1. Syllable Patterns:Vowel Digraphs

2. load / ing The word is broken into two syllables – a base word (load) and an ending (ing). A vowel digraph is when two vowels come together to make one sound. The base word load contains the vowel pair oa. It makes one sound /ō/. Notice that loadis a closed syllable (the letter sound /d/ closes the first syllable). But even though the syllable is closed, the oa digraph keeps its long sound /ō/

3. a / skew This word is broken into two syllables. The second syllable contains a vowel/consonant pair ew. It makes a blended sound /yū/.This is a dipthong. A dipthong is when a vowel and a consonant blend together to make one sound.

4. meat and few • So, sometimes words or syllables contain: • vowel pairs that combine to make one sound (digraphs) • meat • vowel/consonant pairs that make a blended sound (diphthongs) • Few In either case- these letters stay together and are not broken to divide the word into syllables. And…even if the syllable is closed, if the digraph has a long sound then that syllable has a long sound.

5. Try these. Where are the syllable breaks? What letters make the digraphs or diphthongs?

6. pronounce pro / nounce ou – diphthong Is the first syllable open or closed?

7. automobile au / to / mo / bile au –digraph Is the second syllable /to/ open or closed? What about the third syllable? Is it open or closed?

8. decreasing de / creas / ing ea- digraph Is the syllable /creas/ open or closed? If it is closed why does it still have the long e sound? (hint: Think about the digraph!)

9. awesome awe / some aw –digraph

10. paramount par / a / mount ou - diphthong

11. meaningful mean / ing / ful ea- digraph What about the last syllable? Is it open or closed?

12. Look in the story, “Chang and the Bamboo Flute.” Find five more words that contain diagraphs.