Step-by-step English Level 2: Choosing oa or igh in a gap
Part of the Step-by-step English Level 2 long vowel sounds: oa and igh chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Choosing oa or igh in a gap
Some words have a gap that needs oa or igh.
For example, b__t becomes boat with oa. The gap n__t becomes night with igh.
Try each pair in the gap. Then read the whole word to check.
Key ideas
- Read the word with the gap.
- Try each choice in the gap.
- Read the whole word again.
Method. Try each pair in the gap, then pick the one that makes the word.
- Read the word with the gap. Think about the word that fits the gap.b__t
- Try each pair of letters. boat has oa.oa / ai / igh
- Pick the pair that makes the word. boat needs oa.boat = choice A
- Write the answer. A
Check. Put oa back in the gap: boat. ✓
Watch out. The two letters go together in the gap. Do not split them.
Method. Try each pair in the gap, then pick the one that makes the word.
- Read the word with the gap. Think about the word that fits the gap.n__t
- Try each pair of letters. night has igh.igh / ai / oa
- Pick the pair that makes the word. night needs igh.night = choice A
- Write the answer. A
Check. Put igh back in the gap: night. ✓
Watch out. The two letters go together in the gap. Do not split them.
Method. Try each pair in the gap, then pick the one that makes the word.
- Read the word with the gap. Think about the word that fits the gap.g__t
- Try each pair of letters. goat has oa.ee / igh / oa
- Pick the pair that makes the word. goat needs oa.goat = choice C
- Write the answer. C
Check. Put oa back in the gap: goat. ✓
Watch out. The two letters go together in the gap. Do not split them.
Watch out
Watch out: a gap can look like either pair. Put the pair back in and read the whole word.Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask the child to try the pair in the gap and say the whole word. Praise the careful checking.
Exercise 5C Practice: choosing oa or igh in a gap
Method. Try each pair in the gap, then pick the one that makes the word.
- Read the word with the gap. Think about the word that fits the gap.l__t
- Try each pair of letters. light has igh.oa / igh / ee
- Pick the pair that makes the word. light needs igh.light = choice B
- Write the answer. B
Check. Put igh back in the gap: light. ✓
Watch out. The two letters go together in the gap. Do not split them.
Method. Try each pair in the gap, then pick the one that makes the word.
- Read the word with the gap. Think about the word that fits the gap.c__t
- Try each pair of letters. coat has oa.ai / igh / oa
- Pick the pair that makes the word. coat needs oa.coat = choice C
- Write the answer. C
Check. Put oa back in the gap: coat. ✓
Watch out. The two letters go together in the gap. Do not split them.
Method. Try each pair in the gap, then pick the one that makes the word.
- Read the word with the gap. Think about the word that fits the gap.h__
- Try each pair of letters. high has igh.igh / oa / ee
- Pick the pair that makes the word. high needs igh.high = choice A
- Write the answer. A
Check. Put igh back in the gap: high. ✓
Watch out. The two letters go together in the gap. Do not split them.
Method. Try each pair in the gap, then pick the one that makes the word.
- Read the word with the gap. Think about the word that fits the gap.s__p
- Try each pair of letters. soap has oa.oa / ee / igh
- Pick the pair that makes the word. soap needs oa.soap = choice A
- Write the answer. A
Check. Put oa back in the gap: soap. ✓
Watch out. The two letters go together in the gap. Do not split them.
Method. Try each pair in the gap, then pick the one that makes the word.
- Read the word with the gap. Think about the word that fits the gap.r__t
- Try each pair of letters. right has igh.oa / ai / igh
- Pick the pair that makes the word. right needs igh.right = choice C
- Write the answer. C
Check. Put igh back in the gap: right. ✓
Watch out. The two letters go together in the gap. Do not split them.
Method. Try each pair in the gap, then pick the one that makes the word.
- Read the word with the gap. Think about the word that fits the gap.t__d
- Try each pair of letters. toad has oa.oa / ai / igh
- Pick the pair that makes the word. toad needs oa.toad = choice A
- Write the answer. A
Check. Put oa back in the gap: toad. ✓
Watch out. The two letters go together in the gap. Do not split them.
Method. Try each pair in the gap, then pick the one that makes the word.
- Read the word with the gap. Think about the word that fits the gap.t__t
- Try each pair of letters. tight has igh.ee / oa / igh
- Pick the pair that makes the word. tight needs igh.tight = choice C
- Write the answer. C
Check. Put igh back in the gap: tight. ✓
Watch out. The two letters go together in the gap. Do not split them.
Method. Try each pair in the gap, then pick the one that makes the word.
- Read the word with the gap. Think about the word that fits the gap.l__f
- Try each pair of letters. loaf has oa.ee / oa / igh
- Pick the pair that makes the word. loaf needs oa.loaf = choice B
- Write the answer. B
Check. Put oa back in the gap: loaf. ✓
Watch out. The two letters go together in the gap. Do not split them.
Method. Try each pair in the gap, then pick the one that makes the word.
- Read the word with the gap. Think about the word that fits the gap.s__
- Try each pair of letters. sigh has igh.oa / ai / igh
- Pick the pair that makes the word. sigh needs igh.sigh = choice C
- Write the answer. C
Check. Put igh back in the gap: sigh. ✓
Watch out. The two letters go together in the gap. Do not split them.