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Short Vowels
(Phonics Elements 7)

After consistent consonants with one sound are mastered, it is time to learn (and teach) short vowels. The most common vowel sound is the short vowel. This is sometimes referred to as "unglided." In the dictionary, vowels are tagged with diacritical marks; the short vowel tag looks like a half circle over the vowel.

Since every word in the English language contains at least one vowel, knowing the five major vowel sounds is critical. Most short vowel sounds are consistent:
In a dictionary, if you notice an a with a dot over it, this is what is referred to as an Italian a, as in the word sofa. Several other examples of the Italian a are: tuba; alert; adore; arithmetic; and panda.

CSML-014 / 090612

Copyright 2007, 2008, 2009 -- Rita M. Wirtz, M.A. -- All Rights Reserved