Change the First Sound: cat to bat

This first-sound substitution worksheet uses five short words and a printed replacement-letter cue for each one. Children say the starting word, change its first sound, and write the new word in the answer box. The activity connects a small spoken change with the corresponding change in the word's spelling.

Begin with the example cat. Read the cue b, say its sound, and model how that sound changes the word to bat. Point to the other letters that stay the same. The selected pairs use short-vowel spellings and a single changed sound; work through the spoken words before expecting a child to write an answer independently.

An adult can read each starting word and model a sound without adding an extra vowel to it. Say the result together and discuss its meaning if the new word is unfamiliar. A child who can hear the change but needs spelling help may dictate an answer or copy a model. Reading the finished word provides a useful check that the intended sound was changed in the correct position.

Find related practice in the Phonics and Sounds Pack, or try the Spelling and Word Building Pack for another way to work with written words. You can also try one pair aloud with the paper covered. That separate oral version focuses on hearing and changing sounds, while the printed page adds letter cues and writing.