Cop

Example Sentences with Cop

• The cop patrols.
• Call the cop.
• The hop and the cop both end with the same sound.
• Say "cop" slowly, then say it as one word.

How to Spell “cop”

Children most often write this word as ocp, copp, coop. Those errors are useful — each one points to a specific sound the child has not yet connected to a letter.

1. Start with the picture: <strong>cop</strong> begins with the /k/ sound, so begin with "c".
2. Say the word slowly three times, then write one sound per letter: <strong>c - o - p</strong>.
3. The "o" in <strong>cop</strong> is a short o — the mouth stays wide open, like /ɒ/ in <em>hot</em>.
4. Blend the last two sounds smoothly: <strong>co</strong> + <strong>p</strong> = <strong>cop</strong>.

Phonics Tip for Cop

"cop" and "hop" and "mop" share the ending /ɒp/. Say them back to back so the child hears that only the first sound changes. That is the core of the -op family.

Fun Facts About Cop

Every letter in <strong>cop</strong> carries one sound: c says /k/, o says /ɒ/, p says /p/. That is what makes it fully decodable — a child who knows the three sounds can read <strong>cop</strong> on the first try, with no guessing from the picture. It belongs to the -op family, which has 3 other words in it: hop, mop, pop.

Where to Practise Cop

• All short o CVC words — 41 words
• The -op word family
• CVC flash cards — picture cards with audio
• CVC multiple choice quiz
• CVC sentences — read the word in context
• CVC worksheets