Lesson 31: Short u (ŭ), Long u (ū) & Silent Letters

WHEELER'S ELEMENTARY SPELLER GRADES 2–3 PHONICS • SHORT U & LONG U CONTRAST • SILENT LETTERS STUDENT WORKSHEET

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Phonics & Spelling Rules to Remember

Rule 1 • ŭ vs. ū Contrast
Short ŭ (/ʌ/) sits in closed syllables: dŭsk, snŭg, jŭmp, cŭt. Long ū (/juː/ or /uː/) uses silent -e: ūse, cūbe, tūbe, mūle.

Rule 2 • FLOSS Rule (-zz)
In a one-syllable word directly after a short vowel, final /z/ is spelled with double -zz: bŭzz.

Rule 3 • Silent Letters (-e & -b)
Final -e is silent in use, cube, tube, mule. The letter b is silent after m at the end of words: dŭm[b].

1 Copy these words carefully • Spell orally: Write each word neatly on the handwriting guideline:

Column 1

use

muse

dusk

musk

Column 2

snug

swung

clung

jump

Column 3

cube

tube

mule

buzz

Column 4

cut

but

rush

dumb

2 Diacritical & Silent Letter Marking: Check the proper sound for u (ŭ or ū) and identify any silent letter:

Column 1

use

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

muse

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

dusk

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

musk

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

Column 2

snug

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

swung

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

clung

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

jump

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

Column 3

cube

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

tube

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

mule

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

buzz

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

Column 4

cut

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

but

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

rush

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

dumb

ŭ ū

Silent: none -e -b

3 Memory & Dictation Sentence: Read aloud, copy neatly, and analyze the keyword pure:

“Unto the pure all things are pure.” — BIBLE.

Keyword: pure Vowel Mark: ŭ (short) ū (long) Silent Letter: none silent -e silent -b