Learning Worksheets Phonics Letter O sound
Free printable PDF · beginning sounds · ages 3–5
Letter O Sound Worksheet: Beginning Sound /o/ (Free PDF)
Octopus, ox, otter and olive: the short o sound is round and open, the vowel in early words like dog, hot and pot.
The O worksheet at a glance
- Section 1: say /o/ and trace the letter in capital and small form.
- Section 2: find the 4 /o/ pictures (ox, otter, olive and orange) among 12.
- Section 3: picture-to-sound matching for four first sounds.
- Answer key: picture names, answers and quick tips.
Mouth position for /o/
Make a round mouth, drop your jaw and say a short /o/, like a surprised “oh!” cut off quickly. In some accents it sounds a bit like “ah”.
Ways to practise the /o/ sound
Make your mouth into an O and look in the mirror. Say o-o-octopus and wave your arms like eight tentacles. Then go through the pictures, checking the names on page 2 first. Short o pictures are fewer than for most letters, so add your own: on, off, odd and object.
Extra /o/ words
On, off, odd, ox, olive, octopus, operation, ostrich.
Tricky bits
Children may circle pictures with the long o (like boat or oval), since the letter is the same. That shows good letter knowledge. Explain that o has another sound you will learn later.
Game: Octopus arms
Draw an octopus with eight empty arms. For each word your child says that starts with /o/, colour in one arm. Help with ideas like on, off and orange.
Little and often
On and off are short o words you say all day. Switch toys on and off and say the sound clearly.
A silly sentence to try
Oscar the octopus is on and off the rocks.
Letter o handwriting
Handwriting pages for this letter: O uppercase · o lowercase · o cursive. Then read short o words like dog and hot on the short o CVC words page.
Keep going
Carry on with letter p, then letter q. Once most letter sounds are secure, blend them into CVC words.
Letter O sound questions
Why does short o sound different in different countries?
Accents change vowel sounds. In some places it sounds like “aw”, in others like “ah”. Teach the sound the way it is said where you live.
Is orange a short o word?
In many accents, yes. In others the o sounds a little different. If it feels wrong in your accent, skip it.
More answers in the phonics FAQ.
More Letter Sound Worksheets
Also try: CVC words · sight words · alphabet tracing