Phonics Rules

Phonics Rules

The vowels are "a, e, i, o, and u"; also sometimes "y" & "w". This also includes thediphthongs "oi, oy, ou, ow, au, aw, oo" and many others.
The consonants are all the other letters which stop or limit the flow of air from the throat in speech. They are: "b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z, ch, sh, th, ph, wh, ng, and gh".

• Sometimes the rules don't work:
There are many exceptions in English because of the vastness of the language and the many languages from which it has borrowed. The rules do work however, in the majority of the words.

• Every syllable in every word must have a vowel:
English is a "vocal" language; every word must have a vowel.


• "C" followed by "e, i or y" usually has the soft sound of /s/. Examples: "cyst", "central", and "city".

• "G" followed by "e, i or y" usually has the soft sound of /j/. Example: "gem", "gym", and "gist".

• When 2 consonants are joined together and form one new sound, they are a consonant digraph. They count as one sound and one letter and are never separated. Examples: "ch, sh, th, ph, and wh".

• When a syllable ends in a consonant and has only one vowel, that vowel is short.Examples: "fat, bed, fish, spot, luck".

• When a syllable ends in a silent "e", the silent "e" is a signal that the vowel in front of it is long. Examples: "make, gene, kite, rope, and use".

• When a syllable has 2 vowels together, the first vowel is usually long and the second is silent. Examples: "pain, eat, boat, res/cue, say, grow".

• NOTE:
Diphthongs don't follow this rule; in a diphthong, the vowels blend together to create a single new sound. The diphthongs are: "oi, oy, ou, ow, au, aw, oo" and many others.

• When a syllable ends in any vowel and is the only vowel, that vowel is usually long.Examples: "pa/per, me, I, o/pen, u/nit, and my".

• When a vowel is followed by an "r" in the same syllable, that vowel is "r-controlled". It is neither long nor short. R-controlled "er, ir, and ur" often sound the same (like "er").Examples: "term, sir, fir, fur, far, for, su/gar, or/der".