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Words with OU saying "ow!"

Teach this by discovery, after the OY/OI combination -- dictate simple  "ow" words, student being fully aware that they are spelled "ow," and let it be noticed how many words end in ow... but it's not the end of the word, it's the end of the syllable that matters. There are exceptions here -- but the exceptions also follow discoverable patterns. If a word ends in w or l or n, it almost always keeps the "ow." If a student needs a possible reason, I postulate that a word like "towel" is spelled with two syllables, but we talk so fast it turns into one -- so while towel still has that e, many other words have dropped it. They can discover those patterns, too.

This is a comprehensive reference list, in alphabetical order - just as the "oy/ oi" list was.

Hands On Activity:  Make an index card with 4 of each kind of word, without their ow's or ou's, like so:
 
 

Make pieces of cards with "oi" and "oy" on them, like so:
 

 Have the student put them together.  This is a place where you could put 'boil' and 'loyal' together, because the second 'a' in loyal indicates that another syllable is starting.

Some students overgeneralize that if the next letter is a consonant, it's oi; if it's a vowel it's oy.  That doesn't work for words like boycott or oyster.  Make sure you have words like boycott in the exercises and discuss the patterns, and where the syllables divide.

These are in alphabetical order.

CONTINUED...

*and many words with out- as a prefix -- outback, outgun, outshine, outplay...