OA says “aw” (broad)
In the word broad and its family, OA says “aw” instead of the long O — broad rhymes with sawed, not with road.
How this rule works
OA almost always says long O: boat, coat, road, soap, goal. The word broad is the exception, along with abroad, broadly, broader and broadest. Say broad and road one after the other and you can hear it — the spelling is the same but the vowel is not.
Remember: Broad sounds like sawed, not like road!
Examples
Words that use this rule
4 words in the SnapPhonics dictionary use this rule. Tap any word to see how it breaks into sounds.
What is SnapPhonics?
A phonics reference for teachers, parents and learners. Every English word, broken into the sounds that make it — with audio, syllables, and the rule behind each spelling.
Save words to study lists, build flashcard decks, and scan your own worksheets and books.
