It’s a little hard to scan through all the playing cards in the Spelfabet shop, so this page aims to help you see how they’re set up, find the deck(s) you want and get the best value for your money.

All our playing cards are downloadable, printable, and child-sized (5 X 6.5cm). The words on them are based on a sound-to-print, synthetic/linguistic phonics teaching approach. There are free sample decks, so you can try some out at no cost.

In the tables below, “V” means vowel sound, “C” means consonant sound, and only the top rows of each table are visible until you select  “show 25 entries” on their drop-down menus.

Basic/initial code

The first 18 decks cost AUD$20 if bought as a set, and cover the simplest spellings in English, starting with VC and CVC words, increasing to CCCVCC and CCVCCC, and then introducing six consonant digraphs.

Deck name and linkSyllable structureSpellings addedExample wordsPrice
Playing Cards Basic Code CVC 1VC and CVCa, b, c, g, h, i, n, o, p, s, tcat, got, hit, man, sip$0.00
Playing cards basic code CVC 2CVCc, d, e, f, g, j, k, l, m, r, u, v, w, zjet, fun, kid, let, van$2.00
Playing cards basic code FF LL SS ZZCVC and CVCC (where CC=x)ff, ll, ss, zz, xfizz, mess, will, puff, box$2.00
Playing cards basic code VCC & CVCCVCC and CVCCNo extra spellingsact, its, gift, rest, self$0.00
Playing cards basic code CCVCCCVCNo extra spellingscross, drum, flat, still, twin$2.00
Playing cards basic code CCCVCC & CCVCCCCCCVC, CVCCC, CCVCCC, CCCVCC, CCCVCCCNo extra spellingsscrap, sifts, stamp, strict, splints$2.00
Playing cards basic code CCVCC 1CCVCCNo extra spellingsblink, clamp, crest, drift, dwelt$0.00
Playing cards basic code CCVCC 2CCVCCNo extra spellingsfrost, flips, gland, print, plant$2.00
Playing cards basic code CCVCC 3CCVCCNo extra spellingsscamp, skips, slept, spilt, split$2.00
Playing cards basic code CCVCC & CCCVCCCVCC and CCCVCNo extra spellingsstink, scrub, spring, trust, twigs$2.00
Playing cards basic code VCCC & CVCCCVCCC and CVCCCNo extra spellingsacts, camps, ducts, films, kilns$2.00
Playing cards basic code VCCC & CVCCC 2VCCC and CVCCCNo extra spellingsopts, midst, nests, tempt, wilts$2.00
Playing cards basic code SHVC to CCVCCshash, fresh, shelf, shut, wish$2.00
Playing cards basic code CHCVC to CCVCCchbrunch, chest, hunch, rich, zilch$0.00
Playing cards basic code THCVC to CVCCVCCthdepth, method, sloth, that, this$2.00
Playing cards basic code NGCVC to CCCVCngcling, hang, long, spring, thing$2.00
Playing cards basic code CKCVC to CCVCckblack, deck, lick, rock, truck$2.00
Playing cards basic code WH & QUCVC to CVCCCVC and VCCVCVCCqu and whequip, quench, squint, whack, whisk$2.00

Extended code 1

The next 15 decks cost AUD$16.67 if bought as a set (the same per-deck price as the first set), and mostly introduce one vowel spelling per deck. There are two combined decks, and three decks which contrast “short” and “long” vowels with split spellings (“cap/cape”, “win/wine”, “hop/hope”, etc).

Deck name and linkSyllable structureSpellings addedExample wordsPrice
Extended code: AI as in rain1 syllable wordsai as in rainaim, faith, paint, strain, wait$0.00
Extended code: EE as in see1 syllable wordsee as in seefeet, need, queen, street, tree$2.00
Extended code: OA as in boat1 & 2 syllable wordsoa as in boatcoat, goal, oats, road, soapbox$2.00
Extended code: UR as in turn1 & 2 syllable wordsur as in turn
(ge as in urge
se as in nurse
ve as in curve)
burn, hurt, murmur, surge, turnip$2.00
Extended code: EA as in head1 to 3 syllable wordsea as in head
(er as in weather
ure as in pleasure
ous as in jealous
y as in heavy
ow as in meadow)
already, dreamt, instead, pleasant, wealth$2.00
Extended code: OW as in now1 to 3 syllable wordsow as in cowallow, crowd, growl, now, towel$0.00
Extended code: OO as in soon1 syllable wordsoo as in bootbooth, food, noon, spook, zoo$2.00
Extended code: OO as in good, IGH as in night1-2 syllable wordsoo as in good
igh as in night
book, stood, wool, bright, delight, insight$2.00
Extended code: OO as in soonExtended code: OR as in for1-2 syllable wordsor as in forborn, export, orbit, port, torch$2.00
Extended code: OI as in coin1-2 syllable wordsoi as in coin
(ce as in choice)
avoid, foil, joint, noisy, moist$2.00
Extended code: AR as in farm1-2 syllable wordsar as in cararm, garden, march, shark, target$2.00
Extended code: AR as in farmExtended code: AIR as in hair, EAR as in near1-2 syllable wordsair as in hair
ear as in hear
(u as in tearful)
air, dairy, fair, clear, smear, year$2.00
Short A & split A…E1 syllable wordsa...e as in tape cf a as in tapcan/cane, mad/made, plan/plane$0.00
Short I & split I…E1 syllable wordsi...e as in pine cf i as in pinhat/hate, slid/slide, twin/twine$2.00
Short E O U & split E…E O…E U…E1 syllable wordse...e as in theme & e as in them
o...e as in slope & o as in slop
u...e as in tube & u as in tub
them/theme, cloth/clothe, us/use$2.00

Extended code 2

The next 12 decks cost AUD$13.33 if bought as a set, and first introduce final “le” and “ing” syllables and doubled consonants, then review consonant digraphs, then introduce seven new vowel spellings, each with two to five spellings.

The teaching sequence here fairly closely matches the one in the Alba/Totem books.

Deck name and linkSyllable structureSpellings addedExample wordsPrice
Final -le syllable2-syllable wordsdoubled consonantscandle, little, middle, puzzle, sprinkle$2.00
Final -ing syllable2-syllable words"ing" suffixadding, giggling, kicking, mixing, topping$2.00
Basic code ch & tch1-syllable wordstchbench, fetch, pinch, stitch, which$2.00
Basic code ch, sh, th1 & 2 syllable wordsNo extra spellingschest, branch, publish, thus, width$2.00
Basic code ck, ng, qu, wh1 syllable wordsNo extra spellingsbring, check, quest, track, whack $2.00
Extended code ai, a...e, ay, a1 & 2 syllable wordsay as in day
a as in apron
basic, fail, play, ray, saving$0.00
Extended code ee, ea, e, y, ey1 & 2 syllable wordsea as in sea
e as in me
y as in funny
ey as in chimney
demon, kidney, least, three, very$2.00
Extended code o...e, oa, ow, o1 & 2 syllable wordsow as in slow
o as in go
banjo, follow, load, most, vote$2.00
Extended code er, ir, ur1 & 2 syllable wordser as in term
ir as in bird
burden, confirm, first, perfect, suburb$0.00
Extended code ou, ow1 & 2 syllable wordsou as in outabout, found, now, power, sound$2.00
Extended code igh, i...e, y, i1 & 2 syllable wordsy as in my
i as in find
blind, fry, invite, slight, white$2.00
Extended code oo, ew, u...e, u1 & 2 syllable wordsew as in chew
u as in flu
crew, fluent, prune, room, scuba$2.00

Extended code 3

The next 12 decks cost AUD$13.33 if bought as a set, and revise spellings from the previous sets while adding extra spellings, and mixing them into a deck of high-frequency words.

The teaching sequence here fairly closely matches the one in the Rescue/Talisman 1/Island Adventure books.

Deck name and linkSyllable structureSpellings addedExample wordsPrice
Extended code a...e, ai, ay, a, ey, ea1 & 2 syllable wordsey as in they
ea as in break
plane, afraid, delay, table, obey, great $0.00
Extended code ee, ea, e, y, ie, ei, e...e1 to 3 syllable wordsie as in brief
ei as in ceiling
coffee, disease, secret, family, achieve, deceit, athlete$2.00
Extended code o...e, oa, o, ow, oe1 to 3 syllable wordsoe as in toemangoes, only, poach, remote, thrown$2.00
Extended code er, ir, ur, ear, or1 & 2 syllable wordsear as in learn
or as in word
circle, hurl, search, swerve, work$0.00
Extended code ou, ow, oi, oy1 & 2 syllable wordsoy as in boy
annoy, join, sprout, owl$2.00
Extended code oo, u...e, ue, ew, ou, u1 & 2 syllable wordsue as in glue
ou as in soup
smooth, rule, clue. shrewd, group, ruby$2.00
Extended code igh, i...e, ie, i, y1 & 2 syllable wordsie as in tieallies, crisis, define, tying, upright$2.00
Extended code or, ore, aw1 & 2 syllable wordsore as in more
aw as in saw
crawl, law, snore, thorn, wore$2.00
Extended code a, al, ar, ough, augh, au1 & 2 syllable wordsa as in ball
al as in talk
ar as in warm
ough as in bought
augh as in taught
au as in August
caught, fought, stalk, trauma, wall, warm$2.00
Extended code air, are, ear, ere, eir1 & 2 syllable wordsare as in care
ear as in wear
ere as in here
eir as in their
bear, care, stairs, heir, where$2.00
Extended code ar, a, al, au, ear1 & 2 syllable wordsa as in glass
al as in calm
au as in aunt
ear as in heart
dark, hearth, laugh, palm, vast $2.00
High-frequency words1 & 2 syllable wordsNo extra spellingsaway, call, down, first, game, house, morning, party, too, youNot available separately

Advanced code 1

These 12 decks cost AUD$13.33 if bought as a set, and introduce a new vowel sound and extra spellings for two “short” vowels. There are then four decks focussed on consonant sounds with multiple spellings, then four decks of words built with Latin suffixes, and a deck of homographs.

The teaching sequence here fairly closely matches the one in the Titan’s Gauntlets/Talisman 2 books.

Deck name and linkSyllable structureSpellings/suffixes addedExample wordsPrice
Extended code u...e, ue, eu, ew, ui, eau, uu1 to 3 syllable wordsu...e as in dune
ue as in value
eu as in feud
ew as in stew
ui as in nuisance
eau as in beauty
uu as in vacuum
cute, argue, few, neutral, pursuit, beautiful, vacuum
$2.00
Extended code u, o, ou, oo, oe1 to 2 syllable wordso as in won
ou as in cousin
oo as in blood
oe as in does
but, flood, other southern, does$2.00
Extended code o, a, au, ou1 to 4 syllable wordsa as in was
au as in because
ou as in cough
fault, shop, trough, want$2.00
Advanced code s, ss, se, c, ce, sc, st1 to 2 syllable wordsse as in house
c as in cent
ce as in voice
sc as in scene
st as in castle
cent, juice, listen, mess, nurse, sauce$2.00
Advanced code l, ll, al, el, il, ol, le1 to 2 syllable wordsal as in petal
el as in pedal
il as in idol
beetle, flush, grill, lentil, model, total, pistol$2.00
Advanced code j, g, ge, dge, dg, dj1 to 3 syllable wordsg as in gem
ge as in large
dge as in fridge
dg as in budget
dj as in adjust
adjust, danger, fidget, hinge, judge$2.00
Advanced code f, ff, ph, gh, pph1 to 3 syllable wordsph as in phone
gh as in rough
pph as in sapphire
fluff, graph, sapphire, tough$2.00
Advanced code ture1 to 4 syllable wordsture as in natureculture, furniture, temperature$2.00
Advanced code ion, ian1 to 3 syllable wordsion as in action, sion as in pension
ssion as in session
cian as in musician
tian as in Egyptian
election, magician, optician revision, session$2.00
Advanced code ial, ious, ia, ient1 to 3 syllable wordscial as in facial
tial as in partial
cious as in vicious
tious as in cautious
cia as in acacia
tia as in militia
ient as in quotient
ambitious, anxious, delicious, essential, initial, patient, racial$2.00
Advanced code ion, ure1 to 3 syllable wordssion as in division
sure as in treasure
closure, decision, invasion, measure$2.00
Homographs1 to 2 syllable wordsNo extra spellingscontent, does, lead, moped, record$2.00

Extra decks

These 12 decks cost AUD$13.33 if bought as a set, and cover  compound words, “soft” C and G, additional spellings of “short” vowel sounds  and additional consonant sounds with multiple spellings.

Deck name and linkSyllable StructureSpellings/suffixes addedExample wordsPrice
compound words2 syllable wordsN/Abackpack, chestnut, drumstick, eggshell, grandstand, himself, lipstick$2.00
C sounds like /s/e 1 and 2 syllable wordsC pronounced /s/cement, ice, place, pencil, produce, civil, race, recent$2.00
G sounds like /j/e1 to 4 syllable wordsG pronounced /j/age, danger, giant, huge$2.00
Spellings of /e/1 and 2 syllable wordsmultiple spellings of /e/bed, bread, again, any, bury, leisure, friend, leopard$2.00
Spellings of /i/1 to 3 syllable wordsmultiple spellings of /i/did, myth, English, busy, women, sieve$2.00
Spellings of /oo/ 1 to 3 syllable wordsmultiple spellings of "short" /oo/cook, full, should, woman$0
Spellings of /m/1 to 3 syllable wordsmultiple spellings of /m/common, climb, solemn, come, phlegm$2.00
Spellings of /n/1 to 3 syllable wordsmultiple spellings of /n/tunnel, know, gnome, caffeine, julienne, pneumatic, mnemonic$2.00
Spellings of /t/1 to 4 syllable wordsmultiple spellings of /t/top, tattoo, torte, statuette, subtle, Thailand, receipt, yacht$2.00
Spellings of /k/1 to 4 syllable wordsmultiple spellings of /k/broccoli, scheme, quiche, opaque, acquit, zucchini, khaki$0
Spellings of /g/1 to 4 syllable wordsmultiple spellings of /g/juggle, guy, ghetto, synagogue, renege$2.00
Spellings of /r/1 to 4 syllable wordsmultiple spellings of /r/mirror, wrap, rhubarb, diarrhoea$2.00