Courseversity

Common diphthongs

Primary EducationGrade 2English & Language ArtsCV-PRI-G02-ELA-U02-L0645–60 min

You will learn

  • Name the common diphthongs.
  • Read words with oi, oy, ou and ow.
  • Spell diphthong words.
  • Choose between oi/oy and ou/ow.

Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.

Student lesson

The lesson in 60 seconds

  1. A diphthong is a vowel sound that glides.
  2. oi and oy say the same sound.
  3. ou and ow say the sound in out and cow.
  4. oy and ow usually come at the end of a word.

Words to know

diphthong
a vowel sound that glides from one sound to another
oi
the pattern in coin
oy
the pattern in boy
ou
the pattern in cloud

1. Discover: The boy and the cloud

A boy named Ayo plays outside. He finds a coin in the soil and shouts, “Wow!” Then a cloud covers the sun and the town goes brown. He sees a cow in the field and a loud noise makes him jump with joy.

Think: Which words have oi, oy, ou or ow?

2. Understand: Diphthongs

Idea 1: What is a diphthong?

A diphthong is a vowel sound that glides, or moves, from one sound to another. Say oy and feel your mouth move.

Idea 2: oi and oy

oi and oy make the same sound. oi is usually in the middle: coin, soil. oy is at the end: boy, toy, joy.

Idea 3: ou and ow

ou and ow make the sound in out and cow. ou is in the middle: cloud, loud. ow is often at the end: cow, now, brown.

Remember: Diphthongs glide: oi and oy say the same sound, ou and ow say the sound in out and cow.

3. Worked examples

Example 1 (I show you): Read

Read: coin.

  1. oi glides.

Answer: coin

Example 2 (We do it together): Spell

Spell the word for a young male, with oy.

  1. b-oy

Answer: boy

Example 3 (You try): Pick

Which is right: cloud or clowd?

Show the steps and answer
  1. ou in the middle.

Answer: cloud

Did you know?

The ow in cow is a diphthong, but the ow in snow says long o. Both are spelled the same.

Why this matters

Diphthongs are in many common words. Learning them helps with reading and spelling.

4. Explore: Diphthong sort

Sort words by pattern.

  1. Read the word cards.
  2. Sort into oi/oy and ou/ow.
  3. Read each pile.
  4. Add a new word.
Think about it: what did you notice?

You can sort diphthong words.

5. Practise

Say it in a sentence

Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.

  • The diphthong in coin is ___.
  • The diphthong in boy is ___.
  • The diphthong in cloud is ___.
  • The diphthong in cow is ___.

Guided practice

Question 1. Which pattern is in toy?

oy

Question 2. Which pattern is in loud?

ou

Question 3. Which pattern is in brown?

ow

Independent practice

Level 1: Start

  1. A ___ is a gliding vowel sound.
  2. The pattern in coin is ___.
  3. The pattern in boy is ___.
  4. The pattern in cloud is ___.
  5. The pattern in cow is ___.

Level 2: Grow

  1. Spell a word with oi.
  2. Spell a word with ou.
  3. Read: brown.

Level 3: Stretch

  1. Do oi and oy sound the same?
  2. Where does oy usually come?
  3. Write a sentence with ow.

Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.

6. Apply: English in everyday life

Find five diphthong words around you and write them.

Show a sample answer

coin, boy, cloud, cow, house

Another one. Write a sentence with three diphthong words.

Show a sample answer

The boy found a coin in the town.

7. Common mistakes

Mistake: Using oy in the middle of a word.
Fix: Use oi in the middle.
Another mistake: Reading ow as long o in cow.
Fix: Cow says ow.

8. Lesson summary and revision card

I can…

  • I can name common diphthongs.
  • I can read diphthong words.
  • I can spell diphthong words.
  • I can choose between oi/oy and ou/ow.

9. Check and master

Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.

1. A diphthong ___.

2. Which word has oi?

3. Which word has oy?

4. Which word has ou?

5. Which word has ow like cow?

6. Which spelling is right?

7. Which spelling is right?

8. Which pair sounds the same?

9. Which pair sounds the same?

10. Which word has a diphthong?

11. Which word ends with oy?

12. Read this word: town. Which pattern?

Challenge 1. Which word has the oi sound?

Challenge 2. Which pair has different patterns but the same sound?

Your result appears here after you answer every question.

10. Key takeaways

  • A diphthong glides.
  • oi and oy sound the same.
  • ou and ow sound the same.
  • oy and ow often end a word.

11. Next lesson

Next lesson: Syllable division. Keep going with the next idea in this course.

Exam practice

These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.

  1. What is a diphthong? [1 mark]
  2. Name two diphthong patterns. [2 marks]
  3. Write a word with oy. [1 mark]
  4. Where does oy usually come in a word? [1 mark]
  5. Explain how to read a diphthong word. [3 marks]

Total: 8 marks.

Marking guide and model answers
  1. a gliding vowel sound [1]
  2. oi/oy [1]; ou/ow [1]
  3. a valid word [1]
  4. at the end [1]
  5. see the pattern [1]; say the gliding sound [1]; blend the word [1]

Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.

Printable worksheet

  1. A ___ glides.
  2. The pattern in coin is ___.
  3. The pattern in boy is ___.
  4. The pattern in cloud is ___.
  5. The pattern in cow is ___.
  6. True or false: oi and oy sound the same.
  7. True or false: oy goes in the middle.
  8. Spell an oi word.
  9. Read: brown.
  10. Write a sentence with a diphthong.

Homework

Find five diphthong words and read them to your family.

Answer key and marking scheme

Question Expected response Marks
1. A ___ glides. diphthong 1
2. The pattern in coin is ___. oi 1
3. The pattern in boy is ___. oy 1
4. The pattern in cloud is ___. ou 1
5. The pattern in cow is ___. ow 1
6. True or false: oi and oy sound the same. true 1
7. True or false: oy goes in the middle. false 1
8. Spell an oi word. coin 1
9. Read: brown. brown 1
10. Write a sentence with a diphthong. The boy has a toy. 1
Total 10

Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 diphthong; 2 oi; 3 oy; 4 ou; 5 ow. Level 2: 1 coin; 2 loud; 3 brown. Level 3: 1 yes; 2 at the end; 3 The cow is brown..

Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.

Mastery and remediation

Objective Bronze (Developing) Silver (Proficient) Gold (Advanced)
O1 Name the common diphthongs Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O2 Read words with oi, oy, ou and ow Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O3 Spell diphthong words Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O4 Choose between oi/oy and ou/ow Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation

Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.

If a learner struggles

  1. Find the misconception: Using oy in the middle of a word. Use oi in the middle.
  2. Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
  3. Show a simpler example: Use picture cards.
  4. Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
  5. Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
  6. Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.

For parents and guardians

In this lesson your child learns diphthongs such as oi, oy, ou and ow. You do not need to be an expert to help.

  • Read diphthong words.
  • Play word hunt.
  • Praise careful reading.
  • Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
  • Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
  • Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.

Teacher package

1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration

Lesson objectives. Learners will: name the common diphthongs; read words with oi, oy, ou and ow; spell diphthong words; choose between oi/oy and ou/ow.

Prerequisite knowledge. R-controlled vowels.

Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.

Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.

Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.

6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities

Introduction (5 min). Review vowel teams.

Explanation (10 min). Teach diphthongs.

Guided activity (10 min). Practise reading and spelling.

Independent activity (10 min). Sort words.

Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.

Key questions. Does the sound glide? Which pattern?

Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.

10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions

Support. Use picture cards. Extension. Find diphthongs in longer words.

Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.

Misconceptions. Using oy in the middle of a word. Use oi in the middle.

13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme

Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.

16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection

Remediation. Use picture cards. Enrichment. Write a short story with diphthong words. Homework. See above.

Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.

Sources and standards

This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.

Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 2 » Reading: Foundational Skills. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.

Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RF.2.3; IES What Works Clearinghouse Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in K–3; Cambridge Primary English Stage 2 (phonics and spelling). These sources informed the lesson.

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