1. What graphemes can we use? ai a-e ay Year Two, Term One
The long phoneme ‘A’
What graphemes can we use? ai
a-e ay
Year Two, Term One

2. When two vowels go a-walking, The one in front does the talking.
Now in this next list of words, the ‘e’ at the end of each word and the a before it, together make the ‘A’ phoneme.
came
gave
brave
blame
name
make
safe
take
taste
wave
face
Laura’s middle name is Jane.

3. Next comes the grapheme ai
rain
pain
paint
wait
again
explain
afraid
chain
nail
sail
pail

4. day today Tuesday Wednesday May stay away hay tray stray railway
Last of all is the grapheme ay and it is not at the end of our list, without good reason.
day
today
Tuesday
Wednesday
May
stay
away
hay
tray
stray
railway

5. Now it’s your turn, list all the a-e words you can spot in the passage.
The tramp gave himself a shake and came down to the water’s edge. A red faced man was in the water. He made the tramp jump with surprise. The brave tramp stepped forward and let the man take his hand. He pulled the man to safety.
“I’d like to thank you. What’s your name?” said the man, dripping on the grass.
“Peter Goodfellow,” replied the tramp.

6. Well did you spot 9 words with the a-e grapheme?
The tramp gave himself a shake and came down to the water’s edge. A red faced man was in the water. He made the tramp jump with surprise. The brave tramp stepped forward and let the man take his hand. He pulled the man to safety.
“I’d like to thank you. What’s your name?” said the man, dripping on the grass.
“Peter Goodfellow,” replied the tramp.

7. Now look for words with the ai grapheme.
Now the tramp and the man were cold and wet. The smart man looked afraid as he crept into his house to explain to his wife.
“I’m wet,” explained the man, “but not from the rain, I fell into the river again.”
His wife had a pail of paint and a paint brush in her hands. She had a look of pain on her face. She was not in the mood for more washing.
So the man was in trouble and Peter, the tramp moved on down the road.

8. Did you find 8 words?
Now the tramp and the man were cold and wet. The smart man looked afraid as he crept into his house to explain to his wife.
“I’m wet,” explained the man, “but not from the rain, I fell into the river again.”
His wife had a pail of paint and a paint brush in her hands. She had a look of pain on her face. She was not in the mood for more washing.
So the man was in trouble and Peter, the tramp moved on down the road.

9. Last time, are you ready? Now spot the words with the ay grapheme. Go!
It was now Wednesday at the railway station. Tuesday had been a lovely May day but now it was dull. Peter had been given a pie on a tray by the canteen lady. Suddenly a mouse jumped onto it followed by a stray cat. The cat missed the mouse and landed in the pie. Oh,no!
“It’s just not my day, today,” said Peter.
“Go away, and stay away!” shouted the canteen lady to the cat, “and I’ll get you another pie,” she said to Peter.
The poor, old tramp, smiled.

10. Well did you manage to find 10?
It was now Wednesday at the railway station. Tuesday had been a lovely May day but now it was dull. Peter had been given a pie on a tray by the canteen lady. Suddenly a mouse jumped onto it followed by a stray cat. The cat missed the mouse and landed in the pie. Oh,no!
“It’s just not my day, today,” said Peter.
“Go away, and stay away!” shouted the canteen lady to the cat, “and I’ll get you another pie,” she said to Peter.
The poor, old tramp, smiled.

11. Did you notice that the ‘A’ phoneme, ay is usually at the every end of a word?
Now which spelling choices could you use to make the ‘A’ phoneme?
a-e ai ay