You will learn
- Say what rhyming words are.
- Tell if two words rhyme.
- Say a word that rhymes with a given word.
- Find the odd one out in a rhyming set.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Rhyming words end with the same sound.
- Cat and hat rhyme.
- Listen to the end of each word.
- We can make rhymes of our own.
Words to know
words that end with the same sound
the last part
go together
two things that go together
1. Discover: The cat in the hat
Ama sings a little song: “A cat, a cat, wearing a hat. A pig, a pig, who is so big.” Her friend laughs. “Cat and hat sound the same at the end! And pig and big!”
Think: Which words ended with the same sound?
2. Understand: Rhyming words
Idea 1: What rhymes?
Words rhyme when the end sounds are the same. cat and hat rhyme. sun and run rhyme.
Idea 2: Listen to the end
Do not listen to the beginning. Listen to the end. bed and red end in the same sound. bed and bag do not.
Idea 3: Make a rhyme
To make a rhyme, keep the end and change the first sound: cat → bat → mat.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Do they rhyme?
cat and hat
- Listen to the ends: -at and -at.
- The ends match.
Answer: Yes, they rhyme.
Example 2 (We do it together): Do they rhyme?
sun and sock
- sun ends in -un.
- sock ends in -ock.
- The ends are different.
Answer: No, they do not rhyme.
Example 3 (You try): Make a rhyme
Find a word that rhymes with pig.
Show the steps and answer
- Keep -ig.
- Change the first sound.
Answer: big (or wig, dig)
Did you know?
Nursery rhymes and songs help children hear rhymes in many languages.
Why this matters
Hearing rhymes helps you notice the sounds in words and helps you spell and read word families.
4. Explore: Rhyme time
Make rhyme pairs.
- Say a word, such as “bed”.
- A partner says a rhyming word, such as “red”.
- Keep going with a new word each time.
- Count how many pairs you made.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You kept the end of the word and changed the first sound.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- ___ and ___ rhyme.
- ___ and ___ do not rhyme.
- A word that rhymes with ___ is ___.
- They end with the same sound.
Guided practice
Question 1. Do cat and hat rhyme?
Yes.
Question 2. Do sun and sock rhyme?
No.
Question 3. Say a word that rhymes with pig.
big (or wig, dig)
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Do cat and hat rhyme?
- Do dog and log rhyme?
- Do bed and bag rhyme?
- Do sun and run rhyme?
- Say a word that rhymes with bat.
Level 2: Grow
- Which word rhymes with pen: ten or top?
- Which word rhymes with cake: lake or lamp?
- Odd one out: hop, top, cup.
Level 3: Stretch
- Make three words that rhyme with ball.
- Ayo says “bed” and “bag” rhyme because they both start with b. Is he right?
- Make a rhyming line with sun.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Sing a short rhyme or song you know. Which words rhyme?
Show a sample answer
Twinkle, twinkle, little star: star and are rhyme.
Another one. Make a rhyme pair with your name.
Show a sample answer
Ama, drama (any rhyming pair that fits)
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Listen to the end of the word.
Fix: A rhyme needs two different words.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what rhyme means.
- I can tell if two words rhyme.
- I can say a rhyming word.
- I can find the odd one out.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Rhymes end with the same sound.
- Listen to the end of the word.
- Change the first sound to make a rhyme.
- Rhymes can be sung or said.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Recognising syllables. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What does rhyme mean? [1 mark]
- Do cat and hat rhyme? Say why. [2 marks]
- Write a word that rhymes with sun. [1 mark]
- Which is the odd one out: hop, top, cup? [1 mark]
- Ayo says that bed and bag rhyme. Explain what is wrong. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- words that end with the same sound [1]
- yes [1]; the ends match [1]
- run, fun, bun [1]
- cup [1]
- they do not rhyme [1]; the ends are different [1]; rhyme means the same end sound [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- cat – ___ (rhyme)
- sun – ___ (rhyme)
- pig – ___ (rhyme)
- bed – ___ (rhyme)
- Do dog and log rhyme?
- Do cup and cat rhyme?
- Odd one out: pen, ten, pot.
- Write two words that rhyme with cake.
- Say a two-line rhyme.
- True or false: rhymes start the same.
Homework
Say a nursery rhyme or song with a family member. Write down two rhyming pairs.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. cat – ___ (rhyme) | hat, mat or bat | 1 |
| 2. sun – ___ (rhyme) | run or fun | 1 |
| 3. pig – ___ (rhyme) | big, wig or dig | 1 |
| 4. bed – ___ (rhyme) | red or head | 1 |
| 5. Do dog and log rhyme? | yes | 1 |
| 6. Do cup and cat rhyme? | no | 1 |
| 7. Odd one out: pen, ten, pot. | pot | 1 |
| 8. Write two words that rhyme with cake. | lake, bake, make | 1 |
| 9. Say a two-line rhyme. | a rhyming pair of lines | 1 |
| 10. True or false: rhymes start the same. | false | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 yes; 2 yes; 3 no; 4 yes; 5 cat, hat, mat, sat or rat. Level 2: 1 ten; 2 lake; 3 cup. Level 3: 1 for example: call, fall, tall; 2 no, rhymes depend on the end sound, not the start; 3 for example: I run in the sun.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what rhyming words are | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Tell if two words rhyme | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Say a word that rhymes with a given word | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Find the odd one out in a rhyming set | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Thinking that words with the same first sound rhyme. Listen to the end of the word.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use picture cards and put rhyming pairs together.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns to hear and say rhyming words. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Sing songs and nursery rhymes.
- Play “What rhymes with ___?”
- Make silly rhymes together.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what rhyming words are; tell if two words rhyme; say a word that rhymes with a given word; find the odd one out in a rhyming set.
Prerequisite knowledge. Listening to words and sentences.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Sing a short rhyme and ask which words sound the same at the end.
Explanation (10 min). Teach rhymes with cat and hat and bed and red.
Guided activity (10 min). Play rhyme time with picture cards.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners complete the practice and make a rhyme.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Do they sound the same at the end? Can you make another rhyme?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use picture cards and two or three words at a time. Extension. Write a short poem of four lines with two rhyming pairs.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Thinking that words with the same first sound rhyme. Listen to the end of the word.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use picture cards and put rhyming pairs together. Enrichment. Write or say a four-line rhyme. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Reading: Foundational Skills. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RF.1.2 (phonological awareness) and RL.1.4; IES What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade; Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (rhyme and word play). These sources informed the lesson.