Name Tracing Sheets

CVC words worksheets

Print CVC word tracing pages by short vowel or by word family: one page per word, with a solid example and the word repeated across every line to trace. The page opens with 20 short a words. Free, no sign-up.

Pick a short vowel or a word family, or type your own words. Each line becomes its own page.

Letters
Tracing style
Line size
Paper

In the print window pick your printer, or “Save as PDF” to keep a file. Set scale to 100%.

More optionsCapitals, lines, example, starting dots
On the sheet
Preview

What are CVC words?

CVC stands for consonant, vowel, consonant: three letters, three sounds, such as c-a-t, p-i-g or s-u-n. The vowel in the middle makes its short sound, the sound in apple, egg, itch, octopus and up. Each letter stands for one sound, so a child who knows the letter sounds can read the word by saying the sounds in order and blending them together.

That is why CVC words are usually the first words children decode, often in kindergarten, once they know most consonant sounds and a few short vowels. Words like the, said or was cannot be sounded out this way, which is why they are taught as sight words instead.

How to make a CVC worksheet

  1. Pick a list. The first row of buttons has one list for each short vowel (20 words each) and a mixed review of 10 words. The second row has 12 word families, from -at to -un.
  2. Or type your own words. One word per line; each line becomes its own page, so 20 words make 20 pages. Delete words your child does not know yet, or add words from this week's phonics lesson.
  3. Pick the letters and size. Print, D'Nealian or cursive. Large lines suit pre-K and kindergarten, medium suits first grade.
  4. Print or save as PDF. A whole list prints in one go. Download PNG saves one image per page.

Each page has the word in solid letters on the first line, with green starting dots and stroke numbers on the first copy, then rows of the word in dotted letters across the whole line. We chose one word per page so the child says and traces the same word many times in a row; to put several words on one page, type them on one line, such as cat hat mat.

The CVC word lists

Every list behind the buttons above, so you can check the words before printing.

Short a (20 words): cat, hat, bat, mat, rat, man, can, fan, pan, van, cap, map, nap, tap, bag, rag, ham, jam, dad, sad.

Short e (20 words): bed, red, hen, pen, ten, men, den, net, pet, wet, jet, vet, get, let, set, leg, peg, beg, web, yes.

Short i (20 words): pig, big, dig, wig, pin, fin, win, bin, sit, hit, kit, lip, hip, zip, dip, lid, kid, rib, bib, him.

Short o (20 words): dog, log, hog, jog, fog, pot, hot, dot, not, got, lot, cot, top, mop, hop, pop, job, mom, rod, nod.

Short u (20 words): sun, bun, run, fun, bug, hug, mug, rug, jug, tub, rub, cub, cup, pup, cut, nut, hut, bus, mud, gum.

Mixed review (10 words): cat, map, bed, hen, pig, sit, dog, top, sun, bug.

Word families: -at (cat, bat, hat, mat, rat, sat); -an (can, fan, man, pan, ran, van); -ap (cap, map, nap, tap, lap, gap); -en (hen, pen, ten, men, den); -et (net, pet, wet, jet, vet, get); -ig (pig, big, dig, wig, fig, jig); -in (pin, fin, win, bin, tin); -it (sit, hit, kit, bit, fit, pit); -op (top, mop, hop, pop, cop); -ot (pot, hot, dot, not, cot, got); -ug (bug, hug, mug, rug, jug, tug); -un (sun, bun, run, fun).

A routine for each word

  1. Say the sounds. Point under each letter and say its sound: /c/ /a/ /t/.
  2. Blend. Say the sounds again, faster and joined together, until they make the word: cat.
  3. Trace. Trace the word on the dotted lines, saying each sound as the letter is formed.
  4. Write. Write the word without tracing. Under More options you can add empty lines at the end of the page for this.
  5. Read it in a sentence. Say or write a short sentence with the word, such as The cat sat on a mat, and read it together.

Short vowels or word families?

The two kinds of list practice different things, and many classrooms use both.

  • Short vowel lists keep one vowel and change both consonants: cat, man, cap, bag, jam. The child has to listen to every sound in the word, which is good practice for spelling.
  • Word families keep the ending and change only the first sound: cat, bat, hat, mat. Once the child can read -at, each new word is one sound away, which builds speed and confidence. Rhyming is also easier to hear this way.

A common order is word families first, then the short vowel list for the same vowel, then the mixed review, where the vowel changes from word to word.

How CVC tracing fits with phonics

Tracing does not teach a child to read on its own. It works best next to a phonics lesson: the child hears and blends the sounds, then traces and writes the word, which connects each sound to the letter that spells it. Writing the word also slows the child down enough to notice every letter, including the vowel in the middle, which is the part most often mixed up (bag and big, pot and pet).

When CVC words are easy, the next steps in most phonics programs are words with blends (frog, jump) and digraphs (ship, chin), then the silent e (cap to cape). For those, type the words into the box: any word works.

How we chose the words

Every word is three letters, with one consonant, one short vowel and one consonant. We left out words ending in x (as in fox, which has two sounds, /k/ and /s/), words ending in w, y or r (which change the vowel sound), words where the vowel is not the usual short sound (such as son or put), and words that are rare or not right for young children. That means some familiar words such as box and six are missing; type them in if your program teaches them as CVC words.

Other word worksheets

For color words, days of the week, months and more, use the word tracing worksheets. For words that cannot be sounded out, such as the and said, use the sight word tracing worksheets or the kindergarten sight words. For a weekly list with a line to trace and a line to write each word, use the spelling practice worksheets. Still working on letters? Start with the alphabet tracing worksheets.

Questions

What is a CVC word?

A three-letter word made of a consonant, a short vowel and a consonant, such as cat, bed, pig, dog or sun. Each letter makes one sound, so the word can be sounded out.

What age are CVC worksheets for?

Usually kindergarten, and sometimes the end of pre-K, once a child knows most letter sounds and can trace single letters. First graders often use them for review or for spelling.

Which short vowel should we start with?

Many programs start with short a, which is why the page opens with it, and teach short i, o, u and e after. Short e and short i sound alike to many children, so they are often taught apart. Follow your school's order if it has one.

Can I put several CVC words on one page?

Yes. Type the words on one line with spaces, such as cat hat mat, and that line becomes one page with the words repeated across each line. Each new line in the box starts a new page.

Is it free?

Yes. There is no account and no email. The words you type stay in your browser and are not sent to us. Press Print or save as PDF and choose Save as PDF to keep a file.