FREE Printable Long U Words List – 200+ Words.

In this guide, we turn our attention to the long ‘U’ sound and have two long u word lists to download here for both of the sounds that long U can make.

The Long U vowel sound is key for developing reading and spelling proficiency among students and it can be a tricky long vowel sound as it has two of them, not just one!

We are providing a free, printable long U words list and cover both the /u:/ and the /Ju:/ sounds, the oo and the yoo sounds. So there are two long u words lists to download here.

The Long ‘U’ Sound:

The long ‘U’ sound, articulated as /yu/ in words like ‘use’ or as /oo/ in ‘flute’, plays a significant role in the English language.

These two Long U sounds are explored in more detail just below to make sure you can teach them to your students or children.

It is distinct from its short U counterpart, appearing in a variety of words and contexts.

Grasping the long ‘U’ sound facilitates improved reading accuracy and spelling skills, paving the way for better overall communication.

The Two Sounds of Long U

The long U sound in English typically has two distinct pronunciations:

1. /juː/ (as in ‘music’ or ‘use’): This sound is similar to a combination of a short Y sound and the long U. It’s often found in words where the long U follows a consonant sound.
2. /uː/ (as in ‘true’ or ‘blue’): This pronunciation is a pure, longer U sound without the initial Y sound. It typically occurs in words where the long U follows a vowel sound, comes after an R, L, or W, or when the U is at the beginning of a word or syllable.

Pronunciation 1: /juː/

In this category, the long U sound starts with a slight “y” sound (like at the beginning of the word “yes”). It’s not present in all dialects of English, but it is prevalent in many.

Here, the U sound is more like “yoo.”

/juː/ as in ‘music’: Table of Long U Words

Word	Pronunciation
music	/ˈmjuːzɪk/
human	/ˈhjuːmən/
uniform	/ˈjuːnɪfɔːrm/
use	/juːz/ (verb), /juːs/ (noun)
universe	/ˈjuːnɪvɜːrs/

Pronunciation 2: /uː/

In this second category, the long U sound is more straightforward and doesn’t start with the “y” sound. It’s often found in words where the U follows a vowel sound, an L, R, or W, or is at the beginning of a word or syllable.

/uː/ as in ‘true’: Table of Long U Words

Word	Pronunciation
true	/truː/
blue	/bluː/
through	/θruː/
fluid	/ˈfluːɪd/
cruise	/kruːz/

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These tables demonstrate the differences between the two sounds of long U in English.

You can download the 2 Long u word lists below, we have made to word lists to cover both of the above sounds, and in the tables below (where needed) we have given examples of both sounds when the have the same spelling)

Long ‘U’ Spellings and Long u Word Lists

There are several ways to spell the long ‘U’ sound, each with its own application. Understanding these can help students in recognizing the sound across different words.

Here we list the most common spellings for the long ‘U’ sound

Common Long U Spelling Examples

Spelling	Examples
U	music, unit, unicorn, use
U-E	flute, mute, cube, cute
UE	blue, clue, true, due
EW	new, chew, brew, few

We split long u words in to their lists below.

Long U as in ‘music’

When ‘U’ appears in the middle of a word, particularly before a vowel or in the first syllable, it often emits the long ‘U’ sound, like in the sound in the word ‘you’.

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Long U Spelling Variations: ‘U’

however, the long U spelling ‘U’ can represent two different sounds, depending on the word’s context and origin.

Below is a table categorizing words into two sounds: the “yoo” sound and the “oo” sound.

‘U’ with “yoo” Sound	‘U’ with “oo” Sound
music	brute
human	truth
unicorn	crude
use (as in usage)	rule
university	rude

Long U-E as in ‘flute’

This pattern often appears at the end of words, where the silent ‘E’ makes the ‘U’ pronounce its name, resulting in the long U sound.

Long U Spelling Variations: ‘U_E’

The ‘U_E’ spelling, often referred to as the “magic E” or “silent E” pattern, typically gives the long U sound an elongated pronunciation.

However, this can manifest in two different sounds, primarily influenced by the preceding consonants and the word’s overall structure.

Below, we have

• the “yoo” sound, more common when the long U is preceded by a consonant sound making it closer to the “you” pronunciation,
• and the “oo” sound, which resembles the sound in “food” or “mood”.

‘U_E’ with Two Sounds

‘U_E’ with “yoo” Sound	‘U_E’ with “oo” Sound
cube	flute
cute	mute
use (as in “useful”)	lute
huge	dune
mule	tune

Long UE as in ‘blue’

In this spelling, ‘U’ teams up with ‘E’ following it to create the long U sound. This UE combination is not as common as others.

Long U Spelling Variations: ‘UE’

The ‘UE’ spelling at the end of words typically indicates the long U sound.

This sound can also have two different Logn u sounds.

• as “yoo” following certain consonants,
• or as “oo,” similar to the sound in “blue” or “clue.”

The distinction often depends on regional accents and the specific preceding letters within the word.

‘UE’ with Two Sounds

‘UE’ with “yoo” Sound	‘UE’ with “oo” Sound
argue	blue
continue	clue
cue	due (am)
residue	true
statue	glue

Long EW as in ‘new’

Here, ‘E’ pairs with ‘W’ to articulate the long U sound. This spelling also can have two sounds.

Long U Spelling Variations: ‘EW’

The ‘EW’ spelling typically indicates the long U sound in English.

• This can be either the “yoo” sound, especially after a consonant,
• or more directly as the “oo” sound, like in the pronunciation in “mood”.

‘EW’ with Two Sounds

‘EW’ with “yoo” Sound	‘EW’ with “oo” Sound
few	brew
nephew	chew
new	crew
renew	drew
review	screw
skew	stew
spew	threw
view	shrew

Long U Spelling: OO

The ‘OO’ spelling is more straightforward when it comes to the long U sound, typically representing the “oo” as in “moon.”

However, it’s important to note that ‘OO’ can also represent a different sound, as in “book” or “cook,” but here we focus on the long U sound :

‘OO’ with “oo” Sound

‘OO’ with “oo” Sound
mood	spool	zoo
food	proof	rooftop
school	room	brood
tool	balloon	boot

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Long U Spelling: OU

The OU combination in English can be quite tricky due to its variety of sounds in different words. However, there are instances where OU represents the long U sound, particularly in words with a French origin or influence.

OU’ with “oo” Sound

‘OU’ with “oo” Sound
group	troupe
soup	youth
wound (as in injury)	rouge
you	through
route	you

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Long U Spelling: EU

The EU spelling for the long U sound is relatively rare and often found in words borrowed from other languages, particularly French.

In some regional accents, this may merge more with a pure /uː/ sound

Most of the words in this list are not suitable for younger learners where this will be taught, with the exception of the dinosaur name! (Europelta for example) which are always a hit with children!

‘EU’ with Long U Sounds

‘EU’ with “yoo” Sound
Europe
eulogy
euphemism
euphoria
neuter

Less Frequent but Equally Important Long U Spellings

Long UI as in ‘fruit’
Although not as prevalent, this combination can occasionally denote the long U sound, particularly in certain words.

‘UI’ with Two Sounds

Since ‘UI’ mainly gives the “oo” sound and rarely the “yoo” sound in standard English, most examples will align with the “oo” pronunciation. It’s challenging to find ‘UI’ examples with a clear “yoo” sound, as this is not standard, but for educational purposes, we focus on the prevalent “oo” sound:

‘UI’ with “oo” Sound
fruit	tuition
bruise	intuition
cruise	suit
suit	pursuit
juice	recruit

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You can download the Long U words lists from the link below.

Practical Activities and Teaching Strategies

To help students grasp these concepts, engage them with various learning strategies:

1. Long U Spelling Bee: Organize a classroom challenge focusing on words with the different Long U spellings.
2. Multisensory Learning: Encourage the use of tactile materials like clay or sand to form Long U words, catering to different learning styles.
3. Long U Bingo: Create a fun bingo game using words that exemplify the various Long U spellings for a more interactive learning experience.
4. Writing Exercises: Assign tasks where students use Long U words in sentences or short stories, promoting application and creativity.

You can find our other long vowel word lists with all of there spellings from the links below.

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Long ‘U’ Learning in Everyday Teaching

Incorporate the Long U spellings into daily lessons to make learning more effective:

• During reading sessions, highlight Long U words and explore their spelling patterns.
• Implement weekly spelling lists with a focus on different Long U patterns to deepen understanding.
• Use creative writing prompts that require the use of Long U words, helping students to practice in context.

You can Check out our long Vowel Resources below which cover all the Long vowel sounds.

• 50 Worksheet Workbook on long and short vowels.
• FREE Long and short vowels worksheets
• Sort the long and short vowel sounds worksheets
• FREE Long vowel Spelling Worksheets
• A, E, I O ,U – FREE Printable Long Vowel Word Lists

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Conclusion

A good understanding of Long U rules, spellings and use is an important next step for students for literacy development, opening the door to more confident reading and writing.

The resources above are tried and tested to achieve this!

Further Resources

• https://literacylearn.com/215-long-u-words
• https://www.educationoutside.org/worksheets/long-vowel/long-u/words-list
• https://www.teachstarter.com/us/teaching-resource/long-u-words-printable-word-list