Learn to Spell: long -ou words

Ages 6–8 · 6 minutes · English

Practice spelling long -ou words like loud, mouse and shout!

Students can build their intermediate spelling skills by practicing spelling words with the long -ou pattern such as loud, count, shout, found, cloud, mouse and sour.

Prior experience with basic spelling is recommended.

Part of

Learn to Spell 3

Standards alignment

Common Core State Standards

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
RF.2.3.e — Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.
RF.K.3.d — Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

Alabama

ELA21.1.31f — With prompting and support, encode words with the common vowel teams and diphthongs.
ELA21.2.10e — Decode and encode words with variable vowel teams and vowel diphthongs.
ELA21.1.7h — With prompting and support, decode words with common vowel team syllables, including _ai, ay, ee, ea, igh, ie, oa, ou, ow, au, aw, oe, oo, ew, oi, oy,_ and _ue._
ELA21.2.38g — Encode words with the common vowel teams, including diphthongs.

Alaska

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
RF.K.3.d — Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

Arizona

2.WF.3.a — Spell on-level, regular, single-syllable words that include:
2.WF.3.a.3 — Less common vowel teams for long vowels (e.g., ow, oo, au, ou, ue).
2.RF.3.b — Know spelling‐sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
2.WF.3 — Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words.

Arkansas

2.FR.14.PE — Encode one-syllable words with diphthongs (i.e., oi, oy, ou, ow).
1.FR.7.PD — Decode one-syllable words with diphthongs (e.g., oi, oy, ou, ow).
2.FR.8.PE — Encode final /s/ spelled as ss, ce, and se (e.g., dress, face, moose).

California

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
RF.2.3.e — Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.

Colorado

RWC20-GR.2-S.2-GLE.3-EO.a.ii — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
RWC20-GR.2-S.3-GLE.4-EO.b.iv — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (for example: cage → badge; boy → boil).
RWC20-GR.1-S.3-GLE.4-EO.b.v — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
RWC20-GR.2-S.2-GLE.3 — Apply knowledge of complex spelling patterns (orthography) and word meanings (morphology) to decode words with accuracy.

Connecticut

RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.K.3.d — Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

Delaware

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
RF.2.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
RF.K.3.d — Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

Florida

ELA.2.F.1.3 — Use knowledge of grade-appropriate phonics and word-analysis skills to decode words. • Decode words with variable vowel teams (e.g., oo, ea, ou) and vowel diphthongs (e.g., oi, oy, ow). • Decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long and short vowels. • Decode words with open (e.g., hi, baby, moment) and closed (e.g., bag, sunshine, chop) syllables and consonant -le (e.g., purple, circle, stumble). • Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes. • Decode words with silent letter combinations (e.g., knight, comb, island, ghost).
ELA.2.C.3.1 — Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.

Georgia

ELAGSE2L2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
ELAGSE2RF3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
ELAGSE1L2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.

Hawaii

2.RF.3b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
1.L.2d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
2.L.2d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
2.RF.3e — Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.

Idaho

2.FR.PH.3a — Know spelling-sound correspondences for common short and long vowel teams (e.g., head, hook, boat, weigh) including diphthongs (e.g., toil, cloud).
2.GC.M.3a — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
2.GC.M.3 — Use knowledge of spelling in writing.

Illinois

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.

Indiana

1.W.8 — Demonstrate command of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, focusing on: a. Capitalization – Capitalizing the first word of a sentence, dates, names of people, and the pronoun I. b. Punctuation – I. Correctly using a period, question mark, and exclamation mark at the end of a sentence. II. Using commas in dates and to separate items in a series. c. Encoding – I. Spelling unknown words phonetically, drawing on phonemic awareness and spelling conventions. II. Correctly spelling words with common spelling patterns. III. Correctly spelling common irregularly-spelled, grade-appropriate words (e.g., said, does, gone). (E) Communication and Collaboration
2.RF.2 — Apply knowledge of short and long vowels (including vowel teams) when reading regularly-spelled, one-syllable words.
2.W.8 — Demonstrate command of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, focusing on: a. Capitalization – Capitalizing greetings, months and days of the week, titles and initials in names, and proper nouns, including holidays and geographic names. b. Punctuation – I. Correctly using a period, question mark, or exclamation mark at the end of a sentence. II. Using an apostrophe to form contractions and singular possessive nouns. III. Using commas in greetings and closings of letters, dates, and to separate items in a series. c. Encoding – I. Correctly spelling words with short and long vowel sounds, r-controlled vowels, and consonant-blend patterns. II. Generalizing learned spelling patterns (e.g., word families) when writing words. III. Correctly spelling common irregularly-spelled, grade-appropriate words (e.g., said, does, gone). (E) Communication and Collaboration
1.RF.5 — Use letter-sound knowledge of single consonants (hard and soft sounds), short and long vowels, consonant blends and digraphs, vowel teams (e.g., ai) and digraphs, and r-controlled vowels to decode phonetically regular words (e.g., cat, go, black, boat, her), independent of context. (E)

Iowa

RF.2.3.b — Decode and encode common vowel teams. With prompting and support, decode and encode additional vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
L2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).

Kansas

RF.2.3.b — Know correspondences for additional common vowel teams (e.g., steak).
W.2.11.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words.
W.1.11.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently-occurring irregular words.
RF.2.3.e — Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences (e.g., -ay, -igh).

Kentucky

L.2.2.d — Generalize spelling patterns.
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
RF.2.3.e — Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.

Louisiana

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage→ badge; boy→ boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
RF.2.3.e — Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.

Maine

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
R.3.2.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
R.3.K.d — Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

Maryland

RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.1.3.c — Know final -e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds.

Massachusetts

L.2.2.e — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.e — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.

Michigan

RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).

Minnesota

2.1.1.2.a — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words: know the spelling-sound correspondences for the common vowel graphemes.
2.2.1.2 — Apply spelling patterns and rules to spell words with consonant and vowel digraphs and diphthongs, six syllable types, and inflectional suffixes authentically in writing.
1.1.1.2.b — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words: decode regularly spelled one-syllable words including final e and vowel teams, consonant digraphs and diphthongs, and inflectional suffixes and two-syllable words that follow six-syllable types, demonstrating both accuracy and automaticity.

Mississippi

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
RF.2.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Missouri

1.L.1.B.e — spell words using regular spelling patterns
2.RF.3.A.d — decoding words with vowel diphthongs
1.RF.3.A.e — combining sounds from letters and common spelling patterns to create and decode recognizable words

Montana

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
RF.2.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Nebraska

LA.2.F.3.a — Decode words with variable vowel teams and vowel diphthongs.
LA.1.F.3.c — Decode and encode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
LA.2.F.3 — Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding and encoding (spelling) words.
LA.2.FW.2 — Demonstrate sound-letter concepts when writing.

Nevada

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
RF.2.3.e — Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.

New Hampshire

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
RF.2.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
RF.K.3.d — Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

New Jersey

RF.2.3.a — Know spelling-sound correspondences for common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

New Mexico

RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.K.3.d — Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

New York

2RF3a — Distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one-syllable words (including common vowel teams).
1RF3b — Decode long vowel sounds in regularly spelled one-syllable words (e.g., final –e conventions and common vowel teams).
1RF3c — Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
2RF3 — Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

North Carolina

RF.2.4.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
RF.2.4 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
RF.2.4.e — Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.

North Dakota

2.F.9b — vowel teams
2.F.8a — vowel teams
2.F.8 — Decode words with phoneme-grapheme correspondences:

Ohio

RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.e — Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.

Oklahoma

2.2.PWS.1 — Students will decode one- and two-syllable words by using their knowledge of the following phonics skills: a. single consonants, including those with two different sounds (e.g., soft and hard c [cent, cat] and g [gem, goat]) b. consonant blends (e.g., bl, br, cr, spr, spl) c. consonant digraphs and trigraphs (e.g., sh, tch) d. vowel-consonant-silent e (e.g., lake) e. r-controlled vowels (i.e., ar, er, ir or, ur) f. vowel digraphs (e.g., ea, oa, ee) g. vowel diphthongs (i.e., vowel combinations having two vowel sounds [e.g., oi as in boil, oy as in boy]) h. schwa (e.g., banana) i. silent letter combinations (knew, could, ghost) *sequential skills
2.2.SE.1 — Students will use correct spelling when writing the following sounds in words: a. digraphs b. trigraphs c. vowel digraphs d. r-controlled *sequential skills
3.2.SE.1 — Students will use correct spelling when writing the following sounds in words: • diphthongs • schwa (i.e., /ə/) • silent letter combinations (e.g., knew, could, ghost) • hard/soft c, g (e.g., cover, celebrate, gorilla, general)

Oregon

2.L.2d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words.
2.RF.3b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
1.L.2d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
2.RF.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Pennsylvania

CC.1.1.1.D — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. • Identify common consonant diagraphs, final-e, and common vowel teams. • Decode one- and two-syllable words with common patterns. • Read grade-level words with inflectional endings. • Read grade- appropriate irregularly spelled words.
CC.1.4.1.F — Demonstrate a grade- appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. • Capitalize dates and names of people. • Use end punctuation; use commas in dates and words in series. • Spell words drawing on common spelling patterns, phonemic awareness, and spelling conventions.
CC.1.4.1.L — Demonstrate a grade- appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. • Capitalize dates and names of people. • Use end punctuation; use commas in dates and words in series. • Spell words drawing on common spelling patterns, phonemic awareness, and spelling conventions.
CC.1.4.1.R — Demonstrate a grade- appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. • Capitalize dates and names of people. • Use end punctuation; use commas in dates and words in series. • Spell words drawing on common spelling patterns, phonemic awareness, and spelling conventions.

Rhode Island

RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.e — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
L.2.2.e — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).

South Carolina

ELA.2.F.3.8 — Decode and encode multisyllabic words using: a. consonant digraphs (i.e., sh, th, ch, wh, ph, ck); b. combination (e.g., qu); c. three-consonant blends (e.g., str-, scr-); d. blends containing digraphs (e.g., thr-, -nch); e. trigraphs (e.g., -tch, -dge); f. variable vowel teams and vowel diphthongs (i.e., oi, oy; ou, ow; au, aw; oo, ew, ue; ee, ea; igh, ie; ai, ay); g. vowel-r combinations (i.e., ar, air, are, ear, eer, er, ere, eir, ir, or, oar, ore, our, ur); h. common inflectional endings that may change the base word (e.g., -ed, -ing, -s, -es); i. words with a after w read /ä/ and a before l read /â/ (e.g., wash, water, wasp; tall, all, talk, small, fall); j. words with the hard and soft sounds of c and g, in context and in isolation. (c=/k/ before a, o, u, or any consonant and c= /s/ before i, e, or y g=/g/ before a, o, u, or any consonant and g=/j/ before i, e, or y); k. words with vowel y in the final position of one- and two-syllable words, distinguishing the difference between the long /ī/ sound in one-syllable words and the long /ē/ sound in two-syllable words; l. words with vowel y in medial position, producing the short /ĭ/ sound for these words (e.g., fly-my; baby-happy; myth-gym); m. words with silent letter combinations. (e.g., kn, wr, gn, mb, gh); and n. contractions with am, is, has, not, have, would, and will.

South Dakota

2.L.2.e — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
2.RF.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
1.L.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
2.RF.3.e — Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.

Tennessee

1.FL.WC.4.b — Use conventional spelling for one-syllable words with common vowel spelling patterns including CVCe, common vowel teams, final -y, and r-controlled vowels.
2.FL.PWR.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
2.FL.WC.4.a — Use conventional spelling for one-syllable words including position-based patterns, complex consonant blends, less common vowel teams for long vowels, vowel-r combinations, contractions, homophones, plurals, and possessives.
K.FL.PWR.3.e — Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the letters that differ.

Texas

1.2C.i — spelling words with closed syllables, open syllables, VCe syllables, vowel teams, and r-controlled syllables;
2.2C.i — spelling one-syllable and multisyllabic words with closed syllables; open syllables; VCe syllables; vowel teams, including digraphs and diphthongs; r-controlled syllables; and final stable syllables;
1.2B.iii — decoding words with closed syllables; open syllables; VCe syllables; vowel teams, including vowel digraphs and diphthongs; and r-controlled syllables;
1.2C.iii — spelling words using sound-spelling patterns; and

Utah

2.R.3.i — Read and spell words with the following diphthongs and vowels (i.e., oi, oy; ou, ow; au, aw; oo, u).

Vermont

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.

Virginia

2.FFR.3.B — Decode and encode words with vowel teams and r-controlled vowels.
2.FFW.2.A — Use phoneme-grapheme (sound/symbol correspondence to encode (spell) single-syllable words containing closed syllables (cvc, ccvc, cvcc, and ccvcc), open syllables (cv, ccv), vowel-consonant-e (cvce, ccvce), vowel teams, and r-controlled vowels.
1.FFR.3.C — Use letter-sound correspondences to decode words containing common vowel teams and rcontrolled vowels.
1.FFW.2.C — Encode (spell) unfamiliar words by recognizing and applying taught word patterns.
2.LU.2.C — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words.

Washington

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.

Washington, D.C.

RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.

West Virginia

ELA.2.37.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage / badge; boy / boil).
ELA.2.II.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
ELA.K.II.d — Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

Wisconsin

ELA.2.L.6.d — Use common spelling patterns, phonemic awareness, and basic reference materials to solve words.
ELA.2.RF.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
ELA.1.L.6.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and draw on phonological awareness and spelling conventions to spell other words phonetically. Related to Reading Foundational standards (RF.1.3).
ELA.K.RF.3.d — Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.

Wyoming

L.2.2.d — Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage → badge; boy → boil).
RF.2.3.b — Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
L.1.2.d — Use conventional spelling for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular words.
RF.2.3.e — Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.
RF.K.3.d — Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the sounds of the letters that differ.