Long A Spellings for Kids: a_e, ai and ay Made Easy (Grade 1 and Grade 2 English)

Hi, I'm Luna from DoodleBeez. Today we are learning the long a sound. Long a says its own name, A. You hear it in cake, rain and play. But it can be spelled in different ways!

The first spelling is a, consonant, e. The e at the end is silent, but it makes the a say its name. Cap becomes cape. Tap becomes tape. Lake, gate and name use it too.

The second spelling is the vowel team a i. When two vowels go walking, the first one often does the talking. A i usually comes in the middle of a word, like rain, tail and paint.

The third spelling is a y. It usually comes at the end of a word. Play, day, stay and tray all end with a y. A word in English rarely ends with a i.

Here is a helpful chart. Use a i in the middle, a y at the end, and a, consonant, e when a silent e finishes the word. Saying the word slowly helps you choose.

Let's sort some words. Snail has a i in the middle. Gray has a y at the end. Plate has a silent e. All three have the very same long a sound.

Now it's your turn. How do you spell the word that means a short time? Is it d, a, i, or d, a, y? Pause and try. It is d, a, y. Day ends with long a, so we use a y.

Great job! Long a says its name. Spell it with a i in the middle, a y at the end, or a, consonant, silent e. Practice long a spellings in the English Lab at doodlebeez.com. See you next time!