Phonics & Word Reading

Sounds, letters and blending into first words — 23 skills across 6 years. Every skill below shows what it builds on and how to tell your child has it.

English23 skillsages 4–10

Grouped by the age children typically start each skill. Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace.

Around age 4

Blending Sounds to Read Wordsages 4–7AC ✓ Consonant Digraphsages 4–7AC ✓ Knowing all lettersages 4–6AC ✓ Onsets & Rimesages 4–7AC ✓ Rhyming wordsages 4–6AC ✓ Single Letter Soundsages 4–6AC ✓ Understanding printages 4–6AC ✓ Vowel Digraphsages 4–7AC ✓

Around age 5

Compound Wordsages 5–8AC ✓ Diphthongs and complex vowelsages 5–6AC ✓ R-Controlled Vowel Soundsages 5–6AC ✓ Reading Contractionsages 5–6AC ✓ Reading fluentlyages 5–7AC ✓ Reading High-Frequency Words by Sightages 5–8AC ✓ Reading Inflectional Endingsages 5–7AC ✓ Split Digraphs and Magic Eages 5–7AC ✓ Syllablesages 5–6AC ✓ Trigraphsages 5–6AC ✓

Around age 6

Alternative Spellings for Known Soundsages 6–8AC ✓ Reading with Expression and Accuracyages 6–10AC ✓ Syllables (age 6+)ages 6–9AC ✓

Around age 7

Decoding unfamiliar wordsages 7–9AC ✓ Prefixes and suffixesages 7–9AC ✓

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