Short e and Short u Families

Read words in the -et, -en, -ug, and -un families.

Short e and short u are the vowels readers mix up most, so they get their own lesson. Short e says /e/ as in 'egg'. Short u says /u/ as in 'up'.

Practice the families: -et in 'net', 'wet', 'pet'; -en in 'hen', 'ten', 'when'; -ug in 'bug', 'hug', 'plug'; -un in 'sun', 'run', 'fun'. Try pairs: 'bed' and 'bud', 'net' and 'nut', 'ten' and 'ton'. One vowel changes the word.

Read: 'Ten red hens run in the sun. '

• 1Short e says /e/; short u says /u/.
• 2These two are easy to mix up.
• 3Compare pairs like net and nut.