Decoding Words
Lesson
Topic Index | Grade 3 ELA | Elementary Test Prep | StudyZone

Letter Patterns:

Consonants /s/c and /j/ g, dge

• Reading new words can be easier if you know how to pronounce the sounds that letters can make.

Letter "c"

The letter c can often make the /s/ sound.  We call this the soft c sound.

I went to the city to see a movie.

The letter c usually makes the /s/ sound when these letters are together in a word:

• ce

• ci

• cy

Letter "g" and "dge"

The letter g can often make the /j/ sound.  We call this the soft g sound.

The giant was very scary.

The letter g usually makes the /j/ sound when these letters are together at the beginning of a word:

• gi

• gy

• ge

g can also make the /j/ sound at the end of a word when spelled like:

• ge

• dge

Let's look at some examples.

Words with the soft c sound (/s/ sound) like city

• circles

• cell

• cite

• cylinder

• nice

• ice

• space

• notice

Words with the soft g sound (/j/ sound) like giant

• gem

• gigantic

• giraffe

• gymnastics

• age

• huge

• ridge

• hedge