Short i and Short o Families

Read words in the -ig, -it, -op, and -ot families.

Short i says /i/ as in 'itch', and short o says /o/ as in 'octopus'. Here are four families to learn. -ig: 'big', 'dig', 'pig', 'twig'. -it: 'sit', 'hit', 'fit', 'spit'. -op: 'top', 'hop', 'mop', 'stop'. -ot: 'hot', 'pot', 'dot', 'spot'.

Short i and short o are easy to mix up, so listen carefully. Say 'pit' and then 'pot'. Your mouth is small and smiley for i, and round and open for o. Read: 'The big pig sat in a hot spot. '

• 1Short i says /i/; short o says /o/.
• 2Your mouth is smiley for i and round for o.
• 3Learn the chunk to read the family.