Our ABC letters each have a basic sound but also work together in special teams. English seems confusing but it has very dependable rules. Kids who learn these patterns are more successful.
Category one: two-letter consonant / vowel teams, such as, ce in once, centipede. (ce, ci, cy always say the s sound) And gi in giant, engine. (ge, gi, gy usually say the j sound; about 30 words are exceptions, such as give, get, girl, tiger, eager, gear).
There are also a handful of consonant / vowel teams to teach as families because they involve tiny word groups, such as ight in light, night, bright and though, through, thought, thorough (silent gh) and caught, taught, thought, fought, bought, brought, daughter and laugh, enough, cough, rough, tough, slough (gh says the f sound).
Category two: two-letter vowel / vowel teams, such as oi / oy you hear in boy, noise.
And ou / ow in ouch, cow and though, shadow and touch, much.
And au / aw / ou in pause, paws, thought. And oo / ue / ew / ou as in zoo, blue, chew, you. And oo / ou as in book, could, should, would.
And ei / ie as in eight, neighbor, friend, thief. (The following ancient rule has been thrown out by many, but not me; it is a great spelling guide: i before e except after c or when sounds like long a as in neighbor and weigh. Examples of i before e except after c: receive, ceiling. Just to make you crazy, did you see: ancient? And, science; still, most of the time this rule works.)
Complex vowel teams: ous famous, eous hideous, ious serious, uous continuous, tion, cion, sion, tian, cian, xion, cean action suspicion mission Egyptian politician complexion ocean; tious nutritious cious ferocious; ciate appreciate tiate initiate; tient patient cient efficient. (Practiced in my 4th Grade book. Seach eBay: Instant Reading Help 4th Gr, 5th Gr.)
Category three: two-letter consonant / consonant teams, called digraphs, with sounds that "melt together" such as th in thumb, thorn. The digraphs are: th, sh, wh, ch, ph, gh as silent in the light, night group but gh as the f sound in laugh and enough; also gn because both g and n are spoken - ignore, ignite - when not at the start or end of a word; at the start and end g is silent as in gnaw, gnat, campaign, reign, foreign. (Ghost is the exception.)
Category four: two and three-letter consonant teams, called blends, in which each letter keeps its standard sound and blends with other consonants, such as st in star, stand. Also, str as in street, streak. There are many two and three-letter consonant blends.
I now use eBay as a website. Search Instant Reading Help all my books will pop up for you. My books are brand new, full of lessons you will find no where else. They come with my contact onfo, email or call for help.
Category three: two-letter consonant / consonant teams, called digraphs, with sounds that "melt together" such as th in thumb, thorn. The digraphs are: th, sh, wh, ch, ph, gh as silent in the light, night group but gh as the f sound in laugh and enough; also gn because both g and n are spoken - ignore, ignite - when not at the start or end of a word; at the start and end g is silent as in gnaw, gnat, campaign, reign, foreign. (Ghost is the exception.)
Category four: two and three-letter consonant teams, called blends, in which each letter keeps its standard sound and blends with other consonants, such as st in star, stand. Also, str as in street, streak. There are many two and three-letter consonant blends.
I now use eBay as a website. Search Instant Reading Help all my books will pop up for you. My books are brand new, full of lessons you will find no where else. They come with my contact onfo, email or call for help.
Have a great day reading with your child. Mary Maisner
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