Short vowels, Long vowels, Consonant Blends/Digraphs, and Advanced Phonics Sounds

See our extensive collection of ESL phonics materials for all levels, including word lists, sentences, reading passages, activities, and worksheets!


FREE ESL Phonics Lessons (beginner to advanced):

BEGINNER ESL PHONICS: The Alphabet (from Phonics Monster: Book 1)

The Letter A – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet
The Letter B – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet
The Letter C – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet
The Letter D – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet
The Letter E – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet

Review: A to E – practice tracing and listening to the different sounds

The Letter F – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet
The Letter G – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet
The Letter H – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet
The Letter I – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet
The Letter J – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet

Review: A to J – practice tracing and listening to the different sounds

The Letter K – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet
The Letter L – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet
The Letter M – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet
The Letter N – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet
The Letter O – words, sentence, and tracing worksheet

Review: A to O – practice tracing and listening to the different sounds

SHORT VOWEL ESL PHONICS (from Phonics Monster: Book 2)

Short a (1)  – word list and sentences using the “short a” sound
Short a (2) – sets of rhyming words that have the “short a” sound
Short a (3) – students challenge themselves to read this short passage as fast as they can!

Short e (1) – word list and sentences using the “short e” sound
Short e (2) – sets of rhyming words that have the “short e” sound
Short e (3) – fun “tongue twisters” for practicing the “short e” sound

Short a/e review – practice saying and hearing the difference between the “short a” and “short e” sounds

Short i (1) – word list and sentences using the “short i” sound
Short i (2) – sets of rhyming words that have the “short i” sound
Short i (3) – students challenge themselves to read this short passage as fast as they can!

Short a/e/i review – practice saying and hearing the difference between “short a,” “short e,” and “short i.”

Short o (1) – word list and sentences using the “short o” sound
Short o (2) – sets of rhyming words that have the “short o” sound
Short o (3) – fun “tongue twisters” for practicing the “short o” sound

Short a/e/i/o review – practice saying and hearing the difference between “short a,” “short e,” and “short i,” and “short o.”

Short u (1) – word list and sentences using the “short u” sound

Short u (2) – sets of rhyming words that have the “short u” sound
Short u (3) – fun and simple game for reviewing the short “u” sound
Short u (4) – students challenge themselves to read this short passage as fast as they can!

Short a/e/i/o/u review – practice saying and hearing the difference between all five short vowel sounds.

Short vowels – mixed word list and sentences – list of several words with different short-vowel sounds, with sentences to practice reading short-vowel words.
Short vowels – story – Free, printable short story that focuses on the short vowel sounds.

esl phonics

LONG VOWEL ESL PHONICS (from Phonics Monster: Book 3)

Long a – word list and sentences using the “long a” sound
Short and Long a – word list comparing the “short a” and “long a” sounds
Short a / Short e / Long a – practice reading and listening for the differences between these similar sounds
Long a – Reading Practice – short story that focuses on the “long a” vowel sound

Long e – word list and sentences using the “long e” sound
Long e – Read for Speed! – students challenge themselves to read this short passage as fast as they can!
Short and Long e – word list comparing the “short e” and “long e” vowel sounds
Short i / Long e – practice saying and hearing the differences between the “short i” and “long e” sounds
Short i / Short e / Long e – comparison of these three similar sounds, which are especially difficult for ESL learners
Long e – Reading Practice – short story that focuses on the “long e” vowel sound

Long i – word list and sentences using the “long i” sound
Short and Long i – comparison of the “short i” and “long i” vowel sounds
Long i – Reading Practice – short story that focuses on the “long i” vowel sound
Short i / Long i / Long e_- Tongue Twisters! – students challenge themselves to read this short passage as fast as they can!

Long o – word list and sentences using the “long o” sound
Short and Long o – comparison of the “short o” and “long o” vowel sounds
Long o – Reading Practice – short story that focuses on the “long o” vowel sound

Long u – word list and sentences using the “long u” sound
Short and Long u – comparison of the “short u” and “long u” vowel sounds
Long u – Reading Practice – short story that focuses on the “long u” vowel sound

Short and Long Vowels: Review – word list and sentences using all of the short and long vowels

CONSONANT BLENDS AND DIGRAPHS: ESL PHONICS (from Phonics Monster: Book 4)

Consonant Blends bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sl – word list and sentences using consonant blends with “l”
Consonant Blends br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr – word list and sentences using consonant blends with “r”
Consonant Blends sc, sk, sl, sm, sn, sp, squ, st, sw – word list and sentences using consonant blends with “s”
Consonant Blends scr, spl, spr, str – word list and sentences using 3-letter consonant blends with “s”
Consonant Blends – thr and fr – word list and sentences comparing two sounds that are especially difficult for ESL students
Consonant Digraphs – sh – word list and sentences using “sh”
Consonant Digraphs – ch / tch – word list and sentences using “ch” and “tch”
Consonant Digraphs sh and ch – Reading Review – the short story “Chad and Shane,” which focuses on “sh” and “ch”
Consonant Digraphs – th – word list and sentences using “th
Consonant Digraphs – wh – word list and sentences using “wh”

esl phonics

SPECIAL SOUNDS / ADVANCED ESL PHONICS (from Phonics Monster: Book 5)

Advanced Phonics – ang / ing / ong / ung – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – ank / ink / onk / unk – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – ar – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – or / oar – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – er / ir / ur – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – aw / au – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – alk / ock – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – ‘al’ (all alt alm) – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – oi / oy – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – ow / ou – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – /air/ are / arr – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – ear – comparison of the different possible sounds of “ear”
Advanced Phonics – old / olt / oll / ole / ild / ind – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – war / wor – word list and sentences
Advanced Phonics – aught / ought – comparison of the various sounds possible with “aught,” and “ought”
Advanced Phonics – tion / sion – word list and sentences

FREE Flashcards

Short a
Short e
Short i
Short o
Short u

Long a
Long e
Long i
Long o
Long u

Consonant blends with l (bl – cl – fl – gl – pl – sl)

Consonant blends with r (br – cr- dr – fr – gr – pr – tr)

Consonant blends with s (sc – sk – sm – sn – sp – squ – st – sw)

Consonant blends scr – spr – spl – str – thr

Consonant digraphs sh – ch – th

ang – ing – ong – ung

ank – ink – onk – unk

ar / or / er / ir / ur

/air/ (are, arr, air, ear)

ear – words using different sounds of the letters “ear”

au / aw

war / wor

oi / oy

ou / ow

Phonics Games (Printable Phonics Board Games)

Phonics Flags – short vowel sounds

Phonics Flags – long vowel sounds

Phonics Flags – consonant blends

Phonics Flags – ar / er / ir / or / ur