pick
/pɪk/ UK /pɪk/ · US /pɪk/
A short i CVC word (ɪ) in the actions category. It belongs to the -ick word family.
actionsHear pick
Tap a sound to hear it on its own, or play the whole word below.
How to Say “pick”
Blend the three sounds together slowly, then speed up: /p/ – /ɪ/ – /k/ → pick.
Example Sentences with Pick
- Pick a card.
- Pick up the phone.
- The kick and the pick both end with the same sound.
- Say "pick" slowly, then say it as one word.
How to Spell “pick”
Children most often write this word as pic, ipck, pickk, piick. 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>pick</strong> begins with the /p/ sound, so begin with "p".
- Say the word slowly three times, then write one sound per letter: <strong>p - i - ck</strong>.
- The "i" in <strong>pick</strong> says /ɪ/, not the letter name "ih". The mouth stays relaxed.
- The ending "<strong>ck</strong>" is one sound (/k/). Two letters, one sound — do not let the child say two sounds there.
Phonics Tip for Pick
"pick" and "kick" and "lick" share the ending /ɪk/. Say them back to back so the child hears that only the first sound changes. That is the core of the -ick family.
Fun Facts About Pick
Every letter in <strong>pick</strong> carries one sound: p says /p/, i says /ɪ/, ck says /k/. That is what makes it fully decodable — a child who knows the three sounds can read <strong>pick</strong> on the first try, with no guessing from the picture. It belongs to the -ick family, which has 5 other words in it: kick, lick, sick, tick, wick.
More Words in the -ick Family
Words that rhyme with pick and end with the same sounds:
Related CVC Words
More words with the short i sound that have their own picture guide:
Other Word Families
Move between families:
Where to Practise Pick
- All short i CVC words — 52 words
- The -ick word family
- CVC flash cards — picture cards with audio
- CVC multiple choice quiz
- CVC sentences — read the word in context
- CVC worksheets