neck
/nek/ UK /nek/ · US /nek/
A short e CVC word (ɛ) in the body category. It belongs to the -eck word family.
bodyHear neck
Tap a sound to hear it on its own, or play the whole word below.
How to Say “neck”
Blend the three sounds together slowly, then speed up: /n/ – /e/ – /k/ → neck.
Example Sentences with Neck
- Long neck.
- Neck pain.
- The deck and the neck both end with the same sound.
- Say "neck" slowly, then say it as one word.
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.
- Start with the picture: <strong>neck</strong> begins with the /n/ sound, so begin with "n".
- Say the word slowly three times, then write one sound per letter: <strong>n - e - ck</strong>.
- The "e" in <strong>neck</strong> says /ɛ/ with the jaw slightly open, like <em>bed</em>.
- 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.
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:
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
- All short e CVC words — 31 words
- The -eck word family
- CVC flash cards — picture cards with audio
- CVC multiple choice quiz
- CVC sentences — read the word in context
- CVC worksheets