Explore some of the ways that English is Weird

1. When English is Weird

2. Expect Exceptions!

3. Some letters are silent
● Some letters are
silent and don't like to
sing
● They are there but are
quiet, and don't say a
thing

4. One letter can have different sounds

5. Someletterscombineto makenew sounds
Strategy: Check forHBrothers &Give ng a
fling
● CH: hip/chip
● SH: hop/shop
● TH: hat/that
● WH: hen/when
● NG: sun/sung

6. PH & GH can say “F”
A photograph of a
phone
A cough can be rough
gh might be silent, like in light

7. Some letters double at the end

8. Strategy: Keep Cautiouswith K & C
When you hear thehard “k” sound, which will it be?
K takesI & E....C takestheother three
● Kit
● Keg
● Cat
● Cot
● Cut

9. Strategy: Give Care with G &C
Soft orHard?

10. -CK or -K
spelling the “k” sound at the end of a word

11. Vowels can be short, & they can be
long
● How can you know
how to not get them
wrong?
● Short vowels say the
sound, long vowels
the name
● To know which is
which can be quite a
pain

12. Strategy: Note an Eat the end
● Silent e at the end
makes the vowel say
it's name.
● It turns pin into pine
● Apart or together, it
works just the same.
● pie or pine, both
ways are fine.

13. Defender D

14. More ways a vowel can be long
Open Syllables

15. Strategy: Observe an R
Bossy R likes to tell the
vowels what to do
It can change a cat into a
cart. (that is true).
5 Bossy R spellings,
3 Bossy R sounds...
you will see Bossy Rs
everywhere around.

16. Sometimes Silent e wins

17. Sometimes Bossy R does

18. ar can sound like er

19. or can sound like er

20. With an e before ar, anything goes

21. Open & Closed Syllables
Strategy: Notice a closed or open door
● A vowel that is
followed by a
consonant is closed in.
● A closed syllable is
often short like in pin.
● A vowel is open with
no consonant behind
● Open syllables are
often long, you will
find.

22. Strategy: Look forvowel teams
Vowel Teams can be long & say the first sound

23. Except for Diphthongs
● Which often make
new sounds
● But sometimes not...
● AU & AW sound like
the short O in dog
● Now don't forget that
OW can also say long
O like in grow

24. Other vowel teams that don't follow
“when2vowels gowalking, the1st
onedoes thetalking”

25. Same Letters, Two Sounds
● ie says long I as in
pie, unless you want
to have a piece.
● At times it can briefly
steal a long E like a
thief.

26. Same Letters, Two Sounds
● ea says long E when
you eat peas, but not
bread.
● Did your ear hear the
short E that bread said?

27. Same Letters, two sounds
● Find ow in a brown
cow, unless there is
snow.
● Then it says Long O,
don't you know?

28. Same Letters, Two Sounds
● oo might say boot,
unless you put in your
foot.
● To make good food,
you need a cook book.

29. Strategy: Discovery of a Y at the end
● Y at the end will often
say “I” in a one syllable
word like fly
● When more syllables you
see, it likely says “E”

30. Strategy: Be aware of schwa
● Every vowel can
make a schwa sound
● So there are lots of
schwa's to be found
● A schwa is a quick &
weak “uh”
● You can find two in
this word: above.

31. Synonyms & Antonyms
Homophones & Homonyms
Homonyms: words with multiple meanings

32. Homographs & Homophones
● Homographs look
just the same but
mean something else!
● Watch out for
homographs when
you say “give me a
ring!” (what do you
mean?)

33. Yes, English is Weird
● Now you know that
this is true...
● The rules are more
like guidelines that
give you a clue!

35. Credits
● Boostforreaders.com
● Short/Long Chart: First Grade Wow
● Bossy R: carlscorner.us.com
● Defender D & FLOSS Rule:
maketaketeach.com
● Schwa: www.logicofenglish.com
● Synonym/Antonyms:
vocabularypage.com
● Homograph/Homophones:
heerenshappenings2.blogspot.com