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-ink word family list

The -ink word family is every word that ends in ink, such as link, mink, pink. Like -ing, the n and k blend at the back of the mouth, so -ink is easiest to teach as one chunk.

This list has 13 -ink words in 2 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

  • link
  • mink
  • pink
  • rink
  • sink
  • wink

Words with blends and digraphs

  • blink
  • brink
  • clink
  • drink
  • shrink
  • slink
  • think

How to use this list

  1. Say "ink" together, then add the first sound: p + ink, pink. Do the same with blink and think.
  2. Read this silly sentence together: "Wink and blink, then think of a pink drink."
  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 -ink word family?

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

Why does the i in -ink sound a little different?

Before the ng sound in -ink and -ing, short i is said slightly differently in many accents. That is one reason these endings are taught as whole chunks.

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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