VOWEL

Spelling Dictionary

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 Table of Contents
Slide Numbers & Skills
3-6 Tricky Short Vowel & Schwa Patterns- ang, ank,
ea=ĕ, ing, ink, short y, ong, onk, ough=ŏ, o_e=ŭ,
How to Use this Spelling Dictionary:
ou=ŭ, ung, unk, & initial schwa
1. Listen for the vowel sound in the word you are 7-10 Long a Patterns- a_e, ai, ay, ei, eigh, _ey, & ea
spelling. (example: crawl )
11-14 Long e Patterns- e_e, ee, ea, _y, _ey, final e, ie, & ei
2. Think about or write down the patterns that
could be used to spell that sound. 15-17 Long i Patterns- i_e, igh, _y, _ye, _uy, _i, ie,
(example: crall, craul, crawl ).
iCC, & y_e
3. Choose and circle the spelling that looks
correct to you. 18-20 Long o Patterns- o_e, oa, oe, ow, _o, oCC, _ogue,
4. Look for the word by vowel pattern to confirm & _ough
your choice. 21-2 3 Long u Patterns- u_e, ew, oo, oo_e, ui, _ue, _u,
ou, _o
24-28 Bossy R Patterns- ar, ar_e, _are, _air, _ear (3
sounds), _ere (2 sounds), _eir, er, _eer, _ier (2
sounds), ir, & _ire, or, or_e, _ore, _oor, _our, _oar,
w+ar, qu+ar, ur, ur_e, _ure, w+or
Not e t hese ma rk ings:
2 9-32 Diphthong & Other Vowel Patterns- ou, ow, oo, ,
*The word has more than one meaning and a different _ould, _ull, _ush, al, au, aw, oi, oi_e, _oy, w+a, &
spelling (homophone). A quick definition or short squ+a
sentence/phrase is included for these words.
33 Vowel Exceptions– common single syllable words
+The word has more than one pronunciation, but is spelled
the same (homograph). that do not fit in any of the vowel c ategories

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Tricky Short Vowel
& Schwa Patterns

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ang ing
bang pang bring sling zing
clang rang cling spring
fang sang ding sting
gang slang fling string
hang sprang king swing
ping thing

ank ring*
(ring on her finger)
sing
wing
wring*
(wring it dry)
bank plank

ink
blank prank
clank rank
crank sank
dank stank blink link shrink
drank tank brink mink sink
flank thank clink pink slink
Frank yank drink plink stink

ea (ĕ)
kink rink think
wink

bread*
(milk and bread)
head
health
spread
stealth
short y
breath lead*+ sweat cyst hymn*
dead (A lead pipe.) thread gym* (sing a hymn)
deaf meant threat (work out at lynx
dealt read* the gym)
tread
death (I read a book gyp
wealth
yesterday.) T r i cky S hor t & S chwa
dread © www. t h is r ea di ng ma ma . c o m
ong ou (ŭ)
gong strong rough*
(a rough texture)
long throng
slough
prong wrong
touch
song
tough

onk
young

bonk
conk
ung
honk clung lung strung
dung rung stung

ough (ŏ) flung

hung
slung
sprung
sung
swung
wrung*
(wrung
bought sought her hands)
brought thought
cough trough
fought
ought
wrought*
(wrought iron) unk
o_e (ŭ) none*
bunk
chunk
gunk
hunk
slunk
stunk
sunk
come shove drunk junk
done (I have none.) some* dunk punk trunk
dove once (I want some.) flunk shrunk
glove one* funk skunk
(number one) T r i cky S hor t & S chwa
love © www. t h is r ea di ng ma ma . c o m
initial schwa ( ) e
about alone
above along
across Americ a
afraid among
again amount
ago another
agree around
alarm asleep
Alaska avoid
alike away
alive

T r i cky S hor t & S chwa

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Long a
Patterns

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 a_e ace c ave glade name scrape
glaze wave*
ache change pace shade
(wave good bye)
age chase grace page shame
whale*
ape crane grade pale* shape (the animal)
ate* crate grape (pale in color) skate vale*
(ate an apple) craze grate* pane* slate (valley)
babe (grate the cheese) (window pane) vane*
dame slave
bade date grave paste (weather vane)
snake
bake daze* graze pave vase
space
bale* (in a daze) haste phase*
spade
(phase of
(bale of hay) drake hate stage
the moon)
base* drape haze
place stake*
(first base)
face jade (stake down the tent)
bate* plane*
fade lace (an airplane) stale
(to lessen or lower)
fake lake plate state
bathe
fame lame quake strange
blade
fate lane* race take
blame
faze* (in the fast lane) tale*
blaze rage
(it didn’t faze her) late (tell a long tale)
brace rake
flake made* tame
brake* range
flame (made my bed) tape
(step on the brake)
make rate
frame taste
brave male* safe
gale trace
c age (male bathroom) sake
game trade
c ake mane* sale*
gape (a yard sale)
wade
c ame (lion’s mane)
gate* same wane
c ane mate
(open the gate)
sane waste*
c ape maze*
gave (don’t waste food)
c ase (get through save
gaze the maze)
Long a P a t t er ns
sc ale © www. t h is r ea d i ng ma ma . c o m
 ai ay
aid* laid* sail* bay play
(to give help) (She laid down (sail in a boat) bray pray*
aide* the toy.)
saint (pray to God)
clay
(an assistant) maid* slain ray
day
ail (maid cleans up)
snail say
mail* fray
aim Spain gray slay*
bail* (check the mail)
sprain hay* (slay a dragon)
(bail him out) main*
stain (horses eat hay) spray
bait* (the main idea)
maize* strain jay stay
(bait on the
fishing rod) (corn) straight* lay* stray
braid nail (a straight line) (lay it down) sway
brain paid strait* may today
(the Bering Strait) (you may not) tray
braise pail*
tail* nay* way*
chain (a pail of water )
(the dog’s tail) (I vote nay.) (Which way?)
claim pain* pay
(I’m in pain!)
taint yay
drain
paint trail
fail
plain* train
faint
(a plain hotdog) trait
faith
praise vain*
flail (she tried in vain)
quail
frail wail*
quaint
gain (a sad cry)
raid
gait* waist*
(a horse’s gait)
rail
(a body part )
grain rain*
(rain from the sky)
wait*
hail (wait for me)
raise*
jail waive*
(raise the flag)
(waive the fee) Long a P a t t er ns
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 ei & eigh ea
beige sleigh* break*
eight* (a sleigh ride) (1- take a break
(eight cats) veil* 2-break the vase)
freight (cover the face) great*
vein* (That’s great!)
neigh*
(Horses say “Neigh.”) (blood flows steak*
in a vein) (eat steak)
reign*
(the king reigns) weigh* yea
rein* (What does it
weigh?)
(a tight rein)
weight*
(What’s your
weight?)

_ey
grey*
(British spelling of gray )
hey*
(Hey there!)
prey*
(prey on fish)
they
whey*
(curds and whey)

Long a P a t t er ns
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Long e
Patterns

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 e_e ee
cont.
reed*
(reed of grass)
reef
steel*
(steel beams)
steep
eke scheme reek street
Steve glee
eve reel* sweep
theme greed
gene* (reel in the fish) sweet*
these Greek
(inside the screech (sweet chocolate)
human body) green tweet
screen
Pete greet tee*
see*
scene* heed (I see you.) (tee off)
(paint the scene) heel* seed teem*
(heel to toe) (teem with anger)
seek

ee
jeep teen
seem*
keen (You seem fine.) teeth
keep seen* teethe
bee* deed knee (as seen on TV) three
(a bee stings) deep kneel seep tree
beef eel leech seethe tweet
beep leek* sheen tweeze
fee
beet* (a vegetable) sheep wee*
feed meek
(eat a beet) sheet (a wee bug)
feel meet*
bleed sleek weed*
feet* (Nice to meet you.)
breed (two feet) sleep (pull the weed)
need*
breeze flee* sleet week*
(I need water.)
cheek (flee quickly) sleeve (seven days)
peek*
cheep* fleece sneeze weep
(take a peek)
(bird sound) fleet speech wheel*
peel*
cheese (a wheel rolls)
free (banana peel) speed
creed wheeze
freed peep spree
creek* freeze preen squeeze
(play in the creek)
geese queen steed
creep Long e P a t t er ns
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 ea beach feast meat* squeak tea* weave*
bead feat* (meat on my plate)
squeal (drink tea) (weave a basket)
beak (no easy feat) neat teach wheat
steal*
beam flea* pea* (steal the money) team* yeast
bean (a flea bites) (Eat your peas.) (a soccer team)
steam
beast gleam peace* tease
streak
glean (peace and quiet) treat
beat* stream
(beat of the drum) grease peach weak*

_y
bleach heal* peak* (weak and tired)
(heal the sick) (a mountain peak) wean
bleat
heap peal*
breach (bells peal)
breathe heat w o r d s ar e f r o m P P t hr o u gh 5 th gr ad e s i ght w o r d l i s t s
plead
cease heave
please any heavy funny puppy
cheap* jeans*
pleat baby early kitty quickly
(blue jeans)
(dirt cheap)
knead* preach c arry easy many really
cheat city every
(knead the dough) reach only story
clean country family
lead+ read+* pretty study
cleat
leaf (I can read a book.) very
cleave real*

_ey
league
creak* (a real boy)
(The floor creaks.)
leak*
(spring a leak) scream
cream sea*
lean
crease (out to sea)
leap alley kidney
deal seal
leash chimney money
dream seam*
least donkey monkey
each (stitch the seam)
leave galley pulley
ease seat
meal hockey turkey
east sneak
mean honey valley
eat speak Long e P a t t er ns
key volley © www. t h is r ea d i ng ma ma . c o m
final _e
be*
(just be happy)
he
me
she
the
we*
(we go home)

ie
brief piece*
chief (a piece of pie)

field priest
fiend shield
fierce shriek
grief siege
grieve thief
niece yield

ei
seize
weird

Long e P a t t er ns
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Long i
Patterns

©www.thisreadingmama.com
i_e
bike jive rime* swipe vile wine*
bite kite (ice) thrive vine (they drink wine)
bribe knife ripe tide vise* wipe
bride life rise tile (to hold) wise
brine like rite* time* while write*
lime (a ceremony) whine* (write it down)
chide (What time is it?)
chime line scribe tribe (whine and cry)

chive live* shine twice white

cite* (live music) shrine twine wide
(cite her words) mice side vice* wife
crime mile site* (vice president)
dime mime (the grave site)

dine mine size

mite* slice

igh
dive
drive (animal) slide
fife nice slime
file Nile smile
fine nine snide
spice blight light sight*
five pike
bright might* (eye sight)
glide pile spike
fight (we might go) slight
grime pine spine
flight nigh thigh
gripe pipe spite
fright night* tight
guide price sprite
high* (good night)
guise pride stride
(climb up high) plight
hide prime strife
knight* right*
hike prize strike (knight in (turn right)
hive quite stripe shining armor) sigh
ice rice strive
Long i P a t t er n s
ride swine © www. t h is r ea d i ng ma ma . c o m
_y, _ye, & _uy iCC
by* sty lye* bind pint
(sit by me) try (lye soap) blind rind
cry wry* rye* child sign
dry (a wry grin) (rye bread)
climb wild
fly why find wind+
buy*
fry grind (wind the clock)
(buy some food)
my aye* hind
guy
ply (yes)
kind
pry bye*
mild
(good-bye)
dry mind
dye*
shy
(dye the yarn)
sky
eye*
sly (look me in

y_e
spry the eye)
spy

_i & ie byte*
(a unit of digital information)
hype
hi* lie* rhyme*
(Hi there!) (lie down) ( cat and bat rhyme)
lied style
die* pie thyme*
(roll a die) tie (an herb)
died tried tyke
dried vie type
fried
Long i P a t t er n s
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Long o
Patterns

©www.thisreadingmama.com
o_e bone home role* whole* wrote*
broke hone (a role in a play) (one whole pizza) (wrote a letter)
choke hope Rome woke yoke*
chose hose rope wove (ox’s yoke)
chrome joke rose zone
clone lobe rote*

oa
(rote memory)
close+ lone*
(come close) (one lone wolf) rove
(close the door) mode scope
clothe mole shone*
(the sun shone) bloat croak loan* roam
clove mope
slope boast float (loan a book) roast
code nope loath
smoke boat foal shoal
cone nose moan
broach foam soak
cope sole*
note cloak goad moat soap
(the sole reason)
cove ode* oak
spoke coach goal throat
dole (a song)
oat
stoke coast goat toad
dome owe* oath
stole coal groan* toast
dose (owe me money)
stone coat (moan and groan ) poach whoa*
dote phone
stove coax load roach (tell a horse
doze poke
strode loaf road* “Whoa!”)
pole*

oe
drone (wet road)
(flag pole) stroke
drove
pose those
froze
probe throne*
globe
prone (the king’s throne) doe* roe*
gnome
prose tone (a young doe) (fish eggs)
grope
quote tote foe toe*
grove
robe trove goes (ten toes)
hole* woe*
rode* vote hoe*
(dig a hole) Long o P a t t er ns
(a garden hoe) (Woe is me!)
(rode a horse) © www. t h is r ea di ng ma ma . c o m
 ow oCC
blow own bold* ghost most scroll
blown row* (bold print) gold old sold
bow+ (row your boat) bolt hold poll* stroll
(tie a bow) show both host (take a poll) told
bowl shown* cold jolt post toll
crow (I ha ve shown colt knoll roll* troll
it t o you. )
comb mold volt
flow (roll on the floor)
slow molt scold yolk*
flown fold (egg yolk)
snow
glow folk
sow*+
grow (sow seeds)
grown*
(all grown up)
sown

_ogue
know* stow
(I know t ha t ! ) throw
known thrown*
low (thrown away)

mow tow* rogue

_o
(tow truck) vogue

go
ho*
(Ho! Ho! Ho!)
yo-yo
_ough
no*
(No way!) dough*
pro (play dough)

so* though
(so pretty)
Long o P a t t er ns
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Long u
Patterns

©www.thisreadingmama.com
u_e oo & oo_e goo
brute June rule bloom room swoop
chute* lube ruse boo goof roost too*
(down the chute) lute* spruce boom groom root* (Me, too!)

crude (a musical boost hoof (root in tool

truce
cube instrument) boot hoop the ground) toot
tube
cute mule booth hoot school tooth
tune
dude muse brood loom scoop troop
use
duke mute* broom loon scoot whoop
dune (no sound) coo loop shoo* zoo
nude cool loot* (Shoo, fly!) zoom
fluke
plume (they took shoot*
flute coon
(shoot a gun)
prune coop
the loot) choose*
fume smooth
puke moo (choose a color)
fuse croon snoop
rude mood goose
huge doom soon
moon loose
drool spoof
moot* moose

ew
droop (a moot point) spook noose
food noon spool snooze
fool pooch spoon soothe
blew* grew stew gloom pool stool
(the wind blew) jewel strew proof stoop
brew knew* threw*

ui
roof+ swoon
chew (knew the way) (threw a ball)
crew mew whew
dew* new
(morning dew) (new shoes) bruise
drew pew cruise
few phew fruit
flew* screw juice
Long u P a t t er ns
(flew in the air) shrew suit © www. t h is r ea di ng ma ma . c o m
_ue / _u _o
cue* queue do*
(to prompt) (in line) (Do you like me?)
due* sue* to*
(due date) (to sue someone) (go to the store)
hue true who*
blue* (Who are you?)
(the color blue) flu*
clue (a sickness)
cruel gnu*
flue* (the animal)
(smoke went
up the flue)
fuel
glue

ou
croup you
group youth
route+
(take a different route)
soup
through*
(go through the door)
wound+
(a bad flesh wound)

Long u P a t t er ns
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Bossy R
Patterns

©www.thisreadingmama.com
 ar & ar_e _air
arc dart par tar air* flair* lair
arch far parch tarp (fresh air) (a flair for style) pair*
arm farm park tart chair hair* (pair of shoes)
art guard part yard fair* (brush your hair) stair*
hard sc ar yarn (the county fair)
bar (walk up the
barb hark sc arf stairs)

bark harm shard barge

_ear
barn harp shark charge
c ar harsh sharp large
c ard jar smart c arve
c arp lard snarl starve
bear* swear
c art lark spar (a grizzly bear) wear*
char mar spark pear* (wear clothes)
charm march star (the fruit)
chart mark starch tear+
dark marsh stark (tear the paper)
mart start

_are
bare*
(bare feet)
blare
glare
hare*
(the tortoise
share
snare
spare
_ere & _eir
c are & the hare)
square there* heir*
dare mare (over there) (heir to the king)
stare*
fare* pare* where* their*
(stare into
(to trim) space) (Where is it?) (it belongs to them)
(pay a fare)
flare* rare ware*
(solar flare) sc are (a good B os s y R P a t t er ns
for sale) © www. t h is r ea di ng ma ma . c o m
 erberm
_eer cheer peer* sheer*
per*
clerk (one per person) deer* (1- to look) (sheer luck)
perch (the animal) (2-someone your age) sneer
fern
perk jeer queer steer
germ
her serge

ier
herb serve
herd* stern
(a herd of swerve
animals) term
jerk pier* pierce tier*
tern* (a level)
(walk on the pier)
merge (an arctic tern)
nerve verge
verse
_ere
ear here*
(sit here)

ear = er
beard shear*
clear (shear the sheep)

dear* smear
(Dear Dad,) spear earn*
ear tear*+ (earn money)
fear (a tear fell earth
from her eye)
gear heard*
year (She heard a sound.)
hear*
(I hear you.) learn
near pearl
sear search
yearn B os s y R P a t t er ns
© www. t h is r ea di ng ma ma . c o m
ir or & or_e
born lord sport
birch flirt squirm
chord* morn* stork
bird gird squirt (play a chord) (morning) storm
birth girl smirk cord* nor sword
chirp irk stir (plug in the cord) or* sworn
dirt quirk swirl cork (this or that)
thorn
fir* shirk third corn norm
torch
(a tree) shirt thirst dorm north
torn
firm sir twirl for* porch
worn
first skirt (for you) pork
force port force
fork scorch forge

_ire
fort scorn gorge
forth* short horse*
(go forth)
snort (the animal)
form sort
dire sire horn

_ore & _oor

fire spire
hire tire
mire wire
before more sore* door

_ier bore*
(1- bore a hole
2- to bore
someone, as in
ore*
(rock)
pore*
(sore feet)
store
swore
poor*
(not rich)
floor
(1- pore over tore
being bored)
a book
crier flier* chore wore
2-part of skin)
drier* (someone or
core score
(My coat is drier now.) something that flies)
pliers fore* shore
(in front)
snore B os s y R P a t t er ns
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 _our ur & ur_e
course* gourd
(take a course) mourn* blur curt slur curse
court (mourn his death) blurt fur* spur curve
four* pour* burn (a fur coat) spurt nurse
(number) (pour a glass)
burp furl surf purse
fourth* source burr hurl turf
(fourth in line) your* burst hurt turn*
(your book)
church lurch (turn left)

_oar
churn lurk urn*
purr* (a vase)
curb
(a cat purrs) wurst*
curl
(sausage)
boar* hoarse*
(a wild boar)
board*
(flat piece of wood)
(my voice is hoarse)
oar*
(a paddle)
_ure
coarse* roar
(texture)
cure
soar*
(the eagle soars)
lure
pure

w+ar & qu+ar

sure

swarm wart
w+or
war wharf worse
word
ward worst
work
warm quart worth
world
warn quartz
worm
warp B os s y R P a t t er ns
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Diphthongs &
Other Vowel
Patterns

©www.thisreadingmama.com
ou ouch
ow
about bow+ dowel growl scowl
blouse our* (take a bow) down how sow+
bough* (our dog)
brow drowse howl (a female
(a tree bough) out brown pig)
drown jowl
bounce pouch browse towel
flower* now
bound pounce chow town
(smell the owl
cloud pound clown flower) vow
plow
clout pout cow fowl* wow
pow
couch proud crowd (a bird)
frown prowl
count round crown
crouch route+ gown
doubt (take a
different

oo
flour* route)
(flour for
scour
bread)
scout
foul*
shout
(foul smell)
snout book hook wood*
found (a piece of wood)
sound brook look
ground wool
sour cook nook
grout
south crook roof+
hound
spouse foot shook
hour*
(in one hour) spout good stood
house sprout hood soot
loud stout hoof took
lounge tout
louse trout
mouse wound+
mouth (wound up)
Di p ht hongs & O t her Vowel s
© www. t h is r ea di ng ma ma . c o m
_ould au
could should would* bec ause haunt taunt
(What would you do?) c aught jaunt taut*

_ull
c ause launch (a taut rope)
clause maul* vault
daunt (to attack; to tear
fault to pieces)
bull full pull flaunt pause*
(pause the movie)
fraud

_ush
sauce
gauze
taught*
haul*
(He taught a class.)
(haul the load)

bush push

al aw
awe hawk sprawl
all hall* stalk bawl* jaw squaw
bald* (go down stall (to cry loudly) law
the hall)
squawk
(bald eagle) talk brawl lawn
halt straw
balk tall c aw paw
mall* thaw
balm walk claw pawn
(shopping at yawn
ball* crawl prawn
the mall)
(kick the ball) dawn
malt raw
c all draw
palm Saw
c alm drawn
salt scrawl
chalk fawn
sc ald shawl
fall flaw
small slaw
false gnaw
squall spawn Di p ht hongs & O t her Vowel s
© www. t h is r ea di ng ma ma . c o m
oi & oi_e
boil joint spoil
broil joist toil
coil loin void
coin moist
foil oil choice
groin point noise
hoist poise voice
join soil

_oy
ahoy enjoy
annoy joy
boy ploy
cowboy soy
coy toy

w+a & squ+a

swamp wasp
swap watt
swat watch
wad water
walk
waltz squad
wand squall
want squash
wash squat Di p ht hongs & O t her Vowel s
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 Vowel Exceptions
are said says

ā
chance plaid
France
dance
have

ē eye* been* friend

(body part) (You’ve been
were good.)

live+

ī (I live in a house.)
give

gone broad tomb

ō lose
prove
whose
shoe*
(tie your shoe)

ū two* build
blood
(number two) built
flood
suite

other half
shall
laugh
Vowel Ex cep t i ons
© www. t h is r ea d i ng ma ma . c o m