Phase 3 · Set 6

Sounds: j v w x

Tap a card to hear its sound, then say it. Look at the pictures. Tap the letters to blend a word.

Kit the kingfisher with a child and pictures of jam, van, web, worm, fox, box

Listen and say

Look and say

Tap to blend

Tap a letter to hear its sound. Tap the play button to blend the sounds into a word.

Read it

Jim and Viv sat in a van.

Set 5 Set 7

Now play

For grown-ups

What to do: let your child tap a card, listen, and say the sound back. Then look at the pictures and say each word. Finish by blending a few words and reading the sentence together. Ten minutes is plenty.

Mouth tips

j (/j/): Start like d, then let the air slide out as a buzz. Voice on. Keep it short.
v (/v/): Like f but with your voice on. Top teeth on the bottom lip. You can feel the buzz.
w (/w/): Lips make a small round shape, then open into the next sound. Voice on.
x (/ks/): Two sounds in one letter: k then s, said quickly together. As in fox.

Tricky words in this set: he, she, we, me, be. See the tricky words page.

Follow your own programme. This order follows the general Letters and Sounds phase order (GOV.UK, 2007, now historical). Schools in England choose their own phonics programme. The DfE publishes a list of validated programmes (there is no legal requirement to use one), and each programme orders the sounds a little differently. If your school has one, practise in its order and use these pages for extra listening and reading.

More: phonics notes for parents and teachers, phonics phases explained.