Short-A Words worksheet for children to identify and color images with the /æ/ sound.

Let's solve the task from the worksheet titled "Short-A Words".

Task:

Color the pictures that have the /a/ (short a) sound in their name.

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Step-by-Step Analysis:

We need to look at each picture and determine if the word for the object contains the short /a/ sound (like in "cat", "hat", "map").

Here are the images, with their names and whether they have the short /a/ sound:

1. Mouse – pronounced "mous" → has no short /a/ → ✘
2. Grapes – pronounced "grapes" → has long /a/ or /eɪ/ → ✘
3. Van – pronounced "van" → has short /a/ → ✔
4. Bread – pronounced "bread" → has short /e/ (as in "bed"), not short /a/ → ✘
5. Hand – pronounced "hand" → has short /a/ → ✔
6. Map – pronounced "map" → has short /a/ → ✔
7. Cat – pronounced "cat" → has short /a/ → ✔
8. Drum – pronounced "drum" → has short /u/ → ✘
9. Frog – pronounced "frog" → has short /o/ → ✘
10. Crab – pronounced "crab" → has short /a/ → ✔
11. Bat – pronounced "bat" → has short /a/ → ✔
12. Plate – pronounced "plate" → has long /a/ → ✘

Wait — let’s double-check the last one:
- Plate → "plate" → long /a/ → ✘

But wait! The last image is a plate with utensils, which is likely meant to be "plate". But let’s confirm all items again.

Let’s list them clearly:

| Picture | Word | Has Short /a/? |
|--------|------|----------------|
| Mouse | mouse | No (short /o/) → ✘ |
| Grapes | grapes | No (long /eɪ/) → ✘ |
| Van | van | Yes → ✔ |
| Bread | bread | No (has /e/) → ✘ |
| Hand | hand | Yes → ✔ |
| Map | map | Yes → ✔ |
| Cat | cat | Yes → ✔ |
| Drum | drum | No (short /u/) → ✘ |
| Frog | frog | No (short /o/) → ✘ |
| Crab | crab | Yes → ✔ |
| Bat | bat | Yes → ✔ |
| Plate | plate | No (long /a/) → ✘ |

Wait — there’s an issue: the last image shows a plate with a fork, knife, and spoon, but the label might be interpreted as "place setting"? However, typically it's just "plate".

But "plate" has a long /a/, so it does not have the short /a/ sound.

So the correct ones are:

✔ Van
✔ Hand
✔ Map
✔ Cat
✔ Crab
✔ Bat

Wait — let’s check "bread" again:
- "Bread" → sounds like "bred", which has a short /e/, not /a/. So no.

And "grapes" — starts with "grape" → /greɪps/ → long /a/.

So only these have short /a/:

- Van ✔
- Hand ✔
- Map ✔
- Cat ✔
- Crab ✔
- Bat ✔

Wait — what about "rat"? No, there’s no rat.

But here’s the key: "crab" — yes, "crab" has short /a/.
"bat" — yes.

Now, what about "map"? Yes.

But let’s recheck the third row:

- Cat → ✔
- Drum → ✘
- Frog → ✘

Fourth row:

- Crab → ✔
- Bat → ✔
- Plate → ✘

So final list of pictures with short /a/ sound:

1. Van (top row, right)
2. Hand (middle row, center)
3. Map (middle row, right)
4. Cat (bottom left of middle row)
5. Crab (bottom left)
6. Bat (bottom center)

Wait — "bat" is shown as a baseball bat — yes, "bat" has short /a/ → ✔

So the pictures to color are:

- Van
- Hand
- Map
- Cat
- Crab
- Bat

But let’s count the pictures:

Row 1: Mouse, Grapes, Van
Row 2: Bread, Hand, Map
Row 3: Cat, Drum, Frog
Row 4: Crab, Bat, Plate

So the correct ones are:

- Van ✔
- Hand ✔
- Map ✔
- Cat ✔
- Crab ✔
- Bat ✔

That’s six pictures.

Wait — "bread" — does it have short /a/? No. It’s pronounced "bred" — /bred/, so short /e/, not /a/. So ✘

"Grapes" — /greɪps/ — long /a/ → ✘

"Drum" — /drʌm/ — short /u/ → ✘

"Frog" — /frɒɡ/ — short /o/ → ✘

"Plate" — /pleɪt/ — long /a/ → ✘

So only the six above.

But wait — is "map" really short /a/? Yes — "map" = /mæp/

"bat" = /bæt/ — yes

"cat" = /kæt/ — yes

"crab" = /kræb/ — yes

"hand" = /hænd/ — yes

"van" = /væn/ — yes

All correct.

So the student should color:

1. Van
2. Hand
3. Map
4. Cat
5. Crab
6. Bat

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✔ Final Answer:

Color the following pictures:
- Van
- Hand
- Map
- Cat
- Crab
- Bat

These words all contain the short /a/ sound.

> Note: The word "crab" may be tricky — some students might think it has a different vowel, but it actually has the short /a/ sound, like in "cat".

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📝 Explanation:

The goal is to identify words with the short /a/ sound, which is the same as in "cat", "hat", "man". This sound is usually spelled with the letter a and is pronounced as /æ/.

Words like "plate" and "grapes" have long /a/ sounds (like in "day") and should not be colored.

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✔ Correct pictures to color:
- Van
- Hand
- Map
- Cat
- Crab
- Bat