Long A at a glance:
- Words with a sound include alien, apron, table
- Words with a_e sound include cake, game, made
- Words with ai sound include rain, sail, train
- Words with ay sound include say, play, spray
Spelling Frequencies:
- a - 45%
- a_e - 35%
- ai - 9%
- ay - 6%
Rare Spelling Patterns:
- eigh (sleigh, weigh)
- ei (veil)
- aigh (straight)
- ey (they)
- ea (great)
- au (gauge)
- e (suede)
- aig (campaign)
Common Spelling Generalisations or Patterns:
- a is used at the beginning of words or at the end of an open syllable
e.g. fa/mous, la/dle, ba/sin - a_e is usually used in the middle of the final syllable e.g. cake, mane, sale
- ai is used at the beginning or in the middle of a word e.g. aim, train, sail
- ay is usually used at the end of a word e.g. day, tray, spray
- English words do not end in i.