listbeeConsonant teams and blends
NG and NK words
Ng and nk come at the end of short words and are taught as “glued sounds” in many programs: -ang, -ing, -ong, -ung, -ank, -ink, -onk, -unk.
- Sound
- /ng/ as in sing and /ngk/ as in pink
- Usually taught
- 1st grade
- Words on this page
- 30 in 2 lists
NG and NK words: word lists
Practice a list online (each word is read aloud), or open it in the worksheet maker to print a test, word search, or look-cover-write-check sheet.
ng words
15 words- sing
- ring
- king
- wing
- thing
- bang
- hang
- sang
- long
- song
- strong
- hung
- lung
- swung
- spring
nk words
15 words- pink
- sink
- think
- drink
- bank
- thank
- tank
- honk
- junk
- skunk
- trunk
- bunk
- wink
- blink
- plank
How the pattern works
Ng makes one sound, made at the back of the mouth: sing, long. Nk adds a /k/ after that sound: sink, bank.
The vowel before ng and nk sounds a little different from a plain short vowel. That is why many programs teach -ing, -ank and the others as whole chunks.
Common mistakes
- Writing n alone: “sin” for sing, “pik” for pink.
- Writing g for k or k for g at the end: “sing” and “sink” sound alike to some children.
- Writing “thingk” or “sinck.” Nk never needs another k or c.
Practice ideas
- Make word families with one chunk at a time: -ing (sing, ring, king, wing).
- Say pairs and have your child pick ng or nk: sing/sink, bang/bank, wing/wink.
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