The Long U sound is a little different compared to the other four English vowels because instead of having one vowel sound, it has two! We’ll review these two sounds, plus the four patterns that can help you identify when something is a Long U or a Short U.
If you need any more phonics help, check out our Vowels and Consonants Page for lessons, flashcards, and articles.
How to Pronounce the Long U Sound
There are two Long U sounds you need to learn. The first is the same as its name (the “u” in cute) and makes a y-oo sound. The second sound is shorter, cutting off the initial “y” sound, leaving only the “oo” (like the “u” in blue).
Long U #1 is /yuw/ (like in cute).
Long U #2 is /uw/ (like in blue).
In the sections below, each word will be marked with a #1 or a #2 to signify which Long U sound it makes.
1. Long U Sound Pattern: “Magic E” (u_e)
The first Long U sound pattern to learn is words with a Magic E pattern. Remember, these words have an “e” that hops backward over a letter to “magically” turn a short u into a long u (like cut to cute). In Magic E words, the “e” itself is silent, so in a word like “cute” we should hear /k/ /yuw/ /t/. To get a better sense of how this works, take a look at our examples below.
Long U Words with “Magic E” (“u_e”)
- Cute (#1)
- Use (#1)
- Huge (#1)
- Confuse (#1)
- Fuse (#1)
- Tune (#2)
Exceptions to “u_e”
- Minute (uses a short /i/)
2. Long U Sound Pattern: -ue
The “ue” pattern comes at the end of words, though some examples may have an “s” afterward to indicate that it is plural. There are only a few words that use this pattern, but there are some important ones your child probably already knows, like “blue” or “glue.”
Important Words with “-ue”
- True (#2)
- Glue (#2)
- Blue (#2)
- Avenue (#1)
- Argue (#1)
- Clue (#2)
- Barbecue (#1)
Exceptions to “-ue”
- League (the “ue” is silent, so this word ends on the /g/ sound)
- Tongue (this word ends on the /ng/ (ŋ) nasal consonant)
3. Long U Sound Pattern: ew
The “ew” pattern is a fairly rare pattern that comes up in only a couple of important words. I would recommend that you try to teach this rule because it may help your child identify new words in the future.
Important Words with “ew”
- New (#2)
- Few (#1)
- Stew (#2)
- Nephew (#1)
Exceptions to “ew”
There are few “ew” words to start with, and no major exceptions that you need to worry about.
4. Long U Sound Pattern: U (Open Syllable)
Like with other vowels, the Open Syllable rule also applies to the letter “U.” If a vowel is at the end of a syllable, that syllable is called an Open Syllable, and that vowel will make a long vowel sound. You can identify these words by memorizing important examples, and by teaching your child to count syllables to check words on their own.
Important Words with “u” (Open Syllable)
- Human (#1)
- Future (#1)
- Student (#2)
- Music (#1)
- Unity (#1)
Important Exceptions to “u” (Open Syllable)
There are no important exceptions for you to worry about.
How do I Practice Long U Vowel Patterns?
Once you have gone over the patterns that use Long U, it is best to practice identifying Long U vowels by reading with your child.
If you’re looking for reading materials to practice with, you can take a look at our free beginner-friendly fairy tales.
While reading with your child, please make sure that you discourage them from guessing words. Also, do not try to push them to read beyond their level. By taking it slow in the beginning and properly teaching them how to read using long vowel patterns and synthetic phonics, your child will improve in the long run.
More Questions
If you have questions that you would like answered, feel free to leave us a post in the comment section or click on the button below and we can email you back.
