Phonics 1: alphabet sounds, ch, sh, th, CVC and blends
A letter name and a letter sound are different. Say the name of b when spelling a name, but use its sound when blending the word bag. This phonics guide helps you notice short vowels, digraphs and consonant blends.
Ta fiche PDF illustrée
Le support, la méthode et les exercices corrigés à imprimer.
By the end of this lesson, you can
- Move from spelling names to reading sounds
- Short vowels, digraphs and consonant blends
- Hear the contrast before speeding up
Before you startRead simple English sentences; use the starter lesson if you need help with names or numbers.
Un bon cours, ça se partage.
What is the difference between a letter name, a digraph and a blend?
Letter names help you spell, while sounds help you read. A digraph such as sh in ship uses two letters for one sound. A blend such as fr in frog keeps both consonant sounds. Practise the short middle vowels in cat, pen, sit, hot and cup.
Move from spelling names to reading sounds
A digraph uses two letters for one sound in a word: sh in shop and ch in chair. Th has two common sounds: compare thin and this. A consonant blend keeps the consonant sounds, as in green, brown, frog, drum, tree and crab. Say the sounds together without adding an extra vowel.
A CVC word has a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern. Compare cat, pen, sit, hot and cup. These beginner examples use short vowel sounds. Read a word, identify the middle vowel, blend it slowly, then read it naturally. Spelling is a guide; ask your teacher to model unfamiliar words and compare your pronunciation with the model.
Short vowels, digraphs and consonant blends
| Pattern | Letters | Example words |
|---|---|---|
| Digraph | sh / ch / th | shop / chin / thin / this |
| Short vowels | a / e / i / o / u | cat / pen / sit / hot / cup |
| Blends | gr / br / fr | green / brown / frog |
| Blends | dr / tr / cr | drum / tree / crab |
Blend words in a short reading practice
Read and explain this example
Read slowly: a green frog; a brown crab; a red drum. Next, sort shop and chair by their first sound. Finally, spell your name using letter names. The activity changes between reading sounds and spelling letters.
Hear the contrast before speeding up
When a teacher asks you to spell cat, answer with the letter names C-A-T. When the task is to read cat, blend its sounds and say the word naturally. These are different tasks. In frog, keep f and r close together without adding a vowel between them. In ship, do not read s and h as separate letter names. This page supplies written prompts; a teacher or another reliable spoken model should check the sound.
Remember
This is written pronunciation practice. It does not include an audio recording. Do not pronounce sh as two separate letter names when reading shop.
Step by step
Put the idea into practice
- Look at the task: spelling, sorting or reading aloud.
- Identify the initial pattern and the vowel in the word.
- Blend slowly, then say the complete word and compare it with a spoken model.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a letter name, a digraph and a blend?
Should I pronounce the two letters of sh separately?
Is th always pronounced the same way?
Quiz: 1 questions
1 questions are randomly selected from this lesson’s 1-question bank. Choose one answer for each question and get an immediate explanation.
Q1Which word starts with the blend fr?
Incorrect answer
Frog begins with f and r; shop and chin begin with digraphs.
Correct answer: frog
Frog begins with f and r; shop and chin begin with digraphs.
Your score
0/1
Start with the worked examples
Read the lesson in small sections. Write your own example for each rule and try the Easy exercises before returning to the quiz.
Review: 1 missed question
Which word starts with the blend fr?
Correct answerfrog
Frog begins with f and r; shop and chin begin with digraphs.
Exercises with answers
4 exercises, from easy practice to challenges. Try each one yourself, then reveal the answer and explanation.
Exercise 1
EasyGroup shop, chair, ship and chin under sh or ch.
Answer and explanation
Sh: shop, ship. Ch: chair, chin. Each pair begins with the same digraph.
Exercise 2
IntermediateIdentify the initial blend in frog, tree, crab and drum.
Answer and explanation
Fr; tr; cr; dr. Keep both consonant sounds together.
Exercise 3
ChallengeRead cat and cup aloud, then spell each word using letter names.
Answer and explanation
The middle vowel sounds differ. Spell C-A-T and C-U-P using letter names. Ask a teacher or partner to check the spoken contrast.
Exercise 4
IntermediateSort ship, chin, frog and brown into digraphs and blends, then identify the letters.
Answer and explanation
Digraphs: sh in ship and ch in chin. Blends: fr in frog and br in brown. The task concerns initial sounds, not what the words mean.