Preschool - Spelling

Preschool Three-Letter Word Building Worksheet

6 printable versions - On Level - About 5 minutes each

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Three-Letter Words

Preschool - Spelling - On Level

Worksheet 1

  1. The last box is empty. Which letter goes there?

    Read aloud: The word is run. Say it in three sounds: /r/ /u/ /n/.

    3 letter boxes, 1 of them empty.A row of 3 boxes for the letters of a word. 1 box is empty and drawn with a dashed edge for the missing letters.ru

  2. The last box is empty. Which letter goes there?

    Read aloud: The word is mop. Say it in three sounds: /m/ /o/ /p/.

    3 letter boxes, 1 of them empty.A row of 3 boxes for the letters of a word. 1 box is empty and drawn with a dashed edge for the missing letters.mo

  3. Which vowel belongs in the middle box?

    Read aloud: The word is lip: /l/ /i/ /p/. The middle sound is the quiet one.

    3 letter boxes, 1 of them empty.A row of 3 boxes for the letters of a word. 1 box is empty and drawn with a dashed edge for the missing letters.lp

  4. The last box is empty. Which letter goes there?

    Read aloud: The word is nut. Say it in three sounds: /n/ /u/ /t/.

    3 letter boxes, 1 of them empty.A row of 3 boxes for the letters of a word. 1 box is empty and drawn with a dashed edge for the missing letters.nu

  5. The last box is empty. Which letter goes there?

    Read aloud: The word is hen. Say it in three sounds: /h/ /e/ /n/.

    3 letter boxes, 1 of them empty.A row of 3 boxes for the letters of a word. 1 box is empty and drawn with a dashed edge for the missing letters.he

  6. Which vowel belongs in the middle box?

    Read aloud: The word is cot: /k/ /o/ /t/. The middle sound is the quiet one.

    3 letter boxes, 1 of them empty.A row of 3 boxes for the letters of a word. 1 box is empty and drawn with a dashed edge for the missing letters.ct
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About this worksheet

Three boxes, three sounds, one word. That equation is the whole idea behind spelling, and a preschooler can meet it long before she can write. Here the grown-up says a short word and your child decides which letter belongs in the box that has been left empty. The earliest version leaves the front box open and shows the other two letters, which keeps the frame of the word visible while she works on one decision. Later versions move the gap to the end and then to the middle vowel, where the sound is quietest. The hardest version takes the letters away entirely: all three boxes are empty, the word is only spoken, and the choices include the other letters of that same word, so putting the right letter in the wrong place counts as a miss. Tap the boxes left to right while you say the sounds, one tap per box.

What your child will learn

  • Match a spoken word to a row of three boxes, one sound per box
  • Choose the letter for a missing sound at the front, the end, or the middle
  • Keep letters in their order rather than anywhere in the word
  • Work from sounds alone when no letters are shown

Worked example

The grown-up says sun and the last box is empty. Say /s/ /u/ /n/ and stop on the third sound: it is /n/, so the letter is N.

Common mistake

Choosing a letter that is in the word but belongs in a different box, which is why the hardest version offers exactly those letters.

Helpful hint

Tap one box for each sound you say, and keep going left to right.

Short A WordsMy First Words

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with three-letter words?
Choosing a letter that is in the word but belongs in a different box, which is why the hardest version offers exactly those letters.
How can I help my child with three-letter words?
Tap one box for each sound you say, and keep going left to right.
Are these preschool spelling worksheets free to print?
Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

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