Ch vs TCH Spelling Rule + 5 FREE Worksheets

All About the /ch/ Sound

In English, there are 44 phonemes (sounds). Sometimes, there are a few ways to spell the exact same sound. This is why spelling can be tricky!

Here we’re focusing on the /ch/ sound heard in words like chip, chin, such, lunch, and witch.

In English, there are two common ways to spell the /ch/ sound: the digraph ch & the trigraph -tch. Both spellings (ch & tch) represent the /ch/ sound.

❓ The big question is: How do we know which spelling to use when we hear the /ch/ sound? Is it ch or tch?

❗Thankfully, there is a simple spelling rule, or generalization, that will help! Keep reading to learn more.

CH or TCH Spelling Rule

AT THE BEGINNING: When you hear a /ch/ at the beginning of a word, always use the digraph ch.

➡️ chip, chair, check, chair, chapter, chicken

AT THE END: When you hear a /ch/ at the end of a word or syllable, it can be spelled with ch or tch.

The big question is: How do we know which one to use?

The most important thing to pay attention to is the sound that comes right BEFORE the /ch/ sound. Honing in on this sound will help you determine how to spell the /ch/ sound.

📝 Rule: Use -tch immediately after a short vowel sound. Use -ch after any other sound (this can be a consonant sound or any other vowel sound e.g. long vowel, r-controlled vowel, diphthong.)

When to Use TCH

In a one-syllable word, use -tch immediately after a short vowel sound.

TCH Examples:

• itch
• match
• catch
• pitch
• hitch
• fetch
• scratch

⬆️ Notice how all of these words have a short vowel sound immediately before the /ch/ sound. That’s why the /ch/ is spelled with the trigraph -tch.

When to Use CH

In a one syllable word, use -ch after any other sound. This can be a consonant sound or any other vowel sound (e.g. long vowel, r-controlled vowel, diphthong.)

CH Examples:

• inch
• lunch
• bench
• beach
• touch
• march
• teach
• porch

⬆️ Notice how all of these words have a consonant or another vowel sound (not short) right before the /ch/ sound. That’s why the /ch/ is spelled with the digraph -ch.

📏 Long Spelling Rule

To help students remember this, you can use a simple jingle: “Long spelling right after short vowel.”

What does this mean? Well when you compare the graphemes, –ch has two letters while -tch has three letters.

The trigraph -tch is literally the longer way to spell the sound. That’s why this jingle makes sense, and its a fun way to make the ‘rule’ easier to remember!

👉🏻 Read more about the long spelling rule and other important spelling rules you need to teach.

❎ Common Exceptions

There are some common, old words that are exceptions to the ch vs tch rule. These are one-syllable words with a short vowel that are spelled with -ch instead of -tch.

• much
• such
• rich
• which

Since these are high-frequency words, it’s best to teach them together as a small set. Many students may read and spell thesewords automatically. If that’s the case, there’s no need for formal instruction. You can simply point out the exceptions and move on.

If students do not know these words yet, teaching them as a set helps reinforce the exceptions and reduce confusion.

Teaching Tips & Free Worksheets

Read our teaching tips and get 5 free worksheets for targeted and meaningful practice.

📑 Decoding Practice

When teaching this rule, start with reading. Kids should already be familiar with reading words with digraph ch, so now it’s time to explicitly teach the phonogram -tch. (Use our phonogram cards & add the grapheme card to your sound wall.)

Students should practice reading words with both -ch and -tch, noticing the patterns.

Start with using targeted word lists and then move on to using decodable sentences and decodable texts.

📄 Get our 2 Free Worksheets (download below!) focused on decoding words with the /ch/ sound.

• Reading /ch/ Words – Kids will highlight the /ch/ spellings in each word. They’ll then practice reading words with -ch and -tch.
• /ch/ Sort – Kids will cut out and sort the words according to the spelling of the /ch/ sound.

🔡 Encoding Practice

Once kids can read words with both -ch and -tch rather effortlessly, it’s time to teach the long spelling rule!

Be sure to provide direct, explicit instruction and lots of examples. Then, kids should practice spelling.

📄 Get our 3 Free Worksheets (download below!) for spelling words with the /ch/ sound.

• Spell the /ch/ Sound: One syllable words are included with the initial letters written out. Kids will complete the words by spelling with either a ch or tch, applying the rule.
• Spell & Sort: Kids will look at pictures, apply the spelling rule, and then sort words according to -ch and -tch spellings.
• Word Mapping with Sound Boxes: Following a true speech-to-print format, kids will look at pictures and spell the words using sound boxes.