Spelling the sound /or/: or, ore, au, aw
We have looked at the most common ways of spelling the /or/ sound:
or ore au aw and, after w, ar.
The other spellings for /or/ are listed here, under 'Rule-breakers'.
Words marked * are homophones - please see the next page.
 |
1. Words with the /or
/ sound: |
| These words use augh to spell the /or/
sound: |
| caught* |
The thief was caught
in the act. |
| taught* |
I was taught to play
the piano. |
| fraught |
Fraught means upset
and worried. |
| naught |
Naught (US spelling)
means nothing.
(British spelling: nought) |
| naughty |
Put that naughty child
to bed early. |
| daughter |
Our daughter has fair
hair. |
| slaughter |
The sick cows had to be slaughtered. |
|
| For more on these augh words, see Unit
17 |
| These words use ough to spell the /or/
sound: |
| ought |
You really ought
to see that film. |
| bought
|
I bought
my boyfriend a ring. |
| brought
|
The lost child
was brought back home. |
| fought*
|
A battle was fought
on this site. |
| nought
|
Nought
means nothing. (US spelling: naught) |
| thought |
I thought
you'd be ready by now. |
|
| For more on these ough words, see Unit
17 |
| These words use our to spell the /or/
sound: |
| four |
He has read four
books in a week. |
| pour |
Please will you
pour me a drink? |
| your |
Can I help you
with your bags? |
| court*
|
The tennis court
was too wet for play. |
| course*
|
1. This course
should help your spelling.
2. We had soup for our first course. |
| mourn |
Mourn means
to grieve over a death. |
| source* |
The source
of this river is in those hills. |
|
| Note: 4 = four, 14 = fourteen,
BUT 40 = forty |
| These words use oor to spell the /or/
sound: |
| door |
Shut the door
behind you. |
| floor* |
Don't tread on
my clean floor. |
|
Remember these words from Unit 5?
In them the /orl/ sound is spelled all :
| all |
ball |
call |
fall |
hall |
small |
stall |
tall |
wall |
The /or/ sound is spelled al in these words also: |
| chalk |
These cliffs are
made of chalk. |
| stalk* |
Flowers grow on
stalks. |
| talk |
Don't talk
with your mouth full. |
| walk |
Let's walk
instead of driving. |
|
| These words use oar to spell the /or/sound:
|
| oar |
I lost an oar
over the side of my boat. |
| boar* |
A boar
is a male pig or a wild pig. |
| board* |
The seat was just
a wooden board. |
| coarse*
|
Coarse
means rough, or not fine. |
| hoard |
He hid his hoard
of cash under the bed. |
| hoarse* |
Shouting too much
can make you hoarse. |
| roar |
I heard the roar
of a wild animal. |
| soar* |
The glider soared
high in the sky. |
|
 |
To remember the spelling of
cupboard, think of it as a board to keep cups
on, and say it out loud as cup - board. |
|
|
Remember the war rules on page 7?
These words break those rules: |
| wore* |
She wore
a new dress for the party. |
| worn* |
This old printer
is worn out. |
| water |
Drink lots of
water for good health. |
|
|
To remember the spelling of water, keep
saying:
Adam ate apples and drank water
|
|
|
2. These words have the
letters au but the sounds
are different: |
| aunt |
Dad's sister is
my aunt. |
| draught |
There's a draught
from that window.
(US spelling: draft) |
| laugh |
Don't laugh
at my misfortune. |
| sausage |
These sausages
are very tasty. |
| because |
I like you because
you understand me. |
|
|
The
word because is the cause of many spelling mistakes.
To remember the spelling of because, say it with the
/or/ sound
as in cause. |
|
Some people remember 'because' by making up a sentence.
A well-known one is:
| Big
elephants can't always use small
exits. |
 |
Try making up your own sentence for 'because'. |
View this word list