Sort by the Middle Sound is a free printable Kindergarten English worksheet on hearing the short vowel inside a three-letter word, aligned to Common Core standard RF.K.3. It prints 3 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two pupils in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
1.Sort each word by its pattern: short a or short i or short o.
Sort: dog, fin, mad, job, ran, kid, cap, nod, dig
short ashort ishort o
2.Sort each word by its pattern: short a or short i or short o.
Sort: pan, hat, sob, kid, top, dig, fit, van, rod
short ashort ishort o
3.Sort each word by its pattern: short a or short i or short o.
Sort: lap, dig, hit, wag, cat, log, dog, hop, bin
short ashort ishort o
LessonPrint · RF.K.3 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Sort by the Middle Sound
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.short a: mad, ran, cap; short i: fin, kid, dig; short o: dog, job, nod
2.short a: pan, hat, van; short i: kid, dig, fit; short o: sob, top, rod
3.short a: lap, wag, cat; short i: dig, hit, bin; short o: log, dog, hop
Questions about Sort by the Middle Sound
What does the Sort by the Middle Sound worksheet cover?
It practises hearing the short vowel inside a three-letter word — 3 questions for Kindergarten, all on Common Core RF.K.3: Match letters to their sounds and blend them to read simple words. The instruction to pupils is “Sort each word into the right column”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which Common Core standard does Sort by the Middle Sound practise?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3 — RF.K.3, in the Reading: Foundational Skills domain for Kindergarten. The published standard reads: “Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.” The worksheet assesses that standard rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
Sort by the Middle Sound is written for Kindergarten, typically ages 5-6. It is one of the sheets on RF.K.3, so it suits any pupil working at that standard — including older pupils revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does Sort by the Middle Sound come with an answer key?
Yes. All 3 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.
How many different versions of Sort by the Middle Sound can I print?
25 — one per pupil, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.
Is Sort by the Middle Sound free to print and photocopy?
Yes. Sort by the Middle Sound, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.
More practice for RF.K.3
Match letters to their sounds and blend them to read simple words.