What constitutes a word family?

A word family consists of a group of words that share a common feature, typically involving a root word along with its inflections, derivations, or variations. The most accurate interpretation of a word family in this context refers to rhyming words that change only the beginning sound or letters, which aligns with the definition of word families used in phonics and early reading instruction.

For example, "cat," "bat," and "hat" all belong to the same word family because they share the same ending sound "-at," differing only in their onset. This focus on modifying the onset while keeping the rime allows students to recognize patterns in spelling and pronunciation, facilitating word recognition and spelling skills as they develop their reading abilities.

While other options touch on important language concepts, they do not capture the essence of what constitutes a word family as effectively as the correct choice does. Thus, understanding that a word family includes words that share similar endings and differ by their initial sound is vital for effective reading instruction.