Spelling list: ow words

Say the word out. Can you hear a sound like the word 'ow' when you say it? That's the /ou/ sound! Sometimes, this sound is written using the letters ow.

There are three tricks you can use to help you remember when you need to use the letters ow to spell the /ou/ sound.

1) Use the ow spelling pattern if the /ou/ sound is at the end of a word, for example: crow, vow, or bow.

2) Use the letters ow if the /ou/ sound falls before the letter l, for example: owl, howl, or scowl.

3) Use the ow letter combination if the letter n comes after the /ou/ sound, for example: clown, frown, or down.

owl	I heard the hoot of an owl.
brow	He wiped his brow.
now	I was tackled in football and now I have a bruise.
sow	A female pig is called a sow.
vow	Some monks make a vow of silence.
howl	The wolf let out a great howl.
growl	A dog might growl to protect its pups.
prowl	That cat is on the prowl for a bird.
scowl	The scowl on his face told us he was in bad mood.
brown	The leaves are turning red and brown.
clown	They hired a clown to entertain at the birthday party.
crown	The king wears a gold crown.
down	A tear rolled down my cheek.
drown	He might drown.
frown	His face crumpled into a deep, dark frown. *
gown	The bride wore a white silk gown.
town	The bus was going to town. *
crowd	A crowd had gathered around the street performer.