-op Word Family: Word List & Practice
-op 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 11 kindergarten-level words plus 4 decodable sentences. Practice them out loud — the most common error is confusing short o and short a sounds.
- hop
- mop
- pop
- top
- cop
- stop
- chop
- crop
- drop
- shop
- plop
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.
- Hop to the shop and stop.
- Mop the top, then drop the mop.
- Chop the crop with a plop.
- Pop by the shop with the cop.
How to Teach -op Word Family Words
The -op family is usually where short o is introduced, and it is worth taking a moment to contrast the short o sound /ɒ/ with the short a sound /æ/ your child already knows, since these two vowels are sometimes confused by beginning readers who have not yet built a strong ear for the difference. Have your child say 'hop' and 'hap'-sounding words back to back and notice how the mouth rounds more for the o sound.
'Stop' and 'shop' are two of the most useful early sight-adjacent words in this family, appearing on street signs and in everyday errands, which gives you natural opportunities to point out and practice them outside of formal lesson time. 'Chop,' 'crop,' 'drop,' and 'plop' add beginning blends and are good next steps once the plainer -op words are solid.
Common Mistakes to Watch For
- Confusing short o and short a sounds
- Dropping a consonant in blends like 'stop' or 'drop'
- Guessing 'stop' for every word that starts with 's' in this family