1st Grade Spelling Words (Weekly Lists)
This page gathers the 13 kids51 spelling lists marked with a 1st grade hint: a short vowels review, four digraph lists, four blend lists, two silent e lists, and lists for adding -ing and -ed. Each list has 10 words that share one pattern. Pick a list to play games, take a typed practice test, or print a test paper.
1st grade spelling lists
13 first grade spelling lists
Grade is a hint, not a rule. These are our pattern lists marked for first grade.
| List | Words | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Short vowels review | bat, net, kid, hop, cut, pen, lip, rug, van, dot | Play & test |
| Digraph sh words | ship, shop, shut, shed, fish, dish, wish, cash, shell, brush | Play & test |
| Digraph ch words | chin, chop, chip, chat, rich, much, such, lunch, bench, chest | Play & test |
| Digraph th words | this, that, then, them, thin, thick, bath, math, with, moth | Play & test |
| Digraphs wh and ck | when, what, which, whip, duck, back, sock, kick, neck, luck | Play & test |
| L-blend words | clap, flag, plan, sled, glad, flip, clock, plug, slip, black | Play & test |
| R-blend words | crab, drum, frog, grin, trip, brick, dress, grass, truck, crib | Play & test |
| S-blend words | stop, spin, snap, swim, skip, step, smell, snack, spot, still | Play & test |
| Ending blends | hand, jump, best, milk, tent, lamp, gift, pond, desk, mask | Play & test |
| Silent e: long a (a_e) | cake, make, game, name, gate, late, cave, lake, tape, plate | Play & test |
| Silent e: long i, o, u | bike, kite, time, ride, five, home, rope, bone, cute, tube | Play & test |
| Adding -ing | jumping, playing, reading, singing, eating, sleeping, helping, looking, going, walking | Play & test |
| Adding -ed | jumped, played, helped, looked, walked, asked, rained, painted, wanted, called | Play & test |
Print a 1st grade spelling list
A grade hint, not a 1st grade curriculum
We tag each of our pattern lists with a grade where it often fits, and this page shows the lists tagged for first grade. It is not a school program, and your child's class may teach the patterns in a different order. If a list feels too easy, move on. If it feels too hard, step back to the kindergarten spelling words for a week.
A suggested order for the 1st grade year
- Early fall: short vowels review, then digraphs: sh, ch, th, then wh and ck.
- Late fall and winter: l-blends (clap), r-blends (frog), s-blends (stop) and ending blends (jump).
- Spring: silent e with long a (cake), then long i, o and u (bike, home, cute).
- Late spring: adding -ing and -ed.
One list a week is a steady pace, and there is room in the year to spend two weeks on a pattern that feels hard.
Silent e for first graders: the magic e
Many first grade classrooms call it "magic e". The e at the end makes no sound of its own, but it reaches back and makes the vowel say its name: tap becomes tape, kit becomes kite.
A quick game: write a short word like cap or hop, then add an e with a flourish and read the new word together.
The three sounds of -ed in 1st grade words
The ending -ed is always spelled the same way, but it says three different things:
- /t/ as in jumped, helped, walked
- /d/ as in played, rained, called
- /id/ as in wanted, painted
Children often write jumpt because that is what they hear. Tell them the past-tense ending is spelled -ed no matter how it sounds. Adding -ing is easier: jump plus -ing, no changes for the words on our list.
A first grade spelling week with a Friday test
- Monday: read the list and underline the pattern in each word.
- Tuesday: build the word, where digraphs like sh and ck come as one tile.
- Wednesday: find the word, then memory match.
- Thursday: a typed practice test.
- Friday: a test on the printed numbered test paper.
Words are read aloud by your device's built-in voice, when it has one; otherwise the word is shown and a grown-up can read it. Print practice sheets for misses with the spelling worksheet generator.
Frequently asked questions
How many words should a 1st grader spell each week?
Each list has 10 words, which suits many 6- and 7-year-olds. Cut it to five or six on a busy week or for a new pattern.
My 1st grader's school sends its own spelling list. Which should we use?
Use the school list. Paste it into spelling practice for the same games and test, and keep these lists for extra practice or summer.
Is this a good spelling list for a 7-year-old?
Often, yes. Many 7-year-olds are working on blends, silent e and endings. Start with a list your child can mostly spell and build up from there.
Why are there no tricky words like said on the 1st grade lists?
Each list sticks to one sound pattern. Words that break the rules are easier to learn on a sight word list.