Helpful Phonics Rules

Phonics Rule 1 Short Vowel

When a single vowel is followed by a single consonant, the vowel is short. We mark the
vowel with a breve or what we call a big smile. The vowel is usually short when there is a
single (1) vowel in a word. (cat, dog, hop)
Phonics Rule 2 Long Vowels
When there are two vowels in a word the first vowel says its name (long) and the second
vowel is silent. The first vowel talks and the second vowel is silent. The first vowel is
marked with a long straight line and the second vowel is crossed out. (coat, ride, make)
Phonics Rule 3 Double Consonants
Double consonants make on sound and the final consonant is crossed out. (cross, bless, class)
Phonics Rule 4 C or K Vowels
C comes before a, o, and u (cat, cot, cut)
K comes before the other two, e and i. (keep, kite)
Phonics Rule 5 ow/ou sounds
The ow and ou makes the sound as if you were pinched saying ow. Ow and ou can
also say just o when it is on the end of a word. These vowel combinations can have both of
these two sounds. (count, wow, mow)
Phonics Rule 6 The er, ir, and ur sounds
These three combinations make the same er sound. They are marked with a little house
called a circumflex. (bird, verse, nurse)
Phonics Rule 7 The or sound
Or makes the or sound and is marked with a long line above the vowel, o. Remember
to think the or we make as we say At ELCA, the students have a choice for lunch of hot
lunch OR pizza/grill.

Phonics Rule 8 W before or

When W is before or, the or says er. (Work, word)

Phonics Rule 9 oo sound

There is a long and short sound to oo. The long sound is marked with a long straight line
above both oos as in tooth. The short sound is marked with a big smile above both oos
as in book. (booth, took)

Phonics Rule 10 oiand oy sounds

Oi and oy make the same sound as the sound of a pig that says, Oink. Oi comes in
the front or middle of a word. Oy comes at the end of a work. (oil, boil, toy, boy)

Phonics Rule 11 qu sound

Q and u are always together just like being married. (queen)

Phonics Rule 12 The 4-H club

Sh makes the sound of asking someone to be quiet and putting your finger by your mouth
to say sh. Ch is the sound a train makes going up a hill and chugging away. Th makes
the sound of putting your tongue between you front teeth and blowing. The wh has two
sounds, a hard and soft. The hard sound is said loud as in whale and the soft sound is like
blowing out a birthday candle as in who. (show, church, wheel, why, think)

Phonics Rule 13 Prefix and Suffix

A prefix comes at the front of the word where pre means before. A suffix comes at the end
of the word. (unbutton, enjoy, pointing, looked)

Phonics Rule 14 Compound Words

A compound word is taking two words and putting them together to make a new word.
(cupcake, butterfly, baseball)

Phonics Rule 15 Syllables

Syllables are word parts. We identify how many syllables are in a word by clapping you
index finger and thumb together as you say the word. (com-put-er)

Phonics Rule 16 Contractions

Contractions are two words put together to make a short word by leaving out one or more
letter and replacing them with an apostrophe. Children have to learn which letters to leave
out. (Im, didnt, arent)

Phonics Rule 17 Abbreviations

Words can be made shorter by leaving off some of the letters. A period is put in the place of
the letters. We will learn which words can be abbreviated. (Mon., Mrs., Sept.)

Phonics Rule 18 Quotation Marks

Quotation marks are placed around what someone said. The look like elbow macaroni.
(Mother said, Please come in.)