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-ack word family list

The -ack word family is every word that ends in ack, such as back, jack, lack. The c and k at the end make one sound together. That ck spelling comes straight after a short vowel, as in back, deck, kick, rock and duck.

This list has 20 -ack words in 3 groups. The first group is the easiest; the later groups add a blend, a digraph or a second syllable, so your child can keep going as the pattern gets easy.

Starter words

  • back
  • jack
  • lack
  • pack
  • rack
  • sack
  • tack

Words with blends and digraphs

  • black
  • clack
  • crack
  • quack
  • shack
  • slack
  • snack
  • stack
  • track

Longer words

  • backpack
  • haystack
  • thumbtack
  • unpack

How to use this list

  1. Point out that ck is two letters but one sound, then count the sounds in back together: b-a-ck, three sounds.
  2. Read this silly sentence together: "A black duck can quack for a snack."
  3. Keep sessions short: a few minutes a day beats one long session a week.
  4. Ask your child to say each sound and then blend them into the word. If they guess from the first letter, cover the word and go sound by sound again.
  5. Print the flashcards, mix them up, and read them out of order once the list feels easy, so your child is reading the word and not remembering the list.

Frequently asked questions

What is the -ack word family?

A group of words that all end in the same letters and sound, -ack. Children read the ending as one chunk, so they only have to work out the sound at the start.

Why is it -ack and not -ak?

In English, the /k/ sound right after a short vowel at the end of a one-syllable word is usually spelled ck. That is why back, pack and snack all use ck.

Should my child memorise these words?

No. The aim is to read the ending as a chunk and blend it with the first sound. If your child can read a word from the list they have never seen before, the pattern has clicked.

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