Words with Final 's' Making the /s/ Sound

Teaching students about words that end with 's' making the /s/ sound is a fundamental part of early literacy instruction. This comprehensive list of words helps students recognize and master this common spelling pattern that appears frequently in English words.

Understanding the 's' = /s/ Pattern

When 's' appears at the end of a word and makes the /s/ sound (rather than the /z/ sound), it typically follows certain phonetic patterns. Most commonly, this occurs after unvoiced consonants like 'p', 't', 'k', and 'f'. This collection of words provides excellent examples for students to practice this specific spelling pattern.

Common Core Standards Alignment

This word list aligns with several Common Core Standards for elementary education, particularly:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.2.D: Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2.D: Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.2.F: Use spelling patterns and generalizations in writing words.

These standards emphasize the importance of recognizing and applying common spelling patterns, which is exactly what students practice when working with words ending in 's' making the /s/ sound. This phonetic pattern is particularly valuable because it helps students understand how the same letter can make different sounds depending on its position and the surrounding letters.

Complete Word List

One-Syllable Words

its
sits
fits
lots
spots
gets
nuts
boots
roots
floats
seats
sheets
fists
lasts
costs
trusts
gifts
facts
pants
plants
points
counts
cheeks
weeks
asks
blanks
thanks
thinks
cuffs
lips
tips
cups
shops
stops
crops
scraps
helps
bumps
clumps
lamps
keeps
sweeps
troops
socks
rocks
blocks
backs
tracks
slacks
stacks
checks
picks
sticks
bricks
tricks

Using These Words in Instruction

These words are perfect for various educational activities, including: - Phonics lessons focusing on final consonant sounds - Spelling practice and word pattern recognition - Reading fluency exercises - Writing activities incorporating common spelling patterns - Word sorting activities based on spelling patterns

Creating Custom Worksheets

To make the most of these words in your classroom, you can create customized worksheets that match your specific teaching needs and student ability levels.

Create a worksheet using words from this list

Remember to introduce these words gradually and in conjunction with other phonics patterns to build a strong foundation in reading and spelling.