Dolch third grade · 3rd grade

The Sight Word "only"

Hear it, read it in a sentence, then play it.

only

There is only one cookie left.

How to teach "only"

  1. Say it. Read the sentence together, then say only on its own.
  2. Sound it out. Say each sound slowly while pointing to the letters, then blend them into only.
  3. Spell it. It has 4 letters. Say them aloud while tracing them on the table with a finger.
  4. Find it. Hunt for only in a book you're reading. Then play a round of the game below.

Words it gets mixed up with

Early readers often confuse only with words that look like it: out, off, our, open. The game uses these on purpose, so children learn to look at every letter.

Play "only"

"only" shows up in every question

Free to play · no signup · works on phones, tablets and computers

Open the game full screen

Quick quiz: which word do you hear?

Questions

Is "only" a sight word?

Yes. It's on the Dolch third grade list, usually taught around 3rd grade.

What's a good sentence for "only"?

Try this one: There is only one cookie left.