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1st Grade Beginning Sounds Worksheets

42 1st grade beginning sounds worksheets. Teacher favorites: Beginning Digraphs Fill in the Blank Worksheet and Alphabet Stories Letter B Reading Comprehension Worksheet. How teachers use these

1st Grade Beginning Sounds Worksheets

42 1st grade beginning sounds worksheets. Teacher favorites: Beginning Digraphs Fill in the Blank Worksheet and Alphabet Stories Letter B Reading Comprehension Worksheet. How teachers use these

Worksheet
Worksheet1st GradeBeginning Digraphs Fill in the Blank Worksheet

This beginning digraphs fill in the blank worksheet has 1st graders write ch, sh, th or wh to finish words in sentences and under pictures. Answer key included, so it grades itself in seconds.

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Worksheet1st GradeAlphabet Stories Letter B Reading Comprehension Worksheet

A first grade Alphabet Stories Letter B Reading Comprehension Worksheet built around a short story about Bob and his birds. Includes an answer key — perfect for no-prep letter B reading practice at home or school.

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Worksheet1st GradeBlends SP, ST Worksheet

Practice the Blends SP, ST Worksheet with picture bubbles and word-box sentences made for 1st Grade readers. An answer key is included, so beginning blends turn into quick, confident reading.

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Worksheet1st GradeBlends SM, SN Worksheet

This Blends SM, SN Worksheet asks 1st graders to listen for the beginning blend, then write sm or sn to finish twelve words. An answer key is included, so checking takes only seconds.

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Worksheet1st GradeBlends BL, BR Worksheet

This Blends BL BR Worksheet has 1st graders write the missing blend under six pictures, then spell two whole words. An answer key is included for quick, no-prep phonics practice.

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Worksheet1st GradeBeginning Blends Fill in the Blank Worksheet

This beginning blends fill in the blank worksheet lets 1st graders read six sentences and drop in the right consonant blend from a word bank. Includes an answer key for quick, no-prep phonics practice at home or in class.

Worksheet
Worksheet1st GradeStarts With SH Reading Comprehension Worksheet

This Starts With SH Reading Comprehension Worksheet gives 1st graders a short beach story full of sh words plus five bubble-in questions. An answer key is included, so phonics practice and reading comprehension happen in one no-prep activity.

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Worksheet1st GradeBlends SC, SK Worksheet

This Blends SC, SK Worksheet gives 1st graders six picture clues and a word sort for the beginning blends sc and sk. An answer key is included, so blend practice takes no prep.

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Worksheet1st GradeCH, SH, TH Beginning Sounds Worksheet

This ch, sh, th beginning sounds worksheet gives first grade students nine picture cards to say, listen to, and finish by writing the missing digraph. An answer key is included, so practice is quick to check.

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Worksheet1st GradeBlends FL, FR Worksheet

A blends fl, fr worksheet that has 1st graders name six pictures and print the missing blend, then finish two sentences. Answer key included for quick, no-prep phonics practice.

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Worksheet1st GradeCircle Beginning Sounds K-C Worksheet

The Circle Beginning Sounds K-C Worksheet has 1st grade students say each picture name, circle k or c, then write the correct letter to finish six more words. Answer key included, so a tricky spelling rule finally clicks.

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Worksheet1st GradeTo B or to D Words Worksheet

The To B or to D Words Worksheet helps 1st grade students hear the /b/ and /d/ beginning sounds, write the missing letter, and copy six picture words. Answer key included.

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Worksheet1st GradeBlends GL, GR Worksheet

This gl and gr blends worksheet gives 1st Grade students six picture cards and two sentences for writing the beginning blend they hear. An answer key is included, so a whole set is checked in a minute.

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Worksheet1st GradeBeginning Sounds PL, BL, CL Worksheet

This beginning sounds pl, bl, cl worksheet helps 1st grade students name nine pictures and write the missing l-blend to finish each word. An answer key is included for easy checking.

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Worksheet1st GradeBeginning Sounds M N P Worksheet

This beginning sounds m n p worksheet gives 1st Grade students six picture cards for finishing and writing words that start with m, n and p. An answer key is included, so young readers get fast, confident practice.

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Worksheet1st GradePL, PR Blends Worksheet

This pl, pr blends worksheet gives 1st Grade readers six picture cards and two sentences for writing the blend that starts each word. An answer key is included, so beginning blend practice is ready in one print.

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Worksheet1st GradeAnimal Beginning Digraphs Sounds Worksheet

This animal beginning digraphs sounds worksheet has 1st grade students write ch, sh, or st to finish nine animal names. An answer key is included, making phonics practice quick to check.

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Worksheet1st GradeBeginning Sounds S, T, V Worksheet

This Beginning Sounds S, T, V worksheet has first graders write the missing first letter on six picture cards, then copy the whole word. An answer key is included, so it is ready to print and go.

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Worksheet1st GradeBeginning Blends Pictures Worksheet

This Beginning Blends Pictures Worksheet has first graders name six pictures, listen for the two sounds at the start, and write the blend they hear. An answer key is included, so checking takes a minute.

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Worksheet1st GradeBeginning Blends Transportation Worksheet

This Beginning Blends Transportation Worksheet has first graders name six vehicles, write the bl, pl, sc, sl or tr blend that starts each word, and spell two words. Answer key included.

From our teachers' playbook

Every word starts somewhere!

What do 1st graders learn about beginning sounds?

By 1st grade, most kids know that ball starts with /b/. Now the beginning of a word gets more interesting! First graders hear and write two-letter starts like sh + ip = ship and blends like fr + og = frog, where you can still hear both letters. They also sort out tricky pairs, like the /k/ sound in cat and kite. The click moment is when kids stretch a new word, catch its first sound, and use it to sound out the rest instead of guessing from the picture.

Our favorite ways to teach beginning sounds

Ears first, letters second. These moves train kids to hear the start of a word and match it to the right spelling.

Hear it, mark it, write it

Say "chin," "shin," "thin" slowly and have kids touch their lips for each start. Is your tongue between your teeth? That's /th/! Then they circle the matching digraph on the page. Feeling the sound in your mouth makes ch, sh and th much easier to tell apart.

Why it works: teaching letter sounds directly and in order is one of the best-supported findings in reading research (National Reading Panel, 2000).

CH, SH, TH Beginning Sounds WorksheetTry it withCH, SH, TH Beginning Sounds WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

Picture flash round

Hold up a picture card and kids say only the first sound, not the whole word. "Fish!" No, "/f/!" Five quick cards a day keeps kids listening for the start instead of naming the picture.

Why it works: a big review of study methods ranked quick self-quizzing among the most powerful ways to remember (Dunlosky and colleagues, 2013).

Alphabet Picture Match Flash CardsTry it withAlphabet Picture Match Flash CardsFlash CardsOpen it →

Sort the sneaky C and K

Mix c and k words on one page: cat, kite, cup, kid. Kids hear the same /k/, so they need a rule of thumb. Before e and i, we usually write k. Mixing them is what makes kids stop and think.

Why it works: mixing different kinds of problems in one practice set helped students do far better on a later test (Rohrer and Taylor, 2007).

Circle Beginning Sounds K-C WorksheetTry it withCircle Beginning Sounds K-C WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

Questions parents and teachers ask us

What are beginning sounds in 1st grade?

They are the first sounds kids hear in a word. In 1st grade that grows from single letters to digraphs like sh, ch and th, and blends like bl, st and fr, where both letters are heard.

What is the difference between a blend and a digraph?

In a blend, you hear both letters, like the b and l in "blue." In a digraph, two letters make one new sound, like sh in "ship." First graders practice both at the beginning of words.

My child guesses words from the first letter. Is that a problem?

It's a common habit and worth gently breaking. Praise the first sound, then ask them to keep going: "Yes, it starts with /fr/. What comes next?" Sounding through the whole word builds stronger readers.

How can I practice beginning sounds at home?

Play I Spy with sounds: "I spy something that starts with /sh/." Car rides, grocery aisles and bath time all work. A few minutes a day is plenty.