Free Short I CVC Word Lists – Real and Nonsense (PDF)
Looking for printable word lists that focus on the short i vowel sound? On this page, you'll find two free PDFs featuring CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words with short i. These lists are perfect for early reading instruction, phonics practice, and decoding assessments.
What’s Included
Download two ready-to-use word lists focused on the short i sound:
- Short I CVC Real Word List – Includes real English words like sit, lip, pin, and fix. These short i words are great for teaching decoding and spelling patterns in early literacy instruction.
- Short I CVC Nonsense Word List – Contains made-up but decodable words such as mig, zif, kip, and niv. These nonsense words are useful for phonics assessments and ensuring students rely on decoding strategies rather than word memorization.
Each list follows consistent phonics rules and avoids irregular or misleading spelling patterns, making them suitable for classroom, intervention, or home use.
Why Use Short I CVC Word Lists?
Short i CVC words are a core part of early phonics instruction. Because they are regular and predictable, they help students internalize the sound-symbol relationships that form the foundation of reading and spelling. Mastery of short i words also supports later success with more complex vowel patterns.
Short i word lists are ideal for:
- Introducing and reinforcing the short i vowel sound
- Guided and independent decoding practice
- Reading intervention and phonics-based support
- Progress monitoring and informal assessments
- Phonics games, centers, and homework practice
Need more short I CVC words or custom combinations? Generate your own free, printable CVC word lists using our phonics word generator! You can specify exactly which vowels and consonants to include for truly tailored practice.
Short I CVC Word List Downloads
Short I CVC Real Word List PDF |
Short I CVC Nonsense Word List PDF |
Generate Your Own Short I Word Lists
Need more short i words or want to customize a list? Use our free CVC word list generator to build a custom list with real or nonsense words. Select which vowel sounds and consonants to include, and generate a printable word list in seconds.
All word lists are created with classroom use in mind and follow clear phonics rules that make them ideal for early readers and struggling readers alike.
Try the CVC Word List Generator
Explore CVC Words by Vowel:
Short A | Short E | Short O | Short U
Explore More Phonics Resources
Beyond focused short vowel practice, our main CVC word lists page offers a wider variety of mixed-vowel lists and explains how to use our free word list generator to create highly customized phonics short i lists, or any short vowel or combination you need. We also offer dedicated resources for other key phonics skills, including comprehensive digraph word lists and detailed silent e word lists, perfect for building a strong foundation in reading and expanding your collection of i phonics words.
About me!
Hi! My name is Miss Becca, and I’m an elementary school teacher in New York. Over the course of my teaching career, I’ve taught every grade from kindergarten through fifth grade. I’m certified in both special and general education, and I’ve taught students from both populations. I’ve also taught reading intervention.
I used to spend a lot of time creating my own word lists and word cards to supplement phonics programs and reading intervention programs. Learning to read is hard, and students need a lot of practice, but it was difficult to find resources targeting exactly what I needed! I created phonicswordlist.com to make my own job in the classroom easier, and hopefully to help other teachers as well!
I hope you find this resource useful! Feel free to shoot me an email at beccatheteacher (at) gmail (dot) com with any questions or feedback!
P.S. – Check out my store on Teachers Pay Teachers! 😊