PRIMARY SPELLING & PHONICS • GRADE 2–3 PHONICS • VOWEL DIGRAPHS • EE / EA = /iː/ STUDENT WORKSHEET • PAGE 1 OF 2

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Vowel Digraph Architecture • Long ē Spelled ee vs. ea

Both digraphs ee and ea represent the long /iː/ sound in dissyllables:

Double ee (6 Words): breeze, freeze, sneeze, needle, beetle, steeple

Digraph ea (6 Words): squeeze, beaver, season, treason, squeal, a-sleep

Digraph Sorting: Double ee vs. Digraph ea • 26px Track

Group the 12 words under their vowel digraph heading:

Double ee: breeze • freeze • sneeze • needle • beetle • steeple

Digraph ea: squeeze (ee) • beaver • season • treason • squeal • a-sleep (ee)

Syllabic -le with Double ee • Penmanship Track

Copy the syllabic -le words, observing how the double consonant or blend attaches:

nee-dle • bee-tle • stee-ple • a-sleep • bea-ver • sea-son

Contextual Sentences • Application

Fill each blank with an appropriate target word:

1. The industrious ____________ built a strong dam across the river in spring ____________.

2. Mother threaded the fine steel ____________ with white silk thread.

Wheeler's Orthoepic Rules • Long E Digraphs

1. 1. Double EE Stability: The double vowel ee is the most stable and reliable spelling for long /iː/ in English, almost never taking any other sound.

2. 2. Digraph EA Flexibility: While ea predominantly spells long /iː/ (beaver, season), remember its occasional short sound in bread, head.

3. 3. The Sibilant Blend -ze: In breeze, freeze, sneeze, squeeze, the voiced sibilant /z/ is spelled with -ze following the long vowel digraph.