O (want) Sound Word List with the “a” Spelling

Four of the five basic code vowel sounds, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/, have one or two alternative spellings. The /o/ sound has only one, a.

Of the 7,000 words in the database constructed from a popular children’s dictionary, 42 of them are one-syllable words in which the vowel sound /o/ is not spelled with an "o".

In some regions, the letter "a" in words like wash is pronounced with an /aw/ sound quite distinct from the /o/ sound in hot. In those areas, try to pronounce the words on this list with the /o/ sound for spelling purposes. In other regions, the /aw/ sound in words like draw sounds like an /o/ sound. In those areas, it's best to treat the /aw/ spellings as alternative spellings of the /o/ sound and the /aw/-list spellings should be added to this list.

Also for spelling purposes, words such as what and was on this list should be taught as having an /o/ sound rather than an /u/ or schwa sound. Just pronounce them with emphasis in a sentence to make the point.