CVCE words are going to be an important component of any phonics instruction. Therefore, having your child learn about CVCE words is essential to help your child become a better reader!
When teaching your students to read, you must talk about words with CVCE patterns. Learning about CVCE words will help you teach your students to read and spell better.
In this blog post, you will learn what CVCE words are, how to use the CVCE word list, and how to teach CVCE words to your students. You’ll also get a FREE download of the CVCE Word List, sorted into each long vowel sound.
This free list below will help your child with decoding and spelling skills.
What Are CVCE Words?
But first, Let’s talk about what exactly a CVCE word is.
Definition of CVCE Words
CVCE stands for Consonant-Vowel-Consonant-E. It represents a specific pattern of words. The key indicator of a word following the CVCE pattern is the “silent E” at the end of the word. This silent ‘e’ influences the first vowel, giving it a long vowel sound.
Do you see the difference between the CVC spelling pattern and the CVCE spelling pattern above?
Silent E has so many other names that you may have already heard! Magical E, Bossy E, Super E, Sneaky E, Quiet E… I am sure there are a few more that I may be missing!
Does the name you choose for this phonics rule matter? Not really! However, consistency in your chosen term throughout reading instruction is beneficial.
Throughout this blog post, I will use the term “Silent E” to refer to the ‘e’ at the end of CVCE words.
Free CVCE Word List Download Below
To download your PDF copy of CVCE word lists, drop your e-mail below. We will send the CVCE words list directly to your inbox.
Looking for a word list with CVC words?
Be sure to grab the free printable below.
How to Use the List of CVCE Words
The CVCE word list PDF is a fantastic supplementary tool for phonics lessons. Having access to a PDF of words that follow the specific phonics pattern that you are teaching can be beneficial.
Phonics Skill: Dictation
Having a word list of CVCE words readily available is super helpful during dictation. Dictation is when the student hears the teacher saying words or sentences. The students then write down exactly what they heard in writing.
Dictation is not only an effective way to teach reading, but it also helps reinforce the newly learned phonics rule.
Word Chains
Word chains are series of words that change by one sound( also known as a phoneme). To initiate a word chain, students spell a word, and then the teacher changes one sound in that word.
For instance, a student spells “cage,” and the teacher instructs them to “change the /c/ to /r/.” The word transforms from ‘cage’ to ‘rage.’
Word chains are a great choice for a small group activity!
Phonemic Awareness Practice
When should I teach CVCE WORDS?
Once your child confidently reads CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words, it’s time to progress to teaching CVCE words. Teach CVCE words after your child demonstrates mastery of reading CVC words.
For kindergarten students who have mastered CVC words, transitioning to CVCE words is a natural step. These words, marked by a consonant-vowel-silent E pattern, enhance their reading abilities and phonemic awareness.
Your child will typically encounter CVCE words in first grade. If you have a younger kindergarten student who has already mastered CVC words, they may be ready to learn CVCE words!
Additional Phonics Activities for Teaching CVCE Words
The hands-on activities below are perfect for teaching young children the long vowel sound.
1. CVCE Clip Cards
Check out the CVCE clip cards from Measured Mom. Psst.. they’re FREE! Also, they are perfect for your small groups and independent work. Students will use a clothespin to match the word to the matching picture cards.
2. Build CVCE Word with Magnetic Letters
Building words with magnetic letters is such a fun and engaging way to work on reading AND spelling! The word mats from Classroom HQ Shop are perfect for practicing spelling CVCE word patterns.
3. CVCE Word Puzzles
The CVCE word puzzles from The Teacher Bag are a fantastic resource for early readers. These word puzzles are a great addition to your literacy center or daily phonics lessons. They are such a fun way to practice important phonics skills.
4. CVCE Sound Boxes
Sound boxes serve as great visual aids. With sound boxes, students can visually see the different sounds in a word. Each box represents a sound in a word. In the image above, the /c/, /a/, and /v/ have their box. The/e/ is in an open box to show that there is a silent e.
Why is my child struggling with silent E?
This phonics pattern can be tricky for some readers. Typically, until this point, your little readers have been reading words with a short vowel sound.
That silent e is challenging because that vowel sound is now different! Instead of saying the actual sound of the vowel, children now have to say the name of the vowel.
For more helpful information on silent e, visit Thrive Literacy Corner for tips and tricks. She has some great ways to teach silent e!
Need More Word Lists? Be sure to check these out
PDF List of Words with Digraphs
CVCE Word Lists PDF
