lass
/læs/ UK /læs/ · US /læs/
A short a CVC word (æ) in the people category. It belongs to the -ass word family.
peopleHear lass
Tap a sound to hear it on its own, or play the whole word below.
How to Say “lass”
Blend the three sounds together slowly, then speed up: /l/ – /æ/ – /s/ → lass.
Example Sentences with Lass
- A Scottish lass.
- The young lass smiled.
- The bass and the lass both end with the same sound.
- Say "lass" slowly, then say it as one word.
How to Spell “lass”
Children most often write this word as less, las, alss, lasss. Those errors are useful — each one points to a specific sound the child has not yet connected to a letter.
- Start with the picture: <strong>lass</strong> begins with the /l/ sound, so begin with "l".
- Say the word slowly three times, then write one sound per letter: <strong>l - a - ss</strong>.
- The "a" in <strong>lass</strong> says /æ/, not "ay". Ask the child what the mouth does, not what the letter is called.
- The ending "<strong>ss</strong>" is one sound (/s/). Two letters, one sound — do not let the child say two sounds there.
Phonics Tip for Lass
"lass" and "bass" and "mass" share the ending /æs/. Say them back to back so the child hears that only the first sound changes. That is the core of the -ass family.
Fun Facts About Lass
Every letter in <strong>lass</strong> carries one sound: l says /l/, a says /æ/, ss says /s/. That is what makes it fully decodable — a child who knows the three sounds can read <strong>lass</strong> on the first try, with no guessing from the picture. It belongs to the -ass family, which has 3 other words in it: bass, mass, pass.
More Words in the -ass Family
Words that rhyme with lass and end with the same sounds:
Related CVC Words
More words with the short a sound that have their own picture guide:
Other Word Families
Move between families:
Where to Practise Lass
- All short a CVC words — 59 words
- The -ass word family
- CVC flash cards — picture cards with audio
- CVC multiple choice quiz
- CVC sentences — read the word in context
- CVC worksheets