What Are Vowel Teams?
A vowel team happens when two vowels work together to make one long vowel sound. The first vowel usually says its name, and the second vowel is silent. This is sometimes called the “two vowels go walking” rule.
- ea → bead
- ai → rain
- oa → boat
- ee → tree
- ay → play
When you see two vowels together, the first vowel often says its name, and the second vowel is quiet.
Vowel Team ai and ay
The vowel team ai usually appears in the middle of a word, while ay is usually found at the end. Both make the long /ā/ sound.
- rain
- train
- day
- play
Remember: use ai in the middle of a word and ay at the end.
Vowel Team ee and ea
The vowel teams ee and ea often make the long /ē/ sound. These words can appear in the middle of words and sometimes at the end.
- see
- tree
- bead
- seat
Both ee and ea can say /ē/, but you will need to practice to learn which to use in each word.
Vowel Team oa and oe
The vowel teams oa and oe usually make the long /ō/ sound. oa is often in the middle of a word, while oe appears at the end.
- boat
- coat
- toe
- foe
Think of oa in the middle of words and oe at the end when spelling.
Practicing Vowel Teams in Sentences
Reading vowel team words in sentences helps us recognize how vowel teams change the sound of words.
- We see a tree by the road.
- The goat sat in the boat.
- It will rain today.
- She will play all day.
When you read, stop and notice how the vowel team helps the vowel make a long sound.