Long Vowel A

The long vowel A sound, represented phonetically as /ā/ or eɪ/, can be spelt many different ways. This phonics rap song provides and overview of the eight most common ways the long A sound can be spelt. The single letter A makes its long sound at the end of a syllable, as in the word baby. The digraph AI, found in rain, typically appears in the middle of words, while AY as in pay, is most often found at the end of words. The split digraph A_E, as seen in the word cake, is one of the most frequent ways to represent the long A sound, where the final silent E causes the A to say its name.