Name: ______________________
Topic:
Consonants & Vowels – Word Work
On a separate sheet of paper, answer each of the following questions using complete sentences.
Complete one section at a time throughout the week. Items in parenthesis, are meant to help answer
that question and are not separate questions. Unless noted, questions refer to the English Language as
used in America.
1. How many consonants are there in the English Language?
2. What is a consonant? (What makes a letter a consonant? Hint: it’s about the sound it makes)
3. How many vowels are there in the English Language? List them.
4. What is a vowel? (What makes a letter a vowel? Hint: the sound it makes)
5. Why is “y” sometimes considered a vowel? When is it a vowel? When is it a consonant?
-------------6. Do all words need to have vowels and consonants?
7. Can you name any words made up of consonants only?
8. Can you name any words made up of vowels only?
9. If “u” is a vowel, then is “w” a vowel too? Why or why not? (Say the letter “w” out loud.)
10. Give an example of a word that uses “y” as a consonant. Explain why it’s a consonant and not a
vowel in that word.
-------------11. What is a long vowel sound? What is its symbol? Give an example.
12. What is a short vowel sound? What is its symbol? Give an example.
13. What is a syllable?
14. Find four words with more than three syllables. Write those words broken into syllables.
15. What is a schwa? What is the symbol for schwa? Come up with three “other” examples of
words that contain a schwa sound.
-------------16. Do other languages besides English have vowels and consonants? Do you know any examples?
17. List a word that has three consonants in a row. Four. Five? (“Other” words, not from the list.)
18. Can you list a word that has three vowels in a row? Four? Five? (“Other” words, not from the list.)
19. When communicating, we can be either formal or informal. Weather we are formal or informal
depends on the words we use, how we structure our sentences, and the tone we use when
speaking. Like the activity in the book, create an example of formal and informal
communication. For example, imagine that you would like to go see a movie. How might you
informally ask a friend to go? How might you formally request permission from a parent?
20. Often times text messages are very informal and contain a lot of text abbreviations. Create an
informal text message that you might send to a friend. Turn your informal text message into a
formal communication. Remember, formal and informal is not just about the words you use –
it’s also how you structure your sentences and the tone used.
Bonus: what NEW word is misspelled on this page?
This Week’s Words:
Unexpected Consonant Spellings
Vowels in Unstressed Syllables
1.
penguin
1.
vitamin
2.
language
2.
medicine
3.
parachute
3.
continent
4.
Michigan
4.
material
5.
examination
5.
probably
6.
executive
6.
opinion
7.
exhibit
7.
Saturday
8.
exhausted
8.
treasure
9.
whirlpool
9.
finally
10.
meanwhile
10.
popular
11.
distinguished
11.
bulletin
12.
guacamole
12.
competition
13.
extinguish
13.
invitation
14.
brochure
14.
literal
15.
chauffeur
15.
binoculars
16.
chandelier
16.
senator
17.
exempt
17.
cemetery
18.
exotic
18.
ingredients
19.
exertion
19.
episode
20.
overwhelming
20.
substitute