Phonics word list
U_e words (long u with silent e)
In short
U_e words spell long u with u, one consonant and a silent e. It has two sounds: /yū/ as in cute and use, and /ū/ as in rule and flute. Our checked list has 165 words spelled with u_e.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 165
- By syllables
- one syllable: 57 · two syllables: 64 · three or more syllables: 44
- Taught in
- Lesson 58 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| /yū/ | use | 75 | This page |
| /ū/ | rule | 90 | This page |
U_e 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| use | u_e·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| huge | h·u_e·g | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 61 |
| rule | r·u_e·l | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| tune | t·u_e·n | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| used | u_e·s·d | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| rules | r·u_e·l·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| cube | c·u_e·b | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| cute | c·u_e·t | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| fume | f·u_e·m | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| fuse | f·u_e·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| rude | r·u_e·d | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| tube | t·u_e·b | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| crude | c·r·u_e·d | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| flute | f·l·u_e·t | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| fumes | f·u_e·m·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| ruled | r·u_e·l·d | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 64 |
| tubes | t·u_e·b·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| tuned | t·u_e·n·d | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 64 |
| tunes | t·u_e·n·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| dude | d·u_e·d | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| duke | d·u_e·k | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| dune | d·u_e·n | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| dupe | d·u_e·p | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| jute | j·u_e·t | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| lute | l·u_e·t | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| mule | m·u_e·l | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| muse | m·u_e·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| mute | m·u_e·t | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| rune | r·u_e·n | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| ruse | r·u_e·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| brute | b·r·u_e·t | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| chute | ch·u_e·t | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 118 |
| cubed | c·u_e·b·d | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 64 |
| cubes | c·u_e·b·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| dudes | d·u_e·d·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| dukes | d·u_e·k·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| dunes | d·u_e·n·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| dupes | d·u_e·p·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| fluke | f·l·u_e·k | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| fumed | f·u_e·m·d | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 64 |
| fused | f·u_e·s·d | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 64 |
| lutes | l·u_e·t·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| mules | m·u_e·l·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| mused | m·u_e·s·d | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 64 |
| mutes | m·u_e·t·s | 1 | /yū/ | Lesson 58 |
| plume | p·l·u_e·m | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| prude | p·r·u_e·d | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| prune | p·r·u_e·n | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| runes | r·u_e·n·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| truce | t·r·u_e·c | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 60 |
| chutes | ch·u_e·t·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 118 |
| flukes | f·l·u_e·k·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| flutes | f·l·u_e·t·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| plumes | p·l·u_e·m·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| pruned | p·r·u_e·n·d | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 64 |
| prunes | p·r·u_e·n·s | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 58 |
| spruce | s·p·r·u_e·c | 1 | /ū/ | Lesson 60 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Sound | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| uses | u_e·s·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 63 |
| amuse | a·m·u_e·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 68 |
| amused | a·m·u_e·s·d | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 68 |
| assume | a·ss·u_e·m | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 68 |
| deduce | d·e·d·u_e·c | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| excuse | e·x·c·u_e·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| minute | m·i·n·u_e·t | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 68 |
| misuse | m·i·s·u_e·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| reduce | r·e·d·u_e·c | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| refuse | r·e·f·u_e·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| useful | u_e·s·f·u·l | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| volume | v·o·l·u_e·m | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| assumed | a·ss·u_e·m·d | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 68 |
| assumes | a·ss·u_e·m·s | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 68 |
| compute | c·o·m·p·u_e·t | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| confuse | c·o·n·f·u_e·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| exclude | e·x·c·l·u_e·d | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| fortune | f·or·t·u_e·n | 2 | /ū/ | Not in the sequence |
| include | i·n·c·l·u_e·d | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| presume | p·r·e·s·u_e·m | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| produce | p·r·o·d·u_e·c | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| refused | r·e·f·u_e·s·d | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| useless | u_e·s·l·e·ss | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| computes | c·o·m·p·u_e·t·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| confused | c·o·n·f·u_e·s·d | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| excludes | e·x·c·l·u_e·d·s | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| includes | i·n·c·l·u_e·d·s | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| acute | a·c·u_e·t | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 68 |
| reuse | r·e·u_e·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 68 |
| accuse | a·cc·u_e·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 68 |
| hugely | h·u_e·g·l·y | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 101 |
| immune | i·mm·u_e·n | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| induce | i·n·d·u_e·c | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| refute | r·e·f·u_e·t | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| resume | r·e·s·u_e·m | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| accused | a·cc·u_e·s·d | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 68 |
| consume | c·o·n·s·u_e·m | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| dispute | d·i·s·p·u_e·t | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| resumed | r·e·s·u_e·m·d | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| resumes | r·e·s·u_e·m·s | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| volumes | v·o·l·u_e·m·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| conclude | c·o·n·c·l·u_e·d | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| consumed | c·o·n·s·u_e·m·d | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| consumes | c·o·n·s·u_e·m·s | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| presumed | p·r·e·s·u_e·m·d | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| presumes | p·r·e·s·u_e·m·s | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| concludes | c·o·n·c·l·u_e·d·s | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| fuses | f·u_e·s·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 63 |
| muses | m·u_e·s·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 63 |
| ruses | r·u_e·s·s | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 63 |
| disuse | d·i·s·u_e·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| infuse | i·n·f·u_e·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| rudely | r·u_e·d·l·y | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 74 |
| crudely | c·r·u_e·d·l·y | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 74 |
| infused | i·n·f·u_e·s·d | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| misused | m·i·s·u_e·s·d | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| perfume | p·er·f·u_e·m | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 80 |
| refutes | r·e·f·u_e·t·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| tuneful | t·u_e·n·f·u·l | 2 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| disputes | d·i·s·p·u_e·t·s | 2 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Sound | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| amuses | a·m·u_e·s·s | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 68 |
| execute | e·x·e·c·u_e·t | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| reduces | r·e·d·u_e·c·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| absolute | a·b·s·o·l·u_e·t | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| attitude | a·tt·i·t·u_e·d | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| confuses | c·o·n·f·u_e·s·s | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| executes | e·x·e·c·u_e·t·s | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| produces | p·r·o·d·u_e·c·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| introduce | i·n·t·r·o·d·u_e·c | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| magnitude | m·a·g·n·i·t·u_e·d | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| reproduce | r·e·p·r·o·d·u_e·c | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 68 |
| contribute | c·o·n·t·r·i·b·u_e·t | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| substitute | s·u·b·s·t·i·t·u_e·t | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| absolutely | a·b·s·o·l·u_e·t·l·y | 4 | /ū/ | Lesson 74 |
| introduces | i·n·t·r·o·d·u_e·c·s | 4 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| accuses | a·cc·u_e·s·s | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 68 |
| excuses | e·x·c·u_e·s·s | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| induces | i·n·d·u_e·c·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| molecule | m·o·l·e·c·u_e·l | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| usefully | u_e·s·f·u·ll·y | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 74 |
| amusement | a·m·u_e·s·m·e·n·t | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 68 |
| attitudes | a·tt·i·t·u_e·d·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| attribute | a·tt·r·i·b·u_e·t | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| institute | i·n·s·t·i·t·u_e·t | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| molecules | m·o·l·e·c·u_e·l·s | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| persecute | p·er·s·e·c·u_e·t | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 80 |
| prosecute | p·r·o·s·e·c·u_e·t | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| attributes | a·tt·r·i·b·u_e·t·s | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| constitute | c·o·n·s·t·i·t·u_e·t | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| persecutes | p·er·s·e·c·u_e·t·s | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 80 |
| prosecutes | p·r·o·s·e·c·u_e·t·s | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| usefulness | u_e·s·f·u·l·n·e·ss | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| constitutes | c·o·n·s·t·i·t·u_e·t·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| contributes | c·o·n·t·r·i·b·u_e·t·s | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| substitutes | s·u·b·s·t·i·t·u_e·t·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| reproduces | r·e·p·r·o·d·u_e·c·s | 4 | /ū/ | Lesson 68 |
| acutely | a·c·u_e·t·l·y | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 74 |
| misuses | m·i·s·u_e·s·s | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 67b |
| absolutes | a·b·s·o·l·u_e·t·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| amusements | a·m·u_e·s·m·e·n·t·s | 3 | /yū/ | Lesson 68 |
| inducement | i·n·d·u_e·c·m·e·n·t | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 117 |
| institutes | i·n·s·t·i·t·u_e·t·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| magnitudes | m·a·g·n·i·t·u_e·d·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 67b |
| inducements | i·n·d·u_e·c·m·e·n·t·s | 3 | /ū/ | Lesson 117 |
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 58 | 45 |
| Lesson 63 | 4 |
| Lesson 64 | 7 |
| Lesson 67b | 73 |
| Lesson 68 | 16 |
| Lesson 74 | 5 |
| Lesson 80 | 5 |
| Lesson 118 | 2 |
| Not in the sequence | 2 |
How do you teach u_e words?
Teach both sounds together; students flex between them easily. "U_e can say /yū/ like cute or /ū/ like rule. Try one; if it isn't a word, try the other." Sort cube, cute, mule against rule, tune, June. The sound column in the tables shows which one each word uses in our list.
What mistake do students make with u_e words?
Students say /yū/ in every word (ryule for rule) or the reverse. Neither is wrong as decoding; prompt them to check the word against meaning. After r and l, /ū/ is the usual sound (rule, flute).
Where do u_e words come in the sequence?
U_e usually comes last or next to last in the silent e unit, after a_e, i_e and o_e. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 58.
Exceptions worth knowing
In words like minute (the time) and lettuce, ute and uce are unstressed and not long. Sure and pure have r after the vowel, which changes it.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 58 or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- The mule is cute.
- Use the tube.
- Duke can hum a tune.
Questions people ask
What are 5 u_e words?
What two sounds does u_e make?
What are some u_e words?
When can a student read u_e 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.