Ever wondered why so many simple English words ending in -ock sound so consistent, yet schools rarely break it down clearly? Well good on you — it’s SUCH a valid question and today? It’s time to dish the details on why teaching the -ock sound pattern the right way really, REALLY matters. Children often stumble over pronunciation because they are taught words individually, not by patterns. But recognizing that lock, sock, rock, clock, block — all end in the same reliable -ock sound gives kids a massive reading shortcut. Imagine being able to decode an entire set of words in seconds because the ending sound is always consistent. This boosts fluency, builds confidence, and gives kids the decoding tools they need to tackle bigger words later on — all without guesswork. For those that had this question, let us know if it cleared things up for you! And if you have any more burning questions, comment PHONICS and the team will send you more resources to fast-track your child’s English journey.