
ect
el
ev
esh
eld
elf
end
Vocabulary enrichment – single syllable
left
press
fleck
mess
squelch
heft
end
flesh
shred
clench
deft
wren
mesh
elk
drench
crest
smelt
quench
cleft
flex
yen
dwell
vet
Multisyllable words
convent
magnet
contest
pummel
descant
selfish
contest
conquest
suggest
ingest
congest
absent
enchantment
dispel
splendid
compel
tendril
suspect
extend
advent
spectrum
subject
inject
falcon
entrap
impel
insect
shrapnel
convex
inspect
impending
contend
consent
connect
comment
happen
Y as a Vowel
Real Words:
Lynn
gym
rhythm
crypt
lymph
gyp
lynx
lynch
hymn
myth
Y following c or g
gypt
cym
cyg
gyn
cyl
cyst
Syllables
sys
cym
cyg
dys
mys
hys
crys
byss
bysm
clysm
tyl
nym
cryl
thyst
lys
lyst
lyt
rysm
syl
lypt
cryph
cyp
glyph
typ
cyl
phyx
phys
sym
sympt
sync
byt
byz
phyll
myst
gypt
chrys
nyx
synth
Multisyllable words with y as closed syllable vowel - includes all syllable types & some categories. It’s a cool list J
synthetic
mystical
cylinder
syncopate
chrysanthemum
lymph
cygnet
physical
gym
analytic
apocalyptic
anonymity
aneurysm
anaphylactic
synthesis
mystery
pygmy
synchronize
crypt
lymphatic
cynic
encyclical
cyclical
gypsum
paralysis
cryptic
acronym
physicist
physics
syllable
rhythm
idyll
crystal
cyst
typical
misogynist
gymnasium
analysis
onyx
catalyst
polygamy
myth
hieroglyphic
syndrome
chlorophyll
acrylic
cystic
dysfunction
dyslexic
gypsy
paralytic
anonymous
amethyst
cynical
Egypt
Phyllis
Yvonne