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Unit 6, Part 2: Spelling the short vowel sounds

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Unit 6: Short vowels, Part 2: o and u

Unit StartPage 12: Short vowel /o/: o, wa, quaCourse Test: Spelling test for /o/: o, wa, quaPage 14: Spelling test for /o/: o, wa, quaPage 15: Homophones and rule breakers for /o/Page 16: Short vowel /u/: u, o or ou?Page 17: When to use o to spell the /u/ sound.Course Test: Spelling test for /u/: u, o or ou?Page 19: Spelling test for /u/: u, o or ou?Page 20: Homophones for /u/Page 21: The schwa soundUnit End

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Spelling the short vowel sound /ŭ/

One more thing:

Sometimes English words contain a very weak vowel sound.

Say these words aloud and listen to the sound of the vowel in the underlined syllable:

Spell parrot
parrot
Spell lion
lion
Spell camel
camel
Spell zebra
zebra

Some more examples:

Spell hospital Spell travel
hospital travel

In each case, they sound like they contain a soft /u/. This is called the 'schwa' (from the Hebrew 'emptiness') because it can sound like there is no vowel there at all.

Different vowels spell the schwa sound. There are no rules. We have to remember them.
Unit 24 tells you more about them if you are interested!

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