The ig word family: -ig words list
Big, dig, pig and wig all end in -ig, the first short i family most children learn. Hear each word, see how -ig works in longer words, and play the game.
Ig family words list (23 words)
Tap a word to hear it.
CVC -ig words
-ig words with blends
Longer words ending in -ig
-ig words with s
Ig family words game: listen and find
Hear a word from the list and pick it from four look-alike words. Eight rounds, about two minutes.
Ig family words spelling game: build the word
Hear a word and build it from letter tiles, one sound at a time. Letter pairs like sh or ck come as one tile, because they spell one sound. Six rounds.
Short answer
What is the ig word family?
The ig word family is the group of words that end in the rime -ig, the short i sound followed by g, as in big, dig, pig and wig. Children read them by blending the first sound onto -ig: p + ig, pig. The family also includes blends such as twig and sprig, longer words such as bigwig and earwig, and plural forms such as pigs and twigs, where adding s keeps the -ig chunk.
- The rime -ig is short i /i/ followed by /g/, as in pig.
- Common three-letter -ig words: big, dig, fig, gig, jig, pig, rig and wig.
- Short i is often taught straight after short a because the two sounds are easy to tell apart.
- Adding s to an -ig word (pigs, twigs) makes a plural or verb without changing the chunk.
About ig family words
The -ig rime is short i, the sound at the start of itch, followed by a hard /g/. Short i is a small, quick sound made with the mouth barely open and the lips relaxed. Say it on its own with your child a few times, /i/, /i/, itch, before reading the words, so it is not confused with the letter name eye.
There are only a handful of one-syllable -ig words beyond the eight CVC ones, so the family is compact: brig, sprig and twig add blends, and sprig starts with three consonants. The longer words are playful ones children enjoy saying, like whirligig and shindig, and they show that -ig can sit at the end of a long word. They are for reading aloud together, not for a first lesson.
The last group adds s to the end. Pigs, wigs and twigs still contain the -ig chunk, so reading them is a small, useful step: read the word, then add the /z/ sound on the end. It is one of the first word endings children learn, and it keeps the family useful once the CVC words are easy.
Ig family words in sentences
Decodable sentences: every word can be sounded out with the patterns on this page, plus a few very common words.
- The big pig can dig.
- A wig is on the twig.
- The pigs dig in the mud.
- Six figs sat in a big tin.
- Can a pig do a jig?
- I had a sprig of mint.
- The earwig is on the rug.
- A whirligig can spin and spin.
Common mix-ups with ig family words
-ig and -eg (big and beg)
Short i and short e are neighbors in the mouth and are often mixed up. Read pairs such as pig/peg and big/beg and let your child feel that the mouth is a little more open for e.
b, d and p at the start (big, dig, pig)
Three -ig words start with letters that look alike. Rather than drilling the shapes, link each to its sound and mouth movement: lips together for b and p, tongue up behind the teeth for d.
Pig and pigs
When children see an extra s, some skip it and some read the s as a separate word. Cover the s, read pig, then uncover it and say pigs. The s adds one sound, not a new syllable.
Ig family words activities
Dig for words
Bury -ig word cards or magnetic letters in a tray of sand or rice. Your child digs one out, reads it or builds the word, and says each sound as it goes down on the table.
Pig and pigs
Line up singular -ig words on one side of the table and a pile of s cards on the other. Your child adds an s to each word and reads the new word aloud. Then take the s away and read again.
Jig and read
Say an -ig word. Your child does a little jig for each sound, one hop per sound: p, i, g. Then they hop once while saying the whole word. For longer words, hop once per syllable.
Twig sort
Collect twigs and tie a word card to each: some -ig, some -ag. Your child sorts the twigs into two jars, reading each card aloud. Reading big next to bag keeps attention on the vowel.
Ig family words: frequently asked questions
What words are in the ig word family?
Big, dig, fig, gig, jig, pig, rig and wig are the three-letter ones. Brig, sprig and twig add blends, and longer words include bigwig, earwig, shindig and whirligig.
Why are plurals like pigs included?
The -ig family has fewer one-syllable words than most. Adding s keeps the same chunk and gives useful practice with one of the first endings children read.
When should I teach the ig family?
Usually straight after the first short a families. Short i is different enough from short a that children can hear the change, which makes -at and -ig a good pair for mixed practice.
Is wiggle in the ig family?
Wiggle contains the letters igg, but it is a two-syllable word with a doubled g and the -le ending. It is better taught later with other two-syllable words.
Practise next
- Ag family wordsBag, rag, tag and wag all end in -ag. Hear every word in the family, from three-letter words to zigzag and beanbag, read the sentences, and play the game.
- In family wordsBin, fin, pin, tin and win all end in -in, and so does in itself. Hear every word, from chin and spin to pumpkin and violin, then play the game.
- It family wordsBit, fit, kit, pit and sit all end in -it. Listen to each word, from the three-letter ones to split, rabbit and orbit, read the sentences, and play the game.
- Short i wordsShort i is the sound in pig, sit and lip. After short a, it is usually the next vowel children learn to blend. Tap any word to hear it, read the sentences, and try the game below.