-ift Word Family: Word List & Practice
-ift Word Family words follow one repeating pattern, so a child who can read one of them has most of what they need to read the rest. This list has 7 grade 1-level words plus 4 decodable sentences. Practice them out loud — the most common error is dropping the final t sound in the ft ending.
- gift
- lift
- rift
- sift
- drift
- shift
- swift
Practice these words out loud
Have your child read these sentences to Word Wiz AI. It listens and shows exactly which sounds they missed, not just whether the word was right. Free, no sign-up needed to try.
Try these out loudDecodable Sentences
Every word in these sentences uses sounds your child has already learned, so they can be read by decoding rather than guessing.
- Lift the gift and sift it.
- The swift drift will shift.
- Sift the rift, then lift.
- A swift gift can shift.
How to Teach -ift Word Family Words
The -ift family combines a beginning consonant (or blend, in words like 'drift,' 'shift,' 'swift') with the two-consonant 'ft' ending, giving children practice blending sounds on both sides of the vowel in a single word. 'Gift' and 'lift' are the most familiar starting points and are common enough in everyday language to feel immediately useful.
'Shift' and 'swift' both begin with a digraph or blend, so save those until the plainer -ift words are solid. As always with consonant-heavy endings, model saying '-ift' smoothly as a connected unit before attaching different beginning sounds.
Common Mistakes to Watch For
- Dropping the final t sound in the ft ending
- Struggling with the beginning blend in 'drift' or 'swift'
- Confusing -ift with -ist