When you teach reading and spelling, it’s a good idea to have a general overview of long vowel sounds. Let’s dive in!

A long vowel is a vowel that is pronounced the same as its name. For example, the word emu starts with the long E sound.

Seems pretty simple, right? But did you know that long vowel sounds can be spelled four different ways and that each way follows a specific spelling pattern?

The overview that follows will help you see the big picture about long vowel sounds as you teach reading and spelling. Read on to discover these useful patterns!

Four Ways to Form Long Vowel Sounds

A vowel at the end of a syllable can be long.

In the word we, as in We love emus, the vowel E is at the end of the syllable and says long E. In these words, the vowel at the end of a syllable is long: hero, hi, music.

Silent E can make the previous vowel long.

In the word cute, as in Emus are cute, the long U sound is formed by adding Silent E at the end of the word. Here are more words in which Silent E makes the previous vowel long: tape, shine, code.

Vowel teams can make long vowel sounds.

Vowel teams are two vowels that work together to make one sound. For example, in the word eat, as in Emus eat seeds, vowel team EA says long E. These words have vowel teams that make a long vowel sound: mail, sheep, soap.

I or O can be long when they come before two consonants.

In the word stroll, as in The emu went for a stroll, the letter O comes before two consonants and says its long vowel sound. In these words, I or O are long before two consonants: kind, gold, child.

There are actually 4 ways to make long vowel sounds:

  1. Vowels at the end of a syllable make the long sound. For example, in the words me **_and _halo** (ha-lo) the vowels are all at the end of a syllable so they make the long sound.
  2. Silent e makes the previous vowel long. The words bike and phone have a silent e at the end that makes the previous vowel long.
  3. Vowel teams can make the long sound. Vowel teams work together to make one sound, and usually, it’s a long vowel sound. For example, boat and meat both have vowel teams that make the long sound.
  4. I or O can be long when they come before two consonants. In words like cold and mind, i and o make a long vowel sound.

Lets see words containing ae

archaebacterium

archaeopteryxes

bougainvillaeas

aerodynamically

aerodynamicists

aerosolizations

leukaemogeneses

leukaemogenesis

hyperaesthesias

bougainvillaea

aeroelasticity

extraembryonic

hyperaesthesia

paedomorphosis

encyclopaedias

aerodynamicist

aerosolization

aeronautically

aestheticizing

aerobiological

archaeologists

archaeological

archaebacteria

paedomorphisms

paedomorphoses

paediatricians

hyperaesthetic

ultraexclusive

ultraefficient

ultraenergetic

archaeopteryx

aeromechanics

aeromedicines

aerodynamical

aeroembolisms

aestheticians

aesthetically

aestheticized

aestheticizes

aestheticisms

anaerobically

aerobiologies

archaeologies

archaeologist

encyclopaedia

encyclopaedic

eudaemonistic

gynaecologies

thalassaemias

synaesthesias

metacercariae

microfilariae

ichthyofaunae

propaedeutics

paraesthesias

paediatrician

paedomorphism

zooxanthellae

aerodynamics

aestheticism

aesthetician

aestheticize

paraesthesia

propaedeutic

anaerobiosis

differentiae

synaesthesia

thalassaemia

aeromedicine

aeroembolism

paedogenesis

aeromagnetic

aeronautical

aerosolizing

aestivations

anaerobioses

amphisbaenas

amphisbaenic

anaesthesias

anaesthetics

aerobicizing

bibliothecae

cyclopaedias

conjunctivae

chamaephytes

chaetognaths

entomofaunae

eudaemonists

eudaemonisms

paedogenetic

paedogeneses

paedomorphic

oligochaetes

orthopaedics

nonaesthetic

proctodaeums

praetorships

hydromedusae

spirochaetes

spermathecae

scarabaeuses

scyphistomae

archaeology

aeronautics

aerodynamic

anaesthetic

anaesthesia

aerosolized

gynaecology

paediatrics

unaesthetic

aerobiology

aerobraking

cyclopaedia

spirochaete

oligochaete

chaetognath

chamaephyte

aerostatics

aestivation

amphisbaena

eudaemonism

eudaemonist

haecceities

aestivating

aesthetical

aetiologies

aerosolizes

aeronomists

aeronomical

aeroelastic

aerogrammes

aeromedical

aerometries

aerobicized

aerobicizes

aerobically

aerenchymas

aepyornises

aeciospores

deaerations

coleorhizae

arborvitaes

blaeberries

orthopaedic

polychaetes

praemunires

praelecting

propraetors

proctodaeum

praesidiums

praetorians

praetorship

premaxillae

mycorrhizae

microfaunaemicroflorae

metaethical

stomodaeums

subaerially

rickettsiae

salmonellae

scorpaenids

tropaeolums

vorticellae

Conclusion:

The article talks in depth about the long vowels and how to make long vowels whats the sound of the vowels and some words containing ae.