Phonics Practice · Step 2 of 12
Short vowels
The five short vowel sounds, as in apple, egg, igloo, octopus and umbrella.
Made by Teddy Rook Book to practice alongside Hannah Ward's lessons. It is not part of her curriculum. About this practice
For grown-ups
What this step teaches
The vowels a, e, i, o and u are in nearly every word. Here they make their short sounds. Your child listens for the middle sound of a short word (c-a-t) and finds its vowel.
As you practice: The short vowel sounds are the ones in apple, egg, igloo, octopus and umbrella. They can be held a little; that makes them easy to hear.
Away from the screen
- Say a short word slowly (c-aaa-t) and ask, “What sound is in the middle?”
- Make up a silly chant for each vowel: “a, a, apple.”
- Point to the vowels in a book title or a cereal box together.
With Hannah's lessons
Short vowels come early in Hannah's Teach Your Child to Read in 120 Lessons and in her Phonics Reading Boot Camp. Practice here once your child has met the vowels in her lessons.
📖 Read in 120 Lessons🎯 Phonics Boot Camp
Hannah's lessons may bring in sounds in a different order. Follow her order, and use the step here that matches what she has taught.
The new sounds, and how to say them
Say pure, short sounds: /m/ is “mmm,” not “muh,” and /t/ is a crisp /t/, not “tuh.” The voice on this page only says whole words, because computer voices add “uh” to single sounds.
- a as in appleShort a, as in apple. Hold it: “aaa.”
- e as in eggShort e, as in egg. Hold it: “eee” (the e in egg, not the e in eat).
- i as in iglooShort i, as in igloo. Hold it: “iii.”
- o as in octopusShort o, as in octopus. Mouth wide open: “ooo” (the o in on).
- u as in umbrellaShort u, as in umbrella. Hold it: “uuu” (the u in up).