Every word has at least one vowel: a, e, i, o or u. In short words like cat, bed, pig, hot and bug, one vowel sits between two other letters and makes its short sound.
Key idea
In a short word with one vowel between two consonants, the vowel usually makes its short sound: cat, bed, pig, dog, sun.
Why it works
Stretch the word out slowly, sound by sound: c-a-t. Each sound gets a letter. Saying it slowly helps you hear the vowel in the middle, so you don’t leave it out.
Worked example: Pen or pin?
You write with a ___.
- Say it slowly: p-e-n.
- The middle sound is short e, as in bed.
- So it is pen. (A pin is something sharp that holds things.)
Answer: pen
Common mistake
Mixing up short e and short i (pen and pin), or leaving the vowel out (ct for cat). Say the word slowly and touch a finger for each sound; every finger needs a letter.
For the grown-up. Short e and short i sound close in many accents, so this pair takes practice; that is normal. The site’s Phonics Practice has more short-vowel words to read.