Pronunciation guide

Short Vowel Sounds:
Short a sound: (ehyah sound like)
Phonetic Symbol: /æ/
Short a word list:
1. man
2. rat
3. wag
4. cab
5. ham
6. tax
7. yam
8. sap
9. Zack
10. had

can
fan
sack
cat
ax
jam
has
lad
fat
gap

bat
bag
an
pan
lap

back
pad
mass
tab
Max

Jack
van
sat
nap
quack
at
Dan
fad
sad
rack

Short a sample sentences:
1. Jack has a fat cat.
2. The bad lad sat in a van.
3. Dan has an ax on his lap.
4. He sat on the sack.
5. The ham is in the pan on the rack.
6. That man has a bad lad.
7. Zack has sap in a pan.
8. The man had a nap on a pad.
9. Max has sap and an ax.
10. Put the jam back in the bag, Dan.
Read these rhyming words: (from top to bottom then to the right)
ban

fan
Jan
tan
man
ran
can

sad
bad
dad
mad
pad
fad
had

map
sap
cap
zap
gap
rap
lap

lack
rack
tack
sack
Jack
quack
Zack

Short a sound read for speed.
Jack sat in a van, and a rat ran in the van. “Oh no!” said Jack. Jack’s cat ran in the van, and the
rat ran out. The cat sat on Jack’s lap. Jack had ham for the cat. “Goodcat,” said Jack.


Short e sound: (eh sound)
Phonetic Symbol: /e/
Short e word list:
1. men
2. red
3. wet
4. fell
5. hem
6. keg
7. yell
8. beg
9. peck
10. Tess

Ken
neck
pen
mess
bell
well
net
Meg
bed
yep

bet
beg
hex
rest
den
yes
pep
mess
Jeff
hen

deck
vet
Jed
ten
led
end
Deb
Ned
set
peg

Short e sample sentences:
1. Ken bet Meg ten pens.
2. The red bag fell on the men.
3. The net sack has a wet hem.
4. Deb has a fat vet.
5. Jeff set the hen in a mess on the bed.
6. Beg the vet for a red hen.

7. Tess led Meg to the end of the deck.
8. Jed isn’t well yet. Let Jed rest.
9. The bad hens quack and peck.
10. Jeff set the net on the end of the deck.
Read these rhyming words: (from top to bottom then to the right)
den
pen
Jen
Ben
hen
yen
Ken

med
led
fed
red
bed
Ed
zed

bet
wet
set
net
met
get
vet

well

sell
bell
tell
dell
fell
quell


Short e - Tongue Twisters:
Try to read these tongue twisters as fast as you can!
1. Wet led, let wed, wet led wed.
2. Ten wet hens beg Jed.
3. Meg met Ted, Ted met Meg.
4. Set wet pets on the wet red deck.
5. Wet well, wet net, sell ten wet nets.
Short a and Short e review:
Read the pairs of words below and listen for the differences between short a and short e.
bad – bed
Bal – bell
sat – set
fad – fed
pan – pen
nack – neck
pal – pell
pat – pet
man – men
mat – met
rad – red
Jan – Jen
yap – yep

peck – pack
beg – bag
hem – ham
Ted – tad
Ken – can
mess – mass
Meg – mag
ten – tan
led – lad
end – and
pep – pap
den – Dan
bet – bat

Short i sound: (ih sound)
Phonetic Symbol: /ɪ/
Short i word list:
1. hit
2. rid
3. win
4. bid
5. hiss
6. kiss
7. in
8. big
9. sill
10. sick

kid

Nick
pin
miss
Bill
wig
nip
gig
tin
fib

bit
big
him
rip
dim
if
pill
it
pick
tip

lick
fin
Jim
tin
lid
Vin
fizz
Jill
lit

rib


Short i sample sentences:
1. Vin bit Nick and Jill.
2. The cat will hiss at the big hen.
3. Ned has a big bed.
4. Yes, the big bat is in the red bag.
5. The big cat will lick the wet leg.
6. Rick will rip the big red lid.
7. Jen is sick and she has a pill.
8. That kid bit and hit my sis!
9. If you tell a fib, dad will get mad.
10. You can lick the lid on the sill.
Read these rhyming words: (left to right)
will
him
did
win

Bill
rim
hid
tin

sillk
Tim
lid
kin

ill
dim
quid
fin

mill
Kim
bid
sin

fill
sim
rid
pin

quill
Jim
kid
bin

Short a - Short e – Short i Review:
Read the words below and listen for the differences between short a, short e and short i
bad bed bid
Bal bell bill
sat set sit
fad fed fid
pan pen pin
nack neck Nick
pal pell pill
pat pet pit

tax tex tix
mat met mitt
rad red rid
yap yep yip

pick peck pack
big beg bag
him hem ham
bit bet bat
kin Ken can
miss mess mass
mig Meg mag
tin ten tan
lid led lad
in end and
pip pep pap
din den Dan


Short o sound: (oh sound)
Phonetic Symbol: /ɔ/
Short o word list:
1. hot
2. rod
3. Ross
4. mock
5. hog
6. odd
7. mom
8. nod

9. dot
10. moss

sob
sock
pod
sod
on
lost
boss
rob
Todd
pop

pot
bog
hop
Ron
dock
god
fox
cot
loss
Tom

lock
fog
job
top
lot

Jon
lob
got
Don
bod

Short o sample sentences:
1. Mom got an odd job.
2. Jon lost his pop’s hog.
3. Jen can lob the big hat in the dim fog.
4. Ron and Ned will bet a lot on the fat hog.
5. Todd’s pop can hop on the fox.
6. Ross got an odd sock and a lot of hats.
7. Mom and pop can get jobs.
8. Jen can not fit in the mock bed.
9. Pop lost his job. That is a bad loss.
10. The hog can rest in the hot bog.
Read these rhyming words: (left to right)
Dot
Lock
Rob
Nod

cot lot
not got
rock sock jock dock
lob Bob mob cob
god cod sod rod

pot

mock
sob
pod

hot
pock
job
Todd


Short a - Short e – Short i – Short o review:
Listen for the differences between short a, short e, short i and short o
bad bed bid bod
gat get git got
sat set sit sot
fad fed fid fod
pan pen pin pon
nack neck Nick nock
sap sep sip sop
pat pet pit pot
tax tex tix tox
mat met mitt mot
rad red rid rod

pock pick peck pack
bog big beg bag
Tom Tim tem tam
bot bit bet bat
con kin Ken can
moss miss mess mass

mog mig Meg mag
pop pip pep pap
lod lid led lad
on in end and
Don din den Dan

Short u sound: (uh sound)
Phonetic Symbol: /ʌ/
Short u word list:
1. hut
2. run
3. bud
4. much
5. hug
6. bun
7. mum
8. fuss
9. mud
10. sub

lug
suck
pug
sun
up
jug
nug
sud
gun
tux

but
bug
hun
rub
duck
gum
cup
tuck
suck
Russ

luck
fun
jut
tub
cut
Jud
cub
gut
cud
pun

Short u sample sentences:
1. Jud cut his mum.
2. The tub is much fun.
3. Jen and Jud kiss mom in bed.
4. Bill can run, but he can not lug a keg.
5. Meg will hug her mom for good luck.
6. Russ will run in the mud in a tux.

7. The gun hit Don in the gut.
8. Rick had a bug on his hot deck.
9. The cup has gum but not bugs.
10. Hug mom and pop as much as you can.


Read these rhyming words: (left to right)
pun
bug
duck
rub

fun
rug
buck
sub

bun
dug
suck
tub

gun
hug
yuck
nub

hun
nun
jug

lug
puck luck
hub
cub

run
mug
tuck
pub

Short a - Short e – Short i – Short o – Short u review:
Listen for the differences between short a, short e, short i, short o and short u
bad
gat
sat
fad
pan
nack
sap
rad
tax
mat

bed
get
set
fed
pen
neck
sep

red
tex
met

bid
git
sit
fid
pin
Nick
sip
rid
tix
mitt

bod
got
sot
fod
pon
nock
sop
rod
tox
mot

bud
gut
sut
fud

pun
nuck
sup
rud
tux
mutt

puck
bug
tum
but
cun
muss
mug
pup
lud
un

pock
bog
Tom
bot
con
moss
mog
pop
lod
on

Short vowels (a e i o u) word list:

1. tan
2. hen
3. mud
4. box
5. sin
6. keg
7. lick
8. tax
9. pug
10. get

bit
jam
pin
yes
van
cop
set
loss
Matt
hop

cup
kid
vet
rap
puff
yam
dot
wig

fig
sack

got
luck
wag
nut
quit
fun
sun
wet
Tess
puck

pick
big
Tim
bit
kin
miss
mig
pip
lid
in

peck
beg
tem
bet
Ken

mess
Meg
pep
led
end

pack
bag
tam
bat
can
mass
mag
pap
lad
and


Short vowels (a e i o u) sample sentences:
1. Ken cut his hand and fell in a well. He has bad luck.
2. Meg will win ten pens. That is a lot of pens.
3. The hot sun is bad, so the cat went in a box.
4. Jon will beg his mom for a red bag.
5. We got a lot of bugs in the big sack.
6. Set the jug in the sun and get a cup of jam.
7. The cat bit the rat in the neck but the rat will run fast.
8. The man will rest in the hot sun with his cat.
9. “Rub the cat on the tum,” said mom.
10. Meg has a cat. Nick hit the cat, and Meg was mad. Meg and Nick had a spat.
Mom and Dad said, “Stop!”

Short vowel story -- Reading practice:
Jan and Ted have a pet cat. The cat is big and it can not swim. Ted and the cat went to swim, but
the cat ran back to Jan. Jan was mad, so she hit Ted. “Don’t hit me,” said Ted. Jan did not let the
cat swim.
Jan and Ted saw a rat in the yard. “Get rid of it!” said Jan. “The cat will kill the rat,” said Ted,
and he let the cat get the big rat. But the cat did not kill the rat. It bit the rat and hit the cat, but
then it quit. “The cat will not kill the rat!” said Ted. “The cat just wants to have fun.”
Mom got a job at a pet shop. The shop had pups, cats, birds, frogs, and fish. A lot of kids like to
run to the shop after class and look at the pets.
One day, Jan and Ted went with them. “Look!” said Ted. “Look at that pup. It is so cute.” They
went home to ask mom for the pup.
“Can we get a pup?” asked Ted. “The cat will not like the pup,” said mom. “But the pup is so
cute,” said Jan. “Sorry,” said mom. “One pet is enough.”


Long Vowel Sounds:
Long a sound: (ei sound) or AMERICAN a
Phonetic Symbol: /eɪ/
Long a spelling pattern: (ai, ay, a_e, ai_e)
Long a word list:
Long a pattern: (ai)
hail rail
main gain
nail bait

sail
train
rain

Gail mail
vain pail
grain trail

tail
fail
grail

Long a pattern: (ay)
Hay
play
way

ray
clay
bay

say
gray
day

Gay May tray
fray Lay Fay
today yesterday

Long a pattern: (a_e)
made wade fade Jane
mate cake tame gate
Kate cane make faze

fake hate
late fate
Gabe game

Long a pattern: (ai_e)
Maine
aide
raiser
appraiser

maize
aider
praise
trained

raise
zaire
appraise
gained

Long a sample sentences:
1. Fay and Jane play on the same day.
2. Gail made a fake cake.
3. It may rain cats and dogs today.
4. Jed cut the cake and ate the cake.
5. Jay and Ray hate the name game.
6. Dave made a cake for Jane’s sake.
7. Kate’s mate hates the rain.
8. Dave can rake hay and play in the rain.
9. May Jake play the maze game?

10. Fay ate cake at the bay with Gabe.


Short a – Long a review:
hat
bat
lack
sat
tack
gab
ban
tap
razz
cap

/ hate
/ bait
/ lake
/ sat
/ take
/ Gabe
/ bane
/ tape
/ raise
/ cape

Dan / Dane
fat / fate
sack / sake
pad / paid

ran / rain
pan / pain
can / cane
Jan / Jane
man / mane
Bal / bale

Short a and Long a sample sentences:
1. Can Gabe tape his cap to his cape?
2. Dan will ban tacks for the sake of pain.
3. Maine has rain, but lacks a lake.
4. Dan will tap the cane with his hat.
5. We sat at the lake in the rain.
6. The mad man hates the ban on tacks.
7. Dad’s job is to raise the gate.
8. Pack the bag and take the bait.
9. The rain will make Jack late today.
Short a – Long a -- Short e review:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Short a

man
fad
tax
bad
pal
sat
fat
van
Jan
pan

Long a
mane
fade
takes
bade
pale
sate
fate
vane
Jane
pain

Short e
men
fed
tex
bed
pell
set

fet
ven
Jen
pen


Short a – Long a -- Short e sample sentences:
1. The med fad will fade.
2. The cat sat on the red pail.
3. Matt made a pen.
4. The fat vet takes tax.
5. Jen can make a man’s bed today.
6. Dan is vain and Jen is sad.
7. Jen is a bad mate.
8. I met the lad Jade.
9. Jen’s pen met the same fate as Jack’s hat.
10. Matt’s leg pain is bad.
Long a – Reading practice:
Fay and Jane like to play at the lake. One day, they made a maze in the hay. On the same day,
they had rain and hail, so Fay and Jane ran back to play games.
“Can Fay stay and play games?
”Jane asked her Dad. “Fay can stay and play if her mom and dad say it is okay,” said Jane’s dad.
Fay and Jane stayed up late

ITALIAN a sound: (ah sound)
Phonetic Symbol: / ɑ /
Italian a word list:
car
smart
wart

log

far
cart
Mars
Fog

father
card
fodder
wad

start
tart
fod
rod


Long e sound: (ee sound)
Phonetic Symbol: / i /
Long e spelling pattern: (ee, ea, e_e, ey, ie, e)
Long e word list:
Long e pattern: (ee)
meet
reed
meek
bee
need

seed

queen
free
glee
keep

feed
week
knee
wheel
deem

weed
seek
see
feel
keen

Long e pattern: (ea)
meat
team
heal
eat

leap
read
beam
seal

lean
veal

deal
neat

seat
bean
pea
wheat

Long e pattern: (e_e)
deplete
here
concede
delete
breve

complete
these
severe
adhere
gene

obsolete
theme
sincere
Chinese
precede

concrete
Japanese
Taiwanese

interfere
persevere

Long e pattern: (ey)
alley
chimney
chutney
donkey

galley
hockey
honey
jockey

key
kidney
Mickey
money

monkey
parsley
valley
volley

Long e pattern: (ie)
Angie
baggie
beanie
belief
•

We

believe
Bonnie
brie
brief

chief
cookie
field
fiend

frieze
genie
grief
niece

Long e pattern: (e)
He

She

Me

piece
shield
siege
thief

Long e sample sentences:
1. We feed three monkeys.
2. We need to see the team.
3. Steve and Pete will not eat red meat.
4. A thief will steal these Jeeps.
5. Feed the seal meat and a pea.
6. Read these brief deals.
7. Eve, do you see a seed?
8. The vet will heal the pet’s heel.
9. Keep Steve on the team, Zeke.
10. The beam is seen by the wet team.
Long e sound read for SPEED:
Pete bet Ted that he will make the tennis team. Ted feels that Pete will make the team. “You are
lean and you can leap well,” said Ted. “You can make the team!” “I feel so glad!” said Pete. “If I
make the team, will you come to my tennis meet?
”“It’s a deal!” said Ted
Short e – Long e review:
bet / beat
set / seat
dell / deal
hell / heal
led / lead
Ned / need
tell / teal
wet / weak
bed / bead
peck / peek

pet / Pete

Ben / bean
fell / feel
Jen / jean
men / mean
red / read
Ted / team
sell / seal
met / meet
pep / peep


Short i – Long e review:
(Long e is similar to short i)
Read the pairs of words below, and try to hear the difference.
bit / beat
sin / seen
dill / deal
pit / Pete
rid / read
mitt / meat
lick / leak
riff / reef
pick / peek
lick / leak
Tim / team
fit / feet
this / these

bean / bin
ream / rim

seat / sit
seem / sim
keep / Kip
lean / Lin
peel / pill
deep / dip
reek / Rick
seep / sip
seek / sick
beef / Biff
meek / Mick

Long e reading practice:
Steve had his pet monkey, Eve, in his jeep. Eve is keen on books, so Steve gave Eve a book to
read.
“I need to jog,” said Steve. “You can sit in the tree and read, Eve. My jog will be quick.”
Eve looked at Steve, and Steve ran on the beach. “I can not read,” said Eve. “I will lick the
book.”
Long i sound: (aɪ sound)
Phonetic Symbol: / aɪ /
Long i spelling pattern: (i_e, ie, igh)
Long i word list:
Long i pattern: (i_e)
bite
vine
ripe
hide
Mike

nine

size
side
bile
wide

tile
hive
tide
tike
mime

dime
quite
fine
line
rise

file
mile
five
file
bike


Long i pattern: (ie)
tie
cries
pie
dries

lie
flies
pies
dried

die
untie
fries
tried

Long i pattern: (igh)
fright
might
bright
plight
•

Bi

night
sigh
knight
flight

light
sight
night
right

Long i pattern: (i)

Tri

sign

di

Long i sample sentences:
1. We can hike a mile at night.
2. That nice dog might bite.
3. The dime is mine but the tie is not mine.
4. Pete and Jay got five mice and a pup.
5. We might like five lights for a dime.
6. The wide mile is right for Mike.
7. The mime has sight and he is fine.
8. The bee in the hive will bite and die.
9. Mike might rise at nine.
10. The tide will rise and get quite high.


Short i – Long i review:
bit / bite
fin / fine
rip / ripe
sit / site
dim / dime
lit / light
quit / quite
pick / pike
Mick / Mike

kit / kite
Bill / bile
mitt / might
hid / hide
pip / pipe
rid / ride
Tim / time
fit / fight
lick / like

Short i – Short e – Long e review:
bit
pin
dill
rid
pit
mitt
lick
riff
pick
fid

bet
pen
dell
red
pet
met
leck
ref

peck
fed

beat
peen
deal
read
Pete
meat
leak
reef
peek
feed

bean
read
seat
seek
peek
need
peat
beef
reed
weed

Ben
red
set
seck
peck

Ned
pet
beff
red
wed

bin
rid
sit
sick
pick
nid
pit
Biff
rid
wid

Long i reading practice:
Jim likes to ride his bike and hide by the lake. Today, he rides his bike five miles and stops to
rest. Jim sees a hive in the tree. Bees like to go in the hive. Jim wants to see a bee, so he hits the
hive five times. Six bees fly and see Jim. “Oh, no!” says Jim.
He runs to his bike, but he can not quite get away. The bees are quite mad. Jim yells and cries
and hides. Jim will not hit the hive five times next time. He will just ride his bike and go away.
Short i – Long i – Long e tongue twisters:
1. Kick Kip, keep Kip’s kin.
2. Lead lid, lead led deal.
3. Fix Mike’s kite, feed Meg’s hen.
4. Pick six beaks, seek big peeks.
5. Mick’s men met Mike’s team.
6. She sells sea shells by the seashore.

Long o sound: (ow sound)
Phonetic Symbol: / oʊ /
Long o spelling pattern: (o_e, oa, ow, o)
Long o word list:
Long o pattern: (o_e)
hope
pole
vote
yote

nose
quote
bone
doke

mope
Rome
mode
coke

nope
tone
cone
lone

home
note
dome

throne

toad
roam
loan
goal

goat
float
roast
moat

Long o pattern: (oa)
boat
soak
Joan
toast

foam
load
coat
coast

moan
coal
foal
shoal

Long o pattern: (ow)
bow

mow
bowl
bow
•

Go

tow
stow
glow
row

low
slow
crow
show

slowly
stowaway
throw
stowage

long o pattern: (o)
So

No

Yo

Ho

Long o sample sentences:
1. I hope the boat floats.
2. Joan votes in Rome.
3. We run home at night and sleep.
4. He can make a bowl with coal and foam.
5. Joe will loan the foal to Joan.
6. The foal will moan when it is alone.
7. Go home and soak a load.
8. Joan will quote Joe’s note.
9. I hope Joan will go to Rome.
10. Nope! I won’t throw the toad!


Short o – Long o review:
bot / boat
got / goat
mop / mope
rod / road
pock / poke
cod / code
hop / hope
nod / node
Todd / toad
Ross / rose

dot / dote
jock / joke
cot / coat
rot / rote

cop / cope
sop / soap
lob / lobe
Jon / Joan
sock / soak
Dom / dome

Short o – Long o sample sentences:
1. The cod will soak in the pot.
2. Ross will poke Dom with a mop.
3. The cop can cope with the road.
4. I know Todd’s joke by rote.
5. Joan’s coat is on the cot.
6. The jock rode home with Jon.
7. Don can not cope with a hot goat.
8. Nod if you got a note from Ross.
9. Nope! I will not vote for a hot dome.
10. Mop the boat with soap.
Long o reading practice:
Ross likes Joan, so he tells her jokes. Joan does not smile at the jokes. “Woe is me,” moans Ross.
“I have no hope. I will be alone, with no Joan.”
Hope is not lost. Joan has a note for Ross. Ross reads the note. It says, “I like your joke, Ross.
Let’s go on a date on a boat.”
Ross hops and nods. He will go on a date with Joan, so he will not mope. Joan gave him a note,
so he has a bit of hope.


Long u sound:
(long OO sound)
Phonetic Symbol: / u /

Long u spelling pattern: (oo, ew, ui, ue, u_e)
(long yu sound)
Phonetic Symbol: / ju /
Long u spelling pattern: (u-e)
Long u word list:
(long OO sound)
Long u pattern: (oo)
booth
tooth
noon
goose

tool
smooth
soon
toot

fool
cool
zoo
boot

pool
moon
food
root

brew
grew
*renewed

*stew

crew
screw
lewd
*renew

Long u pattern: (ew)
flew
Blew
*knew
chew

*new
*dew
threw
*anew

Long u pattern: (ui)
bruise
suit
ruin

fluid
cruise
suitcase

juice
fruit
*suitor

Long u pattern: (ue)
sue
*pursue
*due
cruel

true
clue
*ensue
*duel

glue
untrue
*undue
*issue

Long u spelling pattern: (u_e)
brute
*tune
*institute
*resume

salute
rule
*attitude
*gratitude

flute
*capsule

*assume
*latitude


Long u word list:
(long yu sound)
Long u spelling pattern: (u_e)
tube
June
mute
accuse

cube
cute
muse
reuse

dune
cure
puke
abuse

tune
mule
fuse
confuse

Short u – Long u review:
cub / cube
cut / cute

mutt / mute
run / rune
bun / boon
sun / soon
tub / tube
mud / mood
fuss / fuse
ruff / roof

dun / dune
Jud / Jude
luck / Luke
Russ / ruse
dud / dude
rub / rube
duck / duke
nut / newt
but / boot
bun / boon

Short u – Long u sample sentences:
1. The sun will soon rise.
2. Jude is in a bad mood.
3. The ruse is not cute, Russ.
4. My mutt is mute, but it is cute.
5. The newt will run to the rune.
6. The cute cub will fuss and fuss.
7. Luke has bad luck.
8. The duke’s duck runs in the dune.
9. Jud and Jude cut a bun on the roof.

10. The cube will melt in the tub.
Long u reading practice:
Jud has a jukebox in his room. Luke likes to play with the jukebox, but he will not pay.
“My jukebox is not free, ”says Jud. “If you want tunes, you must pay.”
“But I am your bud,” says Luke. “Must I pay to play a tune?” “Yes, you must,” says Jud. “My
tunes are good. If you want cool tunes, you must pay first.”
“You are too rude,” says Luke. “I will listen to tunes at home. “Wait, wait!” says Jud. “You can
stay! The tunes are free! I don’t mean to be rude. I am just poor!


SHORT AND LONG VOWEL SOUND WORDS:
hat / hate
bit / bite
tub / tube
set / seat
Dom / dome
Dan / Dane
hick / hike
cut / cute
peck / peek
sop / soap

bet / beat
got / goat
gab / Gabe
Tim / time
Russ / ruse
fell / feel
hop / hope
pan / pain

kit / kite
sun / soon

SHORT AND LONG VOWEL SOUND SENTENCES:
1. He can make a hat with coal and foam.
2. Steve and Pete will not eat red meat.
3. The dime is mine but the tie is not mine.
4. Jed cut the cake and ate a big bite.
5. Meg is cute but she is very rude.
6. Dale bet Jon that it will rain in five weeks.
7. The black tube is not mine.
8. I hope the boat will float.
9. Can you make three cakes and then eat them?

Short oo sound: (SPECIAL VOWEL SOUNDS)
Phonetic Symbol: /ʊ/
Read these words:
book
brook
cook
cookie
cookout
crook
fishhook
foot
football
good

goodbye
hood

hoodie
hoof
hook
look
nook
plywood
rook
rookie

shook
soot
sooty
stood
took
unhook
wood
woodpecker
woof
wool

bull
bulletin
bullion
bully

bush
butcher
full
pit bull

pull
pulley
push
put


Sight words that have the same vowel sound:
could
wolf
•

should
woman

sugar
would

Those Tricky OO Sounds:

Often, the OO sound is long, as in words like school, room, boot, moon, and goose.
But occasionally, it has a shorter sound, as in book, took, look, cook, foot, and cookie.
How do you know which pronunciation of OO to use when you see it in words?
I have come up with a rule that works in most situations:
In general, if “oo” is followed by a K, it is short, and otherwise, it is long.
Exceptions: foot, soot, and stood, which use the short sound.
Practice Sentences — Long OO:
1. The fool tried to look cool on his way to school.
2. Use a tool to scoop the dirt.
3. A goose is loose in my room.
4. Stay cool! A moose is nearby.

5. You cannot see the moon at noon.
6. Oh, shoot! The poodle is eating my noodles.
7. I need to scoot this plant away from the tree root.
Practice Sentences — Short OO:
1. I took a look at the book in the nook.
2. The cook dropped a cookie on his foot.
3. The rook was covered in soot.
4. The fish hook caught in her foot.
5. He shook the box of books.
Practice Sentences — Combined Sounds:
1. Look at that fool eating a cookie at school.
2. Put your foot in the boot before you leave the room.
3. The moose shook his head at the moon.
4. The goose stood on the book at noon.
5. Be careful! Don't shoot yourself in the foot.
6. Scoot your poodle away from the nook full of tools.


•

(ea) combination:

Spelling Pattern (ea) short vowel sound
Most often the spelling pattern (ea) has the long vowel sound as in teacher.
However, there are quite a few words that have the short “e” sound (as in jet) but have the (ea)
spelling pattern instead. Usually you will find these words listed among the sight words.
Read these short vowel words: (short “e” as in jet)
bedspread
bread
breakfast

breast
breath
dead
deadlock
deadpan
deaf
death

dread
head
health
heaven
instead
lead
leapt
leaven
meant
read

realm
spread
steadfast
stealth
sweat
thread
threat
tread
wealth
weapon

Read these sentences:
1. How is your health?
2. Do bread, head, and red rhyme?
3. Which bread is best for your health?
4. If you are rich, do you have wealth?
5. Does your dog have bad breath?
6. I put a Santa hat on my cat's head.
7. Do you sweat when you are hot?
8. I put my sweater on the bedstead.
9. A bunch of dead ants were on my bedspread.
10. Did you put the bedspread on the bed?
11. What did you have for breakfast?
12. I want the drumstick, Dad wants the breast.
13. The deaf kid had a wealth of lead pencils.


•

Schwa /ʃwɑ/

Phonetic Symbol: / ə /
The weak vowel sound in some syllables that is not emphasized, such as the first syllable of
'about' and the second syllable of 'given', or the ə symbol that represents this sound
Schwa does not have an exact and standard pronunciation. Due to the near-identical
pronunciation of schwa and short u, many dictionaries merge the transcription of the two sounds
and strictly use /ə/. Separate symbols are retained here to indicate whether a vowel sound falls on
a stressed or unstressed syllable.
This sound can be found in English words such as:
a, the, about, around, present, banana, father, system.
Say these words out loud (the Schwa sound is bold):

1) a
2) the
3) about
4) around
5) present
6) father
7) banana
8) carrot
9) atlas

10) illness
11) offend
12) answer
13) letter
14) alone
15) sofa
16) system
17) supply
18) circus

Now say these sentences out loud (the Schwa sound is bold):
1) I have a carrot and a banana.
2) The atlas contains a lot of maps.
3) He talked about his illness.
4) I will answer this letter.
5) Father went around the apartment.
7) The company will supply the telephones.
8) I was sitting alone on the sofa.
9) The performance in the circus was amazing.
10) He suggested a system.

•

Diphthong /dɪf.θɒŋ/

Diphthongs, ("two sounds" or "two tones"), also known as a gliding vowel, refers to two adjacent
vowel sounds occurring within the same syllable.
Connected two vowel sounds through Gliding and pronounced as a single syllable sound
A diphthong is a sound made by combining two vowels, specifically when it starts as one vowel
sound and goes to another, like the oy sound in oil. Diphthong comes from the Greek word
“diphthongos” which means "having two sounds."

/eɪ/
/aɪ/
/ɔɪ/
/ɪə/
/eə/
/ʊə/
/oʊ/
/aʊ/
/ju/
/jə/

as in day, pay, say, lay.
as in sky, buy, cry, tie.
as in boy, toy, coy or the first syllable of soya.
in beer (the drink), pier, hear.
as in bear (the animal), pair and hair.
as in tour, poor (talking posh!) or the first syllable of tourist.

as in goat, toe, tow, soul, rope, cold
as in all the words of "How now brown cow!"
as in cute, few, dew, ewe
as in onion, union, million, scallion, scullion