How do I help my child put words in ABC order?

Have your child underline the letter being compared in each word, then say the alphabet out loud until they reach one of them. Cross off each word once it is placed so none get missed.

What comes after alphabetical order?

Dictionary skills. Once children can order words by the second letter, they can use guide words to find a word in a dictionary. The 2nd grade dictionary skills sheets in this topic practice that next step.

Is there an answer key for each worksheet?

Yes. All three alphabetical order sheets have an answer key.

Why does alphabetizing matter if my child can already use a search bar?

Alphabetical order still shows up constantly in second grade classrooms: class lists, library books, dictionaries, and glossaries all rely on it. Beyond the practical use, sorting by letter position is genuine logical-thinking practice, especially once words share the same first letter and your child has to look at the second or third letter to break the tie.

How do the alphabetizing worksheets build on each other?

Alphabetical Order has your child number an existing list of words in the correct sequence, and two newer pages sort animal and food words by the second letter. Alphabetical Order Words is harder: your child starts with a scrambled list and writes it out in order with no numbers to guide them. The six dictionary skills pages come last, using guide words and glossaries.

My child gets stuck when two words share the same first letter. What's the trick?

Have them say the alphabet out loud starting from the shared letter until they reach the point where the words actually differ, like b-e for bear versus b-i for bird. Saying it out loud catches the answer faster than staring at the page in silence, especially for a child who's still counting letters mentally.

2nd Grade Alphabetical Order Worksheets

Ages 7-8 · Free previews · Print-ready PDFs

Written by Adi Ackerman, Head Teacher

These alphabetical order worksheets for 2nd grade practice ABC order when words share a first letter, a skill children need for dictionaries and glossaries (CCSS L.2.4.E). Children number a list of words in order, put animal words that start with the same letter in order by the second letter, and number food words by the second letter, then write one set on the lines. Three sheets, each with an answer key.

2nd Grade Vocabulary Alphabetizing Alphabetical order Clear All

ABC Order to the Second Letter, Animal Words

Grade2nd Grade

TopicAlphabetizing

ABC Order to the Second Letter, Food Words

Grade2nd Grade

TopicAlphabetizing

Alphabetical order

Grade2nd Grade

TopicAlphabetizing

Alphabetical order

GradeGrades 1 & 2

TopicAlphabetizing

More alphabetizing worksheets

Explore all of our 2nd grade alphabetizing worksheets, covering alphabetical order, alphabetical order words, dictionary skills.

Alphabetical order words Dictionary skills

Frequently Asked Questions

When two words start with the same letter, like bear and bird, you look at the second letter to decide which comes first. E comes before i, so bear comes before bird.

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2nd Grade Alphabetical Order Worksheets

ABC Order to the Second Letter, Animal Words

ABC Order to the Second Letter, Food Words

Alphabetical order

Alphabetical order

More alphabetizing worksheets

Frequently Asked Questions

What does ABC order to the second letter mean?

How do I help my child put words in ABC order?

What comes after alphabetical order?

Is there an answer key for each worksheet?

Why does alphabetizing matter if my child can already use a search bar?

How do the alphabetizing worksheets build on each other?

My child gets stuck when two words share the same first letter. What's the trick?

What is ClassWeekly?