Patina · Sounds

The Vowel Sounds

Alphabet A  ·  Short A  ·  Latin A, and the rules that tell you which

Every vowel has more than one sound. Alphabet A says its name (cake). Short A is cat. Latin A is car. The spelling tells you the sound: a silent E at the end makes the vowel say its name (cap, cape).

★ the sounds, the rules, which sound?  ·  ★★ add a silent E, odd one out  ·  ★★★ name the sound

Download the PDF PDF · 5 pages

For the teacher · In class

walk the six letter cards: say each sound's name, then its words, and let the room echo. Name every sound by what it does ("that A says its name: Alphabet A"); never say long. Then the rules: say cap, cape and let the room hear the silent E change the A. For Which sound? and Odd one out, the class calls the name in the chat before you click.

★ The sounds

Every vowel has more than one sound. Each sound has a name. Click a word to hear it.

A a

Alphabet A
Short A
Latin A

E e

Alphabet E
Short E
Silent E

I i

Alphabet I
Short I

O o

Alphabet O
Short Osounds like Latin A
Double O

U u

Alphabet U
Short U

Y y

First-letter Y
Alphabet Ysounds like Alphabet I
Latin Ysounds like Alphabet E

In American English, Short O sounds like Latin A: hot, rock. Alphabet Y sounds like Alphabet I (my), and Latin Y sounds like Alphabet E (happy).

★ The rules

The spelling tells you the sound. Learn these rules.

  1. 1Short One vowel and a consonant after it. No E at the end.
  2. 2Silent E An E at the end is silent. It makes the vowel before it say its name.→→→→
  3. 3Two vowels together The first vowel says its name. The second is quiet.
  4. 4A vowel at the end At the end of a short word, the vowel says its name.
  5. 5Latin A A before R, or A before L, often sounds like Latin A.
  6. 6Double O OO has two sounds. Learn each word.
  7. 7Y First letter: yes. End of a short word: my. End of a longer word: happy.

★ Which sound?

Look at the letter in color. Which sound is it? Click one.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16

★★ Add a silent E

Add a silent E. Write the new word. Then say both words.

  1. 1+ e →
  2. 2+ e →
  3. 3+ e →
  4. 4+ e →
  5. 5+ e →
  6. 6+ e →
  7. 7+ e →
  8. 8+ e →

★★ Odd one out

Three words share a sound. Click the one that is different.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8

★★★ Name the sound

Look at the letter in color. Write the name of its sound.

  1. 1Alphabet E · Short E · Silent E
  2. 2Alphabet A · Short A · Latin A
  3. 3First-letter Y · Alphabet Y · Latin Y
  4. 4Alphabet O · Short O · Double O
  5. 5Alphabet U · Short U
  6. 6First-letter Y · Alphabet Y · Latin Y
  7. 7Alphabet E · Short E · Silent E
  8. 8Alphabet A · Short A · Latin A

For the teacher · Answer key

Which sound? 1 Alphabet A · 2 Short A · 3 Latin A · 4 Alphabet E · 5 Short E · 6 Silent E · 7 Alphabet I · 8 Short I · 9 Alphabet O · 10 Short O · 11 Double O · 12 Alphabet U · 13 Short U · 14 First-letter Y · 15 Alphabet Y · 16 Latin Y.   Add a silent E: cape · pine · hope · cute · kite · note · tape · cube.   Odd one out: 1 star · 2 happy · 3 sing · 4 solo · 5 music · 6 beat · 7 happy · 8 hot.   Name the sound: 1 Silent E · 2 Latin A · 3 Alphabet Y (like Alphabet I) · 4 Double O · 5 Alphabet U · 6 Latin Y (like Alphabet E) · 7 Short E · 8 Alphabet A.