Long vowel teams: oa, ow /oʊ/ and igh, ie /aɪ/
Short answer: The teams oa and ow often say /oʊ/ (boat, snow), and igh and ie often say /aɪ/ (light, pie). Like other vowel teams, they act as one sound. Igh is three letters but one sound: the gh is silent. Note that ow can also say /aʊ/ (cow), so check the word.
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At a glance
| Letters | Sound | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| oa | /oʊ/ | boat, coat, road |
| ow | /oʊ/ | snow, show, grow |
| igh | /aɪ/ | light, night, high |
| ie | /aɪ/ | pie, tie, lie |
How to make the sound
- Spot the team: oa, ow, igh or ie.
- Read it as one long vowel sound.
- In igh, the gh is silent: light = /laɪt/.
- If ow does not sound right, try /aʊ/ as in cow.
Examples in sentences
- boat
oa = /oʊ/: /boʊt/. - snow
ow = /oʊ/: /snoʊ/. - light
igh = /aɪ/: /laɪt/. - pie
ie = /aɪ/: /paɪ/. - coat
oa = /oʊ/: /koʊt/. - night
igh = /aɪ/: /naɪt/.
Common problems
- Reading the gh: In light, gh is silent. Do not say /g/.
- Reading ow only one way: ow is /oʊ/ in snow but /aʊ/ in cow. Learn both.
- Using a short vowel: coat is not cot. Keep the long vowel.
For Vietnamese speakers
- /oʊ/ and /aɪ/ glide. Let your mouth move through the sound.
- Be careful with the final /t/ in light and night. Do not drop it.
Check yourself
- How do you say “igh” in “light”?
Show the answer
/aɪ/ gh is silent.
- How do you say “oa” in “boat”?
Show the answer
/oʊ/ One sound.
- Can ow say a different sound?
Show the answer
Yes. /aʊ/ in cow.
Questions
Is gh always silent in igh?
Yes, in common words such as light, night, high and right.
How do I choose between oʊ and aʊ for ow?
Learn them as pairs: snow /oʊ/ and cow /aʊ/. Check a new word in a dictionary.
Are these always long vowels?
Mostly, yes. The exceptions are few.
More lessons in this part
Part of the 👄 Pronunciation tool: Phonics & Word Decoding. See also the English pronunciation guide. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.
Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30