Lass - people

lass

/læs/ UK /læs/ · US /læs/

A short a CVC word (æ) in the people category. It belongs to the -ass word family.

people

Hear lass

Tap a sound to hear it on its own, or play the whole word below.

How to Say “lass”

l
/l/
a
/æ/
ss
/s/

Blend the three sounds together slowly, then speed up: /l/ – /æ/ – /s/ → lass.

Example Sentences with Lass

How to Spell “lass”

Children most often write this word as less, las, alss, lasss. 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>lass</strong> begins with the /l/ sound, so begin with "l".
  2. Say the word slowly three times, then write one sound per letter: <strong>l - a - ss</strong>.
  3. The "a" in <strong>lass</strong> says /æ/, not "ay". Ask the child what the mouth does, not what the letter is called.
  4. The ending "<strong>ss</strong>" is one sound (/s/). Two letters, one sound — do not let the child say two sounds there.

Phonics Tip for Lass

"lass" and "bass" and "mass" share the ending /æs/. Say them back to back so the child hears that only the first sound changes. That is the core of the -ass family.

Try it now: play the CVC flash cards and hunt for lass, or test recognition in the multiple choice quiz.

Fun Facts About Lass

Every letter in <strong>lass</strong> carries one sound: l says /l/, a says /æ/, ss says /s/. That is what makes it fully decodable — a child who knows the three sounds can read <strong>lass</strong> on the first try, with no guessing from the picture. It belongs to the -ass family, which has 3 other words in it: bass, mass, pass.

More Words in the -ass Family

Words that rhyme with lass and end with the same sounds:

See the full -ass word family →

Related CVC Words

More words with the short a sound that have their own picture guide:

Other Word Families

Move between families:

Where to Practise Lass