Decoding Longer Words

Structural Analysis

VCV Pattern

California Standards:

• R1.2 Decode multisyllabic words• R 1.6 Use context to figure out new words

Objectives

Students will:• divide words with a vowel-consonant-vowel

pattern into syllables• learn academic language: VCV pattern

VCV Pattern

• We can often figure out how to pronounce a word by looking at the pattern of vowels and consonants.

• Words with a VCV pattern usually divide before the consonant. This causes the first syllable to have a long vowel sound ( The vowel says its name.).

• When a syllable ends in a vowel, it usually has the long vowel sound

• Examples:began paper

maker

VCV

be/gan pa/per ma/ker

VCV VCV

momentThink aloud:

When I look at this word I see the VCV pattern o-m-e.

v-c-v

I’ll try dividing the word between the first vowel and the consonant and pronouncing the o with a long vowel sound.

/

The word might sound like /moh–ment/. That sounds right. I know that a moment is a word that I have heard that means just a short bit of time.

VCV Pattern

• Many VCV words divide after the consonant, so the first syllable has a short vowel sound.

v-c-vcover

/

Let’s look at a few more words:

visitv-c-v/

Next, try dividing it after the s.That would give the first i a short sound. That does sound like a word I know! / viz-it/

/

Try dividing the word after the vowel. That would give the first i a long sound, like /eye/which doesn’t sound like a word I know .

Let’s look at one more word:

beforev-c-v/

Try dividing the word after the vowel. That would give the first e a long soundwhich sounds like a word I know.

Take out your whiteboards.Copy the underlined words.

1. The cafeteria opens at eleven-thirty.

2. I need a topic for my report.

3. I spied a thin, white figure drifting into the room.

4. My grandma’s vision isn’t very good.

Work with a partner to divide the words into syllables, decode the words, and give their meanings.

Take out your purple practice book. Turn to page 146

• Write the word from the box that belongs in each group. (Notice that each word in the box follows the VCV pattern.)• As you use each word, cross it off.• Draw a line between the syllables as we did in the lesson we

just completed.• If you come to one that you don’t know, skip it and come back

to it later.

sec/ondbe/lowshiv/er

fro/zenclev/er

wri/tersi/rencov/erfe/malefin/ish