PRIMARY SPELLING & PHONICS • GRADE 2–3 VOWEL DIGRAPHS • AU & AW (/Ɔː/) STUDENT WORKSHEET • PAGE 1 OF 2

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“The broad sound of a (/ɔː/) is frequently spelled with the vowel digraphs au and aw. Notice: aw is used at the end of syllables (saw, lawn), while au is used medially (haul, fault).”

Positional Classification — Group the 12 target words by their spelling pattern:

Digraph <aw> (Final or before n/l)

saw, thaw, draw, fawn, lawn, dawn

Digraph <au> (Medial position)

haul, vault, fault, cause, pause, fraud

Classical Quotations — Copy these memorable sentences containing broad au and aw:

“To find fault is easy.” — DEMOSTHENES (384–322 B.C.)

“The dawn grew red beyond the sea / And sent abroad the day.” — H. H. BOYESEN

Sentence Composition — Write an original sentence using thaw and cause:

Digraphs AU & AW Rules to Remember:

1. English Words Never End in U: Native English words do not end in u; therefore, word-final broad /ɔː/ is always spelled (saw, raw, thaw, draw).

2. Latin Roots with AU: Medial words like cause, pause, applaud, fault derive from Latin and Greek roots and keep the digraph .

3. Silent E after S in "Cause": In cause and pause, the letter s has a voiced /z/ sound, and silent final -e prevents confusion with plural words.