1. o_e (vowel-consonant-e)

When the letter 'o' is followed by a single consonant and then the letter 'e,' the letter '' is usually pronounced as /oʊ/.

a. joke /ʤoʊk/

 
 

b. rope /roʊp/

 
 

c. vote /voʊt/

 
 

2. oa

a. boat /boʊt/

 
 

b. soap /soʊp/

 
 

c. toast /toʊst/

 
 

3. ow

The 'ow' spelling can also be used for the 'ow sound' /aʊ/ pronunciation, such as in the word 'cow' /kaʊ/.

a. snow /snoʊ/

 
 

b. own /oʊn/

 
 

c. known /noʊn/

 
 

4. -o-

The single letter 'o' can be an extremely difficult spelling to manage when learning English pronunciation because, in addition to the /oʊ/, it is also used to spell the 'short o' as in the word 'top' /tɑp/ and the 'aw sound' (as in the word 'dog' /dɔg/).

a. most /moʊst/

 
 

b. go /goʊ/

 
 

c. both /boʊθ/