2nd Grade · Core Spelling
Soft C and Soft G
C usually says /k/ and g usually says its hard sound, but before e, i, or y they change — c says /s/ in city, and g says /j/ in page.
These spelling words are a good fit for students who...
- can spell the /k/ sound with c, k, or ck in familiar words
- can hear how c changes between “cat” and “city” and g between “game” and “page”
- can read words with soft c and soft g, such as “city” and “page,” even if spelling them correctly is still inconsistent
Word list
The 12 words to practice in this step
2nd Grade · Core Spelling
- city
- giant
- circus
- place
- face
- race
- ice
- nice
- page
- cage
- large
- change
12 words
Spelling Skill
Soft C and Soft G
Learn how this spelling pattern works, see examples, common mistakes, and teaching guidance.
Explore the Soft C and Soft G skill →Why these words — and what they teach
The letters c and g do not always have the sounds heard in cat and game. This list helps children use the next letter to predict the sound in words such as city and page.
The list shows soft c before e, i, or y in city, face, and ice, and soft g in giant, page, and large. Children learn to look at two letters together rather than guess from c or g alone. The linked Skill page covers the rule and its limits in depth.
How to practice this list
Have your child circle c or g and underline the letter immediately after it. Sort the words by soft c and soft g, then mix them and ask the child to read each word before spelling it.
A child may use s for soft c or j for soft g, or read the letter with its hard sound. Confirm that the sound is sensible, point out the following e, i, or y, and compare with city or page before revising.
Move on when your child can use the following letter to read the target sound, spell the listed words with c or g, and explain the choice with a familiar example.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
- What is the rule for soft c and soft g?
- When c or g is followed by e, i, or y, it usually takes its soft sound: c says /s/ (city, ice) and g says /j/ (page, gem). Followed by a, o, u, or another consonant, they usually keep their hard sounds, as in cat and game.
- How is this different from the c/k/ck lesson from 1st Grade?
- The 1st Grade lesson taught how to spell the /k/ sound with c, k, or ck. This lesson teaches the opposite direction: what sound the letter c makes once it is already written, depending on the letter that follows it. The same applies to g.
- Does this connect to the -dge ending from 1st Grade?
- Yes. Words like bridge and edge use dge instead of a plain g for the /j/ sound after a short vowel — a related but separate pattern already taught in 1st Grade. This lesson focuses on soft g in longer, more typical positions, like page and large.
- Why are large and change on this list instead of a separate g-only list?
- Practicing soft c and soft g together, in the same lesson, helps children apply one shared idea — the letter after c or g controls the sound — to two letters at once, instead of learning two unrelated rules.