What spelling mistakes does this sort prevent?

The missing-h family: bruch for brush, mont for month, mat for math. A first grader who has sorted dozens of -sh, -ch, and -th words expects two letters at the end and writes them as a unit instead of guessing.

Why isn't catch on this worksheet?

Catch, match, and pitch end in a three-letter spelling, tch, that says the same ch sound. It's a real pattern with its own rule (short vowels usually take tch), but mixing it in would muddy a two-letter sort. It gets its own moment later.

1st grade ending digraphs (sh, ch, th)

1st grade ending digraphs (sh, ch, th) worksheets

First graders read and spell words that end in sh, ch, and th: brush, branch, tooth. Hearing the final digraph is what stops the classic spelling losses (bruch for brush).

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core RF.1.3.a.

Each print is a different sheet with its own answer key. You don't need to sign up.

The kind of words you'll sort

Say each word and listen to its ending. Write it under its final sound team.

mythfinchtruthmarchswishgushcouchwhichpathradishrashmoth

Columns: -sh and -ch and -th. "rash" belongs under -sh; "couch" belongs under -ch; "path" belongs under -th.

Every print pulls a new set of words at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on a 1st grade sheet

1st grade sheets draw from 98 words, 15 to a page. All 92 of kindergarten's words are here too, plus 6 more.

Some of the words:

dishpunishranchreachbathmathwithsmoothbirthdepth

Sorting. Say each word and listen to its ending. Write it under its final sound team. 15 words per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

When a word lands in the wrong column, don't fix it silently; say the word together and hold the last sound. Spelling practice can ride along: cover the word, say it, and ask which team closes it before your child writes it out.

Watch for: The same team can start one word and end another: shop and fish share the sh sound in different places. The ending is still one sound, not two; lunch ends in the single ch sound, not a c and an h.

Common questions about 1st grade ending digraphs (sh, ch, th)

What spelling mistakes does this sort prevent?: The missing-h family: bruch for brush, mont for month, mat for math. A first grader who has sorted dozens of -sh, -ch, and -th words expects two letters at the end and writes them as a unit instead of guessing.
Why isn't catch on this worksheet?: Catch, match, and pitch end in a three-letter spelling, tch, that says the same ch sound. It's a real pattern with its own rule (short vowels usually take tch), but mixing it in would muddy a two-letter sort. It gets its own moment later.

Related worksheets

Ready to print one?

Need a fresh set of words? Download another copy.

Aligned to Common Core RF.1.3.a. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 240, updated July 2026.

Spot a mistake on this sheet? Tell us. · About these worksheets