Decoding exercises: "ui"

ɪ

build /bɪld/

uː

fruit /fruːt/

Together with the article on decoding difficulties, this page sets out some common (or not...) words teachers can use to help their students become more aware of how they can sound out more correctly the different sounds corresponding to words containing "ui", basically /uː/ with many exceptions.

Examples

IPA vowels

æ	ɑː
trap	father - start
e	eɪ	eə
dress	face	square
ɪ	iː	ɪə
kit	fleece	near
ɒ	əʊ	ɔː
lot	goat	taught
ʊ	uː	ʊə
foot	goose	mature
	juː	jʊə
	cute	cure
ʌ	ə	ɜː
strut	comma	nurse
aɪ	aʊ	ɔɪ
price	mouth	choice

• /uː/: bruise - cruise - fruit - juice - recruit - suit - suitable

• "u" as /w/

/wɪ/: acquisition - anguish - distinguish - equipment - equivalent - liquid - penguin - quick - quit - quiz

/wiː/: suite

/waɪ/: quiet - quite

• silent "u"

/ɪ/: biscuit (cf. Limp Bizkit) - build - built - circuit - guilt - Guinea - guitar

/aɪ/: guide

/iː/: mosquito - quiche - quinoa /ˈkiːnwɑː/

Different syllables

• /uːɪ/: altruism - fluid - ruin - suicide - suing

• /juːɪ/: arguing - genuine

"uir"

• "u" as /w/

/waɪə/: acquire - enquire - require

/wɜː/: squirt

squirrel: /ˈskwɪrəl/^BrE, /ˈskwɜːrəl/^AmE

• Silent "u":

/ɪ/: daiquiri

Homophones

• build - billed; cruise - crews; suite - sweet;

See also

• Correcting mistakes