sun
/sʌn/ UK /sʌn/ · US /sʌn/
A short u CVC word (ʌ) in the nature category. It belongs to the -un word family.
natureHear sun
Tap a sound to hear it on its own, or play the whole word below.
How to Say “sun”
Blend the three sounds together slowly, then speed up: /s/ – /ʌ/ – /n/ → sun.
Example Sentences with Sun
- Bright sun.
- Sun shine.
- The sun is hot today.
- The sun rose over the hills.
- We sun the bread on the windowsill.
How to Spell “sun”
Children most often write this word as sum, sun, snu. Those errors are useful — each one points to a specific sound the child has not yet connected to a letter.
- Note that "u" in sun says /ʌ/, not /u/ — the mouth is relaxed, not rounded.
- Contrast "sun" and "soon": only the vowel changes, and the first sound stays /s/.
- Write it in a sentence frame: "The sun is ___."
Phonics Tip for Sun
Short u /ʌ/ is one of the hardest vowel sounds for children. Say "sun", "cup", "bus" slowly and let the child feel the jaw drop without the lips rounding.
Fun Facts About Sun
The Sun contains about 99.8% of the mass of the entire Solar System and takes about 8 minutes and 20 seconds for its light to reach Earth.
More Words in the -un Family
Words that rhyme with sun and end with the same sounds:
Related CVC Words
More words with the short u sound that have their own picture guide:
Other Word Families
Move between families:
Where to Practise Sun
- All short u CVC words — 47 words
- The -un word family
- CVC flash cards — picture cards with audio
- CVC multiple choice quiz
- CVC sentences — read the word in context
- CVC worksheets