All 26 Letter Sounds
Click any letter to see its complete phonics lesson — sound, keyword, beginner words, advanced words, and CVC word families.
How to Use These Letter Sound Pages
Step 1 — Learn the Sound
Each page shows the IPA symbol and a plain-English description of how to make the sound. Read it aloud with your child before moving to words.
Step 2 — Practice the Keyword
The keyword is a familiar word that starts with the letter. Point to it, say it slowly, and isolate the first sound: "Apple — /æ/ — apple."
Step 3 — Read the Word Lists
Work through beginner words first (short, common), then CVC words for blending practice, and finally advanced words as reading improves.
Step 4 — Play Word Games
I Spy, letter hunts, and word sorting are excellent follow-ups. After any letter lesson, look for that letter on signs, books, and food packages.
Recommended Teaching Order
Most systematic phonics programs introduce letters in this order — high-frequency letters first so children can form real words quickly.
Phase 1 — Most Common Letters
Phase 2 — Common Consonants + Vowels
Phase 3 — All Remaining Letters
💡 Tip: Teach sounds, not letter names first
When introducing letters, emphasize the sound (/s/ as in snake) before the letter name ("ess"). Children learn to read by blending sounds — knowing that "S says /s/" is more immediately useful than knowing its name.