Learning Worksheets CVC Words Short i
Free printable PDF · ages 4–6
Short i CVC Words Worksheet: -ig, -in, -ip, -ix Word Families
Short i is the quick, thin sound at the start of insect and igloo. Pig, pin and six are favourite short i words, and they are great for silly rhymes.
What’s in the short i PDF
- Page 1: a picture chart of 14 short i words in the -ig, -in, -ip and -ix families, with the family ending in colour
- Page 2: fill in the missing vowel under 8 pictures, trace and write 3 words, and circle the word that matches each picture
Prints on A4 or US Letter (choose “Fit to page”).
How to say short i
For short i, smile slightly and keep your mouth almost closed, with your tongue high. It is a short, quick sound: “ih”. Ask your child to say it like a tiny squeak.
Short i word families with pictures
-ig words
-ig words end in g, which children often say from the back of the throat. A pig doing a jig is a rhyme they will remember.
🐷 pig · ⛏️ dig · 🐘 big · 💃 jig
-in words
-in is one of the most useful families: pin, bin, fin and win are all simple to picture and easy to blend.
📌 pin · 🗑️ bin · 🦈 fin · 🏆 win
-ip words
-ip words end with a little lip pop. Zip is a favourite because children can zip a coat while they read it.
👄 lip · 🤐 zip · 🥤 sip
-ix words
-ix words end with x, which says “ks”. Show your child that x is two sounds squeezed into one letter.
6️⃣ six · 🥣 mix · 🔧 fix
Game: Pig pen
Draw a big pig pen on paper. Write short i words and other CVC words on small cards. Your child reads each card and puts it in the pig pen only if it has the short i sound. Count how many pigs are safely in the pen at the end.
Tip for parents
Short i often gets swallowed. If your child reads pin as “pn”, ask them to hold the vowel for a second: p-iii-n. Then speed it up.
When short i feels easy, move on to short o.
Short i questions
How do I help my child hear short i?
Say a short i word and a short e word together, such as pin and pen, and ask which one has the squeaky sound. Lots of quick listening games help.
Is six a CVC word?
Yes. It has three letters in a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern, but the x makes two sounds, “ks”. It is a nice challenge word once the basics are easy.
Questions about age, printing or blending? See the CVC words FAQ.
More Free CVC Word Worksheets
Also try: sight word worksheets · alphabet tracing · all free worksheets · bedtime stories