This Hard and Soft G Worksheet helps 2nd graders sort words by the hard g and soft g sound and mark which sound the letter g makes. Includes an answer key for quick, no-prep phonics practice.
This consonant digraphs worksheet gives 2nd graders hands-on practice spelling sh, ch, th, and wh words in fun sentences. An answer key is included, making it perfect for quick, no-prep phonics practice at home or school.
A long i worksheet that has 2nd graders sort twelve words by their i_e, igh, and y spellings, then finish three sentences. Answer key included, so students can check their own long vowel practice.
A 2nd grade ear worksheet where students use a word bank to complete eight sentences with words from the tricky ear family. Answer key included — perfect for no-prep phonics practice at home or school.
The F or PH Worksheet gives 2nd graders hands-on practice choosing between the f and ph spellings of the /f/ sound. Answer key included, so students can check their own work and build confident spelling habits.
A 2nd grade Selecting Homophones Worksheet where students choose the correct homophone to complete each sentence using context clues. Includes a complete answer key for quick, no-prep grammar practice at home or school.
Second graders sort eight oi and oy words into two boxes, then finish four more words with the right letters. This oi oy worksheet includes an answer key for fast, no-prep phonics practice.
This long a worksheet has 2nd grade students sort twelve words into the a_e, ai and ay spelling patterns, then finish three sentences. An answer key makes long vowel practice quick to check.
This long u worksheet has 2nd grade students sort twelve words into the u_e, ue and ew spelling patterns, then finish three sentences. An answer key makes long vowel practice quick to check.
This PH FF F GH worksheet asks 2nd graders to sort sixteen words by the letters that spell the /f/ sound. An answer key is included for fast, no-prep phonics practice at home or in class.
Students listen for the long o sound, then sort oa and o_e words into columns on this 2nd grade long o worksheet. An answer key is included, so practice checks itself in seconds.
Students read eight tricky ea words and sort them by sound on this ea worksheet, built for 2nd grade phonics practice. An answer key is included, so checking the sort takes only seconds.
This ou ow digraphs worksheet gives 2nd graders hands-on practice reading and spelling words that use the ou and ow vowel teams. An answer key is included, making it perfect for quick, no-prep phonics practice at home or school.
A second grade Starts with Th reading comprehension worksheet where kids read a fun Th-digraph story about two brothers, then answer questions. Includes an answer key — perfect for no-prep phonics and reading practice.
This Hard C and Soft C Worksheet helps 2nd graders decide whether the letter C makes a hard /k/ or soft /s/ sound in eight fun words. Answer key included — perfect for quick, no-prep phonics practice.
This Long E Worksheet asks 2nd graders to listen for the long e sound, circle it, and sort eight words into the ee and ea spelling teams. Answer key included for quick, no-prep phonics practice.
This oa ow worksheet helps 2nd graders sort, complete, and spell long-o words using the oa and ow vowel teams. Answer key included for quick, no-prep phonics practice.
The Circle Hard Soft C Words Worksheet gives 2nd graders ten words to read and sort by the hard /k/ or soft /s/ sound of the letter C. Answer key included — perfect for quick, no-prep phonics practice.
This Hard Soft C Pictures Worksheet gives 2nd Grade readers picture clues and a word sort to master both c sounds. An answer key is included, so no-prep phonics practice is ready in seconds.
This Their, There, They're Homophones Worksheet gives 2nd graders friendly practice choosing the right word to complete each sentence, with a handy meaning box and a complete answer key included for fast, no-prep review.
Vowel teams, tricky sounds, big words
Second grade phonics is all about the tricky stuff. Kids already read short-vowel words, so now they tackle vowel teams like ai, ee, oa and igh, where two letters work together: r + ai + n = rain. They learn that one letter can make two sounds, like the hard and soft g in gum and gem, and they meet diphthongs like oi, oy, ou and ow. They also start breaking longer words into syllables and reading common prefixes and suffixes. The "aha" moment is when a child reads a brand-new two-syllable word without any help!
Second graders need lots of practice with patterns that don't follow the simple rules. These moves help.
Introduce one team, like "ai," then read five words, write five words and play one quick round. Add a new team only when kids read the old one without stopping. A fast vowel team game at the end keeps everyone eager for the next one.
Why it works: the National Reading Panel found that systematic, explicit phonics teaching clearly improves how children learn to read.
Try it withVowel Teams GameGamesOpen it →Give kids word cards with g and let them sort by sound: hard g goes in the "goat" pile, soft g in the "giraffe" pile. Then ask what they notice. Most kids discover the e, i, y rule themselves, and that discovery sticks much better than a rule you tell them.
Why it works: kids understand an idea best when they touch it, then draw it, then write it, the order the U.S. Department of Education recommends for elementary math.
Try it withHard G and Soft G WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →Once kids know a few vowel patterns, give them practice that mixes them all together. Deciding whether a word uses CVCe, a vowel team or a short vowel is exactly what reading asks them to do.
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).
Try it withLong Vowels Mini PackWorkbooksOpen it →Tricky sounds become a lot less tricky when kids are laughing.
WorksheetsKids shout "ouch!" for ou words and "wow!" for ow words as you read a list. Loud and memorable!
Open OU OW Digraphs Worksheet →
WorksheetsRead oi and oy words in a silly voice, then sort them: oi lives in the middle, oy loves the end.
Open OI OY Digraphs Worksheet →
WorksheetsHunt a page for the different sounds one vowel can make and sort them into case files.
Open Different Vowel Sounds Worksheet →Teacher favorites right now: Hard G and Soft G Worksheet, Consonant Digraphs Worksheet and Long I Worksheet.
Second graders learn vowel teams (ai, ee, oa), diphthongs (oi, oy, ou, ow), r-controlled vowels, hard and soft c and g, and reading words with two syllables. They also read common prefixes and suffixes.
A vowel team is two or more letters that work together to make one vowel sound, like "ea" in "beach" or "igh" in "night." A favorite saying is "when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking," though it has plenty of exceptions.
Check the basics first: short vowels, blends and digraphs. Many 2nd grade struggles come from gaps in those early skills. Practice a few minutes every day with words that use one pattern at a time.
Teach them to find the vowels first, then split the word into chunks, one vowel sound per chunk. "Rabbit" becomes "rab-bit." Reading each chunk and then blending them together turns a scary word into two easy ones.
Loved by 2 million teachers & families
Printables, songs and games for every subject, Preschool through 6th. Ready to teach today, and kids beg for more.
