Free Phonics Worksheets – Soft c Sound Words

Are your students working on soft c sound words? These phonics soft c worksheets are a great tool! Use these soft c sond worksheets with 2nd grade and 3rd graders at home or in the classroom. Simply download the Soft c Words worksheets and you are ready to go!

Phonics Soft c Worksheets

When children first learn to read, the soft C sound—where C makes the /s/ sound instead of the usual /k/—can be very tricky! It’s not always easy to understand why city starts with /s/, but cat starts with /k/. This confusion can make reading a challenge, especially for young learners in grade 2 and grade 3.

Plus dont’ miss soft c games, free soft g worksheets, and free phonics worksheets.

Soft c Sound Worksheets
Start by scrolling to the bottom of the post, under the terms of use, and click on the text link that says >> _____ <<. The the hungry caterpillar worksheets pdf file will open in a new window for you to save the freebie and print the template.

What Is the Soft C Sound?

The soft C sound happens when the letter C is followed by an E, I, or Y. Instead of making the /k/ sound like in cup, it makes the /s/ sound, like in center or circus.

The Gentle Cindy Rule: A Fun Visual Trick

One popular way to teach this rule is with Gentle Cindy. This silly face is a great memory trick! Draw a face using:

• E’s for eyes I for a nose Y for a mouth C’s and G’s for the hair

This fun image helps kids remember:

When C or G is followed by E, I, or Y, it makes a soft sound—/s/ or /j/!

Soft C Word List

Curious as to where we see these patterns. Surprisingly, they are in words we use all the time. Here are a few examples.

Soft C Words – C followed by I

• • city
  • circle
  • circus
  • cinnamon
  • civil
  • citizen
  • cinema
  • citation
  • bicycle
  • acidic

Soft C Words – C followed by E

• • center
  • celery
  • cement
  • celebrate
  • cereal
  • certain
  • ceiling
  • cell
  • cent
  • ice

Soft C Words – C followed by Y

• • icy
  • fancy
  • mercy
  • juicy
  • spicy
  • bouncy
  • policy
  • literacy
  • agency
  • currency

 

Soft c Words worksheets

Reading comprehension passages with these words offer meaningful, fun phonics practice! Perfect for grade 2 and grdae 3 students, these passages help reinforce both phonics and reading comprehension.

Prep Work

• Print the soft C word list and passages
• Grab a whiteboard or yellow and gray markers
• Let your child get started!

How to Use

• • Read the passage aloud
  • Highlight all the soft C words
  • Find any hard C words too
  • Answer the comprehension questions
  • If needed, go back and practice reading each soft C word

Make phonics fun, hands-on, and memorable—your child will become a soft C superstar in no time!