Phonics · lesson 20 of 24 · free

Vowel teams — Phonics for kids

Vowel teams are two letters that make one long vowel sound: ai and ay say a (rain, day), ee and ea say e (bee, tea), oa and ow say o (boat, snow).

▶ Watch how it works

Got it? Practise ↓

How the sounds work

Two vowels, one long sound — “when two vowels team up, they make one long vowel sound”

  1. Spot the team: ai, ay, ee, ea, oa or ow.
  2. Read the team as one long sound: g-oa-t.
  3. ay and ow are often at the end of a word (day, snow); ai and oa are in the middle (rain, boat).

Use it for: Reading and spelling long-vowel words in Class 1 and Class 2 books.

Worked example: 🐐 g_ _t — which two letters are missing? → oa

  1. Look at the picture: 🐐 is “goat”. Say it slowly.
  2. The two vowels “oa” work as a team and make one long sound: g[oa]t.

Check: g + oa + t = goat ✓

▶ Watch it animated

✏️ Practice

Listen (🔊), look at the pictures, then tap the answer. Grown-ups: read the question together.

Right: 0 · Tried: 0

🏁 Lesson 20 test

20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

🏅 Sign in with Google to earn the ⛵ Vowel Team Sailor badge when you pass — and a certificate when you finish all 9 lessons of Part 3 · Digraphs and long vowels. You can still take the test without signing in.

🖨️ Vowel Teams Phonics Worksheets

✨ Free AI tutor

Ask the AI tutor about this lesson

Why does it work? When should you use it? Ask in English, मराठी or हिंदी.

Sign in with Google to ask Free — 20 questions a day.

👩‍🏫 Phonics classes near you — online or at home

Prefer a real teacher? TalentJR teachers take live online classes anywhere in India and visit homes in selected cities. Tell us what you need and our team will call you with timings and fees.

Live online classesSmall groups or 1:1 with a teacher, from home, any city.
Teacher at homeA TalentJR teacher visits your home (selected cities).
At a centreClasses at a TalentJR partner centre near you, where available.
Badges, certificates & gifts A badge for every lesson you pass, a certificate for every part you finish, plus TalentJR Points for daily practice. Spoken English for kids Next step: say words and sentences aloud and get speaking stars.