Learning Worksheets CVC Words Short o
Free printable PDF · ages 4–6
Short o CVC Words Worksheet: -og, -ot, -op, -ox Word Families
Short o is the round sound at the start of octopus and on. Dog, fox and box are short o words that children often know before they can read them.
What’s in the short o PDF
- Page 1: a picture chart of 13 short o words in the -og, -ot, -op and -ox 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 o
For short o, make a round, open mouth and drop your jaw, as if saying “oh” in surprise but cutting it short. Children can feel their lips make a circle.
Short o word families with pictures
-og words
-og words are full of animals and movement. A dog on a log is a picture children love to draw after reading it.
🐶 dog · 🪵 log · 🐗 hog · 🏃 jog
-ot words
-ot words end in a crisp t. Hot and pot together make a handy kitchen sentence: the pot is hot.
🍲 pot · 🔥 hot · 🔵 dot
-op words
-op words are full of action. Hop and pop are perfect for acting out while you read.
🧹 mop · 🐇 hop · 🍿 pop
-ox words
-ox words end with the “ks” sound of x. Ox is a special word because it is a two-letter word with the same family ending.
📦 box · 🦊 fox · 🐂 ox
Game: Fox in a box
Hide a small toy fox, or a picture of one, under one of several upturned cups. Write a short o word under each cup. Your child lifts a cup, reads the word, and keeps going until they find the fox in the box.
Tip for parents
Some children say short o as “aw”. That is fine in many accents. What matters is that they connect the letter o with the sound they hear in their own speech.
When short o feels easy, move on to short u.
Short o questions
Why does short o sound different in different countries?
Accents change vowel sounds a lot. In British English, dog has a rounder o; in American English it is more open. Teach the sound your child hears every day.
Is ox a CVC word?
Ox is a VC word: a vowel and a consonant. It fits nicely with box and fox because it shares the -ox ending.
Questions about age, printing or blending? See the CVC words FAQ.
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