A long vowel says its own name: a in cake, e in me, i in bike, o in home, u in cute.
A short vowel makes its short sound, as in cat, bed, sit, hot and cup.
Let's learn
- Say a short and long pair: /a/ in cap and long a in cape.
- Say each vowel’s name: a, e, i, o, u. Those are the long sounds.
- Sort spoken words into short and long: cat, cake, pin, pine, hop, hope.
- Use a sign: a short line for short vowels, a long line for long vowels.
Watch out for
- Thinking “long” means the word is longer. Long refers to the vowel saying its name.
Make it fit your reader
- Easier: Sort only a words: cat, cake, man, mane.
- Harder: Sort words with all five vowels.
Practice activity
- Arm signal: stretch your arms wide for a long vowel and bring them close for a short vowel.
- Vowel sort: sort ten picture cards into long and short.
Tip for grown-ups: Keep practice short and cheerful: 10 to 15 minutes is plenty for young readers. Praise effort, let your child point to the words, and stop while it is still fun.