LITTLE GOODY TWO SHOES—V
One day Jumper came whining into the schoolroom. He took hold of Margery's dress and pulled and pulled.
"What do you wish, dear Jumper?" asked Margery.
But the dog only whined and pulled her toward the door. At last Margery went outdoors to see what was the matter.
Then Jumper left her and ran back into the schoolroom. He took hold of the dress of one of the little girls and tugged and tugged. At length she too followed Jumper to the door.
By this time all the children were on their feet and quickly followed the teacher out of the schoolroom.
They were none too soon. The last little girl had hardly passed the door when, with a great crash, the roof fell in.
All the children were safe, but what had become of Margery's dear books and letters and other things?
Margery did not lose her school. A rich man who lived near ordered the schoolhouse to be rebuilt at his own expense.
Another gentleman, Sir Charles Jones, having heard of Margery's good sense, offered her a home if she would teach his daughter. In fact he finally fell in love with Margery, and they were married in the great church. And what do you think! On her wedding day, while the bells were ringing, Margery's brother Tommy came home. He had become the captain of a great ship. He had sailed to many lands, and he brought her all kinds of presents. Do you think she deserved to be very happy?
She did not forget the children, you may be sure. A house in the village was fitted up as a school, and all the boys and girls were taught to read and write.
Ascribed to GOLDSMITH
ONE STEP AND THEN ANOTHER
One step and then another,
And the longest walk is ended;
One stitch and then another,
And the largest rent is mended.
One brick upon another,
And the highest wall is made;
One flake upon another,
And the deepest snow is laid.
ANONYMOUS
GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD MORNING
| curious | neighed | curtsied |
A fair little girl sat under a tree,
Sewing as long as her eyes could see;
Then smoothed her work and folded it right,
And said, "Dear work, good night, good night!"
Such a number of rooks came over her head,
Crying "Caw, caw!" on their way to bed.
She said, as she watched their curious flight,
"Little black things, good night, good night!"
The horses neighed, and the oxen lowed,
The sheep's "bleat, bleat!" came over the road;
All seeming to say, with a quiet delight,
"Good little girl, good night, good night!"
She did not say to the sun, "Good night!"
Though she saw him there like a ball of light,
For she knew he had God's time to keep
All over the world, and never could sleep.
The tall pink foxglove bowed his head;
The violets curtsied and went to bed;
And good little Lucy tied up her hair,
And said, on her knees, her favorite prayer.
And while on her pillow she softly lay,
She knew nothing more till again it was day;
And all things said to the beautiful sun,
"Good morning, good morning! our work is begun."
LORD HOUGHTON
DAVID AND GOLIATH—I
| Philistines | guarding | Goliath |
Long, long ago there lived, in the country of Israel a boy named David.
He was a shepherd boy, and all day long he watched the quiet sheep as they ate sweet grass on the hillside.
Although David was only a boy, he was tall and strong and brave.
When he knew he was in the right, he feared nothing.
David's quiet life did not last long.
There was a great war between the people of Israel and men called the Philistines.
All the strong men in David's town went to join the army of Israel.
David could not go, as he had to tend the sheep, but his three older brothers went to the war.
For a long time David's father heard nothing from his three oldest boys.
At length he called David to him and said, "Take to your brothers a bag of this corn and these ten loaves of bread. Find out how your brothers are, and bring word to me."
The next morning David rose very early, and taking the bag of corn and the loaves of bread, he went to the camp where his brothers were.
The camp of Israel was on the side of a high mountain.
Across the valley from this mountain and on the side of another mountain was the camp of the Philistines.
After David had come to the camp and had found his brothers, shouts of anger and fear came from the soldiers.
David looked across the valley to the camp of the Philistines.
There he saw a huge soldier dressed in shining armor.
This giant soldier carried a great spear and shield.
"Who is that man?" asked David.
"Do you not know? That is Goliath," said the soldiers. "Every day he comes out and dares any man on our side to meet him in battle."
"Does no one of our soldiers dare to meet him?" asked David.
"We have no man so strong as he in our whole army," said the soldiers.
The giant from the opposite hillside shouted with a loud voice, and again dared the army of Israel to choose a man to meet him.
David was a brave boy; he was stirred to anger at the sight of this great giant.
"Is not God on the side of our people?" he asked. "I will fight with this man, even though he kill me."
DAVID AND GOLIATH—II
The king of Israel heard of these brave words and sent for David to come before him.
When he saw that David was only a boy, he said, "You are not able to go against this Philistine. You are only a boy, while he has fought in many battles."
Then David said to the king, "Once, when I was guarding my father's sheep, I killed a lion and a bear without help from any one but the Lord. He will help me fight this man."
Then the king said, "Go, and the Lord be with you."
The king fitted David with heavy armor and gave to him his own sword, but David said, "I am not used to this heavy armor; it will only hinder me."
So he threw it off.
Then David went to a brook near by and chose five smooth stones.
Armed with these five stones and his sling; he went bravely out to meet the giant.
When the giant saw that David was only a boy, he was angry and cried out:
"Do you dare fight with me? I will kill you, and will give your flesh to the birds and the beasts."
David looked at him without fear and said, "You come against me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield, but I come to you in the name of the Lord. This day will he give you into my hand. I will kill you and take your head from you, and I will give the bodies of the Philistines to the birds and the beasts."
When they came near to each other, David fitted one of the five stones to his sling.
He whirled the sling swiftly about his head. The stone flew straight to its mark. It struck the Philistine full in the forehead. The huge giant took one step and, with a groan, fell to the earth.
Then David, standing upon the giant, took his sword and cut off the head of his enemy.
When the Philistines saw that their giant was dead, they were filled with fear.
They left their camp and tried to run away, but the army of Israel followed them and won a great victory.
For this brave deed David was made a captain and was held in honor by the king.
Adapted from the Bible
PHONETIC TABLES
The following tables are planned to supplement those already developed in the "Beacon Primer" and in the "Beacon First Reader."
The earlier tables are introduced in order that the teacher may have them for rapid review work with her slower pupils, and also for those pupils entering the class without any previous phonetic training.
The strictly new matter, which includes the last ten pages, should receive special emphasis and care in its development and drill.
REVIEW OF THE VOWELS a, e, i, o, and u
| fix | jut | fob | jig | lag |
| rid | tug | kin | van | yet |
| fog | cab | bog | pod | vex |
| wed | box | mix | wax | cud |
| Yes | Jug | Kid | Sit | Six |
| Pug | Jim | Yell | Red | Fox |
| Keg | Dug | Win | Ned | Will |
| Puff | Hug | Bess | Rub | Vim |
In the following words a blend of two consonants follows the vowel.
| felt | tilt | elm | elk | self |
| kilt | sick | rich | loft | link |
| silk | lank | test | gilt | dish |
| lock | limp | tuft | hilt | nick |
| gust | bulk | pelt | lint | dust |
| land | gush | wilt | belt | sack |
| pick | hack | lent | sent | mist |
| sink | bunt | lash | lend | rush |
| sash | hush | rust | luck | such |
| king | dusk | ring | fond | hulk |
| dent | sunk | lack | kick | sank |
| desk | bank | hint | welt | wing |
| back | wink | sulk | bent | went |
| lamp | must | rock | pack | hand |
| wind | lump | wick | duck | bunk |
| punt | mock | husk | band | much |
| bump | mush | bend | jump | mend |
| hump | pump | bond | musk | damp |
In the following words a blend of two consonants precedes the vowel. The vowel must be sounded with the preceding consonants.
| fled | flog | flag | clip | cliff |
| grit | slip | grin | frog | grip |
| slat | trot | trill | stiff | slop |
| spot | blot | prig | sled | still |
| sniff | drip | slap | slab | scan |
| scud | twit | step | spin | brag |
| span | crab | stag | glen | drag |
| slum | stab | crag | trim | skill |
| skim | slim | glad | crop | drop |
| snuff | skin | skip | scab | snob |
| skull | snip | bled | stun | twin |
| dress | grab | drill | skiff | from |
| swell | drug | twig | grim | snap |
| scum | bran | stub | snag | stem |
| plum | sped | spill | prop | slam |
| drum | gruff | snug | tress | snub |
| smell | spell | brim | bless | spun |
The correct pronunciation of wh is important. In reality the h is sounded before the w, and in the oldest English it was so written. This table combines the features of the two previous tables.
| wit | chip | flock | crank | theft |
| whit | shut | trick | shock | sling |
| whet | shed | shelf | trunk | trust |
| whig | shop | swift | plank | sting |
| whip | shad | frock | swing | fresh |
| whiff | chub | strap | smith | twist |
| when | shun | prick | string | track |
| whist | trash | brick | smack | crash |
| whim | chest | crust | stump | stock |
| which | script | scrub | splash | scrap |
| whisk | spend | shred | struck | block |
| ship | cramp | grunt | scamp | frank |
| chill | smash | shrink | throb | |
| chat | twitch | stack | thump | pluck |
| sprang | spring | drink | thrush | shrub |
| sham | switch | check | stretch | brush |
| chess | snatch | thank | scratch | spank |
In the following words the vowel is long because of the final e.
| tide | rote | rite | fade | core |
| gore | lute | five | trade | glide |
| tone | pole | live | plate | wore |
| cope | lobe | tore | crave | drive |
| tube | lane | hive | spore | pride |
| wipe | bide | save | globe | stove |
| slate | pore | rave | snipe | snore |
| mere | flake | cove | stone | spine |
| store | stole | cave | flame | blade |
| mute | wide | stale | grove | crime |
| stake | hone | mete | grape | shave |
| skate | mine | wake | smite | grime |
| spike | more | wave | white | stride |
| brake | score | slope | drone | spade |
| spoke | fume | strife | twine | shape |
| snake | wade | slime | strive | whale |
| strike | slave | mode | stripe | blame |
| stroke | shine | smile | swore | scrape |
| smoke | shade | shore | shame | throne |
The following words illustrate the effect of final e in lengthening the vowel otherwise short. Final se usually has the sound of ze.
| cot | cote | slat | slate | glaze |
| rob | robe | trip | tripe | nose |
| cut | cute | slid | slide | doze |
| not | note | grip | gripe | fuse |
| dot | dote | slop | slope | maze |
| tub | tube | shin | shine | hose |
| con | cone | slim | slime | froze |
| cub | cube | glad | glade | these |
| nod | node | snip | snipe | gaze |
| met | mete | shot | shote | rise |
| plat | plate | spin | spine | size |
| flam | flame | plan | plane | wise |
| shad | shade | strip | stripe | haze |
| mop | mope | grim | grime | rose |
| whit | white | twin | twine | daze |
| sham | shame | prim | prime | those |
| scrap | scrape | plum | plume | close |
Before r the sounds of the vowels a, e, i, and u are greatly modified. These combinations occur so frequently that much drill is required. Final e affects ar as in care.
| stir | serf | mar | jar | fur |
| slur | tart | cart | bur | furl |
| star | turf | first | curl | gird |
| jerk | lard | fern | bird | dart |
| firm | scar | card | char | spar |
| hurl | lark | hurt | part | arch |
| turn | blur | purr | pert | spur |
| hard | barn | darn | carp | herd |
| dark | burn | term | hark | yard |
| start | shirt | bark | yarn | harp |
| sharp | clerk | skirt | chirp | park |
| spark | shark | mark | spurt | third |
| parch | smart | churn | perch | harm |
| charm | starch | march | mirth | smirch |
| tare | scare | dare | pare | rare |
| fare | snare | hare | ware | glare |
| bare | spare | mare | stare | share |
In the words of this table ea and ee have the long sound ofe.
| fear | tear | lean | heap | fleet |
| thee | east | ease | keep | beef |
| near | plea | heed | greet | year |
| freed | dean | team | weed | ream |
| tease | deed | treat | wean | teach |
| sheet | yeast | meet | spree | plead |
| sheaf | mead | steep | sheer | eaves |
| greed | creak | creek | shear | spear |
| breed | agree | sneer | bleed | speed |
| beach | sheen | green | preen | cheap |
| sweep | sheep | reach | street | freeze |
| dream | tweed | fleece | cream | weave |
| screen | peach | gleam | wheat | streak |
| bream | leaves | cleans | crease | teapot |
| beams | please | greedy | Easter | spleen |
| breeze | gleans | squeak | beaver | season |
| grease | sneeze | wheeze | sheath | stream |
| reason | teacher | sheaves | scream | beacon |
In the words of this table ai and ay have the long sound of a.
| rail | lain | hail | bail | flail |
| slay | fray | nail | bait | frail |
| vain | gray | clay | paid | |
| dray | bray | main | wail | pray |
| raise | saint | stray | snail | faint |
| staid | away | paint | faith | train |
| gayly | spray | chain | plain | maid |
| stain | strain | waist | braid | drain |
| grain | praise | strait | twain | claim |
| sway | sprain | raisin | afraid | dainty |
In the words of this table oa and oe have the long sound of o.
| oats | soar | floe | roar | coat |
| coax | float | oak | goal | soap |
| roam | hoed | load | loan | soak |
| whoa | loam | boat | goat | moat |
| cloak | coarse | foam | roast | toast |
| groan | throat | shoal | croak | coast |
| loaves | hoarse | moan | coach | board |
In the words of this table ie and final y take the long sound of i.
| fie | hie | sly | cry | shy |
| vie | sty | pry | why | lied |
| fried | sky | tied | vied | tried |
| pried | ally | rely | defy | deny |
| reply | spry | skies | flies | cried |
| supply | spied | plied | dried | comply |
In the words of this table ew and ue are pronounced very nearly like u long.
| hue | due | stew | hew | cue |
| pew | mew | view | ague | jewel |
| rescue | sinew | argue | subdue | value |
| mildew | pewter | renew | steward | ensue |
In the words of this table oi and oy are pronounced alike.
| coy | coil | join | loin | toil |
| soil | foist | boil | coin | cloy |
| point | broil | joist | hoist | joint |
| enjoy | voice | royal | noise | spoil |
| moist | avoid | choice | annoy | doily |
| employ | oyster | anoint | poison | boiler |
In the words of this table au and aw take the sound of a in all.
| jaw | claw | haul | Paul | flaw |
| faun | yawn | bawl | thaw | slaw |
| fault | hawk | daub | Maud | fraud |
| fawn | gauze | vault | brawl | cause |
| dawn | drawl | pawn | lawful | crawl |
| awful | pauper | straw | brawn | drawn |
| pause | awning | lawyer | spawn | caucus |
In the words of this table ou and ow are pronounced alike.
| gout | rout | scow | pout | scour |
| town | trout | scout | down | shout |
| prow | cloud | snout | tower | proud |
| flour | south | scowl | pouch | mount |
| stout | spout | aloud | power | bound |
| count | about | crowd | pound | crouch |
| towel | couch | sound | blouse | devout |
| found | growl | frown | grouse | wound |
| clown | vowel | drown | sprout | shroud |
| flower | round | shower | mound | ground |
In the following list of words oo is pronounced like u in rude.
| boot | cool | tool | pool | roof |
| poor | root | toot | loop | loon |
| soon | food | hoot | boor | rood |
| noon | coop | hoop | hoof | coon |
| loom | loose | moor | boon | sloop |
| proof | stoop | troop | stool | spool |
| boost | noose | sooth | room | boom |
| croon | moon | mood | roost | shoot |
| broom | doom | goose | scoop | tooth |
| bloom | brood | gloom | groom | swoop |
| swoon | spoon | moose | choose | groove |
Review the sound of qu.
| quilt | quid | quill | equip | quit |
| quell | quite | quiz | quire | quail |
| queer | quote | quest | quick | squire |
| squirt | queen | quince | quake | squint |
| squaw | quack | squirm | square | quaint |
| squeak | squeal | quench | squeeze | squirrel |
REVIEW
| sly | card | loft | due | ear |
| stir | why | cliff | tied | cue |
| jaw | turn | curl | hilt | coil |
| boil | tube | cloy | clay | nail |
| lute | rose | spar | crag | |
| slay | Paul | flaw | hoof | haul |
| firm | quill | gore | pray | sank |
| boot | wore | stew | herd | heap |
| stun | stem | fried | twin | tried |
| scow | bless | smile | mew | term |
| trout | mere | glean | froze | glide |
| store | slave | sheaf | team | more |
| quite | noise | mode | daub | boom |
| shore | stoop | mend | score | gauze |
| sheet | much | chain | stone | grime |
| grunt | hawk | moon | pawn | shark |
| pump | peach | quick | block | quack |
| snake | sound | pouch | queen | march |
| smash | cramp | stump | smoke | switch |
| sky | glare | rely | room | tress |
| skill | doily | gruff | plied | royal |
| gayly | tooth | sloop | scrap | scare |
| snare | ensue | coast | spurt | pried |
| croak | perch | strife | twain | strait |
| growl | flower | noose | stripe | gauze |
| awful | power | parch | annoy | smart |
| strive | moose | stride | choice | blame |
| churn | loaves | afraid | starch | throat |
| sinew | beaver | rescue | coarse | oyster |
| praise | poison | teapot | lawful | sprain |
| struck | breezy | hoarse | anoint | squeal |
| screen | sprout | groove | choose | squint |
| scrape | shower | grouse | twitch | blouse |
| supply | stretch | caucus | dainty | throne |
| pauper | shroud | season | reason | square |
| auburn | teacher | subdue | sprawl | freezer |
| awning | mildew | employ | smirch | pewter |
| squeeze | squirrel | preacher | squirm | comply |
In the following list of words c is soft before e or i.
| cite | ace | ice | cell | cent |
| vice | rice | lace | city | since |
| nice | trice | dice | farce | fence |
| slice | pace | mice | voice | lance |
| price | trace | grace | pence | mince |
| truce | mace | cease | hence | prince |
| place | brace | fleece | dance | thence |
| space | twice | peace | glance | chance |
| splice | spruce | choice | quince | whence |
In the following list of words g and dg before e and i are pronounced like j.
| gin | gist | gill | gem | gibe |
| germ | tinge | edge | urge | huge |
| serge | judge | singe | ledge | large |
| barge | fudge | lodge | dodge | ridge |
| cringe | lunge | budge | hedge | badge |
| sledge | nudge | wedge | fringe | range |
| bridge | merge | grudge | trudge | mange |
| smudge | charge | plunge | dredge | change |
K and ck are sounded exactly alike. Their use is not so confusing from the point of view of sounding as from spelling. The use of the ck after a short vowel should be strongly emphasized by the teacher.
| nick | dike | flake | fleck | flick |
| cake | sock | deck | meek | flock |
| pack | yoke | slick | shock | poke |
| track | hack | dock | snake | neck |
| stuck | clack | sleek | strike | crack |
| freak | pluck | truck | stroke | brake |
| drake | shake | black | struck | sneak |
| spoke | tweak | broke | smack | shuck |
| bake | sake | like | beak | stoke |
| back | sack | lick | beck | stock |
| take | slake | pike | Luke | smoke |
| tack | slack | pick | luck | smock |
| rake | stake | peak | duke | croak |
| rack | stack | peck | duck | crock |
| lake | dike | speak | coke | cloak |
| lack | Dick | speck | cock | clock |
Tch generally has the same sound as ch. Ch usually follows vowels having the long sound, while tch usually follows vowels having the short sound.
| each | teach | peach | reach | speech |
| bleach | screech | leech | breach | beech |
| coach | roach | poach | broach | preach |
| fetch | stretch | itch | botch | notch |
| blotch | catch | sketch | crutch | pitch |
| latch | batch | snatch | ditch | match |
| hatch | patch | hutch | twitch | clutch |
| switch | witch | stitch | scratch | flitch |
This table contains a further development of the two sounds of th.
| fifth | tenth | strength | thud | thill |
| thing | thump | thick | thank | thatch |
| throb | throne | thrust | thrash | thrush |
| this | thus | these | those | that |
| them | than | then | the | thee |
| thy | bathe | lathe | seethe | lithe |
| blithe | withe | clothe | scathe | thine |
| breathe | soothe | smooth | thence | sheathe |
In the following list of words ie has the sound of long e.
| field | niece | priest | piece | shield |
| grief | yield | siege | thief | relief |
| brief | chief | fiend | shriek | believe |
In the following list of words o has a sound midway between its sound in for and in fox.
| cost | moss | song | broth | frost |
| soft | toss | long | cloth | strong |
| lost | loss | tong | froth | loft |
In the following list of words a has the sound of short o.
| was | wand | swap | what | swamp |
| wad | wash | swan | want | wander |
| wan | wasp | swab | watch | washer |
Two vowels together are often sounded separately.
| fuel | poem | giant | quiet | duel |
| poet | idea | gruel | truant | suet |
| diet | real | trial | pliant | dial |
Tion and sion are pronounced shun.
| nation | mention | vision | tension | session |
| ration | pension | notion | mission | station |
| option | fraction | motion | passion | action |
| fuel | snail | cede | defy | bare |
| field | stare | skirt | thief | gruel |
| trial | mete | roost | away | ledge |
| mere | deny | grace | quiet | fence |
| paint | quail | dried | share | snore |
| whist | niece | spare | judge | braid |
| yeast | poem | value | growl | crawl |
| scowl | goose | giant | Maud | argue |
| groan | moist | yawn | swore | drawl |
| mirth | coach | raisin | squirt | oyster |
| annoy | boiler | strain | choice | swoon |
| broom | gaudy | priest | gleans | squaw |
| sneeze | whisk | quake | rescue | truant |
| poison | prince | renew | crouch | sprout |
| dredge | crease | flower | motion | greedy |
| chance | charm | bridge | mound | believe |
| supply | nation | notion | squeak | shower |
| lawyer | plunge | square | employ | comply |
| quench | awning | stream | mildew | sheaves |
The following list contains words with the most common suffixes.
| jacket | market | velvet | trumpet |
| locket | basket | ticket | thicket |
| secret | blanket | bracket | bucket |
| goblet | musket | rocket | gimlet |
| closet | carpet | racket | hornet |
| mantle | camel | model | parcel |
| ravel | panel | saddle | travel |
| slumber | chapel | canter | pickle |
| lumber | cinder | printer | master |
| whisper | helper | sister | corner |
| barber | under | lobster | farmer |
| scamper | winter | number | tumbler |
| blunder | jester | pitcher | milker |
| farther | monster | marble | cycle |
| uncle | thimble | jumble | grumble |
| stumble | tingle | tickle | speckle |
| candle | nimble | tumble | ankle |
| twinkle | single | dangle | dimple |
| cackle | buckle | magic | picnic |
| handle | bundle | frolic | mimic |
| simple | wrinkle | merit | arctic |
| solid | limit | habit | infant |
| stupid | visit | spirit | distant |
| rapid | profit | pulpit | merchant |
| timid | ashes | classes | servant |
| kisses | dishes | dresses | brushes |
| losses | stitches | bunches | wishes |
| glasses | matches | lunches | pinches |
| fishes | branches | churches | goblin |
| sweeten | cabin | driven | robin |
| quicken | satin | harden | pumpkin |
| seven | napkin | beacon | shorten |
| beckon | reckon | dragon | blacken |
| sermon | wagon | lemon | prison |
| season | melon | lesson | mason |
| fifty | angry | ugly | milky |
| sixty | sadly | dainty | rusty |
| hungry | pantry | empty | silky |
| finely | safely | lately | pages |
| merely | widely | purely | prices |
| nicely | lonely | closely | wages |
| races | spices | ages | places |
| faces | cases | cages | stages |
| laces | blazes | closes | roses |
| axes | gazes | noses | rises |
| hateful | sizes | uses | prizes |
| wasteful | helpful | rival | naval |
| needful | spiteful | final | vital |
| cheerful | thankful | oval | opal |
| graceful | truthful | local | legal |
| wakeful | careful | floral | fatal |
The following list contains words with the most common prefixes.
| awake | abed | afloat | adorn |
| afraid | aloud | asleep | alert |
| afire | ago | amid | adrift |
| away | about | agree | alas |
| alone | across | ablaze | award |
| became | again | become | apart |
| because | around | begin | alive |
| belong | along | untwist | abuse |
| unhitch | awhile | unjust | between |
| unhurt | began | depend | befall |
| delay | behave | declare | beside |
| demand | before | devote | unbend |
| display | unlock | excite | untrue |
| displace | unfit | explode | unchain |
| disgust | unclean | expand | exceed |
| encamp | decay | discharge | expect |
| enrage | depart | dispute | excel |
| enjoy | defend | dismiss | expose |
| inquire | endure | disturb | excuse |
| inclose | enlarge | forbid | express |
| inform | engrave | forgive | explain |
| intent | except | forget | require |
| insist | exchange | forsake | unwind |
| invite | explore | rebound | behind |
| inflame | exclaim | recess | unfold |
| remark | repeat | recite | reply |
| refer | repair | replace | recall |
| renew | regret | release | retain |
| rejoice | return | reduce | report |
| regard | refresh | restore | remain |
| coachman | huntsman | seaman | postman |
| salesman | workman | footman | hackman |
| railroad | birthday | foreman | boatman |
| inkstand | daylight | fireplace | teacup |
| seaside | seaweed | sunbeam | tiptoe |
| stairway | necktie | rainbow | railway |
| seashore | cobweb | spyglass | beehive |
Usually the vowel followed by one consonant is given the long sound, whereas, when the consonant is doubled, the vowel usually has the short sound, as illustrated in the following words.
| biter | plater | toper | hoping |
| bitter | platter | stopper | hopping |
| diner | shiny | tiny | doted |
| dinner | shinny | tinny | dotted |
| cuter | hater | poker | offer |
| cutter | hated | paper | wider |
| holy | hatter | taper | spider |
| holly | riding | favor | diver |
| bony | ridding | fever | gallon |
| bonny | biting | clover | racer |
| bogy | bitting | over | cider |
| boggy | caning | halo | label |
| Mary | canning | solo | yellow |
| marry | planer | polo | jolly |
| mate | planner | flabby | jelly |
| matter | ruder | shabby | maker |
| robed | rudder | ruddy | taker |
| robbed | loping | tulip | dummy |
| pining | lopping | cedar | common |
| pinning | baker | tamer | moment |
| tuning | shady | liner | silent |
| stunning | lady | pacer | ruby |
| planing | tidy | giddy | bonnet |
| planning | pony | sudden | penny |
The following words illustrate silent k, g, w, b, l, t, and gh.
| knee | kneel | knelt | knell | knit |
| knife | knot | knock | knob | knew |
| knave | knead | know | knack | gnat |
| gnaw | gnu | gnash | gnarl | gnome |
| wry | wren | wrist | wrote | write |
| wrap | wring | wrung | wrong | wrest |
| wreck | wrath | wretch | wreak | wrench |
| writhe | wreath | high | sigh | wright |
| thigh | light | fight | tight | sight |
| knight | right | fright | plight | night |
| blight | slight | bright | flight | might |
| caught | naught | taught | daughter | aught |
| tightly | brightly | lightly | lightning | naughty |
| climb | comb | crumb | dumb | lamb |
| limb | numb | thumb | debt | doubt |
| combing | calf | half | balm | calm |
| chalk | stalk | walk | folks | talk |
| often | soften | castle | jostle | rustle |
| thistle | whistle | chestnut | fasten | listen |