Vowel Teams
Learn
What are Vowel Teams?
Vowel teams are two vowels that work together to make one sound. When two vowels are next to each other, they team up!
Remember the vowels: A, E, I, O, U. When two vowels are together in a word, they often make a special sound.
The Vowel Team Rule
"When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking!" This means the first vowel says its name (long sound), and the second vowel is quiet.
Common Vowel Teams
AI and AY (Long A Sound)
- ai - usually in the middle of a word: rain, tail, mail, train
- ay - usually at the end of a word: day, play, say, way
EA and EE (Long E Sound)
- ea - read, eat, team, seat, bean
- ee - see, tree, bee, feet, sleep
OA and OW (Long O Sound)
- oa - boat, coat, soap, road, goat
- ow - snow, grow, show, low, blow
OO (Two Sounds!)
- oo (long sound) - moon, zoo, food, cool, school
- oo (short sound) - book, look, cook, good, wood
Examples
Let's find the vowel teams in words!
Example 1: Find the vowel team in "rain"
Step 1: Look for two vowels together: r-ai-n
Step 2: The vowel team is ai
Step 3: It makes the long A sound (says its name: "ay")
Answer: The vowel team is ai and it says /ay/
Example 2: Find the vowel team in "feet"
Step 1: Look for two vowels together: f-ee-t
Step 2: The vowel team is ee
Step 3: It makes the long E sound
Answer: The vowel team is ee and it says /ee/
Example 3: Find the vowel team in "boat"
Step 1: Look for two vowels together: b-oa-t
Step 2: The vowel team is oa
Step 3: The first vowel (o) says its name
Answer: The vowel team is oa and it says /oh/
Example 4: Find the vowel team in "play"
Step 1: Look for two vowels together: pl-ay
Step 2: The vowel team is ay
Step 3: It makes the long A sound at the end of the word
Answer: The vowel team is ay and it says /ay/
Example 5: Find the vowel team in "moon"
Step 1: Look for two vowels together: m-oo-n
Step 2: The vowel team is oo
Step 3: It makes the long oo sound
Answer: The vowel team is oo and it says /oo/
Practice Problems
Find the vowel team in each word!
1. What is the vowel team in "tail"?
Show Answer
The vowel team is ai. It makes the long A sound.
2. What is the vowel team in "tree"?
Show Answer
The vowel team is ee. It makes the long E sound.
3. What is the vowel team in "coat"?
Show Answer
The vowel team is oa. It makes the long O sound.
4. What is the vowel team in "day"?
Show Answer
The vowel team is ay. It makes the long A sound.
5. What is the vowel team in "team"?
Show Answer
The vowel team is ea. It makes the long E sound.
6. What is the vowel team in "goat"?
Show Answer
The vowel team is oa. It makes the long O sound.
7. What is the vowel team in "food"?
Show Answer
The vowel team is oo. It makes the long oo sound.
8. What is the vowel team in "mail"?
Show Answer
The vowel team is ai. It makes the long A sound.
9. What is the vowel team in "snow"?
Show Answer
The vowel team is ow. It makes the long O sound.
10. What is the vowel team in "book"?
Show Answer
The vowel team is oo. It makes the short oo sound (like in "look").
Check Your Understanding
Answer these questions about vowel teams!
1. What is the rule "When two vowels go walking..."?
Show Answer
"When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking!" The first vowel says its name (long sound).
2. Where do you usually find "ay" in a word?
Show Answer
You usually find ay at the end of a word (like play, day, say).
3. Name two words with the vowel team "ee".
Show Answer
Possible answers: see, tree, bee, feet, sleep, green, week, teeth
4. Can "oo" make two different sounds? Give an example of each.
Show Answer
Yes! Long oo: moon, food, zoo. Short oo: book, look, good.
Next Steps
- Look for vowel teams in the books you read
- Make a list of words with each vowel team
- When you are ready, move on to Consonant Blends
- Great job learning about vowel teams!