Classroom · Phonics · Vowel teams · 1st and 2nd grade

oa and ow words worksheets

A free seven-page pack for the vowel teams oa and ow: picture words, which sound do you hear, picture match, missing letters, a word sort, read and trace with short sentences, and an answer key.

Download the oa and ow words pack(7 pages, color)Ink saver (B&W)

Watch it solved

52 sec · with voice and captions

A pencil works one example of each activity, so you can see how the worksheet goes before you print it. Tap a step to jump to it. The rest of the sheet is left for your child to finish.

Read what the video says

0:00 Let's practice O A and O W words, step by step.
0:04 Say each word, and listen for the sound. Boat, goat, coat.
0:10 Say the picture name, and circle the sound you hear. Boat. You hear O A.
0:15 Draw a line from each picture to its word. The boat goes with the word boat.
0:21 Write the missing letters in the box, then write the whole word. Boat.
0:26 Read each word, and write it in the box where it belongs. Low goes under O W.
0:32 Read each word aloud, then trace it.
0:38 Read each sentence, and circle the words with O A or O W. The goat is on the boat.
0:45 Great job! Now print the free worksheet, and finish the rest on your own.

The picture words

boat
goat
coat
soap
snow
bowl
window
rainbow

How to say it

Oa and ow can both say long o, as in boat and snow. Oa usually sits inside a word (boat, road), and ow often comes at the end (snow, grow).

Watch for

Ow has two sounds: long o in snow, and the sound in cow. If one does not make a real word, children try the other.

Read the sentences

The goat is on the boat.
Put on a coat in the snow.
The crow can fly low.

What the worksheets look like

oa and ow words worksheet, page 1 — Page 1: meet the words and how to say them

oa and ow words worksheet, page 4 — Page 4: fill in the missing letters

Common questions

What are oa and ow words?

Words where two vowels team up to make one vowel sound (the long o sound), such as boat, goat, coat, soap.

How do I teach oa and ow words?

Oa and ow can both say long o, as in boat and snow. Oa usually sits inside a word (boat, road), and ow often comes at the end (snow, grow).

What mistake should I watch for?

Ow has two sounds: long o in snow, and the sound in cow. If one does not make a real word, children try the other.

Is there an answer key?

Yes. Page 7 has every answer, the circled words for each sentence, and a teaching tip.

Mix all the vowel teams

Vowel team detective, sort by vowel sound, an answer key and a Vowel Team Champion certificate.

Review pack(4 pages, color)Ink saver (B&W)