Have you ever noticed words like rain, train, or paint? They all have something in common—the letters “ai” working together to make a single vowel sound. This combination is called a vowel digraph. Let’s explore how “ai” works, how it sounds, and how you can use it confidently in your English.
Vowel Digraph “ai”
What is the “ai” Digraph?
A digraph is when two letters come together to make one sound. In the case of “ai”, it’s a vowel digraph because it uses vowels.
“ai” usually makes the long A sound /eɪ/, the same sound you hear in the letter name “A.”
Example:
-
rain /reɪn/
-
train /treɪn/
-
pain /peɪn/
How is “ai” Pronounced?
While “ai” is usually pronounced /eɪ/, there are some exceptions where it sounds different. Here are the main ones:
/eɪ/ Sound
✅ Examples:
-
rain /reɪn/
-
train /treɪn/
-
pain /peɪn/
Have a look at the diagram designed to help you visualize /eɪ/.
Play the example and feel how the /eɪ/ sound starts in “say.”
Unstressed /ə/ or /ɪ/ Sound
In a few words, especially when “ai” occurs in an unstressed syllable, it can sound like /ə/ (schwa) or /ɪ/:
✅ Examples:
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mountain /ˈmaʊntən/
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fountain /ˈfaʊntən/
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curtain /ˈkɜːrtən/
Have a look at the diagram designed to help you visualize /ə/.
Hear how the /ə/ sound pushes air out in “her.”
/aɪ/ Sound
Some borrowed words or names can be pronounced as /aɪ/ (but these are not common in everyday English).
✅ Examples:
-
aisle /aɪl/
-
Shanghai /ʃæŋˈhaɪ/
Examine the model that represents the correct setup for /aɪ/.
Listen closely to notice how the /aɪ/ sound vibrates in “my.”
Words with Vowel Digraph “ai”
Words with “ai” = /eɪ/ Sound
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| rain | /reɪn/ |
| train | /treɪn/ |
| brain | /breɪn/ |
| paint | /peɪnt/ |
| wait | /weɪt/ |
| /meɪl/ | |
| tail | /teɪl/ |
| sail | /seɪl/ |
| nail | /neɪl/ |
| fail | /feɪl/ |
| gain | /ɡeɪn/ |
| main | /meɪn/ |
| claim | /kleɪm/ |
| chain | /tʃeɪn/ |
| faint | /feɪnt/ |
| grain | /ɡreɪn/ |
| praise | /preɪz/ |
| afraid | /əˈfreɪd/ |
| aim | /eɪm/ |
| aid | /eɪd/ |
| daily | /ˈdeɪli/ |
| detail | /ˈdiːteɪl/ |
| again | /əˈɡeɪn/ |
| trait | /treɪt/ |
| rainfall | /ˈreɪnfɔːl/ |
| complain | /kəmˈpleɪn/ |
| obtain | /əbˈteɪn/ |
| explain | /ɪkˈspleɪn/ |
| maintain | /meɪnˈteɪn/ |
| portrait | /ˈpɔːtreɪt/ |
| remain | /rɪˈmeɪn/ |
| attain | /əˈteɪn/ |
| refrain | /rɪˈfreɪn/ |
| sustain | /səˈsteɪn/ |
| entertain | /ˌentəˈteɪn/ |
| campaign | /kæmˈpeɪn/ |
| plaintiff | /ˈpleɪntɪf/ |
| snail | /sneɪl/ |
| braided | /ˈbreɪdɪd/ |
| await | /əˈweɪt/ |
| derail | /dɪˈreɪl/ |
| repaint | /ˌriːˈpeɪnt/ |
| waist | /weɪst/ |
| sprain | /spreɪn/ |
| painter | /ˈpeɪntə/ |
| portray | /pɔːˈtreɪ/ |
| retailer | /rɪˈteɪlə/ |
| containment | /kənˈteɪnmənt/ |
| detain | /dɪˈteɪn/ |
| disdain | /dɪsˈdeɪn/ |
Words with “ai” = /ə/ Sound
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| certain | /ˈsɜːrtən/ |
| curtain | /ˈkɜːrtən/ |
| mountain | /ˈmaʊntən/ |
| fountain | /ˈfaʊntən/ |
| captain | /ˈkæptən/ |
| bargain | /ˈbɑːrɡən/ |
| villain | /ˈvɪlən/ |
| chaplain | /ˈtʃæplən/ |
| Britain | /ˈbrɪtən/ |
Words with “ai” = /aɪ/ Sound
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| aisle | /aɪl/ |
| bonsai | /ˈbɒn.saɪ/ |
| samurai | /ˈsæm.ʊ.raɪ/ |
| Shanghai | /ʃæŋˈhaɪ/ |
| Thai | /taɪ/ |
| Taiwan | /ˈtaɪ.wɑːn/ |
| Laika | /ˈlaɪ.kə/ |
| Kawaii | /kəˈwaɪ.iː/ |
| aikido | /aɪˈkiː.doʊ/ |
| paisa | /ˈpaɪ.sə/ |