Phonics word list
Ew words
In short
Ew is a vowel team with two sounds: /ū/ as in grew and flew, and /yū/ as in few and view. It usually comes at the end of a word. Our checked list has 113 words with ew.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 113
- By syllables
- one syllable: 48 · two syllables: 47 · three or more syllables: 18
- Taught in
- Lesson 91 in the sequence
One spelling, more than one sound
Most lists mix these up. We count each sound separately, so a student practicing one sound only sees words that make it.
| Sound | Example | Words | List |
|---|---|---|---|
| /ū/ | new | 89 | This page |
| /yū/ | few | 24 | This page |
Ew words, most common first
Spelling units show how each word breaks into the letters that spell one sound; a_e is a vowel and silent e working together. Readable after is the first lesson where a student can sound out the whole word.
One syllable
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Sound | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| few | f·ew | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| new | n·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| drew | d·r·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| flew | f·l·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| grew | g·r·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| knew | kn·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 98 |
| news | n·ew·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| view | v·i·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| threw | th·r·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| views | v·i·ew·s | 1 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| blew | b·l·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| chew | ch·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| crew | c·r·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| chews | ch·ew·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| screw | s·c·r·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| chewed | ch·ew·ed | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| screws | s·c·r·ew·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| viewed | v·i·ew·ed | 1 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| screwed | s·c·r·ew·ed | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| dew | d·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| ewe | ew·e | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| hew | h·ew | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| mew | m·ew | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| pew | p·ew | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| yew | y·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| brew | b·r·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| ewes | ew·e·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| hews | h·ew·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| newt | n·ew·t | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| pews | p·ew·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| skew | s·k·ew | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| slew | s·l·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| spew | s·p·ew | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| stew | s·t·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| whew | wh·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| brews | b·r·ew·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| crews | c·r·ew·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| newts | n·ew·t·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| skews | s·k·ew·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| spews | s·p·ew·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| stews | s·t·ew·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| strew | s·t·r·ew | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| brewed | b·r·ew·ed | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| shrewd | sh·r·ew·d | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| skewed | s·k·ew·ed | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| spewed | s·p·ew·ed | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| stewed | s·t·ew·ed | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| strewn | s·t·r·ew·n | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Sound | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fewer | f·ew·er | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| fewest | f·ew·e·s·t | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| review | r·e·v·i·ew | 2 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| newer | n·ew·er | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| newly | n·ew·l·y | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| renew | r·e·n·ew | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| newest | n·ew·e·s·t | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| renews | r·e·n·ew·s | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| viewer | v·i·ew·er | 2 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| chewing | ch·ew·i·ng | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| preview | p·r·e·v·i·ew | 2 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| renewed | r·e·n·ew·ed | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| reviews | r·e·v·i·ew·s | 2 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| viewing | v·i·ew·i·ng | 2 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| reviewed | r·e·v·i·ew·ed | 2 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| screwing | s·c·r·ew·i·ng | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| withdrew | w·i·th·d·r·ew | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| viewpoint | v·i·ew·p·oi·n·t | 2 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| viewpoints | v·i·ew·p·oi·n·t·s | 2 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| chewy | ch·ew·y | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| newsy | n·ew·s·y | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| curfew | c·ur·f·ew | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| hewing | h·ew·i·ng | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| newton | n·ew·t·o·n | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| screwy | s·c·r·ew·y | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| skewer | s·k·ew·er | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| brewing | b·r·ew·i·ng | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| curfews | c·ur·f·ew·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| newborn | n·ew·b·or·n | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| outgrew | ou·t·g·r·ew | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 96 |
| skewers | s·k·ew·er·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| skewing | s·k·ew·i·ng | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| spewing | s·p·ew·i·ng | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| stewing | s·t·ew·i·ng | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| viewers | v·i·ew·er·s | 2 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| newborns | n·ew·b·or·n·s | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| newscast | n·ew·s·c·a·s·t | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| previews | p·r·e·v·i·ew·s | 2 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| skewered | s·k·ew·er·ed | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 115 |
| corkscrew | c·or·k·s·c·r·ew | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| newscasts | n·ew·s·c·a·s·t·s | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| newsprint | n·ew·s·p·r·i·n·t | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| newsstand | n·ew·s·s·t·a·n·d | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| previewed | p·r·e·v·i·ew·ed | 2 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| shrewdest | sh·r·ew·d·e·s·t | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| newsstands | n·ew·s·s·t·a·n·d·s | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| shrewdness | sh·r·ew·d·n·e·ss | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Sound | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| newcomer | n·ew·c·o·m·er | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| overview | o·v·er·v·i·ew | 3 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| renewing | r·e·n·ew·i·ng | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| interview | i·n·t·er·v·i·ew | 3 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| newcomers | n·ew·c·o·m·er·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| newspaper | n·ew·s·p·a·p·er | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| reviewing | r·e·v·i·ew·i·ng | 3 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| interviews | i·n·t·er·v·i·ew·s | 3 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| newsletter | n·ew·s·l·e·tt·er | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| newspapers | n·ew·s·p·a·p·er·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| interviewed | i·n·t·er·v·i·ew·ed | 3 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| newsletters | n·ew·s·l·e·tt·er·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 91 |
| interviewing | i·n·t·er·v·i·ew·i·ng | 4 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| reviewer | r·e·v·i·ew·er | 3 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| reviewers | r·e·v·i·ew·er·s | 3 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| previewing | p·r·e·v·i·ew·i·ng | 3 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| interviewer | i·n·t·er·v·i·ew·er | 4 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| interviewers | i·n·t·er·v·i·ew·er·s | 4 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
When do these words become readable?
The lessons where the most words on this page become decodable. Words marked not in the sequence have a spelling the sequence never teaches as a pattern.
| Readable after | Words |
|---|---|
| Lesson 91 | 62 |
| Lesson 96 | 1 |
| Lesson 98 | 1 |
| Lesson 115 | 24 |
| Not in the sequence | 25 |
How do you teach ew words?
Teach both sounds together. "Ew says /ū/ or /yū/." Read new, grew, chew, blew, then few, pew, view. After r, l, ch and j, ew says /ū/ (grew, flew, chew). Ew at the end and ue at the end compete; families help (new, knew, few; blue, glue, true).
What mistake do students make with ew words?
Students read ew as /ĕw/. Underline the team and say, "One sound." In spelling, oo and ue are common substitutes (flu for flew). Homophones like flew and flu, blew and blue are worth a sort.
Where do ew words come in the sequence?
Ew /ū/ is usually taught with ui and ue. Ew /yū/ may come later with other /yū/ spellings. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 91.
Exceptions worth knowing
Sew says /ō/. In words like news, many speakers drop the /y/; both are fine.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 91 or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- The new crew flew home.
- Chew the stew.
- The wind blew the screen.
Questions people ask
What are 5 ew words?
What sounds does ew make?
When do you use ew and when ue?
When can a student read ew words?
How this list was built
Every word comes from our lexicon of common English words, each split into spelling units and checked against a pronouncing dictionary, so a word is listed under the sound its spelling really makes. Words a student sees in our assessments are left out. The readable after lesson comes from our decodability engine, which checks each spelling unit and syllable pattern against the lesson sequence. You can run your own text through the same engine with the free decodable text checker.