Alphabetic

Principle
The understanding that the
alphabet is made up of letters
and each letter makes a sound.
The alphabetic principle is
important to understand so the
child can begin to read and write
words.

The many sounds of

vowels
A
Short A
a as in ant, apple, parrot
Long A
a as in table, angel
ay as in day, lay, stay
ai as in daisy, rain, snail

Rules of

E
Short E
e as in egg, dress, lesson
e as in elephant, every, seven
ea as in head, bread, weather
Long E
ee as in tree, deer, feel
ea as in seat, meat, dear
ey as in key, money, monkey

The alphabet is made up of 26

letters that are consonants or
vowels.
Consonants that make one
sound:
B, D, F, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, T,
V, W
Consonants with two or
more sounds: C, G, H, Q, S,
X, Z
Consonants that can also be

Short I
ing as in ending, thing, sting
it as in bit, knit, sit
in as in grin, sin, shin
Long I
i as in bike, like, spider
igh as in night, high, right
y as in cry, my fly

O
Short O
o as in pot, lot, trot
Long O
oa as in road, toad, toast
oe as in toe, roe
ow as in snow, tow, low

U
Short U
u as in sun, run, fun
Long U
ue as in blue, true, June
oo as in rooster, food, mood
ew as in grew, blew, stew

Emmaline Hollingsworth
EDCI 516

Diphthongs

When two vowels are combined in

a syllable where the sound of the
first vowel glides into the second.

CVC
Consonant-Vowel-Consonant
*the vowel is usually pronounced short

Examples: -oi, -oy, -ou, -au, -ow

oi as in foil
oo as in mood
oy as in toy
aw as in paw
au as in auction

Digraphs
Vowel Digraphs

Where two vowels, sometimes

three, make one sound together.

Examples:
ai as in rain
ee as in free
ea as in bread or teach
ow as in slow
ue as in true
Consonant Digraphs
Examples:
ch as in church
wh as in wheel
ng as in king
tch as in watch

CVVC
Consonant-Vowel-Vowel-Consonant
*the first vowel is pronounced long