Neck - body

neck

/nek/ UK /nek/ · US /nek/

A short e CVC word (ɛ) in the body category. It belongs to the -eck word family.

body

Hear neck

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

How to Say “neck”

n
/n/
e
/e/
ck
/k/

Blend the three sounds together slowly, then speed up: /n/ – /e/ – /k/ → neck.

Example Sentences with Neck

How to Spell “neck”

Children most often write this word as neack, nec, enck, neckk. 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>neck</strong> begins with the /n/ sound, so begin with "n".
  2. Say the word slowly three times, then write one sound per letter: <strong>n - e - ck</strong>.
  3. The "e" in <strong>neck</strong> says /ɛ/ with the jaw slightly open, like <em>bed</em>.
  4. The ending "<strong>ck</strong>" is one sound (/k/). Two letters, one sound — do not let the child say two sounds there.

Phonics Tip for Neck

"neck" and "deck" and "peck" share the ending /ek/. Say them back to back so the child hears that only the first sound changes. That is the core of the -eck family.

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

Fun Facts About Neck

Every letter in <strong>neck</strong> carries one sound: n says /n/, e says /e/, ck says /k/. That is what makes it fully decodable — a child who knows the three sounds can read <strong>neck</strong> on the first try, with no guessing from the picture. It belongs to the -eck family, which has 2 other words in it: deck, peck.

More Words in the -eck Family

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

See the full -eck word family →

Related CVC Words

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

Other Word Families

Move between families:

Where to Practise Neck