What Comes After CVC Words? A Phonics Sequence for Homeschoolers

Your child is blending CVC words like cat, mop, and sun with ease.
They’re reading simple sentences.
You’re both feeling proud—and maybe wondering…

“Now what?”

Moving beyond CVC words is a key step in your homeschool reading journey. But without a clear path, it’s easy to jump ahead too fast—or stall out completely.

The good news? There’s a simple, research-backed sequence that keeps momentum going while setting your child up for decoding success. 📈

In this post, you’ll learn what to teach next—and how to build phonics instruction that actually sticks.

🧱 Why a Phonics Sequence Matters

Reading isn’t just about memorizing words or jumping into books.
It’s about teaching students to recognize patterns in print—step by step.

Following a structured phonics sequence:

• Builds decoding confidence

• Prevents skill gaps

• Supports orthographic mapping (storing words permanently)

• Keeps your homeschool lessons focused and efficient

Let’s break down the most common next steps after CVC mastery.

✅ What to Teach After CVC Words

Once your child can confidently blend and read short vowel CVC words (like pet, dog, win), here’s what typically comes next:

1. Consonant Digraphs

Examples: sh, ch, th, wh, ck
These are two letters that make one sound.

Teach them with simple words like:

• ship, chat, this, whiz, back

🧠 Why now? They appear frequently in early reading and don’t follow the single-letter = one sound pattern your child just mastered.

2. Consonant Blends

Examples: bl, st, gr, sn, cr, pl
These are two or three consonants blended together, but each sound is still heard.

Start with beginning blends:

• plan, frog, skip

Then move to ending blends:

• desk, milk, sand

👂 Encourage your child to listen closely to each sound—blends can be tricky to segment and spell.

3. Bonus Letters and Double Consonants

Examples: ll, ss, ff, zz (as in bell, puff, miss)
Teach that sometimes certain letters double at the end of short words.

📏 These spelling rules make reading and writing more accurate.

4. Silent E (CVCe Words)

Examples: cake, bike, rope, cute
This pattern introduces long vowel sounds and the "magic e" rule.

Teach it once your child is solid with short vowels, digraphs, and blends.

🎩 You can call it “silent e” or “magic e”—either way, explain that it changes the vowel sound without making its own.

5. Vowel Teams

Examples: ai, ee, oa, ea, ie
These are two vowels that work together to make one sound.

Teach common ones first:

• rain, seat, goat

Then introduce trickier ones like:

• read (long e), read (short e), great (long a)

💡 Emphasize that not all vowel teams follow the same rule—some are irregular and need more exposure.

6. R-Controlled Vowels

Examples: ar, er, ir, or, ur
Often called “Bossy R,” these patterns change the sound of the vowel.

Practice with words like:

• car, bird, turn, corn, her

🚗 These appear frequently in early texts and need explicit practice to avoid confusion.

7. Multisyllabic Words and Syllable Division

Once your child is reading words with the above patterns confidently, it’s time to explore:

• Compound words: sunset, bathtub

• Two-syllable decodables: picnic, laptop, basket

• Syllable types: closed, open, VCe, etc.

Break words down by syllable and teach your child to decode them part by part.

🗺️ Bonus Tip: Follow a Scope and Sequence

While you don’t need a boxed curriculum, it is helpful to follow a clear phonics scope and sequence. This keeps you from jumping around or skipping critical skills.

Use your sequence to guide:

• What to teach

• Which decodable texts to choose

• What spelling patterns to reinforce

• How to spot gaps early

Consistency is more important than speed. 🐢💡

Final Thoughts

Moving beyond CVC words isn’t about rushing ahead—it’s about building on a strong foundation.

By teaching digraphs, blends, and vowel patterns in a clear sequence, you’ll help your homeschooler grow into a confident, capable reader.

Each new skill unlocks more of the reading world—and you're guiding the way. 🌟

You've already helped your child master CVC words. Now it’s time for the next level—step by step, sound by sound.