ou/ow sound
Core Rule
The letter teams ou/ow commonly represent the diphthong /aʊ/ as in out and cow. In certain lexical patterns, they shift to /oʊ/ as in snow or grow. When ou appears before r, the sound often reduces to /ɔː/, as in course.
Articulation Guide
/aʊ/: Jaw opens for /a/ then glides upward to a rounded /ʊ/ with continuous airflow. /oʊ/: Start with a mid-back /o/ and glide to a tighter rounded position. /ɔː/: Tongue retracts and raises slightly; lips are lightly rounded with steady airflow.
Word Analysis
out, loud, cow (/aʊ/); snow, grow (/oʊ/); course: ou + r forms /kɔːrs/, not /aʊ/.
Pitfalls
Do not assume ou always says /aʊ/. Check r-influence, stress, and word family.
Phonics Breakdown
Open, glide, round; before r, lengthen the back vowel
Sound Reference
- Check for r-influence before choosing the vowel sound
- Practice the glide, not isolated vowels
Common Mistakes
Reading course as /kaʊrs/
Assuming ou and ow always sound the same