2
Vest or west? Sounds v and w
Connect Primary 6 Term 1, Unit 3: pp. 42–49
GoalHear and say the sounds v and w and tell the words apart.
New words
vest · a sleeveless topwest · where the sun goes downvet · an animal doctorwet · not dryviolin · a musical instrument with strings
Explanation
The sounds v and w are different. For v, your top teeth touch your bottom lip and your voice hums, as in volcano. For w, your lips make a round shape, like a small circle, and your teeth do not touch, as in water. Some words change meaning with these sounds: vest and west, vet and wet. Say the pairs slowly in front of a mirror. Watch your teeth and your lips. Then say each pair faster.
| v | w |
|---|---|
| vest | west |
| vet | wet |
| vow | wow |
| verse | worse |
Worked examples
Listen and say. Find v.
Listen and say. Find w.
Our van went west with seven wet vests.
The vet saw a whale in the window.
Now you. Say vest, west, vet and wet to a grown-up. The grown-up points and you say the word.
Class activity
Mirror game. Stand in front of a mirror. The grown-up says a word with v or w. The child shows the mouth shape: teeth on the lip for v, a round mouth for w. Then the child says the word. Try ten words.
Practice
1
Which word begins with v: west or vest?
vest.
2
Listen. Which word do you hear: vet or wet?
…
wet.
3
Look. Does the word begin with v or w?
w.
4
Complete with v or w: _olcano, _indow, _iolin, _ater.
volcano, window, violin, water.
5
Writing: write two words with v and two words with w.
For example: very, van; water, window.