The correct spelling of the phrase "were ones tail" can be broken down phonetically as /wər wʌnz teɪl/. The first word "were" is pronounced with a short /ə/ sound, followed by /r/ and a long /e/ sound. The second word "ones" is pronounced with a short /ʌ/ sound, followed by /n/ and a long /z/ sound. The third word "tail" is pronounced with a short /e/ sound followed by /ɪl/. In summary, the correct spelling of the phrase is "were ones tail."