dip
/dɪp/ UK /dɪp/ · US /dɪp/
A short i CVC word (ɪ) in the actions category. It belongs to the -ip word family.
actionsHear dip
Tap a sound to hear it on its own, or play the whole word below.
How to Say “dip”
Blend the three sounds together slowly, then speed up: /d/ – /ɪ/ – /p/ → dip.
Example Sentences with Dip
- Dip the bread in sauce.
- Take a dip in the pool.
- The hip and the dip both end with the same sound.
- Say "dip" slowly, then say it as one word.
How to Spell “dip”
Children most often write this word as idp, dipp, diip. Those errors are useful — each one points to a specific sound the child has not yet connected to a letter.
- Start with the picture: <strong>dip</strong> begins with the /d/ sound, so begin with "d".
- Say the word slowly three times, then write one sound per letter: <strong>d - i - p</strong>.
- The "i" in <strong>dip</strong> says /ɪ/, not the letter name "ih". The mouth stays relaxed.
- Blend the last two sounds smoothly: <strong>di</strong> + <strong>p</strong> = <strong>dip</strong>.
Phonics Tip for Dip
"dip" and "hip" and "lip" share the ending /ɪp/. Say them back to back so the child hears that only the first sound changes. That is the core of the -ip family.
Fun Facts About Dip
Every letter in <strong>dip</strong> carries one sound: d says /d/, i says /ɪ/, p says /p/. That is what makes it fully decodable — a child who knows the three sounds can read <strong>dip</strong> on the first try, with no guessing from the picture. It belongs to the -ip family, which has 7 other words in it: hip, lip, nip, rip, sip, tip.
More Words in the -ip Family
Words that rhyme with dip and end with the same sounds:
Related CVC Words
More words with the short i sound that have their own picture guide:
Other Word Families
Move between families:
Where to Practise Dip
- All short i CVC words — 52 words
- The -ip word family
- CVC flash cards — picture cards with audio
- CVC multiple choice quiz
- CVC sentences — read the word in context
- CVC worksheets