Getting started

Short vowels and CVC words

CVC words are consonant-vowel-consonant words like cat, bed and pin. They are where most readers start, because the vowel says its short sound and every letter maps to one sound in order, so a child can sound the word out left to right without needing any exceptions explained.

A closed syllable is one where a single vowel is followed by at least one consonant, and that consonant closes the vowel in so it says its short sound. CVC words are the simplest closed syllables, which is why they come first in almost every scope and sequence.

Patterns and example words

Every word below is from the word list Cody generates from, not a hand-picked sample. The count is how many words in that list carry the pattern.

short a

18,599 words

am and had has have having that as

short e

20,451 words

them went there get gets getting when well

short i

15,447 words

is in it its him his with this

short o

11,132 words

not on gone cannot got gotten long longed

short u

6,364 words

us but up just much such number numbered

1 syllable closed

6,980 words

am is was and of in had has

Curricula that teach this

Cody generates material against the scope and sequence you already teach. This skill appears in Cody Curriculum, Custom Pattern Selection, UFLI Inspired.

Common questions

What is a CVC word?

A word made of a consonant, then a short vowel, then a consonant: cat, bed, pin, hop, cup. Each letter makes one sound, in order.

Make a decodable story for this skill

Cody generates stories, word lists and worksheets constrained to the patterns a student has already been taught, so practice on short vowels and cvc words does not smuggle in something they have not met yet.