What Are Letter Sounds?
When we speak, we make sounds. Words are made from different sounds that we can hear and say.
Letters are written symbols that help us represent the sounds we use in language. For example, the letter m commonly represents the sound heard at the beginning of words such as man and map.
Learning letter sounds helps us connect what we see when we read with what we hear when we speak.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the difference between letters and sounds.
- Understand that letters can represent sounds.
- Listen carefully to simple letter sounds.
- Connect familiar letters with their common sounds.
Letters and Sounds
A letter is something we can see and write. A sound is something we can hear and say.
The letter M commonly represents the sound heard at the beginning of words such as moon and milk.
The same letter can appear in uppercase or lowercase writing. The letter M and the letter m are the same alphabet letter.
Hearing a Sound in a Word
We can listen carefully to a word and notice the sounds in it. For example, the word sun begins with the sound represented by s.
The letter s represents the beginning sound in sun.
Letter Names and Letter Sounds
A letter has a name, and it can also represent a sound in a word. The name of the letter is not always the same as the sound it makes in a word.
We say the name of the letter as bee, while its common sound can be heard at the beginning of words such as bat and ball.
Examples
- m → /m/ as in map.
- s → /s/ as in sun.
- t → /t/ as in top.
- p → /p/ as in pen.
- b → /b/ as in bat.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse a letter's name with its sound.
- Listen to the sound in the word instead of only saying the letter name.
- Remember that a letter can represent different sounds in different words.
Practice
1. What do we hear when we speak a word?
2. What is the letter at the beginning of map?
3. Which letter represents the beginning sound in sun?
4. Is M the same letter as m?
Try It Yourself
Choose three letters that you know. Say each letter name and then think of a simple word that begins with its common sound.
Quick Revision
- Letters are written symbols.
- Sounds are heard when we speak.
- Letters can represent sounds in words.
- Learning sounds helps us learn to read.
Next Step
Now that you understand the idea of letter sounds, the next lesson will teach you how to identify the sound at the beginning of a word.