hear /ow/ write ou or ow

ou cloud

This is the /ow/ sound

When you see ou at the start or middle of a word or syllable, it says ‘ow’ (out, house, cloud).

ow owl

This is the /ow/ sound

When you see ow at the end of a word or syllable, it says ‘ow’ (cow, pow/er).

Special rule:
If the word rhymes with down (frown, clown, town)
or owl (howl, towel, growl) we usually use ow.

hear /oy/ write oi or oy

oi oink

This is the /oy/ sound

When you see oi in the middle or start of a word or syllable, it says ‘oy’ (oil, soil, point).

oy toy

This is the /oy/ sound

When you see oy at the end of a word or syllable, it says ‘oy’ (boy, toy, joy). (video for ‘oy’ coming soon)

hear /aw/ write aw or au

aw draw

The aw spelling can be at the start (awful), middle (prawn) or end (paw) of a word. It is also often used before the letters l and n, for example: crawl and dawn (raw, claw, straw, yawn, prawn).

au sauce

The au spelling is usually in the middle of a word (Paul, cause, fault, haunt, haul), but sometimes at the start (August, autumn), but never at the end of a word.