Phonics and Decoding Mastery

Short Vowels and CVC Patterns

When we read, we listen for the sounds in a word. One helpful pattern is the CVC pattern. CVC means consonant-vowel-consonant.

In many short words, the vowel in the middle makes a short vowel sound. Learning these patterns helps us read and spell one-syllable words.

What are vowels and consonants?

• Vowels: a, e, i, o, u
• Consonants: all the other letters

Short vowel sounds are the quick sounds vowels often make in short words.

• a says /a/ like cat
• e says /e/ like bed
• i says /i/ like pig
• o says /o/ like hot
• u says /u/ like sun

CVC words have 3 letters: consonant, vowel, consonant.

• cat
• bed
• pig
• hot
• sun

When you read a CVC word, try this:

1. Look at each letter.
2. Say each sound.
3. Blend the sounds together.

For example, in cat:

• c says /k/
• a says /a/
• t says /t/

Blend them: /k/ /a/ /t/ = cat.

CCVC words have 4 letters: consonant-consonant-vowel-consonant.

These words begin with two consonants together. We still hear the short vowel in the middle.

• flag
• stop
• clip
• drop

In flag, the first two letters are f and l. We read them smoothly with the short vowel sound: /f/ /l/ /a/ /g/, flag.

CVCC words have 4 letters: consonant-vowel-consonant-consonant.

These words end with two consonants together. The vowel is still usually short.

• hand
• milk
• fast
• jump

In milk, we say /m/ /i/ /l/ /k/, then blend: milk.

How to decode short vowel words

1. Find the vowel in the word.
2. Try the short vowel sound.
3. Read the consonants before and after it.
4. Blend the whole word.

This works for CVC, CCVC, and CVCC words.

Worked Example 1: CVC

Word: pen

• p = /p/
• e = /e/
• n = /n/

Blend: /p/ /e/ /n/ = pen

The middle vowel is e, and it makes the short e sound.

Worked Example 2: CVC

Word: rug

• r = /r/
• u = /u/
• g = /g/

Blend: /r/ /u/ /g/ = rug

The vowel u says its short sound.

Worked Example 3: CCVC

Word: step

• s = /s/
• t = /t/
• e = /e/
• p = /p/

Blend: /s/ /t/ /e/ /p/ = step

This word starts with two consonants, st. The vowel e is short.

Worked Example 4: CVCC

Word: sand

• s = /s/
• a = /a/
• n = /n/
• d = /d/

Blend: /s/ /a/ /n/ /d/ = sand

This word ends with two consonants, nd. The vowel a is short.

Tips for reading these words

• Tap the sounds with your fingers as you say them.
• Find the vowel first so you know which short sound to try.
• Blend smoothly. Do not stop too long between sounds.
• If a word does not sound right, try again slowly.

Let’s sort some words

CVC

• map
• dig
• hop

CCVC

• frog
• slip
• grab

CVCC

• best
• mask
• bend

How spelling helps reading

If you can spell the sounds in order, you can often read the word too. Listen for the beginning sound, the short vowel sound in the middle, and the ending sound or sounds.

For jump:

• Beginning sound: /j/
• Middle short vowel: /u/
• Ending sounds: /m/ /p/

Put them together: jump.

Watch out!

Do not use the long vowel sound in these short words. In kit, the i says /i/, not its letter name.

Read it like this: /k/ /i/ /t/ = kit.

Brief Summary

Short vowel words often follow patterns like CVC, CCVC, and CVCC. In these one-syllable words, the vowel usually makes a short sound. Find the vowel, say each sound, and blend the sounds together to read the word.

Consonant Digraphs and Trigraphs

When we read, we usually think about one letter making one sound. But sometimes two or three consonants work together to make just one sound. Learning these special letter groups helps us read bigger words more easily.

A digraph is two letters that make one sound. A trigraph is three letters that make one sound.

In this lesson, we will learn these common consonant groups:

• sh
• ch
• th
• wh
• ph
• -tch
• -dge

1. Digraphs: Two letters, one sound

sh makes the sound you hear at the start of ship. Put your finger in front of your lips and say shhh. That is the sh sound.

• ship
• shop
• fish
• dish

ch makes the sound you hear at the start of chat and chin.

• chat
• chin
• much
• lunch

th makes the sound you hear in words like this and thin. The th sound can feel a little tricky. Your tongue comes forward near your teeth.

• this
• that
• thin
• bath

wh makes the sound you hear in when and whale.

• when
• whale
• white
• whisk

ph makes the f sound in many words. Even though you see p and h, together they sound like f.

• phone
• dolphin
• graph

2. Trigraphs: Three letters, one sound

Some words end with -tch. These three letters work together to make one sound, like the end of catch.

• catch
• match
• witch
• hatch

Some words end with -dge. These three letters work together to make one sound, like the end of badge.

• badge
• bridge
• edge
• judge

3. How to read words with digraphs and trigraphs

When you see one of these letter groups, do not sound out each letter by itself. Instead, keep the letters together and say one sound.

1. Look for a special letter group like sh or -tch.
2. Say its one sound.
3. Read the rest of the word.
4. Blend the parts together.

For example, in the word shop:

• See sh
• Say /sh/
• Then read op
• Blend: shop

4. Worked Examples

Example 1: Read the word fish

Look at the end of the word: sh. That is a digraph. It makes one sound: /sh/.

Now read the first part: fi.

Blend the parts: fi + sh = fish.

Example 2: Read the word chin

Look at the beginning: ch. That is a digraph. It makes one sound: /ch/.

Now read the rest: in.

Blend the parts: ch + in = chin.

Example 3: Read the word catch

Look at the end: -tch. That is a trigraph. The three letters make one sound: /ch/.

Now read the first part: ca.

Blend the parts: ca + tch = catch.

Example 4: Read the word bridge

Look at the end: -dge. That is a trigraph. The three letters make one sound: /j/.

Now read the first part: bri.

Blend the parts: bri + dge = bridge.

5. A helpful spelling idea

Many short words use -tch after a short vowel sound.

• catch
• hatch
• itch

Many short words use -dge after a short vowel sound too.

• edge
• badge
• judge

You do not need to memorize a big rule right now. Just remember that -tch and -dge often come at the end of short words.

6. Watch out for this

Do not split up the letters in a digraph or trigraph when you read.

• ship is sh + ip, not s + h + i + p
• match is ma + tch, not m + a + t + c + h
• bridge is bri + dge, not b + r + i + d + g + e

7. Practice reading these words

• sh: ship, shell, wish
• ch: chop, chest, lunch
• th: thin, bath, this
• wh: when, whip, white
• ph: phone, graph
• -tch: patch, stretch, clutch
• -dge: edge, badge, bridge

8. Quick check

In each word, find the special consonant group:

• shut → sh
• whale → wh
• bath → th
• match → tch
• badge → dge

Summary

Consonant digraphs are two consonants that make one sound, like sh, ch, th, wh, and ph. Consonant trigraphs are three consonants that make one sound, like -tch and -dge.

When you read, look for these letter groups, say their one sound, and blend the word together. This will help you read many new words with confidence.

Initial and Final Consonant Blends

When we read, sometimes we see two or three consonants together in a word. If we can still hear each sound, that group of letters is called a consonant blend.

A blend is different from a chunk where sounds change or stick together into one new sound. In a blend, the sounds stay separate. We slide them together smoothly when we read.

Consonant blends can come at the beginning of a word or at the end of a word.

• Initial blend = a blend at the beginning of a word
• Final blend = a blend at the end of a word

For example:

• flag has the initial blend fl
• hand has the final blend nd

How to read a consonant blend

1. Look for two or three consonants together.
2. Say each sound.
3. Slide the sounds together.
4. Read the whole word.

Example: stop

• st says /s/ and /t/
• Add the vowel sound /o/
• Add the last sound /p/
• Read it: stop

Common initial blends

These blends are often at the beginning of words.

L-blends: the second letter is l.

• bl: blue, black, block
• cl: clap, clip, clock
• fl: flag, flip, flower
• gl: glad, globe, glow
• pl: plan, play, plum
• sl: slide, slip, slow

R-blends: the second letter is r.

• br: broom, brush, brag
• cr: crab, cry, crop
• dr: drum, drop, dress
• fr: frog, from, fresh
• gr: green, grab, grass
• pr: price, press, prune
• tr: tree, trip, track
>

S-blends: the first letter is s.

• sc: scan, სკip?
• sk: skate, skip, skin
• sl: slide, sled, slip
• sm: smile, small, smell
• sn: snake, snow, snap
• sp: spin, spot, space
• st: stop, step, stand
• sw: swim, swing, sweet

Three-letter initial blends

Sometimes three consonants come together at the beginning. We still hear each sound.

• str: string, street, strong
• spl: splash, split
• spr: spring, spray
• scr: scrub, scream

Common final blends

These blends are often at the end of words.

• -nd: hand, sand, bend
• -nt: tent, paint, mint
• -mp: jump, lamp, camp
• -st: nest, fast, best
• -sk: desk, mask, task
• -ft: left, gift
• -lk: milk, silk
• -lp: help, yelp
• -ld: cold, child
>

Some words can have both an initial blend and a final blend.

• plant: pl at the beginning and nt at the end
• fast: no initial blend, but st at the end
• stamp: st at the beginning and mp at the end

Worked Example 1

Read the word flag.

• Find the initial blend: fl
• Say the sounds: /f/ /l/
• Add the vowel and last sound: /a/ /g/
• Blend it together: flag

Worked Example 2

Read the word hand.

• Read the first part: /h/ /a/
• Find the final blend: nd
• Say the ending sounds: /n/ /d/
• Blend it together: hand

Worked Example 3

Read the word stop.

• Find the initial blend: st
• Say the sounds: /s/ /t/
• Add the rest: /o/ /p/
• Blend it together: stop

Worked Example 4

Read the word stamp.

• Find the initial blend: st
• Find the final blend: mp
• Say all the sounds: /s/ /t/ /a/ /m/ /p/
• Blend them smoothly: stamp

Tips for reading blends

• Do not skip a sound. In a blend, you hear every sound.
• Say the sounds slowly first, then faster.
• Look at the beginning and the end of the word.
• If a word is hard, tap each sound and blend again.

Let’s sort some words

Initial blends

• frog
• clap
• snow
• green

Final blends

• milk
• best
• jump
• sand

Both initial and final blends

• plant
• stamp
• grand

Summary

A consonant blend is when two or three consonants are together and you can hear each sound. An initial blend is at the beginning of a word, and a final blend is at the end.

When you read blend words, find the consonants that stay together, say each sound, and slide them together. This will help you read words like flag, stop, hand, and stamp.

Long Vowels and the Silent E Rule

Today we will learn about a spelling pattern called the silent e rule. This pattern helps us read many words.

When a word has a vowel, then a consonant, and then an e at the end, the last e is often silent. That means we do not hear the e when we say the word.

But even though the e is silent, it has an important job. It helps the vowel before it say its name. When a vowel says its name, it makes a long vowel sound.

• a says /ā/ like in cake
• e says /ē/ like in these
• i says /ī/ like in bike
• o says /ō/ like in home
• u says /yoo/ or /ū/ like in cube or tune

A good way to remember this is: Silent e makes the vowel say its name.

This spelling pattern is often called VCe. That means:

• V = vowel
• C = consonant
• e = silent e

Here are some VCe words:

• cape
• Pete
• kite
• rope
• cube

Let’s compare words without silent e and words with silent e. Listen to how the vowel sound changes.

• cap → cape
• kit → kite
• hop → hope
• tub → tube

In the shorter word, the vowel usually has a short sound.

• cap: short a
• kit: short i
• hop: short o
• tub: short u

When we add silent e, the vowel often changes to a long sound.

• cape: long a
• kite: long i
• hope: long o
• tube: long u

How to read a VCe word

1. Look for an e at the end of the word.
2. Check if there is one consonant before the e.
3. Look at the vowel before that consonant.
4. Try the vowel’s long sound.
5. Do not say the last e.

For example, in cake:

• The word ends with e.
• Before the e is k, a consonant.
• Before the k is a, a vowel.
• So we try long a.
• We read it as cake.

Worked Example 1: cap → cape

First read cap. The a has a short sound: cap.

Now add silent e to make cape. The a changes to long a. We do not say the last e.

So cape is read with long a.

Worked Example 2: pin → pine

In pin, the i is short: pin.

In pine, there is a silent e at the end. The i says its name: long i.

So we read it as pine.

Worked Example 3: not → note

The word not has short o.

The word note ends with silent e. That makes the o long.

So note is read with long o.

Worked Example 4: cub → cube

The word cub has short u.

The word cube has a silent e at the end. The u becomes long u.

So we read cube with the long u sound.

Words to practice

• made
• bake
• theme
• scene
• slide
• smile
• rose
• home
• mule
• cute

Tips to help you remember

• Look at the end of the word first.
• If you see a final e, check for the VCe pattern.
• Try the vowel’s name first.
• Remember: the last e is usually silent.

Be careful!

The silent e rule works in many words, but not every word follows the rule the same way. While you are learning, it is best to practice common words and look for the VCe pattern.

Here are some common long vowel silent e words:

• name
• these
• ride
• close
• use

Let’s review

• A long vowel says its name.
• A final silent e is not spoken.
• In many VCe words, the silent e makes the earlier vowel long.
• This helps us read words like cake, bike, and home.

Summary

The silent e rule helps us read words with long vowels. When we see a vowel, one consonant, and then a silent e at the end, the vowel usually says its name. If you spot the VCe pattern, try the long vowel sound and keep the final e silent.

Hard and Soft C and G

Sometimes the letters c and g can make two different sounds. Learning these sounds helps us read words more easily.

The letter c can make a hard c sound, like /k/, or a soft c sound, like /s/.

The letter g can make a hard g sound, like /g/, or a soft g sound, like /j/.

There is a helpful rule:

• When c or g comes before e, i, or y, it usually has the soft sound.
• When c or g comes before a, o, or u, it usually has the hard sound.

Soft c usually sounds like /s/.

• cent → c before e, so c says /s/
• city → c before i, so c says /s/
• cycle → c before y, so c says /s/

Hard c usually sounds like /k/.

• cat → c before a, so c says /k/
• corn → c before o, so c says /k/
• cup → c before u, so c says /k/

Soft g usually sounds like /j/.

• gem → g before e, so g says /j/
• giant → g before i, so g says /j/
• gym → g before y, so g says /j/

Hard g usually sounds like /g/.

• gate → g before a, so g says /g/
• goat → g before o, so g says /g/
• gum → g before u, so g says /g/

A good way to figure out the sound is to look at the next letter. Ask yourself:

1. Do I see e, i, or y after the c or g?
2. If yes, it probably has the soft sound.
3. If no, it probably has the hard sound.

Worked Example 1

Word: cell

Look at the letter after c. It is e. When c is before e, it usually says /s/. So cell begins with the soft c sound: /s/.

Worked Example 2

Word: game

Look at the letter after g. It is a. When g is before a, it usually says /g/. So game begins with the hard g sound.

Worked Example 3

Word: city

Look at the letter after c. It is i. When c is before i, it usually says /s/. So city starts with soft c.

Worked Example 4

Word: giant

Look at the letter after g. It is i. When g is before i, it usually says /j/. So giant starts with soft g.

Sometimes a longer word can have more than one c or g. Look at each one carefully.

For example, in cycle, the first c is before y, so it is soft: /s/. The second c is before l, so it does not follow e, i, or y. It makes the hard c sound: /k/.

Let’s sort some words.

Soft c: cent, city, cycle, pencil

Hard c: cap, cone, cube, crab

Soft g: gem, giant, gym, giraffe

Hard g: gap, gold, gum, grass

Here is a simple trick to remember:

• e, i, y often make c and g soft.
• Other vowels often make c and g hard.

When you read, slow down and check the letter right after c or g. That little clue can help you say the word the right way.

Summary

The letters c and g can each make two sounds. Soft c says /s/, and soft g says /j/. They are usually soft before e, i, or y. Otherwise, they are usually hard: c says /k/ and g says /g/.

Vowel Teams: Long A and Long E

Today we will learn about vowel teams. A vowel team is when two vowels work together to make one sound.

In this lesson, we will practice vowel teams that make the long A sound and the long E sound.

The long A sound says its name: /A/, like in ape.

The long E sound says its name: /E/, like in me.

Long A vowel teams: ai, ay

Long E vowel teams: ee, ea, ey

When you read, look for these letter teams. They can help you figure out the word.

1. Long A with ai and ay

The vowel team ai can make the long A sound.

• rain
• mail
• train
• paint

The vowel team ay can also make the long A sound.

• day
• play
• tray
• stay

A helpful clue: ay is often found at the end of a word or syllable, like in day and play. ai is often found in the middle of a word, like in rain.

2. Long E with ee, ea, and ey

The vowel team ee can make the long E sound.

• see
• tree
• green
• feet

The vowel team ea can make the long E sound too.

• eat
• seal
• team
• beach

The vowel team ey can also make the long E sound.

• key
• honey
• monkey

A helpful clue: ey is often found at the end of a word, like in key.

How to decode a word with a vowel team

1. Look for two vowels together.
2. Ask, “Do these letters make one long vowel sound?”
3. Say the vowel team sound.
4. Read the whole word.

Let’s try this step by step.

Worked Example 1: rain

Find the vowel team: ai

ai says long A: /A/

Now read the word: r-ain → rain

Worked Example 2: play

Find the vowel team: ay

ay says long A: /A/

Now read the word: pl-ay → play

Worked Example 3: green

Find the vowel team: ee

ee says long E: /E/

Now read the word: gr-een → green

Worked Example 4: monkey

Find the vowel team: ey

ey says long E: /E/

Now read the word: monk-ey → monkey

Let’s compare

• rain and day both have the long A sound, but they use different vowel teams.
• tree and team both have the long E sound, but they use different vowel teams.

Try to remember these patterns

• ai = long A, often in the middle: rain
• ay = long A, often at the end: day
• ee = long E: see
• ea = long E: eat
• ey = long E, often at the end: key

Read these long A words:

• snail
• wait
• hay
• gray

Read these long E words:

• seed
• deep
• clean
• donkey

Watch out!

Sometimes reading can feel tricky because different words can use different vowel teams for the same sound. That is why it is important to look carefully at the letters.

If you see ai or ay, try the long A sound.

If you see ee, ea, or ey, try the long E sound.

Quick practice in sentences

• The rain fell all day.
• I like to play outside.
• We can see the tree.
• The key is on the seat.

Summary

Vowel teams are two vowels that work together to make one sound.

For long A, we learned ai and ay.

For long E, we learned ee, ea, and ey.

When you read, look for these vowel teams, say the long vowel sound, and then read the whole word.

Vowel Teams: Long O, Long I, and Long U

Today we will learn about vowel teams. A vowel team is when two or more letters work together to make one vowel sound.

In this lesson, we will practice vowel teams that make the long O, long I, and long U sounds.

Remember:

• Long O says its name: /ō/ like in go.
• Long I says its name: /ī/ like in hi.
• Long U says its name: /ū/ like in cube or zoo in some words.

1. Long O vowel teams

Some vowel teams can make the long O sound.

• oa as in boat, road, coat
• ow as in snow, grow, yellow
• oe as in toe, goes, hoe

When you see oa, ow, or oe, stop and try the long O sound.

Read these long O words:

• goat
• foam
• crow
• blow
• toe
• doe

2. Long I vowel teams

Some vowel teams can make the long I sound.

• ie as in pie, tie, tried
• igh as in light, night, high

The letters in igh work together to make the long I sound. Even though there are three letters, you hear one vowel sound: /ī/.

Read these long I words:

• crie d
• pie
• tie
• bright
• sigh
• right

3. Long U vowel teams

Some vowel teams can make the long U sound.

• ue as in blue, true, glue
• ui as in fruit, juice
• ew as in new, few, stew

When you see ue, ui, or ew, try the long U sound.

Read these long U words:

• cue
• blue
• suit
• fruit
• new
• flew

How to decode a word with a vowel team

1. Look for a vowel team like oa, ow, oe, ie, igh, ue, ui, ew.
2. Say the vowel team sound.
3. Read the beginning sound.
4. Read the ending sound.
5. Blend the parts together.

This helps you read big words in smaller parts.

Worked Example 1: boat

Find the vowel team: oa.

oa says /ō/.

Now read the parts: b + oa + t.

Blend them: bōt, boat.

Worked Example 2: night

Find the vowel team: igh.

igh says /ī/.

Now read the parts: n + igh + t.

Blend them: nīt, night.

Worked Example 3: blue

Find the vowel team: ue.

ue says /ū/.

Now read the parts: bl + ue.

Blend them: blū, blue.

Worked Example 4: snow

Find the vowel team: ow.

Here, ow says /ō/.

Now read the parts: sn + ow.

Blend them: snō, snow.

Tips to help you remember

• In boat, oa makes the long O sound.
• In pie, ie makes the long I sound.
• In light, igh makes the long I sound.
• In blue, ue makes the long U sound.
• In fruit, ui makes the long U sound.
• In new, ew makes the long U sound.

Watch out!

Some letter teams can make different sounds in other words. That is okay. When you are learning, start by trying the sound you know from this lesson.

For example:

• ow in snow says long O.
• ow can make a different sound in cow.

Good readers try one sound. If the word does not sound right, they try another sound.

Let’s sort the patterns

• Long O: coat, row, toe, goat, slow
• Long I: pie, tied, high, bright, cried
• Long U: glue, fruit, new, few, true

Quick practice

What vowel team do you see in each word?

• road → oa
• tie → ie
• right → igh
• stew → ew
• toe → oe
• juice → ui

Brief Summary

Vowel teams are two or more letters that work together to make one vowel sound. For long O, look for oa, ow, oe. For long I, look for ie, igh. For long U, look for ue, ui, ew. When you see one of these teams, say its sound and blend the word together.

R-Controlled Vowels are vowels that are followed by the letter r. When this happens, the vowel sound changes. The r is so strong that it controls the vowel sound.

That is why we call them r-controlled vowels.

In this lesson, we will learn these r-controlled vowel patterns:

• ar
• er
• ir
• or
• ur

When you see one of these patterns in a word, do not try to say the vowel sound by itself first. Say the vowel and the r together as one sound.

Here are the main r-controlled vowel sounds:

• ar says /ar/ like in car
• or says /or/ like in corn
• er, ir, and ur often sound alike, like /er/ in her, bird, and turn

Let’s look at each pattern.

1. ar

The pattern ar usually says /ar/.

• car
• star
• park
• farm

In each word, the a does not say its usual short or long sound. The r changes it to /ar/.

2. or

The pattern or usually says /or/.

• for
• storm
• short
• corn

In these words, the o and r work together to make one strong sound.

3. er, ir, ur

The patterns er, ir, and ur often sound the same. They usually sound like /er/.

• her, fern
• bird, shirt
• fur, turn

Even though they are spelled differently, they can sound the same when we read them.

How to read a word with an r-controlled vowel

1. Look for a vowel followed by r.
2. Say the r-controlled vowel sound together.
3. Blend the rest of the word.

This helps you read the word smoothly.

Worked Example 1: car

Look at the word car.

• Find the r-controlled vowel: ar
• Say the sound: /ar/
• Blend: c + ar = car

The word is car.

Worked Example 2: fork

Look at the word fork.

• Find the r-controlled vowel: or
• Say the sound: /or/
• Blend: f + or + k = fork

The word is fork.

Worked Example 3: bird

Look at the word bird.

• Find the r-controlled vowel: ir
• Say the sound: /er/
• Blend: b + ir + d = bird

The word is bird.

Worked Example 4: market

Now let’s read a longer word: market.

• Find the r-controlled vowel: ar
• Say the sound: /ar/
• Read the first part: mar
• Add the last part: ket
• Blend: mar + ket = market

The word is market.

Tips to help you remember

• When a vowel comes before r, the vowel sound often changes.
• Read the vowel and r together.
• er, ir, and ur often sound the same, so spelling may be the tricky part.
• Look carefully at the letters in the middle of the word.

Let’s sort some words by pattern.

• ar: car, park, star, farm
• or: horn, storm, fork, corn
• er: her, fern, germ, clerk
• ir: bird, shirt, girl, stir
• ur: fur, turn, burn, curl

Watch out! Some words may look tricky at first. If you see a vowel and then r, try the r-controlled vowel sound before trying another sound.

For example:

• farm: say /ar/, not short a
• corn: say /or/, not short o
• turn: say /er/ for ur

Practice reading these words:

• jar
• card
• shark
• sort
• sport
• herd
• skirt
• nurse

As you read, look for the vowel + r pattern and say that sound together.

Summary

R-controlled vowels happen when a vowel is followed by r. The r changes the vowel sound. The patterns ar and or have their own sounds, and er, ir, and ur often sound the same. When you read, find the pattern, say it together, and then blend the whole word.

Diphthongs and Variant Vowels

Today we will learn about special vowel patterns in words. These patterns help us read bigger and trickier words.

Some vowel patterns make a gliding sound. That means your mouth moves while you say the sound. These are called diphthongs.

Other vowel patterns make a sound that is a little different from the usual short or long vowel sounds. These are called variant vowels.

When you know these patterns, you can sound out words more easily and become a stronger reader.

1. Diphthongs: oi, oy, ou, ow

Diphthongs are two letters that work together to make one gliding vowel sound.

• oi and oy usually say /oi/ as in boil and toy.
• ou and ow can say /ou/ as in out and cow.

Helpful pattern:

• oi is often found in the middle of a word: coin, point.
• oy is often found at the end of a word or syllable: boy, joy.
• ou is often found in the middle of a word: cloud, sound.
• ow is often found at the end of a word or syllable when it says /ou/: cow, how.

These patterns are clues. They help you make a smart guess when you read.

2. Variant Vowels: oo, au, aw, al

Variant vowels are vowel patterns that do not always sound like the usual short or long vowels.

• oo can have two sounds.
• au and aw often say /aw/.
• al can sound like /aw/ in some words.

The pattern oo

The letters oo can make a long sound like in moon and food.

The letters oo can also make a shorter sound like in book and foot.

You have to read the whole word and listen carefully.

The patterns au and aw

au and aw often say /aw/.

• au: haul, author, August
• aw: saw, draw, yawn

Helpful pattern:

• au is often found in the middle of a word.
• aw is often found at the end of a word or syllable.

The pattern al

Sometimes al sounds like /aw/.

• all
• ball
• walk
• talk

Be careful: al does not always sound the same in every word. But in many words you know, it can sound like /aw/.

How to read words with these patterns

1. Look for a vowel team like oi, oy, ou, ow, oo, au, aw, or al.
2. Say the sound that pattern usually makes.
3. Blend the word parts together.
4. If it does not sound right, try the other sound if the pattern has more than one sound, like oo or ow.

Worked Example 1

Read the word: coin

First, find the vowel pattern: oi.

oi says /oi/.

Now blend the word: c - oi - n → coin.

The word is coin.

Worked Example 2

Read the word: cow

First, find the vowel pattern: ow.

In this word, ow says /ou/.

Now blend the word: c - ow → cow.

The word is cow.

Worked Example 3

Read the word: book

First, find the vowel pattern: oo.

Here, oo has the shorter sound you hear in book.

Now blend the word: b - oo - k → book.

The word is book.

Worked Example 4

Read the word: draw

First, find the vowel pattern: aw.

aw says /aw/.

Now blend the word: dr - aw → draw.

The word is draw.

More examples to practice

• oi: oil, join, point
• oy: joy, toy, enjoy
• ou: out, sound, round
• ow: how, brown, crowd
• oo: moon, zoo, book, good
• au: haul, pause
• aw: claw, straw, yawn
• al: ball, wall, talk

Tips to remember

• oi and oy usually sound the same.
• ou and ow can sound the same in words like out and cow.
• oo has two common sounds, so try both if needed.
• au, aw, and sometimes al can sound like /aw/.
• Look at where the pattern is in the word. That can give you a clue.

Let’s review

Diphthongs are vowel teams with a gliding sound, like oi, oy, ou, and ow.

Variant vowels are vowel patterns that make different sounds, like oo, au, aw, and al.

When you read, look for these letter patterns, say their sound, and blend the word. The more you practice, the easier it gets.

The Six Syllable Types

When we read big words, it helps to break them into smaller parts called syllables. A syllable is a word part with one vowel sound.

Knowing the six syllable types helps us figure out how to read and spell words. Each type gives us a clue about what the vowel says.

Today we will learn these six syllable types:

• Closed
• Open
• VCe
• Vowel team
• r-controlled
• consonant-le

1. Closed Syllable

A closed syllable has a short vowel. The vowel is “closed in” by one or more consonants.

Examples: cat, bed, sit, hop, sun

In cat, the vowel a is followed by t, so a says its short sound: /a/.

2. Open Syllable

An open syllable ends with a vowel. The vowel usually says its long sound, which is its name.

Examples: he, go, me, no, ti-ger

In go, the syllable ends with o, so o says its name.

3. VCe Syllable

VCe means vowel-consonant-e. The e at the end is silent, but it helps the first vowel say its long sound.

Examples: cake, Pete, bike, hope, cube

In cake, the e is silent. It helps the a say its name.

4. Vowel Team Syllable

A vowel team is when two or more vowels work together to make one vowel sound.

Examples: rain, team, boat, day, seed

In rain, the letters ai work together to make one sound.

5. r-Controlled Syllable

An r-controlled syllable has a vowel followed by r. The r changes the vowel sound.

Examples: car, her, bird, corn, fur

In bird, the ir makes an r-controlled sound.

6. Consonant-le Syllable

A consonant-le syllable is usually at the end of a word. It has a consonant followed by le.

Examples: ta-ble, pur-ple, lit-tle, can-dle, ap-ple

In ta-ble, the last syllable is ble. That is a consonant-le syllable.

How These Syllable Types Help Us Read

When you see a long word, try to break it into syllables. Then look at each syllable and ask:

• Is the vowel closed in by a consonant?
• Does the syllable end with a vowel?
• Do I see a silent e?
• Do two vowels work together?
• Is there a vowel followed by r?
• Does the word end with consonant + le?

These clues help you know whether the vowel is short, long, changed by r, or part of a team.

Worked Example 1: napkin

Let’s break napkin into syllables: nap + kin.

• nap: closed syllable, so a is short.
• kin: closed syllable, so i is short.

We read it: napkin.

Worked Example 2: robot

Break robot into syllables: ro + bot.

• ro: open syllable, so o says its name.
• bot: closed syllable, so o is short.

We read it: robot.

Worked Example 3: raincoat

Break raincoat into syllables: rain + coat.

• rain: vowel team syllable because ai works together.
• coat: vowel team syllable because oa works together.

We read it: raincoat.

Worked Example 4: purple

Break purple into syllables: pur + ple.

• pur: r-controlled syllable because the vowel is followed by r.
• ple: consonant-le syllable because it ends with consonant + le.

We read it: purple.

Quick Clue Chart

• Closed: short vowel, ends with consonant
• Open: long vowel, ends with vowel
• VCe: silent e helps vowel say its name
• Vowel team: two vowels work together
• r-controlled: vowel followed by r
• consonant-le: ends with consonant + le

Tips for Reading Big Words

1. Look for parts you know.
2. Break the word into syllables.
3. Name the syllable type.
4. Read each syllable.
5. Put the syllables together.

Let’s Review

The six syllable types are special patterns in words. They help us know what sound the vowel will make.

If you can spot closed, open, VCe, vowel team, r-controlled, and consonant-le syllables, you can read many more words with confidence.

When a word looks tricky, do not guess. Break it apart, look for the syllable type, and read it step by step.

Multisyllabic Word Division means breaking a long word into smaller parts called syllables.

A syllable is a word part with one vowel sound. When we split a long word into syllables, it becomes easier to read.

For example, the word robot has two syllables: ro and bot.

Today, we will learn how to divide some longer words by looking at the vowels and consonants in the middle of the word.

Step 1: Find the vowels.

Vowels are a, e, i, o, u. Sometimes y can act like a vowel, but today we will mostly look for a, e, i, o, and u.

Step 2: Look at the middle letters.

When you see two vowels with consonants between them, the consonants can help you know where to split the word.

We will practice 3 common patterns:

• VC/CV
• V/CV
• VC/V

These letters are just a short way to talk about patterns:

• V = vowel
• C = consonant

1. VC/CV pattern

This pattern means there are two consonants between two vowels. Many times, you split between the two consonants.

Pattern:

$$VC/CV$$

Example: sunset

Look at the vowels: u and e.

There are two consonants in the middle: n and s.

Split between them:

$$sun/set$$

Now read each part:

• sun
• set

Put them together: sunset.

2. V/CV pattern

This pattern means there is one consonant between two vowels. Sometimes, we split before the consonant.

Pattern:

$$V/CV$$

Example: tiger

Look at the vowels: i and e.

There is one consonant in the middle: g.

Try splitting before the consonant:

$$ti/ger$$

Now read each part:

• ti
• ger

Put them together: tiger.

3. VC/V pattern

When there is one consonant between two vowels, sometimes the first try does not sound right. Then try splitting after the consonant.

Pattern:

$$VC/V$$

Example: robot

Look at the vowels: o and o.

There is one consonant in the middle: b.

Try the first way: ro/bot. That sounds right!

For some words with one middle consonant, you may need to try both ways and choose the one that makes a real word or sounds right.

For robot, we split it like this:

$$ro/bot$$

Important tip: If a word has one consonant in the middle, try it both ways:

• V/CV
• VC/V

Then ask: Which one sounds like a real word?

Worked Example 1: napkin

Find the vowels: a and i.

The middle letters are pk. That is two consonants.

Use the VC/CV pattern and split between the consonants:

$$nap/kin$$

Read the parts: nap and kin.

Word: napkin.

Worked Example 2: music

Find the vowels: u and i.

There is one consonant in the middle: s.

Try V/CV first:

$$mu/sic$$

That sounds right: music.

Worked Example 3: lemon

Find the vowels: e and o.

There is one consonant in the middle: m.

Try V/CV: le/mon. That sounds right.

So we divide it like this:

$$le/mon$$

Read the parts: le and mon.

Worked Example 4: basket

Find the vowels: a and e.

There are two consonants in the middle: s and k.

Use VC/CV and split between them:

$$bas/ket$$

Read the parts: bas and ket.

Word: basket.

How to divide a long word

1. Look for the vowels.
2. See how many consonants are between the vowels.
3. If there are two consonants, usually split between them.
4. If there is one consonant, try it one way, then the other way if needed.
5. Read the syllables together.

Let’s practice thinking through words:

• picnic → two middle consonants → pic/nic
• paper → one middle consonant → try pa/per
• raven → one middle consonant → try ra/ven
• magnet → two middle consonants → mag/net

Remember: Syllable division is a tool to help you read. If your first split does not sound right, try another split and listen for the real word.

Quick Summary

• A long word can be broken into syllables.
• Find the vowels first.
• Two consonants in the middle often means split between them: VC/CV.
• One consonant in the middle can be split in two ways: V/CV or VC/V.
• Choose the split that helps the word sound right.

When you break big words into smaller parts, reading gets easier and faster!