3rd grade · English Language Arts · Unit 5 of 13
Spelling Patterns
Vowel teams and word endings
What your child practices
Spelling long vowel sounds with vowel teams (ai, ay, ee, ea, oa, ow, igh, ie) and adding -ed and -ing by doubling a letter, dropping a silent e or just adding the ending.
Maine Learning Results learning standard: Reading 3; Language 2 · spelling vowel teams and word endings
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- Two vowels together often make one long sound: ai, ay, ee, ea, oa, ow, igh.
- If a word ends in silent e, drop the e before -ing or -ed: bake → baking.
- Short vowel plus one consonant? Double it: hop → hopping.
Example: Add “-ing” to “run”. Which spelling is correct? “Run” has a short u and ends in one consonant. Double the n, then add -ing. Answer: running
Spelling Patterns in Maine
In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 5 of 13 in 3rd grade English Language Arts, after Punctuation Power and before Prefixes & Suffixes.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
- 3rd grade guide for Maine parents
- Printable 3rd grade English Language Arts sheet
- Maine report cards explained
Source: Maine Department of Education
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Which letters finish the word for the picture?
🍃l__f- ea
- ee
- ai
ea
Hint: Say “leaf” slowly and listen for the long vowel sound. In this word it is spelled ea: leaf.
Question 2
Add “-ing” to “skip”. Which spelling is correct?
skip + ing
- skiping
- skipping
- skipeing
skipping
Hint: “skip” has one short vowel and ends with one consonant. Double the last letter, then add -ing: skipping.
Question 3
Add “-ing” to “ride”. Which spelling is correct?
ride + ing
- riding
- rideing
- ridding
riding
Hint: “ride” ends with a silent e. Drop the e, then add -ing: riding.
Question 4
Which letters finish the word for the picture?
🥣b__l- oe
- oa
- ow
ow
Hint: Say “bowl” slowly and listen for the long vowel sound. In this word it is spelled ow: bowl.
Question 5
Which word has the same vowel team as “spray”?
- show
- day
- snail
day
Hint: A vowel team is two or more letters that spell one vowel sound. “spray” uses ay. Look for the word spelled with ay: day.
Question 6
Which letters finish the word for the picture?
⛵b__t- oe
- ow
- oa
oa
Hint: Say “boat” slowly and listen for the long vowel sound. In this word it is spelled oa: boat.