What are Long Vowels?
A long vowel can be explained as a vowel letter whose sound is pronounced in the same way as the name of the letter is pronounced. For example, long vowel U will have the sound of 'yoo' such as the sound of U in words like tube or lure. The placement of articles 'a' or 'an' is determined by whether a word first vowel letter is a long vowel or a short vowel. If it's a long vowel, the placement of 'an' or 'a' is decided by the sound that is made while a speaker starts to say/pronounce that word.
Long a Vowel Sound
The letters ay and ai make the long a sound. Complete the words below by writing ay or ai. Say each word and listen for the long a sound.
Complete Me
Circle the word that completes the sentence. Listen for the long a vowel sound in each word. Write the word on the line.
-ay Sound
Add ay to complete the words below. The ay usually has the long a vowel sound.
Ending in -e
When the only vowel in a word is an e at the end, the e usually has a long sound. Add an e at the end of the words above the ship. Usually ee has a long e sound. Add ee to complete the words below the ship.
Listen For It
Look at each picture and say the name. Circle the correct word and write it on the line. Listen for long vowel sounds.
Long i Vowel Sound
The letters y, igh, and i – e make the sound of Long i. Complete the words below by writing y, igh, or i. Say each word; listen for the sound of Long i.
Name the Picture
Read the words under each picture. Circle the word that names the picture and write it on the line. Listen for the long vowel sound.
Long o
The letters oa and ow make the sound of long o. Complete the words below by writing oa or ow.
Make Circles
Read each sentence. Choose the word that completes the sentence. Circle the word and write it on the line.
Long Os
Help Jane complete the words. Add oe, oa, or ow to the words. Listen for the sound of long o in each word.
Column Me This
The words in Column 1 have a long vowel sound. Match the words to the pictures in Column 2.
Top Page
Look at the long vowel words at the top of the page. Write the correct word next to each picture.
Bang the Drum
Look at the words around the picture. Find the words that have a long vowel sound and write them on the lines in the drum.
Bunnies
Help the bunnies make rhyming words. Listen for the long vowel sounds in the words.
Listen
Look at each picture. Circle the correct word and write it on the line. Listen for the long vowel sound in each word.
Questions
Read the questions. Circle the word that answers the question. Then write the word on the line.
More Rhymes
Add a consonant to make a rhyming word. Listen for the long vowel sound in the words.
Letter e
Add the letter e to the words. Say the new word and listen to the long vowel sound.
Add e
Add e to the words to make a long vowel word. Use the words in the sentences below.
Long Vowels
Add an e to these words to make a long vowel sound. Circle the vowel that has the long sound.
Listen Up
Say the name of each picture. Write the missing vowel and the silent e to complete the word. Listen to the long vowel in each word.
Long u
Complete the words below by writing ew, ue, or u-e. Say each word and listen for the sound of Long u.
ue and ui
Usually the ue and ui have the long u sound. Complete the words below by adding ue or ui.
Match u
Match the pictures in column1 with the long u words in column 2. Remember the ue and ui usually have a long u sound.
Lions and Keys
Say the name of each picture. Color in the box that contains the letter whose long vowel sound you hear.
Words with Sounds
Say the name of each picture. Circle each picture that has a long vowel sound somewhere in its name.
What Long Vowel Sound Do You Hear?
Say the name of each picture aloud. Circle the correct long vowel sound(s) for each.
Listening for It
Say the name of each picture out loud. Write the letter who says its name and makes a long vowel sound. Hint: You should name all the vowels once!
Combos
Which long vowel sound does each letter combination make? Sort each combination into the correct column.
How to Spot Long Vowels?
We know that the English alphabets comprise of vowels and consonants. There are five vowels, including a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes even y is considered a vowel. The remaining letters are consonants. There are two types of vowels, or two types of sounds when reading words with vowels in them. These are long vowels and short vowels. There are two different sounds of a vowel, and it confuses many students. Starting with long vowels, let us see what these are and how do we spot them? If a vowel in a word is pronounced in the same way as the name of the letter, then these are the long vowels. In words such as alien, game, inflate, you can observe the long A sound. Then there are words such as bail, chain that are pronounced with a long AI sound, away, clay, betray are words with a long AY sound. When there is a long E sound, EA sound, EE sound, EI sound, then e is being used as a long vowel. For I to be treated as a long vowel, the words must have a long I sound, IE sound; long I sound using Y. When there is a long O sound, long A sound using OA, long O sound using OE, then O is serving its role as a long vowel. Similarly, when there is a long U sound or a long UY sound with other vowels, then u is acting as a long vowel. This is how you spot long vowels!