Sight words and phonicsGrade 1
First grade sight words
Each row pairs a Dolch first-grade word in a box with a ruled line where it is traced twice and then written again. It is meant for beginning readers in grade 1 who are working on instant word recognition.
- Fresh problems every time
- Print or PDF, Letter or A4
- Free, no sign-up
On this page
What prints
The sheet is titled "First grade Sight Words". Each of the rows has the word printed in bold inside a box, followed by a primary-ruled line with the word in grey, repeated twice for tracing. The remaining space on the line is blank for the child to write it.
The word list is Edward Dolch's first-grade set, which has 41 words, including after, again, every, give, going, thank and walk. The generator picks a fresh random selection each time, so the page you print may show different words from the one next to it on screen.
The settings
- Word list. Opens on First grade (41 words). Pre-primer, Primer, Second grade and Third grade are also offered, which helps when a child is ahead or behind.
- Activity. "Read, trace and write". Switch to the checklist to assess a whole list at once.
- Words on the page. 4 to 10. The page opens at 10 on screen; use fewer if the child writes slowly or tires.
Using the page with a first grader
First graders can often decode simple words but still stumble on words like once, walk or could, where the spelling does not match the sounds. Standard RF.1.3.g names this skill: reading irregularly spelled words. That is exactly what a boxed word with traced copies is practicing.
Try this order. Read the word together. Ask your child to name the first letter and the last. Trace twice, saying the word each time. Write it once alone. Then say a short sentence using it, such as "Let me take a turn," so the word has meaning attached.
Keep to one sheet a day. For letters that are still giving trouble, pair it with handwriting practice sheets.
Worked example: eight words on a Tuesday
Suppose the page prints: thank, walk, open, again, round, give, stop, had.
Your child reads six right away. They pause on again and round. You say each word, they repeat it, and then trace. On the writing line they write "again" as "agen". Do not erase it for them. Point to the grey copy, ask them to look at the "ai" in the middle, and have them write it once more beside the first try.
Next, pull those two words out for the week. Write them on cards, keep them by the breakfast table and ask for them once a day. On Friday print a new sheet and see whether again and round show up quickly.
Moving along
When the list feels comfortable, try the second-grade list on sight words worksheets, or make cutouts with sight word flash cards.