ShortPhonics foundation
Consonant Sounds
Hear the sound in a word, not just the letter name
Consonants give words their clear beginning and ending sounds. Start by listening to one sound in a familiar word, then say it briefly and blend it with a vowel.
The most important distinction
Letter names are not letter sounds
The letter b is named “bee,” but the sound needed to read ball is /b/. When teaching early reading, use the short speech sound in the word rather than adding an extra “uh” sound.
Letter name
b = “bee”
A label for the written letter.Speech sound
/b/ in ball
The sound blended into a word.For stop sounds such as /b/, /d/, /p/, /t/, /k/, and /g/, say the sound quickly. Do not stretch it into “buh” or “tuh.”
Listen to the first sound
Common single-letter consonant sounds
Tap the speaker to hear the anchor word. Say the first sound, then say the whole word. These are the most common sounds for beginning readers.
ball — Start with the voice on.
dog — Tap the tongue, then release.
fan — Let the air move through the teeth and lip.
hat — A gentle breath sound.
jam — Keep the sound short.
kit — A quick sound from the back of the mouth.
log — Lift the tongue behind the top teeth.
map — Close the lips and let the voice hum.
net — Air comes through the nose.
pig — A quiet puff of air.
rug — Round the lips slightly; do not add “uh”.
sun — A long, quiet air sound.
top — Touch, release, and keep it quick.
van — Like /f/, with voice turned on.
web — Round the lips before the vowel.
zip — Like /s/, with voice turned on.
Useful exceptions
Letters with more than one job
English spelling is not one-letter, one-sound all the time. These five letters deserve an accurate explanation from the beginning.
C usually says /k/ in cat; it can also say /s/ in city.
G usually says /g/ in gum; it can also say /j/ in gem.
At the start of yes, y is a consonant; in many other words it is a vowel.
Q is usually followed by u in English words.
X usually represents /ks/, often at the end of a word.
Feel the difference
Voiced and quiet consonant pairs
Put two fingers lightly on your throat. The first sound in each pair is quieter; the second has a voice vibration. This is a listening and feeling activity, not a test to memorise.
Listen within a word
First and last consonant sounds
Start with the first sound because it is easier to hear. Then listen for the final sound. In map, /m/ is first and /p/ is last.
Quick practice
Listen and choose the word
Question 1 of 5
You matched five words to their consonant sounds.
Continue to CVC WordsFree resource
Consonant Sounds Printable
A two-page sound map with anchor words, voice pairs, and a short listening routine.