wick
/wɪk/ UK /wɪk/ · US /wɪk/
A short i CVC word (ɪ) in the objects category. It belongs to the -ick word family.
objectsHear wick
Tap a sound to hear it on its own, or play the whole word below.
How to Say “wick”
Blend the three sounds together slowly, then speed up: /w/ – /ɪ/ – /k/ → wick.
Example Sentences with Wick
- Candle wick.
- Light the wick.
- The kick and the wick both end with the same sound.
- Say "wick" slowly, then say it as one word.
How to Spell “wick”
Children most often write this word as wic, iwck, wickk, wiick. 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>wick</strong> begins with the /w/ sound, so begin with "w".
- Say the word slowly three times, then write one sound per letter: <strong>w - i - ck</strong>.
- The "i" in <strong>wick</strong> says /ɪ/, not the letter name "ih". The mouth stays relaxed.
- 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 Wick
"wick" and "kick" and "lick" share the ending /ɪk/. Say them back to back so the child hears that only the first sound changes. That is the core of the -ick family.
Fun Facts About Wick
Every letter in <strong>wick</strong> carries one sound: w says /w/, i says /ɪ/, ck says /k/. That is what makes it fully decodable — a child who knows the three sounds can read <strong>wick</strong> on the first try, with no guessing from the picture. It belongs to the -ick family, which has 5 other words in it: kick, lick, pick, sick, tick.
More Words in the -ick Family
Words that rhyme with wick 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 Wick
- All short i CVC words — 52 words
- The -ick word family
- CVC flash cards — picture cards with audio
- CVC multiple choice quiz
- CVC sentences — read the word in context
- CVC worksheets