The short a makes the sound /ă/ like in the word apple. This sound is quick and sharp, and we hear it in many common words.
The short a sound is the same sound we make when a doctor asks us to open our mouth and say “ah.”
CVC words are words made up of a consonant, vowel, and consonant. Many CVC words use the short a sound.
When sounding out a CVC word, tap each sound slowly and then blend them together. For example: /c/ - /ă/ - /t/ → cat.
Word families are groups of words that share the same ending. Learning word families helps us read new words more easily.
Start with the ending sound, then add the beginning consonant. For example, start with -at and add c → cat.
Reading short a words in sentences helps us build fluency and confidence while reading.
Read the sentence slowly first. Then try again more smoothly. Listen for the short a sound each time.