Sound Swap
Say each picture. Write the first letter. Only one sound changes between the two words!
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This is sheet #35024601.
How to do it
- Say the first picture. Write its first letter.
- Say the second picture. Write its first letter.
- Read both words. Only one sound changed!
Teaching tip
After writing, have your child read both words in a silly sentence, like "I have a key and a cup of tea." This sheet is aligned with Common Core RF.1.2c.
About this worksheet
Six picture pairs where the rest of the word is given. Write the first letter that makes each word.
What kids practice
Minimal pairs are two words that are the same except for one sound, like key and tea or wing and win. When a child swaps sounds, they can change the meaning of what they say without noticing. Practicing pairs helps kids hear the difference first, and then say it. These pairs focus on the swaps first graders make most: t for k, d for g, p for f, b or f for v, n for ng, and l for y.
Watch for
- Getting the listening right but not the saying. That's a normal step. Keep practicing both.
- Exaggerating the sound so much that the word sounds strange. Aim for clear, not loud.
- If sound swaps make your child hard to understand, ask a speech-language pathologist to take a look.
It's free to print, with an answer key. See the full minimal pairs guide for 1st grade.
More sheets in this set
- See it all
1. Minimal Pairs ChartWhat a minimal pair is, six common sound swaps with pictures (k and t, g and d, f and p, v and f, ng and n, y and l) and how to practice. 
2. Picture PairsFive pairs of picture words that differ by one sound, like cape and tape, with the two sounds shown in the middle.
3. Which One Did I Say?A listening game. A grown-up reads the list at the bottom and the child circles the picture they hear.