Short Vowel (-ob): Word Family Tree | Printable Skills Sheets - Free Printable

Let’s solve this together!

We’re working with the “-ob” word family. That means we need to find letters that can go in front of “-ob” to make real words.

Look at the letters under the tree:
cr, j, sl, s
c, gl, p, thr
bl, l, kn, t
d, m, r, sn

Now let’s try combining each one with “-ob” and see which ones make real English words.

Start with single letters first:

→ c + ob = cob ✔ (like corn on the cob)
→ d + ob = dob ✘ (not a common word)
→ j + ob = job ✔ (you do a job!)
→ l + ob = lob ✔ (to throw something gently, like in tennis)
→ m + ob = mob ✔ (a crowd of people)
→ p + ob = pob ✘ (not a word)
→ r + ob = rob ✔ (to steal)
→ s + ob = sob ✔ (to cry loudly)
→ t + ob = tob ✘ (not a word — unless it’s “tobacco”, but that’s not just “tob”)

Now try blends (two or three letters):

→ bl + ob = blob ✔ (a shapeless mass)
→ cr + ob = crob ✘ (not a word)
→ gl + ob = glob ✔ (a small lump or drop)
→ kn + ob = knob ✔ (a round handle, like on a door)
→ sl + ob = slob ✔ (someone messy)
→ sn + ob = snob ✔ (someone who thinks they’re better than others)
→ thr + ob = throb ✔ (to pulse or beat strongly, like a headache)

Wait — let’s double-check “throb”. Yes! It’s a real word: “My head is throbbing.”

Also check “snob” — yes, that’s correct.

What about “crob”? No. “pob”? No. “dob”? Not really. “tob”? Only in names or slang, not standard.

So now list all the real words we found:

1. cob
2. job
3. lob
4. mob
5. rob
6. sob
7. blob
8. glob
9. knob
10. slob
11. snob
12. throb

That’s 12 words — and there are exactly 12 apples on the tree! Perfect.

Now, write each word in an apple by putting the beginning part in the blank and keeping “-ob” at the end.

For example:
_ _ ob → for “blob”, you’d write “bl” in the blank.

But since the worksheet has “___ob” in each apple, you just fill in the starting letters.

Final Answer:
Fill the apples with these word beginnings:
cob, job, lob, mob, rob, sob, blob, glob, knob, slob, snob, throb

(You can put them in any order in the apples — as long as all 12 are used.)