Short vowel sounds worksheet

A short vowel sound is pronounced for a shorter time than a long vowel sound. For instance, in the word fat, the vowel 'a' is short, but in fate, it's long. Use this worksheet to practise short vowel sounds and consolidate your child's phonics learning at home.

What is a short vowel? 

Short vowels are quick vowel sounds that don't last as long as the other vowel sounds. In English, we have five main short vowel sounds. These are the vowel sounds you hear in words like 'hat,' 'bed,' 'big,' 'hot,' and 'tub.' When we say a short vowel sound, it doesn't last long, and it's usually just one letter making the sound.

What is in this short vowel sound worksheet?

Our short vowel worksheet was created by teachers and includes a clear explanation of short vowels, followed by a fun colour-coding activity. Your child will need to identify the short vowel sounds in the list of words, using the colour code to circle them in the correct colour. They can then do the same with sentences: identifying the short vowel sounds and circling them in the correct colour. 

For more practice with short vowel sounds, try Recognising short vowels in CVC words.