1

1. Vowel [I] and [I:]

Vowel Spelling frequency
1 2 3 4 5 6
Short i, im y, ry, ui e ie
[I] ty,
Some fit, bit, important, myth, build, pretty, sieve,
word hit, him, inquiry, circuit, scene, lieutenant,
samples ship, impossible country, biscuit decline,
police, liberty,
irritate,
exception women, fruit, Venetian,
busy suit
"y" can produce the long vowel sounds of "i", "e" and "a". It also can make a short "i"
sound, e.g. "gym".
Vowel Spelling frequency
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Long ee ea ie ei y e ine eo
[I:]
Some see, sea, relieve, receive, key scene, machine people
word sheep, beat, belief, equal,
samples sleet, meat
be, me,
Exception bread, eight,
thread, neighbour,
steak weight,
near, sleight,
freight
sleigh,
Note:
1. The letter “i” has two main ways of saying it (pronunciation):
a) The letter “i” appearing in one syllable words usually is short, e.g. hit, fit, fill,
fulfill;
b) When a word must be read long, the letter “i” usually is read as “ai”, e.g. time,
fine, lime. These words usually carry the letter “e” at the end of the word and you
do not need to read out this letter “e”, hence they are known as silent “e” ending
words.
How Should you spell, read and write: ie and ei
You Can Remember these quick tricks.
a. The spelling of a word has the vowel letters “ie” coming together, they usually
make the long [I : ]: example: relieve, relief, reprieve, seize.
b. Write “ei ” if a word has the letter “c ” comes in front of them, like: receipt,
receive, ceiling, deceive, conceive; and they often make the long [I:] sound
but can make other sounds too.
c. You are to read the letter “ei” in eight, neighbour, weigh, sleigh, freight, etc, as
diphthong [ei] – the way American people say the letter “a”.
d. Try this: "What is the weight of the freight on car number eight?"
Prepared by Han Kwai Yow for lessons in 2011
 To whom it may concern

Hello, my name is Han Kwai You, also known to many as

Steffen Han. These Tables, Charts and lists of words are
prepared by myself for my teaching of English
to diverse people and venue.
I have been teaching English all along since my younger days.
You may use them for similar purpose,
especially my former students—from whom I learned more
from them than they learned from my—who spread far across
the globe. If you care for courtesy, just acknowledge the source
with appreciation.
Thank you very much.
 2

some -ealth Short [I] Long -ui --int

exceptions: health it [I:] dizzy biscuit print,
ei death kick cheap dream build hint
weird, wealth kin cheat dusty circuit mint
kiss beach duty cuisine winter
neither, -eath lick cheek each guilt vintage
either, breath vomit cheep east quick
forfeit, stealth nausea cheese easy quilt --irr
counterfeit, lid chief eat irrational
protein, -ear lift believe neat Exception irresistible,
near link berries need --ui irrigate
foreign, lip bleach niece cruise irritate
sovereign, -eer list bleak Ninety cruiser
deer lit brief only fruit
leisure, milk brownie parties juice
heifer, mill any party recruit
miss babies pea sluice
sleigh mitt baby peach
mix be seal --ui
sleight, nip bead seam fluid
height, pick beak seat ruin
big beam see
feisty, pill bean seed ---if “n” or
seismograph, pin beat seek “s” or “t”
pink beauty seventy come in
Exceptions: resist beach sheep front of
ie rich bean sheet “ui”,
diet, rid clean shield you read it
hierarchy, rig cookies shiny as [ju:].
science, rim county shriek
society, rip cream siege nuisance
variety, shift creep suicide
cried, die, ship daddy suit
dried, fried, sink daisy tuition
hie, lie, pie, sip deal
tried, hire, sit deed Exception:
six deep suite
more skin [swi:t]
exceptions: skip
ie slick
friend, active
lieutenant, determine
orient, irritate
infinitive
Prepared by Han Kwai Yow for 2011
Added in 2013

Words sounded short e [ɪ] spelled as i:

e belie forfeit pretty

i bellicose filibuster lyric lyrics lugubrious privilege shiver shivery tragic*

words ending in –ic or –ics

-ib bib crib glib fib jib nib rib

-ich chicanery inch cinch clinch finch flinch pinch rich which

-ick brick chick click crick cricket flick kick lick nick pick picket prick quick sick
slick tick ticket thick trick slick stick wick

-id accident bid did forbid grid hid kid lid mid rid skid slid squid valid

-if cliff fifth gif gift if lift miff riff shift shrift short shrift sniff stiff thrift tiff whiff

-ig big brig dig fig gig jig pig prig rig sprig swig twig wig zig

-ique technique antique boutique critique mystique

-ill bill chill dill drill fill frill gill grill hill kill mill pill rill sill spill still thrill till trill
twill will

-ilt filth filthy gilt gilt-edged hilt jilt kilt lilt silt up silt stilt wilt milk silk

-im blimp brim chimp crimp dim grim him important improve import limb limber
limbo limp pimp primp pimple prim primp rim trim skimp slim swim timber
trim whim

-in begin bin din chin fin gin grin in include infinitive infinite infusion inn invent
kin pin shin sin skin spin tin thin twin win within

-ing being bing bring cling ding fling king ping ring sing sling sting spring string
swing thing wing wring zing

-inge binge cringe fringe hinge singe tinge

-ink blink brink click cling clinic clink clip drink fink ink kink link mink pink rink
sink slink stink think wink zinc

-int glint hing lint mint print splint sprint squint stint tint

-ip blip chip clip crisp dip drip flip grip hip lip nip pip quip rip tip trip ship sip skip
slip snip strip trip whip yip zip
Added in 2013

-is bliss is disk his hiss fist kiss list mitosis* miss sis this

words ending in –sis

-istle bristle [ɪbrɪs(ə)l], epistle [ɪɪpɪs(ə)], gristle [ɪɡrɪs(ə)l], thistle [ɪθɪs(ə)l/], whistle
[ɪwɪs(ə)l]
-ish bishop churlish dish fish swish wish

-isque bisque beautique physique risqué

it admit it bit city fit hit kit knit lit mitt nit permit pit remit sit skit slit slither
slithery spit split submit transmit whit whiz wit with

-itch glitch itch ditch hitch pitch stitch witch

-ive active* give live relive river rivet

most words ending in –ive riven

-ix fix mix six

-y baby crystal cylinder gym myth oligarchy oxygen syllable

-izz frizz

-ie sieve view

-ei forfeit forfeiture counterfeit

-et basket market ticket racket

-ui biscuit [ɪbɪskɪt] build [bɪld] built [bɪlt] circuit [ɪsɪˈ(r)kɪt] distinguish [dɪɪstɪŋɡwɪʃ]
equip [ɪɪkwɪp] equipment [ɪɪkwɪpmənt] guilt [ɡɪlt/] liquid [ɪlɪkwɪd/] marquis
[ɪmɑˈ(r)kwɪs] quiche [kiˈʃ] quick [ɪkwɪk] quickly [ɪkwɪkli] quit [kwɪt] quilt
[kwɪlt] quiver [ɪkwɪvə] quiz [kwɪz] quins [kwɪnz] quin [kwɪn] quint [kwɪnt]
quintuplet [kwɪnɪtjuˈplət] quintessential [ɪkwɪntɪɪsenʃ(ə)l] quintet quilts quince
[kwɪns] quintets [kwɪnɪtet/] squid [skwɪd] squint [skwɪnt]

acquire [əɪkwaɪə] quiet [ɪkwaɪət] quite [kwaɪt] require [rɪɪkwaɪə]

prerequisite [priˈɪrekwəzɪt/]
bruin [bruˈɪn] druid [ɪdruˈɪd] fluid [ɪfluˈɪd] ruin [ɪruˈɪn] suicide cuisine tuition
fruit [fruˈt] fruitful fruitless
gluing [ɡluˈ] nuisance [ɪnjuˈs(ə)ns]
suit [suˈt] spacesuit pantsuit jumpsuit suitcase
Added in 2013

-y antonym bicycle Byzantine [bɪɪzæntaɪn] cylinder cymbal cynical cyst gym gypsy
hymn mystery myth nymph rhythm sycamore [ɪsɪkəmˈˈ(r)] syllable syllabus
symbol symmetry sympathy symphony symposium symptom synonym synthesis
synthetic syphilis syringe sysop system typical typify

-ey alley chimney chutney [ɪtʃʃtni] donkey galley hockey honey jockey kidney Mickey
money monkey parsley valley volley
-o woman
English words with ea in the spelling that read as long e [I:]. The diphthong ea in English
could be read in 6 ways: (i) as long [I:]; (ii) as short [e]; (iii) as diphthong [eI]; (iv) as
diphtong [IE]; (v) as diphthong [eE]; and (vi) as long [E:]. The last three being members of
r-control words.

Words spelled ea in a close syllable word (usually stressed), read as long [I:]
would have the following words.

-ea pea sea tea flea plea

beacon beaver creature eager eagle feature heathen meager measles reason
seaman seamen season treacle treason weasel

-each beach bleach breach each leach peach preach reach teach

impeach overreach pleach preachy

-ead bead lead read knead plead

-eaf leaf sheaf

overleaf

-eague colleague league

-eak beak bleak creak freak leak peak speak sneak squeak streak teak tweak weak

-eal deal heal meal peal real really seal squeak squeal steal teal veal zeal

appeal ordeal reveal conceal congeal

-eam beam cream dream gleam ice-cream ream seam scream steam stream team

bloodstream crossbeam daydream downstream eyebeam mainstream

moonbeam upstream

-ean bean clean dean glean Jean lean mean wean

-eap heap leap reap cheap

-ease cease crease disease decrease ease grease increase lease please queasy release
tease

appease decease unease

-eash leash squeamish,

-east beast east Easter feast least yeast

-eat beat bleat cheat cleat defeat eat feat heat meat neat peat pleat repeat retreat seat
treat treaty wheat

-eath beneath breathe heath sheath wreath

-eave cleave heave leave sheave weave

-ear beard clear dear dreary ear fear gear hear near nearby rear sear shear smear
spear tear theatre theatre weary year

appear

-ear
bear pear wear

grotesque picturesque

baroque pique torque plaque

Word lists
Long-e phonograms [fW]
The single e in a single, open syllable word (usually stressed), read as long [fW]. A
general rule: the vowel of an open syllable is usually long.
e he; be; she; we; me;
adobe [əDÇərÄf], equal; legion [äfWÇwəå]; Korean [kəDrfən], scene; senile;
[DsfWnafl]; species [DspfWpfWz];
these; even; Economics; complete; recent; evening; he's; recently;
completely; scene; Negro; he'd; frequently; equal; previous; secret; region;
legal; evil; detail; completed; she'd; previously; details; beneath; theme;
-ee bee; fee; Lee; see; seesaw; tee; wee; flee; free; knee; glee; spree; three; tree;
agree; coffee; degree; foresee; free; freebee; gee; knee; lee; wee;
abductee; absentee; acceptee; ackee; addressee; appointee; assignee
awardee; chimpanzee; committee; consignee; counselee; degree; devotee
disagree; divorcee; dungarees; employee; endorsee; enlistee; enrollee; entree
emcee; escapee; evacuee; fiancee; franchisee; ghee; goatee; guarantee
honeybee; indorsee; interviewee; jamboree; jubilee; marquee; kimchee
lichee; licencee; licensee; nominee; oversee; parolee; payee; pedigree; pee;
referee; refugee; settee; thee; trainee; transfree; trustee; weewee.; etc.
-eeb feeb; enfeeble;
-eech beech; beseech; leech; breech; breeches; screech; speech;
-eed deed; feed; greed; heed; speed; need; reed; seed; weed; bleed; breed; creed;
freed; tweed;
exceed; godspeed; misdeed; needle; overspeed; proceed; proceeds;
proceedings; steed; succeed; wheedle;
-eef beef; reef;
-eek leek; meek; peek; reek seek; week; cheek; creek; Greek; sleek;
fenugreek, bouse-leek, inforseek, steek whitweek;
-eel eel; feel; feeling; heel; kneel; peel; reel; steel; wheel; wheelchair;
wheelbarrow; newsreel, unreel;
-eem deem; seem; teem; esteem; redeem;
-een been; between; keen; preen; queen; seen; teen; green; screen; teenage;
thirteen; fifteen; foreseen; fleen; gleen; Halloween; mangosteen; silkscreen;
smithereens; touchsreen; unseen; umpteen; windscreen;
-eep beep; bleep; cheep; creep; deep; jeep; keep; sleep; steep; sweep; peep; seep;
weep; sheep; dogsleep; housekeep; housekeeper; upkeep;
-eese cheese; geese; wildebeest;
-eet beet; sleet; feet; street; meet; fleet; greet; sheet; skeet; sweet; tweet; teeth;
teetotal; beetle; cheetah; discreet;
-eeve sleeve; greeve; greeveship; reeve; unreeve; shirtsleeve; oversleeve;
undersleeve; peeve; screeve;
- breeze; freeze; sneeze; squeeze; tweeze; wheeze;
eeze
-eer deer; jeer; peer; queer; sneer; steer;
 Words with double ee+r (eer) in the spelling, also known as r-control words,
would be read as diphthong [fə]
-ey alley; chimney; chutney; ['tpîtnf]; donkey; galley; hockey; honey; jockey;
kidney; Mickey; money; monkey; parsley; valley; volley;

English words with ea in the spelling that read as long e [fW]. The diphthong
ea in English could be read in 6 ways: (i) as long [fW]; (ii) as short [e]; (iii) as
diphthong [ef]; (iv) as diphtong [fə]; (v) as diphthong [eə]; and (vi) as long
[əW]. The last three being members of r-control words.

Words spelled ea in a close syllable word (usually stressed), read as long [fW]
have the following words

-ea flea; pea; plea; sea; tea;

beacon; beaver; creature; eager; eagle; feature; heathen; meager; measles;
reason; seaman; seamen; season; treacle; treason; weasel;
-each each; beach; bleach; breach; leach; peach; preach; reach; teach;
impeach; overreach; pleach; preachy;
-ead bead; lead; read; knead; plead;
-eaf leaf; sheaf; overleaf;
- colleague; league;
eague
-eak beak; bleak; creak; freak; leak; peak; speak; sneak; squeak; streak; teak;
tweak; weak;
-eal deal; heal; meal; peal; real; really; seal; squeak; squeal; steal; teal; veal; zeal;
appeal; ordeal; reveal; conceal; congeal;
-eam beam; cream; dream; gleam; ice-cream; ream; seam; scream; steam; stream;
team;
bloodstream; crossbeam; daydream; downstream; eyebeam; mainstream
moonbeam; upstream;
-ean bean; clean; dean; glean; Jean; lean; mean; wean;
-eap heap; leap; reap; cheap;
-ease cease; crease; disease; decrease; ease; grease; increase; lease; please; queasy;
release; tease; appease; decease; unease;
-eash leash; squeamish,
-east beast; east; Easter; feast; least; yeast;
-eat beat; bleat; cheat; cleat; defeat; eat; feat; heat; meat; neat; peat; pleat; repeat;
retreat; seat; treat; treaty; wheat;
-eath beneath; breathe; heath; sheath; wreath;
-eave cleave; heave; leave; sheave; weave;

English words with ea in the spelling that read as long e [fW]. The diphthong
ea in English could be read in 6 ways: (i) as long [fW]; (ii) as short [e]; (iii) as
diphthong [ef]; (iv) as diphtong [fə]; (v) as diphthong [eə]; and (vi) as long
[əW]. The last three being members of r-control words.

The following words spelled ea+r (another group of r-control words) read as
long [Éə]:
-ear bear; pear; wear; swear;
The following words spelled ea+r (another group of r-control words) read as
long [fə]:
-ear;
beard; clear; dear; dreary; ear; fear; gear; hear; near; nearby; rear; sear; shear;
smear; spear; tear; theatre; theatre; weary; year; appear;
-que Words ending in –que sound out as [k]

grotesque; picturesque; baroque; pique; torque; plaque;

Words; sounded; short; e; [f]; spelled; as; i:

-e belie; bellicose; forfeit; pretty;

i filibuster;
-ic; - clinic; lyric; lyrics; lugubrious; privilege; shiver; shivery; tragic; zinc;
ics
-ib bib; crib; glib; fib; jib; nib; rib;
-ich chicanery; inch; cinch; clinch; finch; flinch; pinch; rich; which;
-ick brick; chick; click; crick; cricket; flick; kick; lick; nick; pick; picket; prick;
quick; sick; slick; tick; ticket; thick; trick; slick; stick; wick;
-id accident; bid; did; forbid; grid; hid; kid; lid; mid; rid; skid; slid; squid; valid;
-if cliff; fifth; gif; gift; if; lift; miff; riff; shift; shrift; short; shrift; sniff; stiff;
thrift; tiff; whiff;
-ig big; brig; dig; fig; gigjig; pig; prig; rig; sprig; swig; twig; wig; zig;
-ique technique; antique; boutique; critique; mystique;
-ill ill; bill; chill; dill; drill; fill; frill; gill; grill; hill; kill; mill; pill; rill; sill; spill;
still; thrill; till; trill; twill; will;
-ilt filth; filthy; gilt; gilt-edged; hiltjilt; kilt; lilt; silt; up; silt; stilt; wilt; milk; silk;
-im blimp; brim; chimp; crimp; dim; grim; him; important; improve; import; limb;
limber; limbo; limp; pimp; primp; pimple; prim; primp; rim; trim; skimp;
slim; swim; timber; trim; whim;
-in begin; bin; din; chin; fin; gin; grin; in; include; infinitive; infinite; infusion;
inn; invent; kin; pin; shin; sin; skin; spin; tin; thin; twin; win; within;
-ing being; bing; bring; cling; ding; fling; king; ping; ring; sing; sling; sting;
spring; string; swing; thing; wing; wring; zing;
-inge binge; cringe; fringe; hinge; singe; tinge;
-ink blink; brink; click; cling; clink; clip; drink; fink; ink; kink; link; mink; pink;
rink; sink; slink; stink; think; wink;
-int glint; hing; lint; mint; print; splint; sprint; squint; stint; tint;
-ip blip; chip; clip; crisp; dip; drip; flip; grip; hip; lip; nip; pip; quip; rip; tip; trip;
ship; sip; skip; slip; snip; strip; trip; whip; yip; zip;
-is bliss; is; disk; his; hiss; fist; issue; kiss; list; mitosis*; miss; risk; sis; this;
-istle bristle; ['brfs(ə)l]; epistle; [f'pfs(ə)']; grfstle; ['grfs(ə)l]; thistle; ['θfs(ə)l];
whistle ['wrs(ə)l];
-ish bishop; churlish; dish; fish; swish; wish;
- bisque; beautique; physique; risqué;
isque
-it it; admit; it; bit; city; fit; hit; kit; knit; lit; mitt; nit; permit; pit; remit; sit; skit;
slit; slither; slithery; spit; split; submit; transmit; whit; whiz; wit; with;
-itch glitch; itch; ditch; hitch; pitch; stitch; witch;
-ive active*; give; live; relive; rive; river; rivet; rivel;

*most words ending in –ive could be short [f] e.g. river but some are long [ai],
e.g. rive; live, etc.
-ix fix; mix; six;
-izz frizz
-ie sieve; view;
-et basket; market; ticket; racket;

-ui biscuit; ['brskit]; build; [bild]; built; [bilt]; circuit; ['ss:(r)kit_]; distinguish;
[di'stnjgwrf]
equip; [I'kwrp]; equipment; [i'kWIpmant]; guilt; [91W]; liquid; ['likWId/];
marquis
['mo:(r)kwrs]; quiche; [kizf]; quick; ['kwrk]; quickly; ['kwrkli]; quit; [kwrt];
quilt
[kwrlt]; quiver; ['kwrva]; quiz; [kwrz]; quins; [kwmz]; quin; [kwm]; quint;
[kwmt]
quintuplet; [kwm'tjuplot]; quintessential; [.kwrnti'senflafl]; quintet; quilts;
quince
[kwms]; quintets; [kwm'tet/]; squid; [skwrd]; squint; [skwmt]
acquire; [o'kwara]; quiet; ['kwaiat]; quite; [kwait]; require; [ri'kwaioj
prerequisite; [pri; :; 'rekwozrt/]
bruin; [brurm]; druid; ['druzrd]; fluid; ['fluzrd]; ruin; ['ruzm]; suicide; cuisine;
tuition
fruit; [fruzt]; fruitful; fruitless
gluing; [gluz]; nuisance; ['nju:s(a)ns]
suit; [suzt]; spacesuit; pantsuitjumpsuit; suitcase

-y antonym; baby; baggy; bicycle; Byzantine; [bf'zætafn]; candy; crazy;

cylinder; cymbal; cynical; cyst; crystal; crunchy; empty; fancy; fifty; fussy;
frankly; gym; gypsy; gladly, handily; happy; hymn; inky; justly; keenly;
lastly; lady; lazy; lucky; luckily; mystery; myth; nymph; rhythm; sycamore;
['sfkəml(r)]; syllable; syllabus; symbol; symmetry; sympathy; symphony;
symposium; symptom; synonym; synthesis; synthetic; syphilis; syringe;
sysop; system; typical; typify; silly; smelly; snappy; plenty; penny; quickly;
sticky; skinny; misty; waxy oddly; strictly; worry; sorry; truly; shortly;
properly; thankfully; property; perfectly; tendency; swiftly; oligarchy;
oxygen;
-o woman

-ei; forfeit; forfeiture; counterfeit

 1
2. Vowel [e] = [Z], and [A]
Vowel Spelling frequency
1 2 3 4
Short [e] e ea ai any
Some word bed, bend, head, said, says any,
samples men, went bread, many
steak,

Vowel Spelling frequency

1 2 3 4
Long [A] a ai and -ave
Some word fan, man, plaid sand, have,
samples pan. band, rave,
brake hand
1. Words with the letter “e” in the spelling and read as short [e]; but words with these
letters “-er, -ere. -ew, -ey” in its spelling are to be read differently.
2. A word contains the spellings of “ea” but read as [e]; compare with the group of
exceptional words under long [I:: ]. Some of these words end with -ead in the spelling.
3. English words that carry the sound [A] mostly have the letter “a” in the spelling.
Other words that have the letter “a” but read differently are dealt with separately
in other section.
More on ea -ealth -eck -edge -ed -ext -esh
dead [ded] adj. health deck hedge bed next flesh
feather ['feTE] n. death heck ledge fled text fresh
head [hed] n. wealth neck wedge led mesh
heavy ['hevi] adj. peck pledge shed -est
instead [in'sted] adv. -eath check sled red best
leather ['leTE] n. breath fleck sledge sled nest -eft
pleasant ['pleznt] adj. stealth speck dredge wed pest left
pleasure ['pleVE] n. wreck bled rest cleft
sweat [swet] n. fed theft
sweater ['swet] n. Ted
thread [Wred] n. Sped
threat [Wret] n. Shred
weather ['weTE] n.
break [breik] v. -a -eg -ept -ength -ess -etch
great [greit] adj. any peg kept length bless fetch
steak [steik] many beg swept strength stress sketch
keg crept mess wretch
-ai leg slept press
said wept dress
less

Han Kwai You revised for 2013

 2
bad [bAd] adj. ae- --ash -arr -ack
bag [bAg] n. aeroplane cash arrow ['Arow] n. back,
band [bAnd] n. aerodrome ash, carrot ['kArot] n. lack,
bang [bAN] n. aegis bash, carry ['kAri] v. tack,
fact [fAkt] n. aeon crash, marrow ['mArou] n. pack,
jam [dVAm] n. aesthete dash, marram ['mArEm] n. quack,
map [mAp] n. ['i:sWi:t] gash, marriage ['mAridV] n. sack,
rag [rAg] n. hash, married ['mArid] adj. crack,
tap [tAp] n. --aff lash, narrow ['nArou] adj. black,
cat [kAt] n. chaff mash, stack,
staff rash, --ass track,
sash, ass, bass, trass, crass, knack,
aff— brash, lass, mass, sass, trass shack,
after,
craft, Exception -ass
draft, class
graft, glass
shaft, grass
waft, brass

Tongue twister: All the eggs are on the bed.

Han Kwai You revised for 2013

 1
Words ending in the letter “e” – known as silent “e”

a-e o-e i-e i-e u-e

care home bribe spike goose
cake smoke bride smile snooze
take hope chide grime groove
make joke dice vine choose
lake complete hide hide include
late stone die pike truce
hate more died vile rule
made note dies crime lose
save nose scribe Mike true
place coke lice tile noodle
blaze code ride chime mute
stale dose lie nine tune
tape robe lied fine tube
page froze lies mile
game toe knife lime
safe stove tribe file
save come rife dime
brake some wife dine
blazer done strife
gone stride
noise
choice
recipe
abalone
catastrophe
apostrophe

Except foreign words (non-English origin words), when you see or use words
ending in the letter “e”, and the letter “e” is silent, and the preceding vowel
letter is read long in its own name, e.g. "take", "scene", "spike", "home", "mule".
The exceptions are usually foreign words.
 2

Be careful when you add a suffix to a word which ends in -e. Sometimes you need to keep
the -e, sometimes you need to drop it. It all depends on which suffix you use.
hope + ing = hoping (With -ing, you need to drop the -e)
hope + ful = hopeful (If the first letter of the suffix is a consonant, you need to keep the -e)
Remember, a, e, i, o and u are vowels. All the other letters are consonants.

Something to laugh about:

• When living in Kuala Lumpur, I notice that a pizza comes to your house faster than
an ambulance.
• The most difficult thing to open is a closed mind.
• Never be too open-minded. Your brains might fall out.
Designed by Han Kwai Yow Revised in 2011

3. Vowel [Q] and [B:]

Vowel Spelling frequency
Short [Q] u o o-e ou oo ongue
Some word cup, up, just, son, won, done, touch, blood, tongue
samples us, lust, love, does, tough, flood,
lucky hope, enough,

* other words with “ou” in the spelling; but read differently.

Vowel Spelling frequency

Long [B:] ar a ear augh er
Some word bar, car, park father, heart laugh, clerk,
samples bark, farther, sergeant

un-- --urr u except ur

unable hurricane bun
unaffected furrier cup
uncertain currency but
undone current cut
unfair currant dull
unjust hurrah Dutch
unlucky furrow gull
uninformed burrow hull
turret lunch
exception: rubbish
universal suffer
university -urry vulgar
union curry
hurry exception:
bull
--urry full
furry pull
bury push
put
Words sounded [ʌ], spelled ou:

ou double [ˈdʌb(ə)l], couple [ˈkʌp(ə)l], couplet [ˈkʌplət], country [ˈkʌntri], cousin

[ˈkʌz(ə)n], courage [ˈkʌrʌdʌ], discourage [dʌsˈkʌrʌdʌ], enough [ʌˈnʌf], encourage
[ʌnˈkʌrʌdʌ], encouragement [ʌnˈkʌrʌdʌmənt], flourish [ˈflʌrʌʌ], nourish [ˈnʌrʌʌ],
rough [rʌf], touch [tʌtʌ], tough [tʌf], trouble [rʌb(ə)l], young [jʌŋ],
Designed by Han Kwai Yow Revised in 2011

--ar bar --alf -ass --aff

arch chart calf [kB:f] class chaff [tFB:f] n.
barn harm half [hB:f] glass quaff [kwB:f] v.
dart mart grass staff [stB:f] n.
jar smart --alves brass
part yarn calves [kB:vz] --aft
star bark halves [hB:vz] --ast abaft [E'bB:ft]
Arctic dark blast prep.
car harp --alm cast after ['B:ftE]
far park alms [B:mz] fast adv.
lard spark almond ['B:mEnd] ghastly aircraft ['ZEkrB:ft]
party harbour balm [bB:m] last n.
start parcel calm [kB:m] mast craft [krB:ft] n.
ark Mark embalm [im'bB:m] nasty draft [drB:ft] n.
card charge palm [pB:m] past graft [grB:ft] n.
farm guard nasty haft [hB:f t] n.
large mark --ask past raft [rB:ft] n.
scar shark task plaster shaft [FB:ft] n.
starch target ask *bastard waft [wB:ft] v.
arm tart basket ['bB:skit] *drastic
cart artist flask *plastic
garden charm mask
march hard
scarf farther --ance
tar marsh advance
art sharp chance
warfare yard dance
smart France
exception: glance
war [wR:] lance
ward [wR:d]
warm [wR:m]
warn [wR:n]
warp [wR:p]
wart [wR:t]
Prepared by Steffen Han
Revised 2010

4. Vowel [R] and [R:]

Vowel Spelling frequency
Short [R] o an ough o-e ost
Some word samples dog, want, cough, trough, gone, shone, cost, frost, hostile,
cot, wander ought exception
hot, roster, ghost, most, host, post, postage,
pot,

Vowel
Long or ore oar orn aw au our ough augh ar all oor a
[R:]
Some for, before, roar, worn, law, author, course, bought, caught, war all, tall, door, water,
word port, core, board torn awful sauce, mourn cough, taught, mall, floor wash,
samples nor, bore, thought, exception: watch,
shore, exception: shall. watt,
aunt,
draught,
draughty
gauge,
laugh,
 Prepared by Steffen Han
Revised 2010
Most single--an al-- --alk --aunch -awl -long --oth
syllable word
swan,
with spelling
almost, balk haunch, bawl, bong, moth,
“o”could wan, already talk launch, brawl, dong, broth,
be read as wand, also walk paunch, crawl, long, cloth
Short [R] wander, alternate chalk staunch, drawl, song, froth,
wanigan, although stalk scrawl, tong, sloth,
Exception want, altogether --aunt shawl prong,
comb wanton, always --alt daunt strong, exception:
[koum] halt, gaunt -awn wrong, both
front exception: exception salt, haunt dawn
[frQnt] wane, Albert malt, jaunt fawn --oss
won wangle album taunt lawn boss
[wQn] alcohol -ault flaunt brawn loss
some alcove fault yawn moss
[sQm] algebra vault pawn toss
allegory prawn cross
altitude floss
alkali gloss

--orch --orm --our

porch dorm, four
torch form, pour,
scorch norm,
from,
--ord storm
cord,
ford, --orn
lord, born
chord, corn,
sword horn,
morn,
--ork torn,
cork, worn,
fork, scorn,
pork, sworn,
stork, thorn,
2009 Revised

5. Vowel [u] and [u:] [U]

Vowel Spelling frequency
1 2 3 4 5 6
Short [u] oo u ou o
Some word look, cook, full, pull, could, woman,
samples book, good, put, bush, would,
wood, push, should,
cookie,

Vowel Spelling frequency

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Long oo u-e ew ou ui o oe eau
[u:]
Some root, rude, grew, soup, fruit, do, shoe beauty,
word balloon, blue brew, croup, suit, to, beautiful
samples moon, chew, group juice, who,
roof, brew, move
spoon, blew, you,
etc. crew,
drew,
flew
knew,
few,
etc.
 2

--uce [ju:] ; --ew --ue [u:] -ui These words

[ju:s] few, blue biscuit look alike, but
deduce new, clue build they don’t
induce mew flue circuit sound alike.
introduce pew, flute cuisine
produce knew glue guilt 1. book,
reduce dew grue quick foot,
seduce view rue quilt good,
slue hood,
you – --uth sprue --ui look,
yet – Ruth cruise stood,
yes – Truth All these cruiser wood
use – words come fruit 2. aloof,
union – --uke with the letter juice boom,
university – duke “c”, “d”, “h”, recruit doom,
usual – puke “r”, and “sp” sluice gloom,
amuse – fluke in front. They soon,
tube – read [ju:]. --ui bloom,
endure – fluid broom,
beauty – ruin noon,
onion – exception: proof,
opinion – -- if “n” or roof,
million- argue “s” or “t” zoom
5mIljen continue come in 3. floor,
genuine- cue front of door
5dʒ enjuIn due “ui”, 4. flood,
genius-
fuel you read it blood
[5dʒ I:nIEs]
hue as [ju:]. 5. moor,
Januarry-
rescue poor,
[5dʒ ænjuərI]
Febuary spew nuisance
[5februErI] value suicide
suit
tuition
Exception:
suite [swi:t]

“Two new balloons flew to the moon at noon.”

Prepared by Mr Han Kwai Yow for English Class

2009 Revised 3

6. Vowel [E] and [E:]

[E] [E:]
Alphabet word sample attention Alphabet word sample attention
letter and letter and
spelling spelling
a above, away, about, ir girl, shirt,
among, awake, sir, bird,
aware,
America, Malaysia,
China, etc
ur fur, furl,
curb, curd,
turn,
er her, herb,
term,
ear pearl, earth,
early,
ere were,
wor work, word, sword,
worth,

Prepared by Mr Han Kwai Yow for English Class

The Sounds of English Language 1

The English Diphthongs

[ei] [ai] [Ri]

Alphabet word attention Alphabet word attention Alphabet word attention
letter sample letter sample letter sample
and and and
spelling spelling spelling
a-e cake, i-e mine, oi join, choir
late, pale, time point,
make, oil,
made, noise
ai rain, aisle i, ign, wife, oy joy,
mail, kind, Joyce,
straight, ind find, annoy,
wait, sign, oyster
align,
science
a paper, y, ye, my, by,
Australia, sky,
table, eye style,
dye,
eye
ay day, say, igh high,
pay, play, sight,
Malaysia height
ei rein, ie die,
skein, pie,
height,
either,
neither
eigh eight, uy buy
weigh,
ey they, ai aisle,
grey daï
ea great,
break

This Table is prepared by Han Kwai Yow, revised in 2010.

The Sounds of English Language 2

[EU] [aU]
Alphabet word attention Alphabet word attention
letter and sample letter and sample
spelling spelling
o-e note, ow bow, now,
home, cow,
bone, crown,
wrote,
o over, ou thousand,
open, so, loud,
no, go, flower,
post, roll, out,
goes, toes,
oa boat, coat, ough bough
road, load,
goal, coal,
oe goes, toes,
oax hoax,
coax,
ow shown,
know,
sow, bow,
tow
ou soul,
dough,
au mauve

This Table is prepared by Han Kwai Yow, revised in 2010.

 [iE] [ZE] [uE] [RE]/[R:]
Alphabet word sample attention Alphabet word attention Alphabet word attention Alphabet word attention
letter and letter and sample letter and sample letter and sample
spelling spelling spelling spelling
ear/ea(r) fear, near, air chair, air, our tour, oor poor,
ear, fair, hair your, door,
dear, year, gourd floor
hear, here,
eer beer, deer, are care, oor poor, our pour
steer, cheer, share, door
engineer, square,
volunteer, shared,
ier pier, tier, ear swear, ure pure, oar roar
fierce, wear, lure,
bear, year cure,
endure
ere hemisphere, there, ere where, uel cruel, ore wore, ore
mere, here, stereo, there, fuel
sincere, ceremony,
were,
eir weir, eir their er drawer
ea beard,
idea, ideal,
real,
ea area
ie variety
ar wary
ae aeroplane
The Sounds of English Language 4

English Triphthongs

[RE]/[R:] [auE] [aiE]

Alphabet word attention Alphabet word attention Alphabet word attention
letter and sample letter sample letter sample
spelling and and
spelling spelling
oor poor, our our, ire fire,
door, hour, hire,
floor sour, admire
scour,
our pour er flower, iar liar
power,
tower,
oar roar er buyer,
higher,
flier,
ore wore, io lion,
ore riot,
pious
er drawer oi choir

ui quiet,

iro iron

This Table is prepared by Han Kwai Yow, revised in 2010.

The Sounds of English Language 4

English Triphthongs

[auE] [aiE]
Alphabet word attention Alphabet word attention
letter sample letter sample
and and
spelling spelling
our our, ire fire,
hour, hire,
sour, admire
scour,
er flower, iar liar
power,
tower,
er buyer,
higher,
flier,
io lion,
riot,
pious
oi choir

ui quiet,

iro iron

This Table is prepared by Han Kwai Yow, revised in 2010.