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Phonics pattern

Open syllables

An open syllable ends in a vowel, and the vowel usually says its long sound: go, me, and the first syllable of hotel. Knowing open and closed syllables is what lets a student split a longer word and read each part.

Spellings: V, CV

How to teach it

  1. Compare closed and open syllables (not and no, met and me). The consonant closes the door; with no consonant after it, the vowel says its name.
  2. Split two-syllable words between the syllables with a pencil line (ho / tel), label each syllable open or closed, then read each part and the whole word.
  3. Read a list, dictate a few two-syllable words syllable by syllable, and read sentences that use them.

Practice words

Read them across, then down. Point under each word as it is read.

  • sky
  • dry
  • shy
  • spy
  • baby
  • lady
  • tiny
  • pony
  • navy
  • hero
  • solo
  • menu

Decodable sentences

  • The tiny pony is shy.
  • We can fly a kite in the sky.
  • Hi, I am Jo.

Spoken warm-ups

No print. Say the prompt; the student answers aloud. Sounds are written between slashes.

Spoken warm-ups for Open syllables
You sayThe student says
Listen: /m/ /ē/. What word?me
Say ‘go’. Say each sound./g/ /ō/
Say ‘not’. Say it without /t/.no

Common errors

  • Reading the open vowel short (hotel as hot-el). Mark the syllable break and ask whether the first syllable is open or closed.
  • Splitting in the wrong place. Start by finding the vowels, then look at the consonants between them.
  • Correct syllables, wrong whole word. Have the student read the parts, then the word at normal speed, and check it is a real word.

Which lessons teach this

If you teach UFLI Foundations, this pattern comes up in these 3 lessons. Teach from your own manual.

Literacy Trail is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Florida Literacy Institute. It contains no UFLI lesson content, only lesson names and order.

Questions people ask

Are these words from an assessment?
No. The practice words, sentences and warm-ups here are written for teaching and are kept separate from the words in the Literacy Trail assessments, so practicing never teaches the test.
When is a student ready for open syllables?
When they read and spell the pattern before it (silent e words) accurately and without prompting, most of the time. Keep reviewing earlier patterns for two minutes a session while the new one settles.
How long should practice take?
A few minutes a day beats one long session a week. Read the word list once or twice, dictate three or four words, and read a sentence or two. Rate how it went and bring the pattern back on a short schedule if it is shaky.

Plan sessions for this pattern automatically

Start the 15-day free trial and add a student. When they reach open syllables, Literacy Trail plans the sessions for it automatically, and a Needs support or Developing rating brings it back for review.

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