Y, EY, and IE at the End of Words Activity

If you first grade students are working on making the long e sound at the end of words you will love this endings y, ey, and ie activity. These free printable phonics clip cards allow children to work on reading and spelling words ending in y, ie ending words, and ey ending words. simply print and you are ready to practice!

Endings ‘y’, ‘ey’, and ‘ie

Clip cards are a fantastic tool for engaging children in phonics activities. Today, we’ll explore how to use clip cards to reinforce the long ‘e’ sound at the end of words, focusing on the endings ‘y’, ‘ey’, and ‘ie’. With a bit of prep work and creativity, you can turn learning into an exciting adventure for your child.

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Benefits of Using Clip Cards

• Engagement – Clip cards make learning fun and interactive, keeping children actively involved in the learning process. Skill Reinforcement: Through hands-on activities, children strengthen their phonics skills and develop a deeper understanding of ending sounds.
• Fine Motor Skills – Using clothespins or clips to mark answers enhances fine motor skills, promoting coordination and dexterity.
• Independent Learning – Clip cards allow children to work at their own pace and practice independently, building confidence in their abilities.

Long e Sound at the End of Words Activity

There are numerous ways to make the long e sound at the end of words. But today we are going to focus on 3. Words in ending in y is frequently used, while word ending in ie or ey don’t typically appear. Though we may not see them often in our English spellings, they are still important to learn.

Words ending in y

In two-syllable words, ‘Y’ as the long ‘e’ sound typically appears as the last letter of the word, as seen in words like baby or body. The long ‘e’ sound is one of the most frequently used vowel sounds in English, and ‘Y’ often signifies this sound.

Example of two syllable words ending in y: happy, grassy, rainy, silly, windy, sandy, foggy, noisy, gritty, buttery, earthy, tasty, cheesy, smoky, fruity, wavy, rusty, dusty, muddy, hairy, jumpy, spicy, milky, manly, skinny, sticky. runny, baldy, cozy, cheery, tipsy, lovely, artsy, comfy, pasty, whiny, stony, minty, bossy, brassy

ie ending words

The ‘ie’ spelling at the end of words is more common and can be found in words like “cookie.”

Examples of ie ending words:  brownie, cutie, hippie, goldie, cookie, smoothie, sillie, selfie, quickie, freebie, sweetie, untie, dixie, hoodie, horsie, junkie, oldie, piggie, roomie, Addie, funkie, gunkie, genie, movie

ey ending words

The ‘ey’ spelling is often found at the end of the base word, as in “honey” or “money.

Examples of ey ending words: alley, barley, chimney, donkey, gallery, honey, journey, kidney, lobby, money, nursery, parody, quality, remedy, survey, valley, whiskey, abbey, bunny, celery, decoy, enemy, finery, gurney, hockey, jockey, key, lemony, marquee, novelty, ottery, parsley, quirky, reedy, solvency, techie, tweedy, velocity, winery.

Long E Clip Cards

Before diving into the activities, take some time to prepare your materials. Print off the provided word list, cut out each word, and laminate them for durability. This ensures that your clip cards will withstand multiple uses and stay in good condition over time.

• Say the Word Out Loud – First, sit with your child and have the child say/read the word out loud. Help them pronounce each word clearly, emphasizing the long e sound.
• Place a Clip on the Correct Long E Ending – After saying the word aloud, encourage your child to identify the correct ending sound. Provide them with clothespins or clips and have them clip the appropriate ending (‘y’, ‘ey’, or ‘ie’) on the card. This hands-on activity enhances their phonemic awareness and reinforces their understanding of ending sounds.
• Write the Word with a Dry Erase Marker – Once your child has identified the ending sound, it’s time to reinforce their learning by writing the word. Have them write the word independently, focusing on spelling it correctly. This step allows for additional practice and helps solidify their understanding of the long ‘e’ sound.

Y Ending Words

By engaging in this activity, your child will strengthen their recognition of the long ‘e’ sound at the end of words and improve their spelling skills in a fun and interactive way. Enjoy the learning journey together!