Phonics for Kids Lesson 4: Double Letters ff, ll, ss, zz and ck (Free Worksheet)

Bell has two Ls, so do we say the l sound twice? In Phonics Lesson 4, children learn the double letter rule (ff, ll, ss, zz) and the ck team, then blend words like bell, dress, buzz, duck, hill and sock. They spot reading mistakes, go on a Double Letter Hunt in a storybook, and finish with a 5-question quiz.

1. The Double Letter Rule

• After a short vowel, f, l, s, z are often doubled: ff ll ss zz.
• Two letters, one sound.
• c + k = ck, and it says /k/.

2. Double Letters: ll ss ff

• ll – bell
• ss – dress
• ff – puff

3. zz and ck

• zz – buzz
• ck – duck
• ck – rock

4. Blend and Read

h · i · ll (hill), k · i · ss (kiss), s · o · ck (sock), f · i · zz (fizz)

5. Spot the Mistake

• ❌ bell read as “b-e-l-l” with two /l/ sounds  →  ✅ b-e-ll → bell
• ❌ duck read as “d-u-k-k”  →  ✅ d-u-ck → duck

6. Your Turn

Ask your child these questions. Answers are in brackets.

• Blend: d · o · ll (doll)
• Blend: b · a · ck (back)
• Blend: m · e · ss (mess)
• Blend: o · ff (off)

7. Activity: Double Letter Hunt

You need: a storybook, a pencil, a notebook.

1. Open a storybook.
2. Find words with ff, ll, ss, zz or ck.
3. Write them in your notebook and read them aloud.

8. Quick Recap

• After a short vowel: ff ll ss zz.
• Two letters, one sound.
• ck says /k/: duck, rock, sock.
• Blend: b-e-ll → bell, d-u-ck → duck.

Free Worksheet

Download and print the worksheet (answer key included):

Phonics 4: Double Letters ff ll ss zz ck worksheet (PDF) →

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