Word Story Text

You is an oddball, for sure.

There aren't any other words that start with a consonant and are followed by ou, pronounced U. That means that poor you, the word doesn't have any close friends.

You is a very high frequency word. It's the seventh most common one in English. That means it occurs many times in texts and so there are many opportunities to learn and practice it.

In teaching the word, you might group it with words in which the U sound is spelled differently.

So there's U, but also flu, F l E w shoe, s h o e, blue, b l u e, and who, w h o.

There's also the three two words, none of which is spelled with ou. when you teach you with these other words, you're bringing attention to the way you is pronounced, but also to the fact that U is spelled several ways.

More Rhyme Friends

you (ū), pronoun [possessive Your (ūr) or Yours (ūrz); dative or objective You.] [OE. you, eou, eow, dat. & acc., AS. eów, used as dat. & acc. of ge, gē, ye; akin to OFries. iu, io, D. u, G. euch, OHG. iu, dat., iuwih, acc., Icel. yðr, dat. & acc., Goth. izwis; of uncertain origin. √189. Cf. Your.]

The pronoun of the second person, in the nominative, dative, and objective case, indicating the person or persons addressed. See the Note under Ye.

Ye go to Canterbury; God you speed. Chaucer.

Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you
To leave this place. Shak.

In vain you tell your parting lover
You wish fair winds may waft him over. P

☞ Though you is properly a plural, it is in all ordinary discourse used also in addressing a single person, yet properly always with a plural verb.

“Are you he that hangs the verses on the trees, wherein Rosalind is so admired ?” Shak.

You and your are sometimes used indefinitely, like we, they, one, to express persons not specified. “The looks at a distance like a new-plowed land; but as you come near it, you see nothing but a long heap of heavy, disjointed clods.” Addison.

“Your medalist and critic are much nearer related than the world imagine.” Addison.

“It is always pleasant to be forced to do what you wish to do, but what, until pressed, you dare not attempt.” Hook.

You is often used reflexively for yourself of yourselves. “Your highness shall repose you at the tower.” Shak.

-- Webster's unabridged 1913