H.1 Identify short vowel sounds in words
What Are Short Vowels?
Short vowels are vowel sounds that are quick and clear. They are the simple sounds we hear in many common words. Each vowel (a, e, i, o, u) has its own short sound that helps us read and spell basic words.
- a → cat
- e → bed
- i → sit
- o → dog
- u → sun
Short vowels usually appear in words with a consonant before and after them (CVC words). For example: c-a-t → cat.
Understanding the Short A Sound
The short a makes the sound /ă/ like in the word cat. This sound is quick and open, and it is found in many simple words.
- a → cat
- a → map
- a → bag
- a → jam
- a → hat
The short a sound is the same sound we hear at the beginning of the word “apple.”
Understanding the Short E Sound
The short e makes the sound /ĕ/ like in the word bed. This sound is made with a slightly open mouth and relaxed tongue.
- e → bed
- e → pen
- e → leg
- e → men
- e → net
The short e sound is the same sound we hear in the middle of the word “red.”
Understanding the Short I Sound
The short i makes the sound /ĭ/ like in the word sit. It is a quick sound made with the mouth slightly open and lips relaxed.
- i → sit
- i → lip
- i → pig
- i → dig
- i → win
The short i sound is the same sound we hear in the middle of the word “big.”
Understanding the Short O Sound
The short o makes the sound /ŏ/ like in the word dog. It is a round sound made with the lips slightly open.
- o → dog
- o → pot
- o → log
- o → top
- o → hop
The short o sound is the same sound we hear in the middle of the word “hot.”
Understanding the Short U Sound
The short u makes the sound /ŭ/ like in the word sun. This sound is quick and relaxed, and we hear it in many everyday words.
- u → sun
- u → cup
- u → bus
- u → mud
- u → rug
The short u sound is the same sound we hear in the middle of the word “up.”
Practicing Short Vowels in Sentences
Reading short vowel words in sentences helps us build fluency and understand words in context.
- The cat sat on the mat.
- The bed is red.
- The pig can dig.
- The dog can hop on the log.
- The sun is up.
Read each sentence slowly the first time. Then read again smoothly, listening for each short vowel sound.