bus
/bʌs/ UK /bʌs/ · US /bʌs/
A short u CVC word (ʌ) in the objects category. It belongs to the -us word family.
objectsHear bus
Tap a sound to hear it on its own, or play the whole word below.
How to Say “bus”
Blend the three sounds together slowly, then speed up: /b/ – /ʌ/ – /s/ → bus.
Example Sentences with Bus
- Take the bus.
- School bus.
- The bus is late today.
- We ride the school bus.
- The bus stops at the corner.
How to Spell “bus”
Children most often write this word as buss, bus, busx. Those errors are useful — each one points to a specific sound the child has not yet connected to a letter.
- Short u /ʌ/ sits between "c" and "s" — say "buh-s".
- Remember "s" at the end of a word is usually /s/, not /z/.
- Contrast with "bass", where the vowel is long and the s sounds like /z/.
Phonics Tip for Bus
"bus", "cup", "sun", "bug" and "mud" are the core short u set. Say them together so the /ʌ/ sound becomes familiar before reading.
Fun Facts About Bus
The first school buses in the United States were converted from existing vehicles in 1910, when a Detroit company built a small fleet of 20-passenger buses for the Thomas A. Edison Company.
More Words in the -us Family
Words that rhyme with bus and end with the same sounds:
Related CVC Words
More words with the short u sound that have their own picture guide:
Other Word Families
Move between families:
Where to Practise Bus
- All short u CVC words — 47 words
- The -us word family
- CVC flash cards — picture cards with audio
- CVC multiple choice quiz
- CVC sentences — read the word in context
- CVC worksheets