The Alphabet (A–Z)
The English alphabet has 26 letters. Knowing them well is the first step to reading, spelling, and using a dictionary.
Each letter has two things: a name (how we say the letter on its own) and a sound (how it works inside a word). For example, the letter B is named "bee," but its sound is /b/ as in ball.
The 26 letters are: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z.
Five of them — A, E, I, O, U — are vowels; the other 21 are consonants. Every word needs at least one vowel.
A (name: "ay") → apple, cat
B (name: "bee") → ball, book
C (name: "see") → cat, car
Z (name: "zee/zed") → zebra, zoo
Say the alphabet aloud every day and learn both the name and the sound of each letter — the sound is what helps you read new words.
Common mistake: Don't confuse letter names with sounds. The letter "C" is named "see," but its sound is /k/ in cat.
✏️ Test Yourself
1. How many letters are in the alphabet?
2. Which letter comes after **P**?
3. Name two vowels.
4. What sound does **D** make in "dog"?
📒 Words to learn
“This is a belly.”
“This is a food.”
“This is a bone.”
“It is very new.”
“This is a brain.”