Phonemes Examples
Phonemes refer to the 44 distinct sounds in the English language that are used to build words. While there are only 26 letters in the English alphabet, there are 44 distinct sounds forms by those letters.
In addition to the 26 unique sounds made by the letters of the alphabet, there are short and long vowel sounds, consonant blends, and some other vowel sounds that make up the 4 phonemes.Below is a chart of phonemes.
|
Phoneme (sound) |
Graphemes (letter(s) that most commonly make the sound) |
Examples |
|
/b/ |
b, bb |
ball, blubber |
|
/d/ |
d, dd, ed |
dog, ladder, pulled |
|
/f/ |
f, ph |
Fish, phone |
|
/g/ |
g, gg |
Go, egg |
|
/h/ |
h |
Hen |
|
/j/ |
j, g, ge, dge |
j, gel, cage, edge |
|
/k/ |
c, k, ck, ch, cc, que |
cow, kick, chick, school, access, pique |
|
/l/ |
l, ll |
Leaf, dill |
|
/m/ |
m, mm, mb |
Monkey, hammer, lamb |
|
/n/ |
n, nn, kn, gn |
New, banner, know, gnome |
|
/p/ |
p, pp |
pink, pepper |
|
/r/ |
r, rr, wr |
Red, mirror, wrong |
|
/s/ |
s, se, ss, c, ce, sc |
Sun, case, bless, cede, grace, scissors |
|
/t/ |
t, tt, ed |
turtle, butter, worked |
|
/v/ |
v, ve |
Violin, give |
|
/w/ |
w |
Wet |
|
/y/ |
y, i |
yak, union |
|
/z/ |
z, zz, ze, s, se, x |
Zebra, buzz, daze, fase, is, xylophone |
|
/th/ (not voiced) |
th |
thing, thumb |
|
/th/ (voiced) |
th |
then, weather |
|
/ng/ |
ng, n |
wing, think |
|
/sh/ |
sh, ss, ch, ti, ci |
Sheep, passion, chef, lotion, official |
|
/ch/ |
ch, tch |
Church, catch |
|
/zh/ |
ge, s |
massage, measure |
|
/wh/ (with breath) |
wh |
When, what, where |
|
/a/ (short vowel) |
a, au |
cat, laugh |
|
/e/ (short vowel) |
e, ea |
red, head |
|
/i/ (short vowel) |
i |
Igloo |
|
/o/ (short vowel) |
o, a, au, aw, ough |
pot, want, caught, awful, ought |
|
/u/ (short vowel) |
u, o |
umbrella, won |
|
/ ā / (long vowel) |
a, a_e, ay, ai, ey, ei |
lazy, cake, pay, paid, whey, weigh |
|
/ ē / (long vowel) |
e, e_e, ea, ee, ey, ie, y |
we, cede, please, breeze, key, field, baby |
|
/ ī / |
i, i_e, igh, y, ie |
bicycle, hive, high, by, pie |
|
/ ō / |
o, o_e, oa, ou, ow |
motion, hope, boat, soul, bowl |
|
/ ū / |
u, u_e, ew, ue |
human, mule, view, hue |
|
/oo/ (short) |
oo, u, oul |
hook, put, would |
|
/ ō ō / |
oo, u, ou, u_e |
mood, youth, Ruth |
|
/ow/ |
ow, ou, ou_s |
how, out, mouse |
|
/oy/ |
oi, oy |
boil, boy |
|
/a(r)/ |
ar |
Jar |
|
/ ā (r)/ |
air, ear, are |
chair, bear, hare |
|
/i(r)/ |
irr, ere, eer |
mirror, here, beer |
|
/o(r)/ |
or, ore, oor |
or, more, boor |
|
/u(r)/ |
ur, ir, er, ear, or, ar |
Burn, birth, fern, earn, work, collar |
|
Related Links: Examples Grammar Examples |