Hard and Soft Letter Sounds for C and G

When diving into the world of reading with your young learner, certain letters pose a unique challenge, especially those that make hard and soft letter sounds.

The letters C and G aren’t always as straightforward as they might seem at first glance. They can produce more than one sound, making them the chameleons of the alphabet.

Fortunately, these printable reading worksheets for kindergarteners can help you tackle them. You’ll find individual sheets for each letter’s sounds, as well as a roundup page that highlights all the sounds each letter makes.

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The Hard and Soft Sounds of C and G

Each of these letters has its quirks:

The Chameleon C:

The letter C has two primary sounds, and its pronunciation often depends on the letters that follow it:

Hard C: When C precedes vowels a, o, or u, it usually makes a hard sound, like in cat, cot, and cup.
Soft C: When C is followed by e, i, or y, it typically makes a softer sound, similar to s, as in cent, cinder, and cycle.

The Go-getter G:

Like C, the letter G has both hard and soft sounds:

Hard G: Typically when G appears before a, o, or u, it often makes a hard sound like in go, gum, or gut.
Soft G: When G precedes e, i, or y, it usually makes a soft sound, like j, as in gem, giraffe, or gym.

Hard and Soft Letter Sounds for C and G Worksheets and Games

Recommended for: Kindergarten

⭐ Hard and Soft C Coloring Sheet

Children can practice reading, saying, and hearing the hard and soft letter C sounds as they color in a picture featuring a cob of corn and bunch of celery. As they work, encourage them to think of other words that start with a hard and soft letter C sound.

⭐ Alphabet Coloring Pages: Letter C

The hard and soft sounds of the letter C are further explored in these coloring sheets, which can also act as a review of the sounds your child practiced in the Hard and Soft C Coloring Sheet. Extend the activity by thinking of and writing down other letter C words in the margins of the worksheets.

⭐ Hard and Soft G Coloring Sheet

Learn about the two different sounds the letter G makes while coloring or painting a goldfish and a gerbil. After they’ve created their masterpiece, challenge your child to give each creature a name that starts with either a hard or soft letter G sound.

⭐ Alphabet Coloring Pages: Letter G

Continue practicing the varying sounds of the letter G with a worksheet that’s focused on the hard letter G sound and another worksheet that highlights the soft letter G sound. After completing their work, have your child flip over the worksheets and draw illustrations of other objects that start with the hard or soft letter G sound.