Vowel Teams

What is a Vowel Team?

Vowel teams are part of a 6 syllable team. A vowel team, or diphthong, is when two vowels are a ‘team’ and make one sound. These combinations or spelling patterns are often found in the middle or at the end of words. Common vowel teams include spelling patterns “ai” (as in “rain”), “ay” (as in “day”), “ee” (as in “seed”), “ea” (as in “team”).

Examples of Vowel Team Words

As a teacher, it’s essential to have simple and relatable examples of vowel team words that kids can remember easily. Consider words like the vowel team “ou” can be pronounced in multiple ways in English words. It can produce the sound of “ow” as in “cloud” or “out,” or it can produce the sound of “oo” as in “soup” or “group.” Utilizing these examples in teaching can aid students in recognizing and utilizing different vowel team sounds in their vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Spelling Patterns for Vowel Teams

Below is a list of vowel team words based on spelling patterns of vowel team sounds.

The Difference Between Digraphs and Vowel Teams

What are the differences between digraphs and vowel teams? Vowel teams are made up of both diphthongs and vowel digraphs. A diphthong will be two vowels that start out saying one sound, but blended end up as another. Vowel Digraphs are two vowels that make one new sound. Diphthongs are two vowels making two separate sounds, but blended together make a new sound.

In other words, a digraph is a combination of two letters representing one sound. A vowel team is a combination of two or more vowels that together represent one sound, while a diphthong is a complex vowel sound formed by gliding from one vowel sound to another within the same syllable.

An example of a digraph with a vowel team and a diphthong vowel team is “oa” and “oi”:

1. “oa” as in “boat” – In this digraph, “o” and “a” come together to represent the long “o” sound.
2. “oi” as in “coin” – In this digraph, “o” and “i” come together to represent the diphthong sound often heard in words like “coin” or “join”.

Vowel Team List

Here is a list representing all vowels with special vowel teams along with a breakdown of each vowel team word combination:

• ai: train, snail, pain
• ay: play, stay, hay
• ee: tree, bee, see
• ea: seat, team, read
• oa: boat, coat, float
• oe: toe, goes, foe
• ie: pie, tie, lie
• ue: blue, clue, rescue
• ui: fruit, suit, cruise
• eu: feud, neutral, sleuth

AI Vowel Team Words

Below is a list of ‘ai’ vowel team words.

• pain
• rain
• daisy
• email
• hail
• jail
• paint
• snail

AY Vowel Team Words

Here are examples of the -ay ending sounds.

• play
• day
• pray
• hay
• Tray
• pay
• stay
• spray

Vowel Team Words

Some word examples of the vowel team sounds include:

• chain
• stay
• reign
• prey
• weigh
• beach
• see

EA Vowel Teams Words

This list of ‘ea’ vowel teams sound examples include:

• steak
• bear
• tear
• break
• pear

EI Vowel Team Words

Below is a list of great examples of teams words for ‘ei’.

• beige
• rein
• heir

EIGH Vowel Team Words

This list of vowel team words are included for ‘eigh’ sounds.

• weigh
• sleigh
• eight
• neigh

Vowel Team Word Flashcard Set

These Vowel Team Flashcards are perfect for students learning how to read. They show a spelling pattern and are sorted as such. Plus, we’ve included a bonus set of picture long a flashcards! These make a perfect set so make sure you check out our learning game mat for matching game ideas!

Also, don’t miss out on downloading a set of our CVCe Flashcards for more exciting patterns in phonics reading when your students are ready for the next level!

Vowel Team Word BINGO Cards

Below are an engaging set of half dozen BINGO cards for fun game playing and learning reinforcement of the vowel team sounds.