SnapPhonics
OAaw

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.