Free printable · Sound: short i
Short i CVC Decodable Story – A Pig in a Pit (Free Printable)
A short decodable story that practises the short i sound, plus a matching handwriting sheet. Every word can be sounded out by a child who has learned first sounds, apart from a few common tricky words.
Download the free PDF (2 pages, A4)Prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use.
For parents
- Read the story together three times this week. Your child colours a star each time.
- Point to each word as they read. Short i says i as in insect. Tap one finger for each sound: p-i-g.
- Hunt for the short i words and write six of them in the boxes.
- Finish with the tracing sheet: trace the grey words, then write each one on its own.
For teachers
- Fits a systematic synthetic phonics sequence at Set 1 · First sounds, after teaching the short i sound. Suits Foundation.
- Tracing sheet uses the VIC / WA / NT Beginners handwriting style.
- 45 words, 11 different short i words, short sentences.
- Use for small-group reading, repeated reading for fluency, or homework.
- Photocopy freely for your class.
short i words in this story
- is
- pig
- sits
- in
- pit
- big
- digs
- flicks
- grins
- it
- trick
Tricky words used
- is
- a
- of
- the
Common words that can't be fully sounded out yet. Practise them by sight.
More First sounds printables
Practise short i with Digby
In Wombat Words, your child reads stories like this one aloud and Digby follows along, then they trace the tricky words in their school's handwriting style. You get a report showing which sounds they've mastered.