Ending Sounds
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Skill: Hearing and writing the last sound in CVC words
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About this worksheet
Once children can hear the first sound in a word, the next step is to listen for the last sound. Hearing every sound in a short word is what lets a child spell it and, later, read it. This kindergarten worksheet practices ending sounds in twelve simple consonant-vowel-consonant words, such as cat, bus, and fox.
Each word is shown with its last letter missing, like ca___. Next to it are three letters. A grown-up reads the word aloud, and the child listens for the last sound, circles the letter that makes it, and writes that letter on the line to finish the word. The words end in many different consonants, including t, b, s, n, p, x, d, m, and g, so children cannot simply guess the same letter each time.
How to use it: say each word slowly and stretch the sounds: c-a-t. Then say only the last sound and ask, "What letter makes that sound?" If your child is unsure, say the word again and hold the last sound a little longer. Children can tap their fingers for each sound, one tap per sound, and pay attention to the last tap. Saying the finished word together at the end turns it into a tiny reading lesson.
The answer key shows the circled letter and the full word for each row. This worksheet supports Common Core standards RF.K.2.d (isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds in three-phoneme words) and RF.K.3.a (know the most common sound for each consonant). Start with our Beginning Sounds worksheet, and try our Short Vowel CVC Words worksheet next.