Listening for Sounds in Words
Good readers listen carefully to words. Listening helps us notice different sounds and understand how those sounds are arranged in a word.
We can listen for the beginning sound, the ending sound and, in simple words, the vowel sound in the middle.
Learning Objectives
- Listen carefully to simple spoken words.
- Identify beginning sounds.
- Identify ending sounds.
- Notice short vowel sounds in simple words.
- Compare sounds in similar words.
Listen to the Beginning
Say the word fish. Listen to the first sound.
The beginning sound is represented by f.
Listen to the Ending
Now say the word sun. Listen carefully to the final sound.
The ending sound is represented by n.
Listen to the Middle Sound
In many simple three-letter words, we can listen for a vowel sound in the middle.
The middle vowel in cat is represented by a.
Compare Similar Words
Listening carefully can help us notice when two words differ by one sound.
These words have the same ending sounds but different beginning sounds.
These words have the same beginning and middle sounds but different ending sounds.
Listen and Identify
When someone says a word, do not rush to answer. Listen to the whole word first. Then decide which sound you are being asked to find.
For a simple word such as map, we can listen for its different sounds and notice how they work together.
Common Mistakes
- Do not answer before listening to the whole word.
- Check whether the question asks for the beginning, middle or ending sound.
- Do not confuse a letter name with the sound heard in a word.
- Say the word slowly when you need extra help hearing its sounds.
Practice
1. What is the beginning sound in fish?
2. What is the ending sound in sun?
3. Which vowel sound is heard in the middle of cat?
4. Do cat and hat have the same ending sound?
5. Which sound is different in cat and cap?
Try It Yourself
Ask someone to say five simple words aloud. For each word, listen for its beginning sound. Then choose two of the words and listen for their ending sounds.
Quick Revision
- Careful listening helps us understand words.
- We can listen for beginning, middle and ending sounds.
- Small sound differences can make words different.
- Sound awareness supports early reading and spelling.
Next Step
You have now completed the main lessons in this chapter. Continue practising letter sounds, beginning sounds, ending sounds and simple vowel sounds as you read new words.