---
title: "Onsets & Rimes"
description: "Blend and segment onsets and rimes in single-syllable words; isolate and pronounce individual phonemes (initial, medial, final) in CVC words; add or substitute phonemes to make new words"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/onsets-and-rimes-mt_PvU3eoikev
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/onsets-and-rimes-mt_PvU3eoikev.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Onsets & Rimes

Blend and segment onsets and rimes in single-syllable words; isolate and pronounce individual phonemes (initial, medial, final) in CVC words; add or substitute phonemes to make new words

Subject: English · Area: Phonics & Word Reading · Ages 4 to 7
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/onsets-and-rimes-mt_PvU3eoikev

## Ready when they can

- Blend onset and rime to say a word (e.g. /c/ + /at/ → 'cat')
- Identify the first, middle, or last sound in a CVC word
- Change one sound to make a new word (e.g. change /c/ in 'cat' to /b/ → 'bat')

## Lesson: Onset and Rime

Short words have two parts: onset and rime. The onset is the first sound you say. The rime is everything that comes after it.

*(drawing: In 'cat', /c/ is the onset and 'at' is the rime.)*

**Example.** Leo hears /d/ then 'og'. He blends the sounds together: dog.

You can change any sound in a word to make a new word. Just keep the other sounds the same. Change the middle sound in 'ten' to /a/ and you get 'tan'.

**Tip.** Every short word also has a first sound, a middle sound, and a last sound. To hear them, stretch the word out slowly: d...o...g. The first sound is /d/, the middle sound is /o/, and the last sound is /g/.

**Recap.** Blend the onset and rime together to build a word.

## Practice

24 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Rhyming words](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/rhyming-words-mt_4GiE83rJF_)
- [Syllables](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/syllables-mt_UvNrOXny1i)

## Opens up

- [Blending Sounds to Read Words](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/blending-sounds-to-read-words-mt__KHQttMde3)
- [Consonant Digraphs](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/consonant-digraphs-mt_9-OHslmt1g)
- [Segmenting words into sounds](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/segmenting-words-into-sounds-mt_BhYJZUsErp)
- [Vowel Digraphs](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/vowel-digraphs-mt_BtMbZibZUj)