EA Spelling Words
The combination of the vowels “e” and “a” typically result in a long e sound. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule, e.g., bread and wealth, which result in a short e sound. The exceptions are noted in a separate table below.
The ”ee” spelling words and “ea” spelling words” make the long e sound. We created long e worksheets to help a child learn how to spell these words correctly.
Vowel Team Rule (Long Vowel Digraphs):
When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking. The first vowel says its name and the second vowel is silent.
EA Spelling Words
The table below was compiled using the following word families: -ea, -each, -ead, -eak, -eal, -eam, -ean, -eap, -ear, -east, -eat, and -eave.
| EA Words | Word Family | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| beach | -each | long e |
| bead | -ead | long e |
| beak | -eak | long e |
| beam | -eam | long e |
| bean | -ean | long e |
| beast | -east | long e |
| beat | -eat | long e |
| bleach | -each | long e |
| bleak | -eak | long e |
| bleat | -eat | long e |
| breach | -each | long e |
| cheap | -eap | long e |
| cheat | -eat | long e |
| clean | -ean | long e |
| clear | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| cleat | -eat | long e |
| cleave | -eave | long e |
| creak | -eak | long e |
| cream | -eam | long e |
| deal | -eal | long e |
| dean | -ean | long e |
| dear | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| dream | -eam | long e |
| fear | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| feast | -east | long e |
| feat | -eat | long e |
| flea | -ea | long e |
| freak | -eak | long e |
| gear | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| gleam | -eam | long e |
| glean | -ean | long e |
| heal | -eal | long e |
| heap | -eap | long e |
| hear | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| heat | -eat | long e |
| heave | -eave | long e |
| Jean | -ean | long e |
| knead | -ead | long e |
| leach | -each | long e |
| lead | -ead | long e |
| leak | -eak | long e |
| lean | -ean | long e |
| leap | -eap | long e |
| least | -east | long e |
| leave | -eave | long e |
| meal | -eal | long e |
| mean | -ean | long e |
| meat | -eat | long e |
| near | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| neat | -eat | long e |
| pea | -ea | long e |
| peach | -each | long e |
| peak | -eak | long e |
| peal | -eal | long e |
| peat | -eat | long e |
| plea | -ea | long e |
| plead | -ead | long e |
| pleat | -eat | long e |
| preach | -each | long e |
| reach | -each | long e |
| read | -ead | long e |
| real | -eal | long e |
| ream | -eam | long e |
| reap | -eap | long e |
| rear | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| scream | -eam | long e |
| sea | -ea | long e |
| seal | -eal | long e |
| seam | -eam | long e |
| sear | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| seat | -eat | long e |
| shear | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| sheave | -eave | long e |
| smear | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| sneak | -eak | long e |
| speak | -eak | long e |
| spear | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| squeak | -eak | long e |
| squeal | -eal | long e |
| steal | -eal | long e |
| steam | -eam | long e |
| streak | -eak | long e |
| stream | -eam | long e |
| tea | -ea | long e |
| teach | -each | long e |
| teak | -eak | long e |
| teal | -eal | long e |
| team | -eam | long e |
| tear | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| treat | -eat | long e |
| tweak | -eak | long e |
| veal | -eal | long e |
| weak | -eak | long e |
| wean | -ean | long e |
| weave | -eave | long e |
| wheat | -eat | long e |
| year | -ear | long e (r-vowel) |
| yeast | -east | long e |
| zeal | -eal | long e |
EA Spelling Words – Exceptions
The table below was compiled using the following word families: -ead, -ealth and -ear.
| EA Words | Word Family | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| dead | -ead | short e |
| head | -ead | short e |
| lead | -ead | short e |
| read | -ead | short e |
| bread | -ead | short e |
| dread | -ead | short e |
| spread | -ead | short e |
| thread | -ead | short e |
| tread | -ead | short e |
| health | -ealth | short e |
| wealth | -ealth | short e |
| stealth | -ealth | short e |
| bear | -ear | short e |
| pear | -ear | short e |
| wear | -ear | short e |
| swear | -ear | short e |
Source: Fry, E.B., Ph.D. & Kress, J.E., Ed.D. (2006). The Reading
Teacher’s Book of Lists 5th Edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass
In the words “year” and “ear,” would the “e” be a short e or a long e? Please reply to my email address.
In the words year and ea, the e is long. The most common sound of the ea is the long e sound. So year has three distinct sounds, /y/ /e-long e/ /r/ and the word ear has two /e-long e/ /r/.