• 84 words

Short A Words

Words with the vowel sound of cat, sorted into short lists to print or hear as a test.

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List 1: -at (cat)

Words to learn. Read each word, cover it, write it, then check it.

  1. 1.catOur cat naps inside an empty shoebox.
  2. 2.hatFelt trim circles the brim of her hat.
  3. 3.batSwing the bat when the ball comes.
  4. 4.matUnroll the yoga mat beside the bench.
  5. 5.ratA rat ran behind the barn.
  6. 6.satThree pigeons sat along the roof edge.
  7. 7.patGive the dog a gentle pat.
  8. 8.vatThe cook stirred a vat of soup.
  9. 9.chatGrandpa likes a chat over the fence.
  10. 10.thatPlease pass me that blue marker.
  11. 11.slatOne slat of the fence is loose.
  12. 12.splatThe egg hit the floor with a splat.

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Only voices built into this device are used, so the words are not sent to a speech service to be read. With no voice, a person reads the words from the last page of the test sheet.

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Next step Now the long a words: fame, chaseNext vowel, short i: sit, fish, gym

All 84 words

List 1: -at (cat) 12

  • bat Swing the bat when the ball comes.
  • cat Our cat naps inside an empty shoebox.
  • chat Grandpa likes a chat over the fence.
  • hat Felt trim circles the brim of her hat.
  • mat Unroll the yoga mat beside the bench.
  • pat Give the dog a gentle pat.
  • rat A rat ran behind the barn.
  • sat Three pigeons sat along the roof edge.
  • slat One slat of the fence is loose.
  • splat The egg hit the floor with a splat.
  • that Please pass me that blue marker.
  • vat The cook stirred a vat of soup.

List 2: -an (fan) 12

  • began Rain began to fall at lunch.
  • bran I ate a bran muffin this morning.
  • can Open the can of beans for dinner.
  • clan The whole clan met for a picnic.
  • fan The ceiling fan hums above the reading corner.
  • man A man held the door for us.
  • pan Grease the pan before pouring the batter.
  • plan Sketch a plan of the treehouse first.
  • ran The relay team ran in bright vests.
  • tan The puppy has soft tan fur.
  • than Cornbread tastes better than plain toast.
  • van A delivery van blocked the narrow alley.

List 3: -ap (map) 12

  • cap His baseball cap has a frog patch.
  • clap Thunder gave one loud clap overhead.
  • flap Tuck the tent flap under the stake.
  • gap A gap in the hedge lets rabbits through.
  • lap Balance the tray on your lap.
  • map The trail map shows three waterfalls.
  • nap Grandma takes a nap in the hammock.
  • scrap Save that scrap of ribbon for the collage.
  • snap Snap the two blocks together.
  • strap Tighten the strap on your helmet.
  • tap Tap the screen to start the game.
  • zap A quick zap of static made me jump.

List 4: -ag and -ad (bag, dad) 12

  • bag Pack your lunch in a paper bag.
  • dad My dad makes pancakes on Sunday.
  • flag Raise the flag in the morning.
  • glad Everyone was glad when the rain stopped.
  • had The bakery had only two muffins left.
  • mad He was mad about the broken toy.
  • pad Jot your ideas on a pad of paper.
  • rag Wipe the spill with a damp rag.
  • sad A sad tune played on the violin.
  • snag My sweater caught on a snag.
  • tag The price tag fell off the jacket.
  • wag Our dog will wag her tail at us.

List 5: short a at the start (apple) 12

  • act Each group will act out a scene.
  • actor The actor bowed after the play.
  • after The fireworks start after the parade.
  • album We put the photos in an album.
  • am Guess which riddle I am thinking of.
  • and Bring a pencil and an eraser.
  • animal Draw your favorite animal on the poster.
  • apple An apple rolled out of the grocery sack.
  • as Read the poem as slowly as you like.
  • ask Go ask the ranger where the trail starts.
  • at Meet me at the front door.
  • atlas Look up the country in an atlas.

List 6: longer one-syllable words (plant) 12

  • black The bear has thick black fur.
  • crab A crab walked sideways across the beach.
  • crash Cymbals crash at the end of the march.
  • glass Pour the milk into a glass.
  • grass Wet grass soaked my socks.
  • hand Hold my hand when we cross.
  • lamp Switch on the lamp to read.
  • plant A spider plant dangles above the sink.
  • sand We dug a tunnel in the sand.
  • splash The frog jumped in with a splash.
  • stamp The clerk pressed a stamp on my ticket.
  • stand The umbrella stand tipped over in the hall.

List 7: two syllables (rab-bit) 12

  • basket A picnic basket sat under the oak.
  • cabin The family stayed in a log cabin.
  • cactus A small cactus sits on the shelf.
  • camel A camel carried the tents across the dunes.
  • hammer Hang the hammer on its hook.
  • ladder Hold the ladder while I climb.
  • magnet The magnet picked up every paper clip.
  • planet The story takes place on a frozen planet.
  • rabbit The rabbit thumped its foot twice.
  • salad Toss the salad with a little dressing.
  • traffic A traffic cone marked the wet paint.
  • wagon The red wagon squeaks on every bump.

How it works

These short a words run from cat, fan and map to plant, stamp and rabbit: 84 words in 7 lists of twelve, with a sentence for every word.

Read the full guide

What are short a words?

Words in which the letter a spells the vowel sound of cat, which the dictionary writes ă. In all 84 words here a consonant follows the short a in the same syllable: c-at, pl-ant, rab-bit.

A list of short a vowel words for each ending

Lists 1 to 4 are the three-letter word families of cat, fan, map, then bag and dad, and each goes on to a few longer words: splat, began, scrap, flag. In List 5 the short a comes first (at, apple, animal). List 6 adds blends and digraphs (plant, stamp, crash). List 7 has two syllables (rabbit, magnet, traffic).

  • That, than, can, at and as get a weaker vowel inside a fast sentence. Said alone, as in a test, each has short a.

Questions and answers

What are examples of short a words?

Cat, hat, fan, map, bag and dad are three-letter examples. Longer ones are plant, stamp, black, glass and splash, and with two syllables rabbit, basket, magnet and cabin.

Are short a sound words always spelled with a?

Nearly always. Plaid and laugh are two exceptions: the dictionary gives both the sound, spelled ai and au. Neither is on these lists, where the letter a alone spells it.

Can I print spelling worksheets for short a words?

Yes. Each list prints as a word list with its sentences, a test sheet with numbered lines, an ABC order sheet or a missing letters sheet, on Letter or A4 paper.

Why are bath, path and ant not on the lists?

The American Heritage Dictionary gives bath and path a second pronunciation with the a of father. Ant is left off because aunt can be said the same way, so a test could not tell the two apart.

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