A List of Words that Start With Their Letter Sounds

Here is a list of words to help with learning initial letter sounds.

• A a

• Just starting: across, and, ant, attic,
• Gaining confidence: actor, adult, afraid, agree, alarm, alpaca, amazon, animal, apple, asleep, axe
• More difficult: alley, almond (USA), america, angry, ankle, annoy, answer, arrow, artist, awake
• Tricky: alligator, ambulance, anchor, antelope, alphabet, astronaut



• B b

• Just starting: back, bag, ball, bat, bed, bell, belt, big, bill, bin, black, body, brick, bug, bulb, bull, bump, bus
• Gaining confidence: balloon, bang, bar, bark, barn, bath, bee, belly, bench, blood, book, boot, bow, box, boy, brain, bring, broom, brush, buggy, bunny, burp, busy, buzz, bush
• More difficult: baby, bacon, bagel, baker, basin, beach, bead, beak, beaker, bean, bear, beard, bible, bike, bird, bite, blow, blue, boat, bogey, bone, bowl, brave, bread, break, buffalo bugle, banjo, bye
• Tricky: badge, badger, bicycle, binoculars, biscuit, bridge, build,



• C c

• Just starting: cab, cap, car, cat, cop, cot, cow, cub, cup, cut
• Gaining confidence: cage, cake, camp, candy, cape, card, carrot, cart, case, carpet, cave, clam, clap, claw, clay, clip, closet, coat, coin, cold, color, cone, cook, cool, copy, cork, corn, corner, crab, creek, crib, cross, crow, curb, curl
• More difficult: cabin, cafe, calf, camel, camera, candle, cannon, canoe, castle, clean, click, climb, cloak, clock, cloud, clown, cobra, comb, comet, comic, cookie, cough, count, crack, crash, crawl, cream, cricket, crowd, crown, crumb, cry, cube, cucumber, curly
• Tricky: cabbage, canary, captain, cartoon, clothes, coffee, computer, colour, cousin, cowboy, cracker, crane, crater, crocodile, cuckoo, cuddle, curtain



• D d

• Just starting: dab, dad, daddy, day, deer, den, dig, dip, dog, doll, door, dot
• Gaining confidence: dark, desk, dice, dime, dirt, dish, draw, dress, drip, drop, drum
• More difficult: daisy, doctor, donut, dragon, dream, dollar, drink, drive, dry, duck, duke
• Tricky: dance, danger, desert, dessert, dinner, domino, donkey, doodle, dotted, dragonfly



• E e

• Just starting: egg, elf, elk, elm, end,
• Gaining confidence: elbow, enter, exam, exit, extra
• More difficult: echo, edges, elder, empty, enemy, energy, enjoy, every
• Tricky: effort, electric, elephant, empire, engine, episode, escape, example, excited, expert



• F f

• Just starting: fan, feet, fig, food, foot, fox
• Gaining confidence: face, farm, fire, fist, five, fizz, flag, floor, flower, frog fork
• More difficult: fairy, family, father, fence, finger, flame, fleas, flute, fly, four, fries, frost
• Tricky: falcon, faucet, feather, fossil, friend, frozen, fruit, funnel



• G g

• Just starting: gas, go, god, gun
• Gaining confidence: gale, game, gang, garden, gate, gift, girl, glad, glass, gloop, glow, glue, glug, glum, goal, goat, goblin, gold, golf, gone, gong, good, goop, grab, granny, grape, grass, gray, green, grid, grill, grin, grip, grit, gross, grow, gull, gums, gunk, guts
• More difficult: gator, geese, giddy, giggle, give, glare, glitter, globe, glove, gobble, goofy, goose, gown, grand, grandad, grandma, grave, graze, greedy, groovy, gruff, grumpy, gurgle
• Tricky: gadget, galaxy, gallon, gallop, garage, garlic, gecko, geyser, ghost, going, google, gospel, grades, grease, great, guard, guess, guest, guitar




• H h

• Just starting: had, ham, has, hat, hay, he, hen, her, hey, hi, hid, him, hit, hog, hop, hot, how, hub, hug, hum, hut
• Gaining confidence: hall, hand, happy, harp, hate, have, hawk, haze, head, heal, heap, hear, heat, heel, hello, help, here, hero, hide, hill, hippo, hips, hiss, hold, hole, home, honk, hook, hoop, hoot, hope, horse, hose, hotdog, hump, hunk, hurt
• More difficult: hair, half, hammer, handle, hatch, hedge, helmet, heron, high, hobby, hollow, holly, holy, honey, hotel, house, hover, howl, huff, huge, hula, human, hungry,
• Tricky: hashtag, heading, healing, healthy, heart, heaven, heavy, heights, horizon, hound, hymns



• I i

• Just starting: ill, imp, in, ink, inn, is, it
• Gaining confidence: igloo, impala, inca, indigo, info, into
• More difficult: idiot, ignore, improve, inbox, indoors, infant, ingot, injury, insect, inside, intern, invite, itself
• Tricky: iguana, imagine, important, impossible, inch, ingredients, instructions, interesting, itchy



• J j

• Just starting: jab, jam, jar, jaw, jet, job, jog, joy, jug
• Gaining confidence: jeep, jello, jelly, jerk, jump, junk, just
• More difficult: jail, jangle, janitor, jeans, jersey, jewel, jingle, join, joke, judge, juice, jungle, junior,
• Tricky: jack, jacket, jackfruit, jackpot, jealous, jellyfish, journey



• K k

• Just starting: keep, kerb, key, kid, king, kiss, kit, kitty
• Gaining confidence: kangaroo, kebab, keeper, kick, kilo, kind, kingdom, kite, kooky
• More difficult: kayak, kerbside, kernel, kestrel, kickball, kidding, kidney, killed, kilogram, kindness, kingfisher
• Tricky: kaleidoscope, karate, keepsake, ketchup, keyboard, kickboxing, kilobyte, kilometer, kindergarten, kindle, kiosk, kitchen, kryptonite



• L l

• Just starting: lad, lap, law, lay, leek, leg, less, let, lid, lie, lip, list, lit, live, load, loft, log, loo, look, loop, lot, low
• Gaining confidence: lace, lady, lake, lamb, lamp, land, lane, lark, lasso, last, late, lava, lawn, lazy, lead, leaf, leak, leap, left, lend, lesson, letter, lice, lies, life, lift, like, lime, line, link, lion, litter, little, liver, living, lobby, lock, long, longer, looked, lord, lose, lost, love, luck, lump, lung
• More difficult: label, labor, ladder, landing, laptop, large, laser, latest, laugh, launch, layer, leader, leapfrog, learn, least, leave, legal, length, level, lick, light, linen, listen, local, lodge, loud, lower, lowest, lunar, lunch
• Tricky: laboratory, labrador, labyrinth, lacrosse, ladybug, lamppost, landmark, language, lasted, laughter, laundry, leather, leftovers, legend, liberty, library, liquid, location, lounge



• M m

• Just starting: mad, mall, mama, man, map, mat, mess, miss, mix, mom, moon, mop, mug, mum, my
• Gaining confidence: make, mango, many, mark, marrow, mart, mash, mask, match, maybe, mayfly, meal, mean, meat, melon, melt, mend, metal, mice, milk, mind, mine, mint, mirror, missed, mist, mister, mitten, mole, money, monkey, monster, more, morning, most, moth, move
• More difficult: magic, magnets, magpie, maid, mail, mallow, malted, mammal, mammoth, manatee, manger, maple, marble, market, marlin, maroon, marvel, mascot, mashed, mattress, meadow, meatball, medal, meerkat, melody, memory, meow, mermaid, message, meteor, mickey, middle, midtown, mighty, millipede, miming, minute, mistake, mobile, model, month, moonbeam, mother, motor, motorway, mouldy, mouse, mouth, movie, moving, mucky, muscle, mushroom, music, myself
• Tricky: macaroni, machine, magazine, magician, manhole, maracas, matching, mathematics, meatloaf, mechanic, medicine, microwave, midnight, millions, minigolf, mischief, mixture, moment, mountain, museum, mystery



• N n

• Just starting: nan, nap, need, net, new, nip, no, noon, not, now, nun, nut
• Gaining confidence: nail, nappy, narrow, nest, never, next, nice, nine, nobody, none, normal, nose, note, nugget, number
• More difficult: name, nametag, napkin, nation, native, nature, navy, near, nearby, nearly, neat, neck, necklace, needed, needle, nephew, nerve, netball, network, newbie, newborn, newspaper, nickel, night, nimble, ninety, ninja, ninth, noise, nonstop, noodle, nope, north, notice, nozzle, nurse, nutmeg
• Tricky: nachos, narrator, narwhal, national, nativity, nought, naughty, nearest, negative, neglect, neighbor, neighborhood, neighbour (GB), neighbourhood (GB), nervous, nibbles, nickname, nineteen, nitpick, nonsense, notebook, nothing, notification, novelty, nowhere, numeracy, numerals,



• O o

• Just starting: odd, of, off, on, or, ox
• More difficult: oblong, often, onto, otter, oxen
• Gaining confidence: octagon, octopus, origami
• Tricky: object, octave, offence (GB), offense, office, olives, operation, optician, option, orange, oregano, ostrich, oxygen



• P p

• Just starting: pad, pan, papa, pass, pee, peg, pen, pet, pig, pin, poo, pop, pot, pug, pull, pup, put
• Gaining confidence: page, pale, palm, pamper, panda, panto, pants, paper, pardon, park, parrot, part, party, path, peas, pedal, peek, peel, peep, penny, peppy, perky, permit, person, pesky, pesto, petal, pie, pink, pipe, pitta, place, plan, plane, plank, plant, plate, play, playbook, player, playpen, plenty, plot, plug, plum, pole, poor, pork, post, potty, potty, power, pram, prank, pray, press, proof, puck, pump, punk, puppet, puppy, purr, push
• More difficult: paid, pail, pain, paint, pair, pairs, pancake, pansy, passport, pasta, paste, pastor, patch, pattern, patrol, pause, peace, peach, peacock, peanut, pear, pencil, pests, petting, piano, pick, picnic, pigtail, pillow, pilot, pirate, pistol, pitch, pixie, pizza, places, plastic, please, plushie, poem, poke, popcorn, postbox, postman, potato, pour, powder, prawn, pretty, price, print, printer, prize, problem, proper, proud, prune, puffin, puke, pullover, punch, pupil
• Tricky: pacific, pacifier, packet, paddle, padlock, paella, palace, pansies, panther, pantry, paperboy, papoose, paprika, parade, paradise, parallelogram, parcel, parent, parish, particular, pastrami, pastry, patient, patriot, pearls, pebble, penalty, penguin, people, perfect, perform, perhaps, period, piccolo, picked, pickle, picture, pieces, pigeon, pilgrim, pimple, pinata, pinkie, pioneer, piranha, pitcher, pixel, platform, pleasant, plumber, pocket, point, poison, police, polite, polluted, poodle, popular, porpoise, positive, postcode, posture, poured, poverty, powerful, practice, prayers, predator, pregnant, premium, prepare, present, president, pretend, preview, previous, prickle, priest, primary, primate, prince, principle, prison, private, probably, produce, product, profile, program, project, promise, property, protect, publish, pumpkin, punctual, purple, pyramid, python



• Qu qu

• Just starting: quad, queen
• Gaining confidence: quack, quake, query, quest, quick, quiet, quilt, quite, quote
• More difficult: quarrel, quarry, quarter, quicksand, quickstep
• Tricky: quadrilaterals, quadruple, qualification, qualifier, quality, quantity, quarterback, quarterly, quartz, quaver, quench, question, queues



• R r

• Just starting: ram, rap, rat, raw, ray, red, rib, rid, rim, rip, roll, roof, room, root, rot, row, rub, rug, run
• Gaining confidence: rabbit, race, rack, raft, rage, rail, rain, rainbow, ramp, ranch, rash, read, regret, relax, rest, return, rice, rich, ride, ring, river, road, robin, robot, rock, rocket, rope, rose, royal, ruby, rugby, rust, rye
• More difficult: raccoon, radio, railway, random, raptor, raven, reach, really, reboot,, record, regular, remind, remote, remove, rental, rented, repair, repeat, reply, report, rhyme, ribbon, riddle, riding, ringer, ripple, roar, robbery, rodent, rookie, rooster, round, rubber, rubbish, runway
• Tricky: rascal, raspberry, rather, ravine, realise (GB), realize, rebuild, receipt, receive, recess, recipe, reckon, recognise (GB), recognize, recovery, recreation, recycle, reduce, referee, reflection, refugee, refund, refuse, region, register, reject, related, relics, religion, remain, remarkable, remedy, rescue, resort, respond, responsible, restaurant, result, reveal, revenge, reverse, review, reward, rhino, rhombus, rhythm, ridiculous, romance, router



• S s

• Just starting: say, sea, sip, sir, sis, sit, six, so, sum, sun
• Gaining confidence: sack, salt, same, sand, sank, scar, scarf, school, scoop, score, scout, scrap, screen, screw, script, seat, second, secret, seed, seek, seen, sell, send, sick, side, sign, silly, sing, sink, sister, skill, skin, skip, skirt, skunk, sky, slam, slap, sled, sleep, slide, slip, slope, slow, slug, small, smart, smell, smile, smog, smooth, smug, snake, snap, sniff, snip, snot, snow, snowman, soap, sock, soda, soft, soil, song, soon, sort, soup, soya, space, spade, spam, spank, spare, speak, speed, spell, spend, spider, spill, spin, spit, splat, split, spoon, sport, spot, spray, spud, spy, stag, stamp, stand, star, start, state, stay, steal, steam, steep, stem, step, stew, stick, sting, stink, stir, stool, stop, store, stork, story, straw, stray, string, strong, stuff, stump, suck, swam, swan, swap, sway, sweep, sweet, swell, swim, swing
• More difficult: said, salad, salon, sandal, sandpit, satsuma, sausage, scale, scalp, scare, scare, scrape, scratch, scroll, seafood, seagull, search, season, secure, select, senior, seven, signal, signal, silver, silver, simple, single, slowly, slushy, snack, snappy, sneak, sneeze, soccer, solar, solid, sorrow, sound, sparrow, spider, spiral, spirit, splash, spooky, spring, sprint, sprout, spurs, squad, stable, stable, stack, stairs, stamp, staple, steak, stepdad, stoat, stomp, stream, street, stress, stroke, strum, stuck, study, stupid, style, submit, subway, suffer, summer, sunroof, sunset, swish, swoop
• Tricky: sacred, saddle, safari, safely, saints, salami, salmon, samosa, sandwich, saviour, scarlet, schoolteacher, science, section, sensible, sentence, serious, serpent, servant, service, settee, setting, several, sidewalk, siesta, similar, siren, skater, skimmed, skittle, skydive, sleeve, smudge, sniffle, snooker, snore, socket, software, soldier, someday, somehow, someone, spaniel, speaker, special, speech, spinach, sponge, square, square, squash, squeeze, squirt, stadium, starve, statue, steady, stereo, stickers, sticky, stolen, stomach, storage, strict, strike, stripe, student, subject, sudden, suddenly, suggest, sunshine, supply, suppose, surface, sweater, switch, sword, symptom



• T t

• Just starting: tall, tap, tea, tell, ten, till, tin, tip, to, toll, too, top, toy
• Gaining confidence: tail, take, tale, talk, tank, tape, team, tear, teddy, telly, tent, term, test, tile, timer, tiny, toad, toe, tofu, told, tomato, tone, took, tool, torn, toss, tram, trap, tray, tree, trek, trim, trip, troll, turn, tusk, tutu, tweet, twin, twit
• More difficult: taco, taffy, target, tarts, task, taxi, teacup, teapot, telltale, tennis, text, tick, ticket, tied, tiger, tight, tiptoe, toast, today, toffee, tomb, tooth, total, towel, tower, town, track, tractor, traffic, train, trash, travel, trend, trick, tripod, trolley, trombone, trooper, trout, truck, trumpet, trunk, try, tube, tuna, tunnel, turf, twenty, twice, two table, typo, tyre
• Tricky: tablecloth, tackle, tadpole, taillight, takeaways, talent, tangerine, tangled, tantrum, tapir, tarantula, taste, tattoo, teacher, teamwork, teardrop, teaspoon, telephone, telescope, television, temperature, temple, temporary, tempting, tentacle, terrible, terrific, textbook, timeout, title, toadstool, toddler, together, toilet, token, tomorrow, tongue, toolbar, toothache, toothpick, tornado, tortilla, tortoise, touchdown, tournament, towards, trade, trail, trailer, trainers, training, transfer, trapdoor, treasure, treehouse, triangle, trimester, trophy, trousers, truth, turquoise, turtle, tweezers, twelve, typing



• U u

• Just starting: up, us
• Gaining confidence: udder, unbox, unclip, unclog, uncool, under, undid, unhappy, unless, unpin, unroll, uphill, upper, upset
• More difficult: ugly, ultra, uncle, undies, undone, uneven, unfair, unkind, unlace, unlock, unlucky, unpaid, unread, unsafe, untidy, until, untrue, unused, unzip, upload, upped, upside, upward
• Tricky: ultimate, umbrella, unclean, unclear, uncover, uncovered, understand, underwater, unexpected, unforgettable, unhealthy, unknown, unlikely, unlimited, unlocked, unloved, unnecessary, unstuck, unusual, unwanted, updated, upgrade, upstairs, urge



• V v

• Just starting: van, vat, veg, vet
• Gaining confidence: valley, vase, vegan, vendor, venom, very, vessel, vest, vicar, visit, vocal, volley
• More difficult: vacant, vain, value, vanilla, varied, various, veggie, vein, velvet, verb, verify, verse, versus, victory, video, view, viking, village, vine, vinegar, vintage, viola, violin, virtual, virus, visible, vitamin, voice, void, volcano, volume, vomit, vote, vowel, voyage
• Tricky: vacation, vaccination, vaccine, vacuum, valedictory, valuable, vampire, vandalise (GB), vandalize, variety, vegetable, vehicle, venue, verdict, vertical, veteran, villain, violent, violet, visible, vision, vocabulary, volunteer



• W w

• Just starting: was, wax, we, web, wet, wig, win, won, wow
• Gaining confidence: wack, wait, wake, walk, wall, wand, want, warm, wash, wasp, wave, wavy, weak, wear, week, well, welly, went, wept, were, west, wide, wife, wifi, wild, will, wimp, wind, wine, wing, wink, winner, winter, wipe, wire, wise, wish, with, woke, wolf, woman, wood weed, woof, wool, word, work, world, worm, worn, worry, wrap
• More difficult: waddle, wafer, wager, wagon, waiter, wallet, walnut, walnut, walrus, waltz, warmups, warrant, warrior, wasabi, washroom, waste, wasted, watch, water, wealthy, weapon, weasel, weather, weave, webcam, website, wedding, wedge, weekday, weekend, weevil, weight, weird, welcome, welfare, welsh, western, wicked, widget, widow, width, wiggle, wigwam, wildlife, wince, winch, window, wingman, wingnut, wisdom, within, without, witty, wizard, wobble, wombat, wonky, worktop, world, worse, worth, would, wound
• Tricky: wallpaper, waltzer, wardrobe, warehouse, warlock, warlord, washbowl, washday, wastebasket, waterbed, watercolor, watercress, waterfall, watermark, watermelon, waterproof, waterski, waxwork, weakness, weatherman, webcast, weeknight, weiner, werewolf, wetsuit, widespread, wildcard, wildcat, wilderness, wildfire, willpower, windmill, windowpane, windowsill, windpipe, windsurf, wingspan, wipeout, wireless, wisecrack, wiseguy, witchcraft, witness, wolverine, wonderful, wonderland, woodchuck, woodland, workbook, workforce, worksheet, workshop, worship, worthwhile



• X x - more commonly found at the end of a word

• Just starting - x at the end of words: box, fox, ox, pox
• More difficult: x-box, x-men, x-ray
• Tricky: xylophone



• Y y

• Just starting: yak, yam, yes, yet
• Gaining confidence: yard, yarn, yell, yoga, yummy
• More difficult: yardwork, yawn, year, yellow, yodel, yogurt, youth
• Tricky: yacht, yearbook, yearn, yeast, yesterday, young, your, yourself, yuletide



• Z z

• Just starting: zag, zap, zed, zen, zig, zip, zit, zoo
• Gaining confidence: zany, zeal, zebu, zero, zest, zinc, zing, zone, zoom
• More difficult: zebra, zigzag, zipper, zircon, zonal, zookeeper
• Tricky: zealot, zenith, ziggurat, zilch, zillion, zither, zodiac, zombie, zucchini