Year 1Double letters
ff words
When a one-syllable word ends in f, l, s or z after a short vowel, the final consonant is doubled.
In a two-syllable word with a short first vowel, we often double the middle consonant. The 'ff' makes one /f/ sound as in 'muffin' and 'coffee'.
ff/f/ as in muffin
Words with ff
Tap a word to see its sounds and hear it.
ff in the middle
ff at the end
Read ff in a sentence.
Every sentence is checked against the sound.
- 1Get off the cliff.
- 2My muffin has toffee.
- 3Puff the fluff off.
- 4The giraffe ate my muffin.
How to teach ff
- Introduce the FLOSS rule. Explain that when a one-syllable word ends in f, l, s or z after a short vowel, the final consonant is usually doubled.
- Model saying the target phoneme three times.
- Students repeat.
- Check articulation and correct mouth placement.
- Identify the phoneme in the example words.
Other ways to spell /f/
- f
- ph
Decodable stories with ff.
From the Phonicspal library. Sign up free to read them.
Make a whole ff lesson.
Slides, words and sentences, matched to the sounds your class has learned.