Vowels – Phonics Pow

Letter A can sound like short O

The letter a can sound like a short o. This is one of the Short Vowel Variations covered in the Phonics Pow Toolkit as it follows a sensible sequence.

a can say ŏ
Watch the dog play squash with the ball

This can happen three ways…

1. Before a double L
The -all word family is special! (these are flossy words)
all
ball
call
fall
hall
mall
tall
wall
small
stall

WATCH a Prezi and a Super Simple turn and learn video. -all words video from Learning Time Fun. PLAY a word search game at Turtle Diary.

2. Sometimes after a w-
watch
wasp
wash
want
swan
swat
swap

More than one syllable: waffle, wallet, water, waddle, swallow, wander
Exceptions: wag, swag, wax, swam, was

3. Sometimes after qua-
qualm
squash
squat
squad
squall
squawk

More than one syllable: quality, quantity, qualify
Exceptions: square, quart, quail, quake, quack

Remember the letter a can say short ŏ before -ll, and after w and qu. Try an online word sort. A Sounds of A worksheet is available at the Super Tutor Tools store at Teachers Pay Teachers. Free bookmarks with Short Vowel Variations are also available there.

Tigers and Robins and Camels, oh my!

It is important to understand open and closed syllables, because the most common way to represent a long vowel sound in English is by a single letter. (See long vowel patterns and chart at Author Wiley Blevins.) The first part of the Phonics Pow Toolkit uses primarily one syllable words, but the final section includes multi-syllable words and covers open and closed syllables in two syllable words.

These words can be tricky, especially when there is one middle consonant. The word may divide before the consonant, making the first syllable open and long (says it’s name) like in TIGER. Or the word may divide after the middle consonant, closing the first syllable and making it short like in ROBIN.

Be/gin with long, Vis/it short

Since more words are like TIGER with the first syllable long (60%), try that way first to see if it is a recognizable word. If it is not try it with the short vowel sound.

TigerRobin

Available at Teachers Pay Teachers: Tiger and Camel Words Soccer Game and Syllable Animal Set with Tiger and Camel Word Board Game. Free online word sort. See also More Ways Vowels Can be Long.

The Schwa sound in two syllable words

In words with more than one syllable, one syllable is stressed or given more emphasis. Other syllables are unstressed, or unaccented. The schwa sound can occur in an unaccented syllable, so it is heard more often in words with more than one syllable. Did you notice the second syllable of ROBIN has a Schwa sound? ˈrŏbən. So does CAMEL – kăməl.

The second syllable of these words have an /uh/ sound similar to a short u: wagon, denim, driven, solid.
The second syllable of these words have the /ul/ sound: camel, pedal, civil, model. See more about /ul/ variations.
Notice that schwa can be present in words with consonant-le (like TURTLE, where the vowel in the second syllable sounds like /ul/), open or closed syllables alike.

Rabbits and Camels and Cattle

The middle consonant sometimes doubles in two syllable words when the first vowel is short, like in RABBIT…but not always! Remember the ROBINS and CAMELS! Double middle consonant letters can also sometimes happen in words that end in consonant -le, like in CATTLE.

Learn more about Syllable Types.

Syllable Types

Syllables are a unit of speech generally containing only one vowel sound. Learning the different types of syllables and the vowel sounds they make is an important skill for decoding – translating letters into words. Hearing syllables in words is also a part of phonological awareness, an essential skill for reading.

SyllableBookmark

There are six syllable types, seven if the vowel digraphs (two letters that make one sound) are separated into Diphthongs that make new sounds, and Vowel Teams that often make a long vowel sound. In the sequence followed by the Phonics Pow Toolkit, syllable types are learned in this order.

Closed [VC] a vowel closed in by at least one consonant is often short.
These may be [CVC] words, or words with consonant blends at the beginning or end.

• cat
• bed
• dig
• dog
• rug

Open [CV] When no consonant follows a vowel, the vowel is often long and says it’s name.

• ā
• hē
• hī
• nō
• flū

Learn more about Open and Closed Syllables.

Silent e [VCɇ] When there is an e at the end of a word, the vowel is often long and the e is silent.

• bākɇ
• hērɇ
• kītɇ
• bōnɇ
• cūbɇ

Bossy R [vR] A vowel followed by an r often makes a new sound.

• car
• her
• stir
• corn
• fur

Vowel digraphs [VV] Two vowels together make one sound. (sometimes y or w follows)

Diphthongs make a new sound.

• sauce
• saw
• ouch
• cow
• coin
• boy
• book
• boot

Vowel Teams often make a long vowel sound

• rain • tray
• bean • green
• boat • row
• fruit • stew

Consonant -le [clɇ] is a final stable syllable = /ul/ in words with more than one syllable. The e at the end is silent.

• candlɇ
• gentlɇ
• simplɇ
• hobblɇ
• junglɇ

As almost always happens, there are exceptions to these guidelines!

Download a free printable of the Syllable Types. (2/page pdf)

More Resources:

Syllable Animal Set at the Super Tutor Tools Teachers Pay Teachers store.
Bookmarks and posters from ThisReadingMama
Poster from MakeTakeTeach

/ul/ variations

Consonant-le is a final stable syllable that makes the sound of the consonant plus /ul/. (V.b) The e at the end is silent and the vowel is a schwa sound. There are variations in how it can be spelled. A helpful pupil says it is simple: an eagle is a symbol, a squirrel is a mammal.

Try an /ul/ variations online word sort and word search puzzle.

The middle letters of some /ul/ variation words can double. /ul/ variations: mammal, fossil, tunnel, funnel.

g before e will often soft /j/ be

The letter g often (but not always) has the soft sound of /j/ before an e.

A large stāgecoach plunged over the brĭdge.

The g in words that end in -ge or -dge is often soft. Silent e makes the vowel long in words like “pāge,” but Defender d can stop the vowel from being long in “ĕdge” and more words.

Play a wordsearch game with words that are long or short and the g is soft.

Some words that end with -nge also have a soft g. Many have a short vowel, except: range, change, and strange, & sponge and orange with the schwa sound. A couple more words with a soft g are bilge and bulge.

In some words with a Bossy R vowel followed by ge like “charge,” the g is also soft.

Play a wordsearch game with these words.

G also has the soft /j/ sound in some words that begin with ge: gem, gel, gentle, gerbil, geography. But there are quite a few exceptions to this guideline in words that begin with ge, and some have the hard /g/ sound: get, gecko, gear, geek, geese.

G before e will often soft /j/ be is introduced as one of the ways that Silent e can vary in the Phonics Pow Toolkit with worksheets, a boardgame, and spot & dot sentences. Hard or soft c and g are one of the ways that consonants can vary.

Find and Lift the Lost Gold

Closed syllables with a vowel followed by at least one consonant, are often short…except in some words with i & o followed by two consonants.

I was tōld the cōlt is kīnd of wīld.

colt

I&Ocanbelong

If you have ever lŏst a gĭft or made a lĭst, you know that this is not always so.

i&olong&short

i and o are usually short when the two consonants after the vowel are Digraphs-two letters that make one sound. This includes:

floss words: Bĭll is ĭll, give him a kĭss and a pĭll. The bŏss is ŏdd, he is always crŏss. (an exception is: roll)

-ck=/k/: throw a stĭck ŏff the dŏck.

Consonant digraphs: sĭng a lŏng sŏng, and swĭsh the fĭsh brŏth. (the word bōth is an exception)

Strategy: to fīnd lŏng, pĭck bōth. First try the long sound to see if it is a recognizable word, next try short.

treasuremap

Remember to fīnd and lĭft the lŏst gōld!

These words can be practiced with a Long or Short i or o Soccer Game. Teams are chosen for either the long vowel sound or the short vowel sound and take turns drawing words to match the pattern.

The words can be printed on “soccer balls” and cut out with a 1 inch circle punch to add to the fun.

The Long or Short i or o Soccer Game is available at Teachers Pay Teachers.

WATCH videos & PLAY games online at the Vowels That Vary Wakelet Tutorial, including a wordsearch and online word sorts: with long i and o, and with short i and o.

See a slideshow of words that show the contrast between CVC words and CVCC words with a long i & o at More Ways Vowels Can Be Long.

Some Love Gloves

Some one syllable words with the letter o and a silent e at the end make the long o sound, like drove and home. Others that you might expect to have a long vowel sound do not. Instead, they make the “uh” schwa sound, which sounds very similar to short u. Some, love, and glove are a few of these. Practice these words after learning about Silent e (III.a).

Notice that this often happens when the letter o comes before the letters m, n, & v. Of course, some words DO follow the Silent e guideline and have the long o sound.

Play an online wordsearch game with these words.

The Some Love Gloves set that includes a worksheet and boardgame is available at the Super Tutor Tools store at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Learn more about the Phonics Pow Toolkit, how to get free word sort games and more free resources.

Smooth Beach

After learning about Consonant Digraphs with short vowels at the end of the SOUND OUT WORDS section (II.c), and about Diphthongs (III.c) and Vowel Teams (III.d), it is time to learn about words that combine these patterns! Words like…

SMOOTH BEACH!

Download a free set of activities that includes a worksheet, a word search, and a word sort. The words can be sorted two ways: by digraphs or by diphthongs/vowel teams. The SMOOTH BEACH freebie is available to download at the Super Tutor Tools store at Teachers Pay Teachers. Also available is a free wordlist and set of bookmarks with consonant digraphs and vowel patterns.

Play the Smooth Beach wordsearch online.

Learn more about Word Sorts and get the free set of word sort games for the Phonics Pow Toolkit.

Chase the Sheep

After learning about Consonant Digraphs with short vowels at the end of the SOUND OUT WORDS section (II.c), and about Silent e (III.a), it is time to learn about words that have BOTH! Words like…

CHASE THE SHEEP!

This free set of activities includes a worksheet, a word search, and a word sort. The words can be sorted two ways: by digraphs or by the Bossy R vowel. The CHASE THE SHEEP freebie is available to download at the Super Tutor Tools store at Teachers Pay Teachers. Also available is a free wordlist and set of bookmarks with consonant digraphs and vowel patterns.

Play the Chase the Sheep wordsearch online.

Learn more about Word Sorts and get the free set of word sort games for the Phonics Pow Toolkit.

I before E is Weird

Eight (ā) thieves (ē) tried (ī) to deceive (ē).

You may have heard this saying: i before e, except after c, and when sounding like a, as in neighbor and weigh. This is a guideline where there are quite a few exceptions: i before e, unless foreign scientist Keith leisurely seizes caffeine from feisty atheists.

Generally speaking, i before e (as in thief and tried)

except after c (as in deceive)

or when sounding like a, as in neighbor or weigh (and eight)

This is just one of the ways that vowels can vary. Practice with the I before E is Weird set of worksheets, available at the Super Tutor Tools store at Teachers Pay Teachers.