Jolly Phonics Group Three: Sounds, Actions and Words to Read
Group Three of Jolly Phonics teaches the sounds g, o, u, l, f, b. Each sound comes with a story, an action and a song to help your child remember it, then gets used straight away for blending into real words.
The 6 Sounds in Group Three
gurgle
Make a swirling movement like water going down a drain
on/off
Switch it on and off
umbrella
Put up your umbrella
lollipop
Lick the lollipop
fish
Pretend the fish is puffing air
bat
Swing the bat
By the end of Group 3, children have covered 18 of the 42 sounds and can read a genuinely wide range of short words and start putting together simple sentences.
Words Your Child Can Read After This Group
This group opens up dozens of new words. Combined with Groups One and Two, your child can now read words like:
Sounds in This Group Children Often Find Hard
p and b
Children who speak Arabic at home may mix these, since Arabic has no /p/ sound. /p/ is a puff of air with no voice; /b/ adds voice.
Practising Group Three at Home
- One sound a day, with two minutes of revision of everything learned so far.
- Say pure sounds, not "suh" or "tuh" — see our full guide to how to say each sound correctly.
- Use the action every time. It's a memory trigger, not just for fun.
- Blend as soon as you have three or four sounds from this group — don't wait until the whole group is finished.
This fits inside our full 15-minute daily phonics routine, part of the complete guide to teaching phonics at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sounds are in Group 3 of Jolly Phonics? +
Group 3 is g, o, u, l, f, b.
What words can my child read after Group 3? +
Words such as gum, on, up, leg become readable, along with any words combining these sounds with sounds from earlier groups.
How long should we spend on one group? +
Most children learn about one new sound a day with daily revision, so one group takes roughly a week, followed by ongoing practice while moving on to the next.
Should we move on if my child hasn't mastered every sound yet? +
A little unevenness is normal. If your child is clearly stuck on more than one sound in the group, spend a few extra days revising before moving on, rather than pushing ahead.