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Sorting Long o Sounds

Sorting Long o Sounds.jpeg

Looking for an engaging way to help your students master the long o vowel?


At Smart Boarding School, we’ve created a free phonics worksheet that lets early readers explore the four most common spellings of the long o sound—like in open, boat, snow, and home.

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Say hello to the “Sorting Long O Words” worksheet—perfect for Grade 1 and Grade 2 literacy centres, small‑group lessons, or at‑home practice.

 

What’s inside?

  • A list of 15 long o words ready for sorting and reading.

  • A four‑column sorting chart where learners organise words by spelling pattern:

    • o as in open

    • oa as in boat

    • ow as in snow

    • o‑e (split digraph) as in home

 

Why teach the long O spellings?

Learning that one sound can be written in different ways helps students:

  • Spot common spelling patterns for accurate writing.

  • Read more fluently by quickly decoding familiar vowel teams.

  • Strengthen phonemic awareness—key to tackling new words with confidence.

 

How to use the worksheet

  1. Print & Prep – Hand out the worksheet with pencils or highlighters.

  2. Read Together – Say each word aloud and highlight the letters that make the long o sound.

  3. Sort – Students write or cut‑and‑paste each word into the correct column on the sheet.

  4. Review – Check answers as a class and discuss why the same sound can be spelled four different ways.

 

Extension ideas

  • Sentence builder – Ask students to write a sentence using one word from each spelling group.

  • Word hunt – Challenge them to find more long o words in books or around the classroom and add them to the chart.

  • Illustrate & label – Have students draw a picture of a favourite long o word and label it clearly.

 

Why teachers and parents love this resource

  • Zero prep—download, print, teach.

  • Appeals to visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learners.

  • Works for whole‑class instruction, guided reading, literacy centres, or homework.

 

Download your free worksheet now!

Click below to grab the “Sorting Long O Words” worksheet and give your learners the practice they need to read and spell long o words with confidence.

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