English alphabet and common sound patterns

English alphabet and common sound patterns

Key points

• English has 26 letters but more sounds, so the same letter can sound different in different words.
• Some letter pairs have their own sound: sh in shop, ch in chair, th in think, ph in phone.
• A silent e at the end usually makes the vowel long: cap becomes cape, hop becomes hope.
• Say each new word out loud as you read it, so the spelling and the sound get stored together.

Practice questions

Check your answers in this topic’s Quiz on YUNOVA.

1. In the word 'phone', what sound do the letters 'ph' make?

   1. The sound of 'f', as in 'fan'
   2. The sound of 'p', as in 'pen'
   3. The sound of 'b', as in 'bat'
   4. Two sounds, 'p' and then 'h'

2. 'hop' becomes 'hope' when you add an 'e' at the end. What does that 'e' do?

   1. It is said as a separate sound
   2. It makes the word plural
   3. It makes the vowel before it long
   4. It makes the 'p' silent

3. Which word starts with the same sound as 'chair'?

   1. school
   2. chemistry
   3. cheese
   4. character

4. Which word begins with the same 'th' sound as 'think'?

   1. this
   2. thick
   3. that
   4. then