Learning Worksheets Phonics Letter I sound
Free printable PDF · beginning sounds · ages 3–5
Letter I Sound Worksheet: Beginning Sound /i/ (Free PDF)
Insect, iguana, igloo and ink: the short i sound is quick and light, and it is the vowel in early words like sit, pin and big.
The I worksheet at a glance
- Section 1: say /i/ and trace the letter in capital and small form.
- Section 2: find the 5 /i/ pictures (iguana, ill, inch, igloo and ink) among 12.
- Section 3: picture-to-sound matching for four first sounds.
- Answer key: picture names, answers and quick tips.
Mouth position for /i/
Smile slightly, keep your mouth nearly closed and say a quick /i/, as in itch. It is shorter and tighter than the /e/ in egg.
Ways to practise the /i/ sound
Make a funny face and pretend to have an itch: “i-i-itch!” Scratch your arm each time you hear /i/ at the start of a word. Look at the worksheet pictures together and check the names on page 2 first, as a few of them, like ill and inch, are not obvious from the picture alone.
Extra /i/ words
In, it, is, itch, ink, insect, invite, instrument.
Tricky bits
The letter i also says its name in words like ice cream and island. Those start with the letter i but not with the short /i/ sound, so they are left off the circling activity. Children may also mix up short i and short e; a mirror helps.
Game: Inchworm race
Each player is an inchworm made of paper strips. Say a word: if it starts with /i/, add a strip to your inchworm. The first inchworm to reach five strips wins.
Little and often
Use “in” and “it” in play: put the toy in the box, give it to me. Say the /i/ a little louder for fun.
A silly sentence to try
Itchy insects inch into the igloo.
Letter i handwriting
Handwriting pages for this letter: I uppercase · i lowercase · i cursive. Then read short i words like pig and sit on the short i CVC words page.
Keep going
Carry on with letter j, then letter k. Once most letter sounds are secure, blend them into CVC words.
Letter I sound questions
Why are some i pictures tricky?
Very few easy-to-draw words start with the short /i/ sound. Read the picture names on page 2 together before your child starts.
Should I teach the long i too?
Not yet. Start with the short /i/ of insect, used in many first words. The long i comes later with patterns like i-e in bike.
More answers in the phonics FAQ.
More Letter Sound Worksheets
Also try: CVC words · sight words · alphabet tracing