Targeted Word Lists for Words with a Schwa

Students come to expect a vowel to make either its short sound or its long sound. The schwa challenges that assumption, because the vowel sound they hear doesn’t match the letters they see! This is why it is important to explicitly teach the schwa sound as students move into more advanced phonics, spelling and word study.

To help your students explore the schwa sound in multisyllabic words, the Teach Starter team has created this set of age-appropriate lists. The resource includes:

• Lists of words where the schwa sound is made by the vowels a, e, i, o and u
• Lists of words with schwa in the beginning, middle and end syllables
• Examples of common first-syllable schwa letter combinations 
• Examples of common final-syllable schwa letter combinations 

These words with a schwa lists download as a printable PDF or editable Google Slides document. Encourage your students to keep this list of words with a schwa on hand during reading and writing activities. Whether you are introducing schwa, reinforcing learning or providing extra practice, the lists support meaningful exploration of this common sound pattern.

Practical Uses for These Words That Have Schwa Lists

Words that have schwa appear frequently in everyday reading and writing, making repeated exposure essential for student success. These word lists can be used in a variety of ways to support explicit teaching, guided practice and independent application across the literacy block. Here’s some suggestions from our team to get you started:

• Compare spelling and pronunciation – Select words from the lists and discuss how the word is spelled compared to how it sounds when spoken. This encourages deeper thinking about why schwa can make reading and spelling challenging.
• Schwa scavenger hunt – After studying a particular list, students can search classroom texts, novels or information books for additional examples that fit the same schwa pattern.
• Extend the list – After examining a particular list, have students work in small groups to brainstorm additional words that could be added to that list, e.g. words with schwa in a particular syllable or words where schwa is being represented by a particular vowel. 

Download These Lists of Words with a Schwa Sound

Use the Download button above to access either the printable PDF or the editable Google Slides version of these lists of words with a schwa sound (Note: You will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides template on your personal drive before accessing it.)

Perfect for student notebooks, this resource makes a great starting point when it comes to exploring the many ways schwa appears in everyday words.

This resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a teacher in Michigan and a Teach Starter collaborator.