Sh Digraph Worksheet: The sh Sound (Free Printable PDF)

What’s in the PDF

• Page 1: trace sh and the words ship, shell and fish; circle the pictures with the sh sound; then write sh or ch to finish six picture words.
• Page 2: sort eight words into sh and ch boxes; read three sentences and circle the sh words; then write a sh word for three pictures.
• Page 3: an answer key with every picture name.

Read the instructions aloud for children who are still learning to read. Say each picture name together first.

What is the sh digraph?

A digraph is two letters that make one sound. In sh, you do not hear the s or the h separately: they team up to make /sh/. It can come at the start of a word (shop, ship) or at the end (fish, wish).

How to say the sh sound

Push your lips forward into a small round shape, keep your teeth close together and let the air rush out: /sh/. Put a finger to your lips as if saying “shh, the baby is asleep”.

Examples

• At the start: ship, shop, shed, shell, sheep, shark
• At the end: fish, dish, wish, rush, brush, splash
• In sentences: She has a shell. The fish is in the dish.

How to teach it

Start by saying /s/ and /sh/ one after the other so your child hears that they are different. Write s and h on two cards, then push them together and say “when these two hold hands, they say /sh/.” Read short words together: sh-o-p, sh-e-d, f-i-sh. Point to the two letters with one finger, so your child learns to treat sh as one chunk. Then try the worksheet, starting with the picture page.

Common mix-ups

Children may read s-h as two sounds, saying “s-huh-ip” for ship. Point to sh with one finger and say the sound together. Another common mix-up is between sh and ch, which feel similar. Comparing pairs like ship and chip helps.

Game: Shh, the shark is sleeping

One person is a sleeping shark. Everyone else tiptoes around saying sh words in a whisper: ship, shoe, fish. If someone says a word without the /sh/ sound, the shark wakes up and gives chase.

Questions to ask

• Can you hear sh at the start or the end of this word?
• What sound do s and h make when they are together?
• Can you think of a sh word in the kitchen?

Practise next

Try ch digraph, th digraph, S blends. Review the single letter sound on the letter s sound page. Reading CVC words confidently first? See our CVC word worksheets.