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      Applying the spellings 'oa', 'ow' and 'o-e' in familiar words

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can spell words containing the three most common representations of the oa’ phoneme: ‘oa’, ‘ow’ and ‘o-e’.

      Key learning points

      1. ‘ow’ is a representation of the 'oa' phoneme that often comes at the end of a word.
      2. ‘o-e’ is a representation of the 'oa' phoneme that is often found 'last but one'.
      3. ‘oa’ is a representation of the 'oa' phoneme that is often found in the middle of a word.
      4. How to spell the common exception word: want.

      Keywords

      • Phoneme - the smallest units of sound that make up words

      • Digraph - two letters that represent one sound

      • Split digraph - has a letter that comes between the two letters in a digraph like in "make" where the "k" separates the digraph "ae"

      • Suffix - a group of letters added at the end of a word to change its meaning or create a new word, like "-er" in "teacher" or "-ing" in "running."

      • Common - spellings that appear most often in writing

      Common misconception

      Spelling rules are often found within root words, leading to confusion when suffixes are added.

      Show examples of root words alongside words with suffixes added e.g. float and floating.

      Teacher tip

      Say any unfamiliar or new words in a simple sentence when you introduce them to ensure that the class understand their meaning.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      How many syllables are in the word floating?

      1
      Correct answer: 2
      5
      6

      Q2.
      Choose two words that contain the root word toast.

      Correct answer: toaster
      roasting
      Correct answer: toasting
      most

      Q3.
      Match the word to the spelling it uses for the 'oa' sound.

      Correct Answer:oak,oa

      oa

      Correct Answer:showing,ow

      ow

      Correct Answer:hope,o-e

      o-e

      Q4.
      Choose the three common spellings of the oa phoneme.

      ea
      Correct answer: oa
      Correct answer: ow
      Correct answer: o-e
      ei

      Q5.
      Pick the spelling that matches the sentence. I'm sorry I couldn't __________ to your party.

      cum
      com
      Correct answer: come

      Q6.
      Correct the spelling in bold in the following sentence. You have a very nice hoam.

      Correct Answer: home

      6 Questions

      Q1.
      Select the correct spelling to match the sentence. I __________ to go on a holiday.

      wont
      Correct answer: want
      whant
      wante

      Q2.
      Choose the 'oa' spellings that match the words.

      Correct Answer:slope,o-e

      o-e

      Correct Answer:pillow,ow

      ow

      Correct Answer:soak,oa

      oa

      Q3.
      Match the grapheme to where it is commonly found in a word.

      Correct Answer:oa,in the middle of a word

      in the middle of a word

      Correct Answer:ow,at the end of a word

      at the end of a word

      Correct Answer:o-e,'the last but one'

      'the last but one'

      Q4.
      Correct the spelling in bold in the following sentence. Rest your head on the pillo

      Correct Answer: pillow

      Q5.
      Correct the spelling in bold in the following sentence. Their joak made us laugh a lot.

      Correct Answer: joke

      Q6.
      Correct the spelling in bold in the following sentence. She scored a brilliant gole

      Correct Answer: goal

      To help you plan your 2 English lesson on: Applying the spellings 'oa', 'ow' and 'o-e' in familiar words, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...