Words ending in ain

The ain creates two different sounds:


	brain	mountain

In brain you can hear a long /ā/ sound. In mountain, it creates a weak vowel sound, like a short /ĭ/.

Study the examples in the table below:

In these words the second syllable is stressed, so you can hear a clear long /ā/ sound, as in brain.

In these words the second syllable is unstressed and has a weak sound, rather like a short /ĭ/, as in mountain.

abstain
again
ascertain
attain
complain
contain
detain
disdain
domain
entertain

explain
maintain
obtain
ordain
refrain
remain
restrain
sustain
terrain
plantain

bargain
Britain
captain
certain
chaplain
chieftain
curtain
fountain
mountain
porcelain
villain

Learn the Words:

Learn the Words:

Test yourself in spelling the ain words by solving these anagrams:
Unscramble the letters in brackets to make a word ending in ain.

Unscramble the letters to find the word	Type the whole word:
The [pacniat] remained on his wrecked ship.
I'm absolutely [taecrni] I locked my car.
There is a [outnnifa] in the market square
Please will you [liexnap] this work to me?
We're hoping to get a [garibna] in the sales.
A Briton is a person; [irniatB] is the country.
I'm going to [acionmlp] about that awful smell.
James Bond always outwits the [linvali].
Leader of a tribe: [thiefianc]
I've told you once and I'll tell you [nagia].
There are cobwebs all over the [inrauct].
This is a type of fine china: [niaceorpl]

Skip this exercise and go to the next part of this unit: Words ending in ine. *

* Skip link not available for logged in students.

Please turn your screen to landscape to play this game.

The Spellzone interactive course is intended to be used online and may not be printed.