Long U: Learn many spellings of this versatile sound, word list, teaching tips

Study Zone Institute July 9, 2024 English Tips

The letter “u” can be a tricky character for young learners. Unlike some vowels with a single, consistent long sound, “u” has a hidden talent: it can represent two distinct long vowel sounds – “yoo” in “few” and “oo” in “do”! This article explores the fascinating world of long U sounds, equipping you with the knowledge and strategies to guide young readers and spellers.

Mastering the 2 long U sounds

The ‘yoo’ sound

This sound, often described as similar to saying the letter “u” itself, is a high-front vowel. Imagine a cute puppy – the “yoo” sound in “cute” perfectly exemplifies this pronunciation. Here’s how u can spell the “yoo” sound:

U as in music – download word list

unit
music
cupid
pupil
future
human
unicorn
uniform
universe

UE as in rescue – download word list

cue
hue
argue
value
venue
rescue
Tuesday
continue
barbeque (barbecue)

British English

tissue
issue
statue
avenue

EU as in queue

feud
queue
neuron
neutral
neuter
eulogy
euphoria
neurotic
pneumonia

EW as in few

British English

dew
new
stew

U-E as in cube – download word list

use
cute
fuse
fume
huge
mute
mule
cube
puke
excuse
tribute

British English

tube
tune

The ‘oo’ sound

This sound is a mid-back vowel, produced by rounding your lips slightly. Think of the vast blue sky – the “oo” in “blue” is a perfect example. The “u” can represent this sound in various ways.

U as in super

duty
tuna
ruin
ruby
tulip
truly
super
stupid
studio

UE as in glue – download word list

sue
blue
clue
glue
true
issue
tissue
avenue

UI as in fruit – download word list

fruit
juice
suit
bruise
cruise
recruit
suitcase
suitable

EW as in screw – download word list

new
chew
grew
flew
brew
blew
drew
crew
stew
screw
threw
knew

OO as in balloon – download word list

too
zoo
food
mood
moon
noon
soon
spoon
boot
tooth
cool
fool
pool
tool
roof
room

See many “oo” words in OO Stories.

OU as in soup – download word list

you
coup
soup
youth
group
wound
troupe
routine
cougar
coupon

See many “ou” words in OU Stories.

U-E as in flute – download word list

rule
rude
dude
tube
tune
flute
include
salute
parachute
June

oe

shoe
canoe

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Expanding teaching strategies for long U

Here’s a breakdown of the provided strategies with additional tips to make them even more effective:

1. Auditory discrimination: Games and activities

“I Spy”: Take turns describing objects around the room using long U sounds. Others guess the object by identifying the sound (“I spy something blue that you use to write. What is it?” – “It’s a blue pen!”)

“Sound detectives”: Read a short story with a mix of long and short U sounds. Students hold up cards with “oo” or “yoo” written on them whenever they hear the corresponding sound.

Minimal pairs game: Use word pairs that differ only by the two “u” sounds (e.g., cute/shoot, blue/glue). Pronounce one word and have students identify the other based on the sound.

2. Visual cues: Beyond flashcards

Create a word wall: Decorate a classroom wall with colourful charts or pictures representing words with the targeted sound. Group words by their spelling pattern (e.g., “oo” words, “ue” words).

Interactive word sorts: Write long “u” words on individual cards and provide sorting mats with categories like “oo” sound, “yoo” sound, or specific spelling patterns. Students physically sort the words, reinforcing visual memory.

Colour my word: Provide students with black and white pictures of objects with long U sounds. Let them colour the picture according to the sound (e.g., blue for “oo”, green for “yoo”).

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These fun books of words with rimes that contain digraphs, trigraphs and 4-letter graphemes in many stories are useful for story time, spelling improvement classes, poetry sessions, improving phonological and phonemic awareness, and reading intervention programmes. These spelling books come in both e-book and paperback formats for your pleasure. They make up a series of fun books that are having a spelling party on the inside. The 2022 editions are AI Stories, EA Stories, EE Stories, EI Stories, EY Stories, IE Stories, OA Stories, OO Stories, OU Stories and OW Stories. They are all having their own fun with words.

3. Kinesthetic activities: Engaging the body

Mirror, mirror on the wall: Stand in front of a mirror and have students make exaggerated facial expressions for each long U sound. Observe the mouth shapes and connect them to the sounds.

Play dough phonics: Use play dough to mould letters that represent long U sounds. Students can then manipulate the play dough to form words with those sounds.

“Oo” and “Yoo” charades: Act out words with long U sounds for classmates to guess. The emphasis should be on using clear mouth movements to depict the sound.

4. Blending and segmenting: Making connections

Sound manipulations: Start with a simple long U word (e.g., “tube”). Take turns removing or adding sounds to create new words (e.g., “tu”, “ute”, “cute”). This helps students understand how sounds build words.

Building words with magnetic letters: Provide magnetic letters and a metal surface. Students can manipulate the letters to form words with long U sounds, focussing on blending individual sounds together.

Interactive whiteboard activities: Use an interactive whiteboard to display a long U word. Students can take turns segmenting the word by tapping or dragging individual sounds to separate boxes.

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5. Rhyming and word sorts: Building fluency

Silly sentences: Create silly sentences that contain rhyming words with long U sounds (e.g., “The cute blue shoe flew into the goo”). Encourage students to come up with their own silly sentences.

“Roll and read”: Create a die with long U words written on each side. Students roll the die, read the word, and try to find a rhyming word.

Digital word sorts: Utilise online platforms or educational apps that offer interactive word sorting activities with these tricky sounds. This allows for a game-like experience while reinforcing sound recognition.

By incorporating these expanded strategies, you can create a dynamic and engaging learning environment that caters to different learning styles and helps students master the complexities of the long U sounds.

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Learning goes beyond the classroom

While mastering the mechanics of long U sounds is crucial, learning shouldn’t stop there. Encourage children to find these words in their everyday lives: on signs, in books, or even during conversations. This fosters a love for language and reinforces the connection between written symbols and spoken sounds. Remember, the journey of literacy is filled with exploration and discovery. By making learning engaging and interactive, you can equip young learners with the tools to conquer this sound and its many faces!