Letter Sounds (Phonics)
Phonics means learning the sound each letter makes, so you can read new words by joining (blending) the sounds together.
Here are the most common single-letter sounds:
| Letter | Sound | Word |
|---|---|---|
| s | /s/ | sun |
| a | /a/ | cat |
| t | /t/ | cat |
| m | /m/ | man |
| p | /p/ | pen |
Blending = saying the sounds and then joining them fast: - /s/ + /u/ + /n/ → sun - /m/ + /a/ + /n/ → man - /b/ + /i/ + /g/ → big
Some pairs of letters make one sound (digraphs): sh (ship), ch (chair), th (thin).
To read a new word, say each sound slowly, then blend them and say the whole word quickly. This is how you can read words you've never seen.
Common mistake: Don't say the letter names when blending. Use the sound — say /k/ /a/ /t/, not "see-ay-tee."
✏️ Test Yourself
1. /d/ + /o/ + /g/
2. /p/ + /e/ + /n/
3. /sh/ + /i/ + /p/
4. /k/ + /a/ + /t/
📒 Words to learn
“This is a head.”
“This is a lip.”
“This is a bread.”
“This is a mouth.”
“This is an eye.”