Phonic Rules to Remember:      

Need help with your child's phonics homework?
The following rules have been covered in our class.
As we learn more about letters and their sounds I will add to this list.

 Phonics Rules

vc Rule
A vowel followed by a consonant is short;  code it with a breve.
A breve looks like a smile placed over the short vowel.
Examples of words following this rule:
log   cat   sit   tug   wet

v Rule
An open, accented vowel is long;  code it with a macron.
A macron is a line -- placed over the long vowel.
Examples of words following this rule:
no   me   so   we   go   hi

Twin Consonants
Twin consonants are two identical letters side by side in a word with only the first letter making the sound.
To code a word with twin consonants cross out the second letter of the pair.
Examples of words following this rule:
ball   class   stuff 

Consonant Digraphs
A digraph is two letters that come together and make one sound.
This is different from a blend.  In a blend the two sounds can be distinguished.
Digraphs studied so far:
ck- code this by underlining and crossing out the c
ng - code this by underlining the digraph
th
The digraph th has a voiced and unvoiced sound.  To determine if th is unvoiced or voiced, place three fingers over your throat and say the word.  If you feel vibrations when pronouncing the th, then the th is voiced.  To code this digraph underline th and then draw a voice line through th.  A voice line is simply a line drawn across the middle of the digraph.
sh
ch

Vowel Digraphs
A vowel digraph is two letters with the first letter making a long sound and the second letter is silent.  We call this:  "first one does the talking, the second keeps on walking."
Vowel digraphs studied so far:
ee - code this by underlining and crossing out the second e.
ee
ay
ai
oo
The digraph oo has two sounds.  One is the sound heard in hook.  Code the digraph for this sound with a breve over it.  The other sound is the sound heard in tooth.  Code the digraph for this sound with a macron over it.
ue
au
aw

vccv Rule
When a word contains more than one vowel, it could follow the vccv or vowel-consonant-consonant-vowel pattern.  The first step is to mark the vowels by writing a v under each vowel.  Then mark the consonants by writing a c under them.  Next divide the word into syllables by drawing a line between the two consonants.  Code the vowels and decided which syllable receives the accent (').
Examples of words following this rule:
napkin   picnic   rabbit

K and C Rules
There are two ways to spell the /k/ sound. 
Spell the /k/ sound with k if the sound comes before e, i, or y.
Examples of this rule:
keg   kid   milky   skip   silky
Spell the /k/ sound with c if the sound comes before a, o, u, or any consonant.
Examples of this rule:
cat   clip   crop   cost   cup
 

Final /k/ Rules
Spell the final /k/ sound with digraph ck after a short vowel.
Examples of this rule:
black   lock   neck   sick   duck
Spell the final /k/ sound with the letter k after a consonant or a vowel digraph.
Examples of this rule:
milk   week   bank   book

v-e Rule
A vowel followed by a consonant and "sneaky e" is long;  code the vowel with a macron and cross out the "sneaky e."
Examples of this rule:
name hope these like rule

Combinations

A combination is two letters coming together to make an unexpected sound.  These are different from a digraph because you cannot hear any of the letters' normal sounds.

Combinations with the "bossy r":
ar
er
ir
ur
or
Other combinations: 
qu

Final /s/ Rules
After a short vowel, use ss.  Examples are:
boss      miss    grass    dress
After a long vowel, use ce.  Examples are:
ice    space
After a consonant or a vowel digraph, use se.  Examples are:
false   rinse   pulse   loose   horse

Dropping Rule
When a word ends with a "silent e" or "sneaky e", drop the e before adding a vowel suffix.
Ex:  make + ing = making
rule + er = ruler

Dipthongs
A dipthong is two vowel sounds that come together so quickly that they are considered to be only one syllable.
Dipthongs that have been introduced:
oi and oy
ou and ow
Dipthong oi and ou come in the initial or medial position of a word.
Dipthong oy and ow come in the final position of a word.
Ex:  join
boy
mouse
cow

Wild Colt Words
Wild Colt words contain either the vowels o or i followed by two consonants.  The vowel is long when followed by two consonants.
Ex:  wild
colt
kind
find
both

Ghost Letter Digraphs
We call the "g," "k," and "w" in the digraphs gn, kn, and wr ghost letters to help us remember they used to make a sound but now are silent.
Ex:  knife
gnaw
wrist