CI Words Phonics Worksheets

English Grammar Exercise: Phonics Words

Both nouns and adjectives use CI when adding a vowel suffix to a word that ends in CE (face – facial) or IC (music – musician).

They are used with several endings like –al, –an, -on, and –ous.  When the ending c is followed by a vowel suffix that begins with I, the CI phonogram is not usually used.

In English CI is a digraph because it has two letters for one sound, /sh/. It is not a blend of the C and the I. It is almost always formed when adding a vowel ending to a root word with an IC or CE silent final E ending. The C or CE form a new syllable:

• -cial
• -cian
• -cience
• -ciency
• -cient
• -cion
• -cious

TI, SI, and CI Words: Latin Spellings

If you are using Orton, Spalding, Riggs, or Sanseri this is one of the phonograms learned on the same notebook page as TI and SI. Spalding lists these words on page 6 of the student's notebook. 

Many of these take the Latin form and Wanda Sanseri calls these three of the five spellings of /sh/ which in order of frequency are: SH, TI, CI, SI, and CH.

Even though they're recorded on the same page and share the same sound, according to Spalding it is best to teach CI, TI, and SI separately and as they occur in your lessons. There's less chance of confusion. 

Me? After SH, I like to teach TI first as it seems to be the most common.

CI  And CE Phonics Worksheets

You could use these pages as CI and CE phonics worksheets, yet remember that here CE is not a phonogram, digraph, or blend. For example:

face - facial

space – special

finance – financial

CI Words Derived From –IC Endings

Many CI phonogram words are derived from the ending IC. For example:

music – musician

electric – electrician

physic – physician

Even the French technique becomes technician in English when we speak of the one who uses the technique.

ESL English Grammar And Phonics Worksheets

The main thing here is for ESL students to learn to pronounce the two letters in CI as the single sound /sh/. The words usually mean exactly the same thing in their own language and are often spelled exactly the same. The main difference is the pronunciation.

Give them phonics practice of the English pronunciation using our phonics videos with your ESL grammar exercises. 

Our CI words worksheets have two size levels, or you can have a third by printing the first one two-up for older students to have a small and elegant size:

1. Kindergarten CI Worksheets In a Large Font - Print 2-up for high school.
2. Third Grade CI Worksheets Small Font - Great size for grades 3-6.

Choose the size that works for your children. It's handy to have the different sizes to teach phonics to several ages of children.

Teaching Phonics: Dictation List of CI Words

As you're teaching the phonogram CI, dictate these words for your children to write into their notebooks or on a piece of paper.

The main thing is to have practice writing the /sh/ sound "by ear" while writing CI. The CI worksheets above are a nice homework practice exercise.

See the following simple sentences so you can teach the vocabulary of each word you dictate.

Hint: As you and your students find more words that use CI, add them to your notebooks. Have fun making the list longer.

See our CH digraph worksheets here.

Interactive Phonics Worksheets

You can print these PDF printables or store them in a file for your child's phonics lessons and exercises. Whether they read the lists, write the words, or type the words, they'll have excellent phonics practice. 

You are also free to use them as PowerPoint presentations (PPT). Learn how these PDF printables are interactive here.

How To Teach Phonics With More Free Phonics Worksheets

You'll find more than forty free phonics worksheets on our main phonics page. 

I also list my favorite phonics kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and third grade, phonics books, activities, and videos from the same page.

You might like to know that these next worksheets are available in both manuscript and cursive worksheets:

• Spelling Worksheets
• Grammar Worksheets
• A Child's Garden of Verses - Poetry and handwriting printable worksheets.

Thank you for sharing with your favorite teachers, parents, and homeschool families!

~Mary

Phonics TI SI CI Spelling Words And Worksheets

See SH phonics worksheets here.

Buy Our Phonics Worksheets In Bundles: Phonics, Spelling, And Reading

Buy the bundle of our online phonics worksheets in one digital download for ad-free access to phonics practice for your elementary school students at school or at home.

BONUS: It includes our cursive writing worksheets.

Homeschool worksheets for spelling practice and Robert Louis Stevenson's poetry handwriting worksheets make great ESL printable worksheets. Enjoy!

More Phonics Worksheets, Videos, and Books

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Phonics Books

Spalding Phonics or Schola phonics books?