Diphthongs are special vowel sounds where two vowel sounds glide together in the same syllable. Your voice moves from one vowel sound to another without stopping.
Diphthongs make one blended sound, not two separate sounds.
Diphthongs help readers and writers recognize patterns in English words. Knowing diphthongs makes reading and spelling easier.
Look for common vowel pairs. They often make the diphthong sound together.
When you see certain vowel pairs, try saying the word slowly. If your mouth moves from one vowel sound to another in one syllable, it is a diphthong.
Diphthongs often sound like a “glide” between vowels. Try stretching the sound to feel it.
These diphthongs are most common in third-grade reading and writing:
Remember: the same sound may be spelled in more than one way, like oi in coin and oy in toy.
Practice reading and writing sentences with diphthongs to become familiar with their sounds.
Try underlining diphthongs in sentences to notice how they sound and where they appear.