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Step-by-step practice: English · Level 2Chapter 4 · Long vowel sounds: ai and ee
Step-by-step English Level 2 · Long vowel sounds: ai and ee · Lesson 4.1

Step-by-step English Level 2: The long sound of ai

Part of the Step-by-step English Level 2 long vowel sounds: ai and ee chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

4.1

The long sound of ai

Level 2
Say the long sound of ai, as in rain and tail, Find the picture that has ai inside it

When a and i sit together in a word, they make one long sound: /ay/, as in rain.

In rain there are two sounds: r and ai. The letters a and i make one sound together.

Look for the pair ai in the middle or at the end of the word.

Key ideas

  • ai makes one long sound, as in rain.
  • rain has two sounds: r and ai.
  • Look for ai together in the middle of the word.
  • Keep a and i together.
Worked example 4.1.1
Which picture name has the letters ai in it? Look at the letters, not the picture.rainApigBbatC

Method. Find the name that has the two letters together.

  1. Read the name under each picture. Look for the two letters together.
    A: rain B: pig C: bat
  2. Find the name with ai inside. Only one name has these two letters together.
    rain = picture A
  3. Write the answer.
    A

Check. rain has ai, and the others do not. ✓

Watch out. The two letters make one long vowel sound, so keep them together.

Worked example 4.1.2
How many sounds are in rain? A vowel pair such as ai or ee counts as one sound. A 2 B 4 C 3 Choose A, B or C.

Method. Read every choice, then pick the one that fits.

  1. Read each choice. Check which one fits.
    2 / 4 / 3
  2. Find the one that fits. rain is r - ai - n: 3 sounds.
    3 is choice C
  3. Write the answer.
    C

Check. Read 3 in the sentence or list again. ✓

Watch out. Read every choice before you decide.

Worked example 4.1.3
Which picture name has the letters ai in it? Look at the letters, not the picture.tailAgiftBjugC

Method. Find the name that has the two letters together.

  1. Read the name under each picture. Look for the two letters together.
    A: tail B: gift C: jug
  2. Find the name with ai inside. Only one name has these two letters together.
    tail = picture A
  3. Write the answer.
    A

Check. tail has ai, and the others do not. ✓

Watch out. The two letters make one long vowel sound, so keep them together.

Watch out

Watch out: ai is not the same as a on its own. In cat, a makes a short sound; in rain, ai makes one long sound.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Say the long "ay" sound in rain, not the short "a" in cat. Ask the child to find ai in each name.

Exercise 4A  Practice: the long sound of ai

1
FWhich pair of letters goes in the gap to make a word? r__n A ai B oa C ee Choose A, B or C.
2
FWhich picture name has the letters ai in it? Look at the letters, not the picture.
sweetAeggBsnailC
3
FHow many sounds are in snail? A vowel pair such as ai or ee counts as one sound. A 2 B 4 C 3 Choose A, B or C.
4
FRead the word: rain. Which picture matches? Choose A, B or C.
ABC
5
FRead the word: train. Does the picture show train? Answer yes or no.
6
FRead the word: sail. Does the picture show sail? Answer yes or no.

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