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-it word family list

The -it word family is every word that ends in it, such as bit, fit, hit. "It" is also a word on its own, and a sight word children see in almost every early book, so this family gives it extra practice.

This list has 16 -it 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

  • bit
  • fit
  • hit
  • kit
  • lit
  • pit
  • sit
  • wit

Words with blends and digraphs

  • grit
  • quit
  • skit
  • slit
  • split

Longer words

  • admit
  • bandit
  • rabbit

How to use this list

  1. Read "it" first, then add one sound in front each time: s + it, sit; b + it, bit.
  2. Read this silly sentence together: "A rabbit can sit in a kit bag."
  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 -it word family?

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

How do I help with rabbit and bandit?

Split them where the two consonants meet: rab-bit, ban-dit. Each half is a short chunk your child can sound out.

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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