Rule: When there is a CVC combination (consonant - vowel - consonant) then the vowel is going to use its short sound.

 

cat         win        get      fun      hot

hat         pin        set      bun      not

bat         fin         let       sun      cot

mat        bin        met     run      not

 

Note: In my experience with all three of my children, they had the most difficult time distinguishing the short i and short e sounds when first putting words together.  HOWEVER - for most first graders - this list is purely a review from Kindergarten to "warm them up" for the 1st grade year.  My son giggled at his first spelling "test" but I just wanted to warm his little mind up and help him to get back into the practice of our spelling week.