Lesson 45: High-Frequency Word "have"

Help Your Child Learn to Read the High-Frequency Word “have”!

What Will We Learn Today?

Today we’re learning the high-frequency word “have”—a word we use every day to talk about what someone owns, holds, or feels. In this lesson, your child will learn how to read the word have, blend its sounds, and use it in phrases and sentences to build meaning and fluency.

How to Read the Word “have”

The word have has three sounds:

• /h/ – like in hat

• /æ/ – like the short a in cat

• /v/ – like in van

Blend the sounds together: /h/ – /æ/ – /v/ → have

🟡 Note: The word have doesn’t follow regular phonics rules (it has a silent e), so we teach it through sight and repetition.

What Does “have” Mean?

We use have to talk about:

• Possession – something you own or hold: I have a pencil.

• Experiences or feelings – I have a cold. or Do you have a plan?

Examples:

• I have a pet.

• You have a red bag.

• We have a plan.

Let’s Practice Reading Phrases

have a big jug
have the log
have a red box
have the hat
have a map
have a nap

Ask:

• “What do you have in this phrase?”

• “Can you say it with expression?”

Let’s Practice Reading Sentences

You have a big hat.
Do you have a map?
Zed and I have a red bag.
Did you have a nap?

Encourage your child to point, read, and reread smoothly.

Let’s Practice Reading Connected Sentences

I have the map to the hut.
I have a cap.
You have a big bag.
We have the mat and the map.
“Zip the bag,” said Mom and Dad.

Help your child act it out or draw what’s happening in the story for extra fun!

Color, Trace, and Write

Use printable worksheets where your child can:

• Color pictures of things someone can “have”

• Trace and write the word have

• Match have to pictures or build short phrases

[Download the “have” Worksheet Here]

Flashcards – Word Practice

Use flashcards to build word recognition and fluency.

Ask:

• “Can you find the word have?”

• “Can you use ‘have’ in a sentence?”

[Download High-Frequency Word Flashcards – Set with “have” Here]

Conclusion

The word have is small but powerful! It helps us talk about what people hold, own, or feel. With lots of practice using it in reading and speaking, your child will recognize and understand it easily.

Ask your child:

“What do you have right now? Can you tell me in a full sentence?”