Phonics word list

Schwa words

In short

Schwa is the relaxed vowel sound /ə/ in an unstressed syllable, like the a in about, the o in lemon and the e in open. Any vowel letter can spell it. Our checked list has 4,776 words with a schwa vowel.

At a glance

Words in our list: 4,776
By syllables: one syllable: 0 · two syllables: 1,428 · three or more syllables: 3,348
Taught in: Lesson 67b in the sequence

Schwa 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.

a as schwa (ago, away)

The 40 most common of 1,357 words. 1,317 more are in our list.

a as schwa (ago, away)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
ago	a·g·o	2	Lesson 68
away	a·w·ay	2	Lesson 84
data	d·a·t·a	2	Lesson 67b
about	a·b·ou·t	2	Lesson 96
above	a·b·o·v·e	2	Lesson 68
admit	a·d·m·i·t	2	Lesson 67b
adopt	a·d·o·p·t	2	Lesson 68
again	a·g·ai·n	2	Lesson 35a (heart word)
agree	a·g·r·ee	2	Lesson 85
ahead	a·h·ea·d	2	Lesson 94
alarm	a·l·ar·m	2	Lesson 77
alive	a·l·i_e·v	2	Lesson 68
allow	a·ll·ow	2	Lesson 96
alone	a·l·o_e·n	2	Lesson 68
along	a·l·o·ng	2	Lesson 68
amuse	a·m·u_e·s	2	Lesson 68
annoy	a·nn·oy	2	Lesson 95
apart	a·p·ar·t	2	Lesson 77
apply	a·pp·l·y	2	Lesson 73
aside	a·s·i_e·d	2	Lesson 68
avoid	a·v·oi·d	2	Lesson 95
awake	a·w·a_e·k	2	Lesson 68
award	a·w·a·r·d	2	Lesson 93
aware	a·w·are	2	Lesson 112
equal	e·qu·a·l	2	Lesson 68
extra	e·x·t·r·a	2	Lesson 67b
fatal	f·a·t·a·l	2	Lesson 68
final	f·i·n·a·l	2	Lesson 68
human	h·u·m·a·n	2	Lesson 68
image	i·m·a·g·e	2	Lesson 67b
legal	l·e·g·a·l	2	Lesson 68
local	l·o·c·a·l	2	Lesson 68
metal	m·e·t·a·l	2	Lesson 67b
moral	m·or·a·l	2	Lesson 78
total	t·o·t·a·l	2	Lesson 68
trial	t·r·i·a·l	2	Lesson 68
usage	u·s·a·g·e	2	Lesson 68
vital	v·i·t·a·l	2	Lesson 68
woman	w·o·m·a·n	2	Not in the sequence
accord	a·cc·or·d	2	Lesson 78

e as schwa (item, open)

The 40 most common of 1,250 words. 1,210 more are in our list.

e as schwa (item, open)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
item	i·t·e·m	2	Lesson 68
open	o·p·e·n	2	Lesson 68
poem	p·o·e·m	2	Lesson 68
poet	p·o·e·t	2	Lesson 68
dozen	d·o·z·e·n	2	Lesson 67b
eaten	ea·t·e·n	2	Lesson 85
evens	e·v·e·n·s	2	Lesson 68
given	g·i·v·e·n	2	Lesson 67b
items	i·t·e·m·s	2	Lesson 68
label	l·a·b·e·l	2	Lesson 68
level	l·e·v·e·l	2	Lesson 67b
loses	l·o·s·e·s	2	Not in the sequence
model	m·o·d·e·l	2	Lesson 67b
novel	n·o·v·e·l	2	Lesson 67b
often	o·f·t·e·n	2	Lesson 67b
opens	o·p·e·n·s	2	Lesson 68
quiet	qu·i·e·t	2	Lesson 68
refer	r·e·f·er	2	Lesson 80
seven	s·e·v·e·n	2	Lesson 67b
taken	t·a·k·e·n	2	Lesson 68
token	t·o·k·e·n	2	Lesson 68
women	w·o·m·e·n	2	Not in the sequence
bitten	b·i·tt·e·n	2	Lesson 67b
broken	b·r·o·k·e·n	2	Lesson 68
bucket	b·u·ck·e·t	2	Lesson 67b
chosen	ch·o·s·e·n	2	Lesson 68
debate	d·e·b·a_e·t	2	Lesson 67b
decent	d·e·c·e·n·t	2	Lesson 117
dozens	d·o·z·e·n·s	2	Lesson 67b
driven	d·r·i·v·e·n	2	Lesson 67b
fallen	f·a·ll·e·n	2	Lesson 94
fewest	f·ew·e·s·t	2	Lesson 115
garden	g·ar·d·e·n	2	Lesson 77
gotten	g·o·tt·e·n	2	Lesson 67b
happen	h·a·pp·e·n	2	Lesson 67b
hidden	h·i·dd·e·n	2	Lesson 67b
honest	h·o·n·e·s·t	2	Not in the sequence
horses	h·or·s·e·s	2	Lesson 78
labels	l·a·b·e·l·s	2	Lesson 68
latest	l·a·t·e·s·t	2	Lesson 68

i as schwa (edit, habit)

The 40 most common of 667 words. 627 more are in our list.

i as schwa (edit, habit)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
edit	e·d·i·t	2	Lesson 67b
habit	h·a·b·i·t	2	Lesson 67b
limit	l·i·m·i·t	2	Lesson 67b
merit	m·e·r·i·t	2	Lesson 67b
solid	s·o·l·i·d	2	Lesson 67b
artist	ar·t·i·s·t	2	Lesson 77
crisis	c·r·i·s·i·s	2	Lesson 68
habits	h·a·b·i·t·s	2	Lesson 67b
limits	l·i·m·i·t·s	2	Lesson 67b
merits	m·e·r·i·t·s	2	Lesson 67b
council	c·ou·n·c·i·l	2	Lesson 117
foreign	f·ore·i·gn	2	Lesson 118
promise	p·r·o·m·i·s·e	2	Lesson 67b
promised	p·r·o·m·i·s·ed	2	Lesson 67b
animal	a·n·i·m·a·l	3	Lesson 67b
easily	ea·s·i·l·y	3	Lesson 110
edited	e·d·i·t·ed	3	Lesson 67b
editor	e·d·i·t·or	3	Lesson 111
family	f·a·m·i·l·y	3	Lesson 74
modify	m·o·d·i·f·y	3	Lesson 73
notify	n·o·t·i·f·y	3	Lesson 73
origin	or·i·g·i·n	3	Lesson 117
policy	p·o·l·i·c·y	3	Lesson 117
clarify	c·l·a·r·i·f·y	3	Not in the sequence
editing	e·d·i·t·i·ng	3	Lesson 67b
happily	h·a·pp·i·l·y	3	Lesson 110
heavily	h·ea·v·i·l·y	3	Lesson 110
imagine	i·m·a·g·i·n·e	3	Lesson 117
justify	j·u·s·t·i·f·y	3	Lesson 73
limited	l·i·m·i·t·ed	3	Lesson 67b
maximum	m·a·x·i·m·u·m	3	Lesson 67b
minimal	m·i·n·i·m·a·l	3	Lesson 67b
minimum	m·i·n·i·m·u·m	3	Lesson 67b
monitor	m·o·n·i·t·or	3	Lesson 111
offices	o·ff·i·c·e·s	3	Lesson 117
qualify	qu·a·l·i·f·y	3	Lesson 94
quality	qu·a·l·i·t·y	3	Lesson 94
rapidly	r·a·p·i·d·l·y	3	Lesson 74
readily	r·ea·d·i·l·y	3	Lesson 110
seminar	s·e·m·i·n·ar	3	Lesson 77

o as schwa (into, occur)

The 40 most common of 996 words. 956 more are in our list.

o as schwa (into, occur)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
into	i·n·t·o	2	Lesson 67a
occur	o·cc·ur	2	Lesson 81
today	t·o·d·ay	2	Lesson 84
bottom	b·o·tt·o·m	2	Lesson 67b
button	b·u·tt·o·n	2	Lesson 67b
common	c·o·mm·o·n	2	Lesson 67b
lesson	l·e·ss·o·n	2	Lesson 67b
method	m·e·th·o·d	2	Lesson 67b
obtain	o·b·t·ai·n	2	Lesson 84
occurs	o·cc·ur·s	2	Lesson 81
oppose	o·pp·o_e·s	2	Lesson 68
person	p·er·s·o·n	2	Lesson 80
police	p·o·l·i·c·e	2	Not in the sequence
random	r·a·n·d·o·m	2	Lesson 67b
reason	r·ea·s·o·n	2	Lesson 85
region	r·e·gi·o·n	2	Not in the sequence
season	s·ea·s·o·n	2	Lesson 85
second	s·e·c·o·n·d	2	Lesson 67b
symbol	s·y·m·b·o·l	2	Not in the sequence
toward	t·o·w·a·r·d	2	Lesson 93
weapon	w·ea·p·o·n	2	Lesson 94
collect	c·o·ll·e·c·t	2	Lesson 67b
command	c·o·mm·a·n·d	2	Lesson 67b
compare	c·o·m·p·are	2	Lesson 112
compose	c·o·m·p·o_e·s	2	Lesson 67b
compute	c·o·m·p·u_e·t	2	Lesson 67b
concern	c·o·n·c·er·n	2	Lesson 117
confirm	c·o·n·f·ir·m	2	Lesson 81
confuse	c·o·n·f·u_e·s	2	Lesson 67b
connect	c·o·nn·e·c·t	2	Lesson 67b
consist	c·o·n·s·i·s·t	2	Lesson 67b
contain	c·o·n·t·ai·n	2	Lesson 84
control	c·o·n·t·r·o·l	2	Lesson 68
freedom	f·r·ee·d·o·m	2	Lesson 85
lessons	l·e·ss·o·n·s	2	Lesson 67b
methods	m·e·th·o·d·s	2	Lesson 67b
million	m·i·ll·i·o·n	2	Not in the sequence
obscure	o·b·s·c·u·r·e	2	Not in the sequence
observe	o·b·s·er·v·e	2	Lesson 80
obtains	o·b·t·ai·n·s	2	Lesson 84

u as schwa (upon, album)

The 40 most common of 506 words. 466 more are in our list.

u as schwa (upon, album)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
upon	u·p·o·n	2	Lesson 67a
album	a·l·b·u·m	2	Lesson 67b
awful	aw·f·u·l	2	Lesson 93
datum	d·a·t·u·m	2	Lesson 67b
until	u·n·t·i·l	2	Lesson 67b
upset	u·p·s·e·t	2	Lesson 67a
autumn	au·t·u·m·n	2	Not in the sequence
column	c·o·l·u·m·n	2	Not in the sequence
status	s·t·a·t·u·s	2	Lesson 67b
submit	s·u·b·m·i·t	2	Lesson 67b
supply	s·u·pp·l·y	2	Lesson 73
unless	u·n·l·e·ss	2	Lesson 67b
unlike	u·n·l·i_e·k	2	Lesson 67b
update	u·p·d·a_e·t	2	Lesson 67a
upsets	u·p·s·e·t·s	2	Lesson 67a
useful	u_e·s·f·u·l	2	Lesson 67b
careful	c·are·f·u·l	2	Lesson 112
harmful	h·ar·m·f·u·l	2	Lesson 77
helpful	h·e·l·p·f·u·l	2	Lesson 67b
minutes	m·i·n·u·t·e·s	2	Lesson 67b
painful	p·ai·n·f·u·l	2	Lesson 84
product	p·r·o·d·u·c·t	2	Lesson 67b
subject	s·u·b·j·e·c·t	2	Lesson 67b
succeed	s·u·cc·ee·d	2	Not in the sequence
success	s·u·cc·e·ss	2	Not in the sequence
suffice	s·u·ff·i_e·c	2	Lesson 67b
support	s·u·pp·or·t	2	Lesson 78
suppose	s·u·pp·o_e·s	2	Lesson 67b
suspect	s·u·s·p·e·c·t	2	Lesson 67b
suspend	s·u·s·p·e·n·d	2	Lesson 67b
unclear	u·n·c·l·ear	2	Lesson 113
unknown	u·n·kn·ow·n	2	Lesson 98
updates	u·p·d·a_e·t·s	2	Lesson 67a
doubtful	d·ou·b·t·f·u·l	2	Not in the sequence
grateful	g·r·a_e·t·f·u·l	2	Lesson 67b
products	p·r·o·d·u·c·t·s	2	Lesson 67b
subjects	s·u·b·j·e·c·t·s	2	Lesson 67b
supplied	s·u·pp·l·i·ed	2	Lesson 110
supplies	s·u·pp·l·ie·s	2	Lesson 110
supports	s·u·pp·or·t·s	2	Lesson 78

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.

Lessons where the most words on this page become readable
Readable after	Words
Lesson 67b	1,132
Lesson 68	442
Lesson 74	185
Lesson 78	129
Lesson 80	254
Lesson 110	144
Lesson 117	324
Lesson 119	383
Not in the sequence	616

How do you teach schwa words?

Students need two moves: read the vowel as short or long first, then relax it into a real word. "Read it as you see it: /lĕ-mŏn/. Now say it like a word: lemon. That lazy /ə/ is schwa." Practice with two-syllable words where the schwa is in the first syllable (about, again) and the last (pencil, lemon). The tables here group words by which vowel letter is the schwa.

What mistake do students make with schwa words?

In spelling, schwa is the hardest sound because it gives no clue to its letter. Students write lemin or pencal. Teach students to say the word in a spelling voice, stressing every syllable (/lĕ-mŏn/), and to link related words where the vowel is clear (comedy and comedian).

Where do schwa words come in the sequence?

Schwa comes up as soon as students read two-syllable words. Many programs name it in early lessons and teach it directly once multisyllable reading begins. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 67b.

Exceptions worth knowing

Our list counts a vowel as schwa only when our pronouncing dictionary marks it as reduced. Some speakers say a clear short vowel in words like basket, and that's fine.

Decodable sentences

Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 67b or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.

The lemon is on top of the wagon.
A rabbit can hop to the kitten.
The kitten is in a basket.

Questions people ask

What are 5 schwa words?

Ago, away, data, edit, into. Those are the five most common of the 4,776 words with a schwa vowel in our checked list.

What is the schwa sound?

/ə/, a short, relaxed vowel heard in unstressed syllables, like the a in about. You hear it in more English words than any other vowel.

Which letters can make the schwa sound?

All five vowel letters: a in about, e in open, i in pencil, o in lemon and u in circus. The tables above group words that way.

When can a student read schwa words?

Schwa words are taught at Lesson 67b in the lesson sequence we use. 1,157 of the 4,776 words on this page can be sounded out by then; the rest wait for a pattern taught later, and the tables show the lesson for each word.

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.