CK phonics worksheets

The ck spelling makes the /k/ sound — the same sound as c and k, but with its own job. ck turns up at the end of short words, right after a short vowel: back, duck, sock. This free printable helps children spot it, read it, and write it.

One page. Find-and-circle, read-aloud and tracing for the ck sound.

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What's on the sheet

Activity 1 — Find and circle. Twelve words in a grid; the child circles the words containing ck (back, duck, sock, kick, rock, lock, neck, pick) among look-alike distractors that make /k/ another way (cat, key, milk, book).

Activity 2 — Read aloud. Five featured ck words, each with a colorable dot beneath — duck, sock, kick, rock, neck.

Activity 3 — Trace. Six traces of ck across the page, the first solid, the rest light grey.

Parent note. A short tip on the k-or-ck rule.

How to teach the ck spelling

ck spells /k/ only at the end of a short word, straight after a short vowel — back, not bak. It never starts a word. The quick rule: use ck right after a short vowel (duck, sock); use k after a long vowel or a consonant (milk, bake). Say it, find it in reading, then write it.

When this is the right level

Use this if:

• Your child reads CVC words confidently
• They know their single letter sounds
• They're meeting ck in reading (ages 5–7)

Skip this if:

• They're still learning single letter sounds — start with the Magic 7 set
• They already read multi-syllable words — move on to long vowels

Related resources

• Consonant digraph worksheets — the sh, ch, th, ng hub
• Phonics blends worksheets
• CVC words worksheets

Common questions

When do I use k and when do I use ck?

ck comes straight after a short vowel at the end of a short word (duck, back); k is used after a long vowel or a consonant (bake, milk).

My child writes "bak" instead of "back" — how do I help?

They've heard /k/ correctly but not learned the ck pattern. Show that short words ending in /k/ after a short vowel use ck; practise a few together (duck, sock, kick).

Are these worksheets really free?

Yes, free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.