-ALL -OLL -ULL | Mr Spelling

Watch the Video

UFLI Lesson 43

When a vowel is followed by a double L, it doesn't always sound the way you expect. This rap explores three common spelling patterns: -ALL (like in ball and wall), -OLL (like in roll and troll), and -ULL (like in dull and skull). Each section spells out the words letter by letter so students can see and hear the pattern. This song links to UFLI Lesson 43.

Words in This Song

-ALL words (A + LL = "aw" sound)

tall small ball fall wall

-OLL words (O + LL = "ole" sound)

poll troll scroll stroll roll

-ULL words (U + LL = "ull" sound)

dull gull skull hull bull

Video Word List

All 15 words from the rap song, ready to practise. Three groups: -ALL, -OLL, and -ULL.

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Extension Word List

Bonus words using the same three patterns, beyond what is in the video.

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The Rule

Final Double L Changes the Sound of the Vowel

A + LL

→ "aw" sound

tall, small, ball

O + LL

→ "ole" sound

roll, troll, scroll

U + LL

→ "ull" sound

dull, gull, skull

When the letters A, O, or U come right before a double L at the end of a word, the vowel makes a different sound than you might expect. The double L steals the vowel's regular sound and replaces it. A says "aw", O says "ole", and U says "ull".

Exceptions to the Rule

These words do not follow the pattern

doll

Even though it ends in -OLL, the O says the short /o/ sound (like in "hot"), not the long /oʊ/ sound (like in "pole" or "roll"). Compare: roll says "ole": doll does not.

shall

Ends in -ALL but the A says the short /a/ sound (like in "hat"), not the /aw/ sound (like in "ball" or "tall").

full / pull / bull

-ULL words mostly say the /ʊ/ sound (like "foot") when the vowel is U, rather than the /ʌ/ sound in "dull" and "skull". Both sounds are common: students may notice that not all -ULL words sound exactly the same.

Lyrics

-ALL -OLL -ULL Phonics Rap

Are you ready to learn about final double L changing the sound of the vowel?

Chorus

A double L, it can say all.
O double L, it can say ole.
U double L, it can say ool.
Final double L can change the sound of the vowel.

Verse 1: ALL

A double L, it can say all.
Let's spell these words big and small.
Tall. T-all.
Small. S-m-all.
Ball. B-all.
Fall. F-all.
Wall. W-all.

Chorus

A double L, it can say all.
O double L, it can say ole.
U double L, it can say ool.
Final double L can change the sound of the vowel.

Verse 2: OLL

O double L, it can say ole.
Let's spell these words with heart and soul.
Poll. P-ole.
Troll. T-r-ole.
Scroll. S-c-r-ole.
Stroll. S-t-r-ole.
Roll. R-ole.

Chorus

A double L, it can say all.
O double L, it can say ole.
U double L, it can say ool.
Final double L can change the sound of the vowel.

Verse 3: ULL

U double L, it can say ool.
Spell these words one syllable.
Dull. D-ull.
Gull. G-ull.
Skull. S-k-ull.
Hull. H-ull.
Bull. B-ull.

Outro

Final double L can change the sound of the vowel.
A double L, it can say all.
O double L, it can say ole.
U double L, it can say ool.

All troll dolls have full skulls.
All troll dolls have full skulls.
All troll dolls have full skulls.

Mr. Spelling.