A selection of English ESL short i sound printables

This is the song Do Re Mi from The Sound of Music along with a Japanese translation.  At the end there is also a short explanation of the difference between the English song and Japanese song and a note talking about how songs can be a powerful tool for English study.  I have been doing this song with my Elementary school students.  To help them learn the song I made a karuta game with the main part (I say "Do" and they need to slap the card with "a deer, a female deer.)

Do Re Mi

Introduction to short - long vowels - dipthongs - by focusing on / Ι /&/ æ / -  /i:/&/ a:/ - / ɜ: /&/ aʊ/.

Link provided to youtube text (Charlie - that hurt!) for clear examples of sounds.



Introduction to Phonemic Script - vowel types

Simple board game to get your sts into short vowel sounds. It's fully editable so you can change everything the way you want. I hope it's useful for some of you.

Short vowel (board game)

This worksheet is for blends vowels short sounds, a e i o u . Blending short sounds. Listen the sounds and complete the words. Complete the words with vowels and coloring them.

CVC short vowels

Help students improve their spelling with this worksheet to discriminate English sounds. Have them listen to the words and classify them in the categories "Short e" and Long e". I made it myself.

Short e/ Long e 

Simple sheet about the short vowel sound. Sts have to read, write the words and label the pictures. These are not only cvc words. I hope it's useful for some of you.

Happy teaching!

Short vowel sounds

This worksheet is designed to practice and correct pronunciation. Read the sentences and have students repeat contrasting sounds, focusing on the difference in context . Some I wrote myself others are either nursery rhymes or tongue twisters.

Pronunciation , Short sentences 

A pronunciation practice which I made to go with a Youtube video - 'English Language Club Consonant Pairs' 8mins (Thank you English Language Club!) I started with the video but you can do it any way round. Lots of sounds drilling! The words used are on the second page. You could get your students to write their own short sentences and practice with each other. You could use pictures or photos to pep it up, or have them cut up magazine pictures to make a storyboard to tell each other.

Consonant Pair Practice

These are vowel sound cards with words to illustrate. Each letter is shown with long and short variants and includes a card for shwa . I printed each one on a different color of card stock. Geared for adult ESL, as there are no pictures.

vowel sound wall cards

Teach the difference between long Y (i sound) and short Y (e sound) with this colourful wordlist. The general rule is: if the word is consisted of one syllable, then it's long Y. If the word consists of two or more syllables, then it's short Y.

Long and Short Y Wordlist

This is a rhyming words exercise to help with pronunciation of vowel sounds and recognition of the  different spellings. there are 3 matching words (one blue, one green one red). Once the children (about age 8-12 but also used with adults) I have asked the children to choose one or two sets of rhyming words and write a short poem or limerick using the vocabulary. I write an example for them e.g kitty, city, pretty

there once was a lonely kitty

Who lived in a huge city

When she could

she wanted to look good

She thought she was ever so pretty



and then the kids write their own.



Rhyming words - vowel sounds

This is a teacher's guide meant to teach beginning sounds.  You can modify it to meet any phoneme you wish.  

Phoneme isolation is when you say the sound of focus.  Then give two examples of familiar words using the sound.  Phoneme blending is say each sound individually and slowly, then a little faster, with emphasis on the chosen phoneme and finally at regular speed.  Onset and Rhyme, write the word on the board and then cross out the beginning phoneme and and a new sound.  Say "change the /b/ to a /s/ and listen to them change the sound.  Synthetic phoneme is the opposite of blending.  You say is at a regular speed first, they must break it down sound by sound.  Example: you say "bat", they say /b/ /a/ /t/.  For analytical phoneme I give them small white boards.  I say a word and they must write it down in their "sound boxes".  They draw a line horizontally through the middle, dividing the board like a hamburger.  At the top, they must first use and "x" to mark each individual phoneme they hear.  So, if the word is "dog", they ought to put three "x"es at the top of the board.  Then they vertical lines in between the "x"es to further show separation and below each "x", they have to write the letter(s) that represent the phoneme they think they hear.  This takes practice, but they pick it up quickly.  The more advanced they become, the less important the lines and 'x'es become.  At the very beginning, I accept c or k for /k/ as well as c or s for /s/.  Or, if the word is tall and they give me t/a/l, it's ok.  I do make sure to emphasize that this is ONLY for sounds and although it helps with spelling, it isn't perfect.  Finally spelling.  These are their spelling words for the week or however long you focus on the phoneme.  Clap them, snap them, hit the floor, pat their neighbor's leg or back, etc.  Do each word at least three different ways.  This is best followed up with reading simple books focusing on the phoneme you just taught.  I have used this with adults (minus the spelling part where they clap and smack the floor!) as well as kindergartners with great success.   





Short a, e Guide

Culture, intercultural communication, cross-cultural communication

Adjectives to describe feelings, emotions

Adjectives to describe personality and character

Adjectives: Gradable / Non-gradable adjectives

Articles: Definite or indefinite article (a, an or the)

BE + infinitive structures (e.g. he was to become famous)

Clauses of contrast (e.g.  although, while)

Clauses of purpose (e.g. in order to, so that, so as to)

Clauses of reason (e.g. because, because of, due to, as, since)

Cleft sentences (e.g. It's Joey we're looking for)

Comparison: Comparative adjectives and structures

Comparison: Superlative adjectives and structures

Conditional 2 (second conditional) - would

Conditionals: Conditional phrases (e.g. unless, provided that, as long as)

Conjunctions (aka connectives, e.g. and, but, or, so, then)

Contractions (shortened forms, e.g. don't, aren't, etc.)

Determiners (words that can come before nouns)

Formal and informal English (politeness or colloquial language)

Future perfect continuous (progressive) tense

Future perfect simple and continuous (progressive) tense

Future phrases (e.g. be about to, bound to, likely to, due to, set to + INF)

Homonyms (two words with the same pronunciation - homophones and homographs)

It as preparatory subject (e.g. it's raining, it's nice of you to)

Linking verbs (aka copulas, e.g. I am a student)

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how to accuse somebody of something in English

how to apologize, say sorry, forgive and express regret in English

how to ask for information and make inquiries in English

how to ask for something, make requests in English

how to blame somebody for something in English

how to defend yourself from criticism in English

how to deny or admit something in English

how to describe things or people in English

how to emphasize important things in English

how to encourage or discourage people in English

how to evaluate people or progress in English

how to express agreement /disagreement in English

how to express approval and disapproval  in English

how to express cause and effect in English

how to express interest in something in English

how to express likelihood, probability in English

how to express likes and dislikes in English

how to express sequence and chronology in English

how to express shock and disbelief in English

how to express sympathy and condolences in English

how to give permission, authorization in English

how to inform somebody about some news in English

how to interpret what was said in English

how to keep a conversation going in English

how to make guesses about something in English

how to make, accept and refuse offers in English

how to order or make a booking in English

how to persuade, convince people in English

how to praise people and express appreciation in English

how to reassure somebody of something in English

how to refuse and object to something in English

how to remind people of something in English

how to rephrase, paraphrase what was said in English

how to say thank you, express gratitude in English

Nouns: Collective nouns (team, class, family, committee)

Nouns: Proper nouns (names of people, cities, companies)

Oxymorons (phrases with words of contradictory meaning, e.g. living dead)

Participles: Past participle (e.g. HAVING DONE)

Participles: Present participle (e.g. DOING)

Parts of Speech (aka word classes, e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs)

Past perfect continuous (progressive) tense

Phonetics (pronunciation, IPA, phonetic symbols)

Plural nouns: regular plurals with S ending

Prefixes (e.g. A, UN, IM, DIS, MIS, EN, etc. )

Prepositions vs adverbs (e.g. before me, saw him before.)

Prepositions: Double prepositions (e.g. out of)

Prepositions: Participle prepositions (e.g. pending, concerning)

Prepositions: Phrase prepositions (e.g. by means of)

Present perfect continuous (progressive) tense

Present perfect simple or present continuous tense

Present simple tense: S for third person singular verbs

Present simple vs continuous (progressive) tense

Pronouns: EACH OTHER, ONE ANOTHER (reciprocal pronouns)

Pronouns: Possessive pronouns (e.g. my, mine)

Pronouns: Reflexive pronouns (e.g. myself, yourself))

Pronouns: SOMEBODY, ANYBODY, EVERYBODY, NO ONE, NOTHING, etc.

Pronouns: THIS, THAT, THESE, THOSE (demonstratives)

Pronouns: YOU and THEY to talk about people in general

Quantifiers (e.g. some, many, much, any, few, little)

Questions: WH questions (open-ended questions)

Reported speech: reported questions (indirect questions)

There is / there are / there was / there were / there will be, etc.

Verbs: Transitive or intransitive verbs (words that can or cannot stand with objects)

Working with Paragraphs: ordering, titling

Role play, miming, drama activity or improv game

Pictionary (picture dictionary) or picture matching

Writing an opinion essay (persuasive essay)

Learners who are Pre-A1 have just begun learning English and will first learn how to:<ul><li>Say the letters in the alphabet and numbers</li><li>Say hello, talk about names and age</li><li>Name the colors and dates, express likes and dislikes</li></ul>

Absolute beginners who have begun to learn the letters and numbers

Learners taking the A1 Elementary exam should be able to:<ul><li>Introduce themselves and ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, things he/she has, people he/she knows.</li><li>Communicate using very basic phrases as long as the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: common adjectives & adverbs of frequency, going to, how much/how many, imperatives, I'd like, 's – possessive, common prepositions of place and time, present simple & continuous, there is/are</li></ul>

A very basic tourist level, which is enough for buying food and a bus ticket

Learners taking the A2 Pre-intermediate exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand sentences and frequently used expressions (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).</li><li>Complete tasks that are routine and exchange information about familiar matters.</li><li>Describe matters of immediate need in simple terms.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: countable/uncountable nouns, adverbs of frequency, future will/going to, much/many, present perfect, past simple, past continuous, common phrasal verbs, common modals: can/should</li></ul>

A tourist who can do basic conversations about the past, present and future

Learners taking the B1 Intermediate exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand points regarding family, work, school or leisure-related topics.</li><li>Deal with most travel situations in areas where the language is spoken.</li><li>Create simple texts on topics of personal interest.</li><li>Describe experiences, events, dreams, and ambitions, as well as opinions or plans in brief.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: question tags, intensifiers: too/enough, future tenses, past tenses, modals, conditionals, wh-questions in the past</li></ul>

Learners who can deal with both familiar and routine situations, in friendly and work contexts

Learners taking the B2 Upper-intermediate exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization.</li><li>Interact with fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without difficulty for either party.</li><li>Produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain an opinion on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: perfect tenses, mixed conditionals, modals in the present, phrasal verbs, reported speech, wish, relative clauses</li></ul>

The level where you can be a tour guide for your foreign friends and talk about a lot of topics, even abstract ones, with ease and fluency

Learners taking the C1 Advanced exam should be able to: Express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts. Produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, using linking phrases (=words that connect ideas between sentences). Main grammar points to know: inversion, mixed conditionals, modals in the past, all passive forms, phrasal verbs (all patterns), wish/if only for regrets

Learners who can smoothly communicate in every walk of life, read long texts and write well

Learners taking the C2 Proficient exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand almost everything read or heard with ease.</li><li>Summarize information from a variety of sources into a coherent presentation.</li><li>Express themselves using precise meaning in complex scenarios.</li><li>Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations</li></ul>

Get here and you are ready to study in English at university

26 Short i sound English ESL worksheets pdf & doc