Reception English and phonics: ck at the end of a word
Part of the Reception English and phonics letter sounds: g, o, c, k, ck, e, u, r chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
ck at the end of a word
Duck and sock both end with the letters ck. Sam says the end of duck. He hears only one sound, /k/.
The letters ck make one sound, not two. We write ck at the end of a short word, after a short vowel like u or o.
Write ck together, in one box.
Key ideas
- The letters ck make one sound, /k/.
- Write ck together, in one box.
- ck comes at the end of a short word.
duck
Method. Say the word, sound by sound. Then write one letter, or one group of letters, in each box.
- Say the name of the picture. A grown-up says the word slowly.duck
- Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.d - u - ck
- Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.d-u-ck
Check. Read the letters back: d-u-ck. They spell duck. ✓
Watch out. Write the sounds from left to right, and leave no box out.
Method. Say the word sock, sound by sound.
- Say the sounds. Each box is one sound.s - o - ck
- Find the last box. The last box has two letters, but it is one sound.last box: ck
- Write the answer. The two letters ck make one sound.ck
Check. Sock has three sounds: s, o and ck. ✓
Watch out. Do not write c and k as two sounds.
rug
pen
duck
Method. Read the parts in order. Then say the sounds together, faster and faster, to make the word.
- Read each part, one at a time. Each part makes one sound. Read them from left to right.d - u - ck
- Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word./d/ /u/ /k/
- Write the word. The blended sounds make the word./d/ /u/ /k/ = duck
Check. Check the picture of a duck. The picture matches the word. ✓
Watch out. Do not say each sound as a separate word. Join them together.
Watch out
Watch out: ck is one sound, but it has two letters. Do not say /c/ and /k/ separately.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “How many sounds in duck?” The answer is three: d, u and ck.
Exercise 2B Words ending in ck
duck
Method. Say the word, sound by sound. Then write one letter, or one group of letters, in each box.
- Say the name of the picture. A grown-up says the word slowly.duck
- Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.d - u - ck
- Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.d-u-ck
Check. Read the letters back: d-u-ck. They spell duck. ✓
Watch out. Write the sounds from left to right, and leave no box out.
sock
Method. Say the word, sound by sound. Then write one letter, or one group of letters, in each box.
- Say the name of the picture. A grown-up says the word slowly.sock
- Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.s - o - ck
- Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.s-o-ck
Check. Read the letters back: s-o-ck. They spell sock. ✓
Watch out. Write the sounds from left to right, and leave no box out.
duck
rug
pen
Method. Read the parts in order. Then say the sounds together, faster and faster, to make the word.
- Read each part, one at a time. Each part makes one sound. Read them from left to right.d - u - ck
- Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word./d/ /u/ /k/
- Write the word. The blended sounds make the word./d/ /u/ /k/ = duck
Check. Check the picture of a duck. The picture matches the word. ✓
Watch out. Do not say each sound as a separate word. Join them together.
mat
cat
sock
Method. Read the parts in order. Then say the sounds together, faster and faster, to make the word.
- Read each part, one at a time. Each part makes one sound. Read them from left to right.s - o - ck
- Say the sounds, then join them. Blending means joining the sounds together into one word./s/ /o/ /k/
- Write the word. The blended sounds make the word./s/ /o/ /k/ = sock
Check. Check the picture of a sock. The picture matches the word. ✓
Watch out. Do not say each sound as a separate word. Join them together.
duck
Method. Say the word, sound by sound.
- Say duck. Each sound is one box.d - u - ck
- Find the last sound. The last sound is /k/.last sound: /k/
- Write the letters. Two letters make this sound.ck
Check. The ending ck makes one sound, /k/. ✓
Watch out. Write both letters together.
cat
duck
egg
Method. Look at the end of each name.
- Look at cat. cat ends with t.cat: t
- Look at duck. duck ends with ck.duck: ck
- Look at egg. egg ends with gg.egg: gg
- Write the answer. duck
Check. Only duck ends with ck. ✓
Watch out. Look at the last letters of the word.
duck
Method. Say the word, one sound at a time. ck is one sound.
- Say the sounds. Each box is one sound.d - u - ck
- Count the sounds. Do not count c and k as two sounds.d, u, ck
- Write the answer. 3 sounds.
Check. Count the sounds again: d, u, ck. There are 3. ✓
Watch out. Count the sounds, not the letters.
Method. Count the letters, one at a time.
- Write the letters. Write each letter once.s | o | c | k
- Count the letters. Count every letter.1, 2, 3, 4
- Write the answer. 4 letters.
Check. Sock has four letters. ✓
Watch out. Count c and k as two letters.
Method. Count the sounds, not the letters.
- Say the sounds. The letters ck make one sound.s - o - ck
- Count the sounds. ck is one sound.s, o, ck
- Write the answer. 3 sounds.
Check. Three sounds: s, o and ck. ✓
Watch out. Two letters can make one sound.
duck
sock
cup
Method. Look at the end of each name.
- Look at duck and sock. Both end with ck.duck: ck; sock: ck
- Look at cup. cup ends with p, not ck.cup: p
- Write the answer. cup
Check. Only cup does not end with ck. ✓
Watch out. Check the last letters of each word.
duck
sock
Method. Choose one of the two words that end with ck.
- Look at the pictures. Both words end with ck.duck, sock
- Choose one word. Write the whole word.duck
- Write the answer. duck or sock
Check. Each word ends with ck. ✓
Watch out. Write both letters of ck together.
Method. Think of a short word with a vowel, then add ck at the end.
- Think of a short word. Use one vowel, like u or o.r - o - ck
- Add ck to the end. ck is one sound at the end.rock
- Write the answer. Accept any word that ends with ck and uses this chapter letters, such as rock or deck.
Check. The word ends with ck, one sound. ✓
Watch out. Use ck, not c and k, at the end.
sock
Method. Count the sounds, not the letters.
- Say the sounds. Each sound is one part of the word.s - o - ck
- Count the sounds. ck is one sound, even with two letters.s, o, ck
- Give your answer. Say why Tom is right.Accept any answer that says yes: s, o and ck are three sounds, because ck is one sound.
Check. Three sounds: s, o and ck. ✓
Watch out. Counting sounds is different from counting letters.