Phonograms

On this page are four versions of the same list of phonograms organized in different ways, either by spelling or by the sound and either in alphabetical order or in order of complexity. But before you are going to be able to make sense of the tables, you’ll need the key to how the sounds are written. The following is the table of phonetic blocks as used in the below tables and in the Original Phonctionary. It shows you, for example, that when we write [A] we are referring to the way an a sounds in the words “apes” and “age.” (You’ll see us use brackets [] to indicate phonetic blocks on this site to differentiate from spellings.)

Each block has two examples from English showing how it is pronounced, and in all but one case (zh) the sound matches the spelling in the example. For the single consonant blocks all example words have the sounds at the beginning. For the consonant cluster blocks the example words have the sound at the beginning if possible. For the single vowel blocks one example word has the sound at the beginning and the other has the sound in the middle. And for the diphthongs (multiple vowel sounds together) all examples have the sound in the middle of the word.

As for how the letters were chosen, most of the choices were common sense, but the use of capital letters might be confusing. Capital letters and lower-case letters are used to represent different things. The capitalized vowels [A], [E], [I], and [O], should be pronounced just like the letter’s name ([U] sounds like its name but without the “y” sound), while the lower-case vowels are pronounced differently. And consonants are capitalized if their lower-case form is already used as a part of one or more other blocks. For example, [G], [R], and [H] are capitalized when they are on their own because lower-case “g,” “r,” and “h” are used to make other blocks, like [ng], [er], and [sh].

In a similar way, since the lower-case “o” is used in the blocks [oo], [ou], [ow], and [oy], it needs to look different when it is on its own and followed by either “o,” “u,” “w,” or “y.” If not, one would wonder if, for example, [oy] meant the two blocks [o] and [y] placed next to each other or the one block [oy] on its own. Unfortunately, the capital “O” was needed for a different sound, so instead we add a “-” in those cases that the lower-case “o” comes before a separated [o], [u], [w], or [y].

Keep in mind this is a work in progress. Feel free to reach out with corrections or necessary additions to the list!

The Phonetic Blocks

Phonetic Block	Examples
A	apes age
a	at hand
b	by bus
ch	child’s chair
d	dogs dig
E	even scenes
e	exit left
er	her power
f	for free
G	go get
H	his help
I	I like
i	in this
j	just join
k	kind kid
l	let live
m	make more
n	not now
ng	long morning
O	old home
o(-)	on top
oo	books hook
ou	pour four
ow	bow down
oy	boy’s toys
p	play pen
R	rat race
s	see some
sh	she shall
t	ten times
Th	then them
th	thin themes
U	uber rude
u	under much
v	very valued
w	with wings
y	your youth
z	zoom zone
zh	seizures measured

The List of Phonograms

Phonograms are written symbols or groups of letters that represent a sound. So in an English word like “check,” there are really only three phonograms: “ch,” “e,” and “ck.” Knowing these common letter groupings and all the possible sounds they can make is very important for making reasonable guesses at how a word is pronounced (see our entry on Guiding Reading).

We’ve provided different ways of viewing the list based on how your going to use it, but any of them will help you get started recognizing the diversities of sounds most phonograms/spellings can make and the diversities of phonograms/spellings each sound can take.

The Sounds of Letters and Letter Combinations in Alphabetical Order

Spelling	Sounds	Examples
a	A, a, i, o, ou, u, 🛇	able, pat/pan, message, father, walk, want, head/aisle
ae	a, E, u	aesthetic, algae, aerobic
ai	A, e, I	paint, said, aisle
ao	Ao, Aou, EO, O	chaos, aorta, karaoke, pharaoh
ar	eir, er, or, our	arid/arrow, solar, far, war
au	a, o	aunt/laugh, audio/caught
aw	o, uw	law, away
ay	A	day
b	b, 🛇	rib, debt/climb
bt	bt, t	obtuse, obtuse
c	k, s, s, 🛇	can/school/picture/expect, cent, special, indict
ch	ch, k, sh	much, school, chef
ck	k	neck
ct	kch, kt	picture, expect
d	d, t, 🛇	lid/hummed, hopped, Wednesday/handkerchief
dg	dg, j	bedgown, bridge
e	E, e, i, 🛇	me/people, let/leopard, bend/rated, love/asthetic
ea	A, E, e, oo	break, eat, head, learn
ee	E	see
ei	A, E, e	weigh, weird, heifer
eo	E, e	people, leopard
er	eir, er	very/merry, her
ew	U	grew
ey	A, E	they, key
f	f, 🛇	if, fifth*
g	G, j, zh, 🛇	bag, gem, regime, sign/phlegm/through
gh	f, G, GH, 🛇	laugh, ghost, bighorn, through/drought
gm	Gm, jm, m	enigma, judgment, phlegm
gn	Gn, n	magnify, sign
gu	G, Gu	guard, gum
h	H, 🛇	him, honest/heir/rhyme/ghost/through
i	E, i, 🛇	ski, big/build, business
ia	oo	initial
ie	E	field
io	oo	religion
ir	er	first
j	j, 🛇	jam, marijuana*
k	k, 🛇	ink, know/knot
kn	kn, n	knicknack, know/knot
l	l, 🛇	lag/bulk, half/walk/could/colonel*
m	m, 🛇	ham, mnemonic*
mb	m, mb	climb, jumbo
mn	m, mn, n	autumn, hymnal, mnemonic
n	n, ng, 🛇	win, wink, autumn
ng	ng, nG, nj, nng	rung, fungi, ingest/fungi, hunger
o	O, o, U, u, wu, 🛇	most, on, do, done, once, colonel*/leopard/people
oa	O	boat
oe	O	toe
oi	oy	point
oo	O, oo, U, u	brooch, foot, boot, flood
or	er, or, our	word, sorry, for
ou	O, oo, ou, ow, U, u	though, courage, soul, out, you/through, touch
ow	O, ow	low, how
oy	oy	boy
p	p, 🛇	map, pneumonia/psychology/corps/receipt
ph	f, pH	phone, uphold
ps	ps, s	laps, psychology
qu	k, kw, ky	plaque/lacquer, quit, queue*
r	er, R, 🛇	tour/sour, rat, February*
rh	R, RH	rhyme, barhop
s	s, sh, z, zh, 🛇	us/muscle/psychology/laps, mansion/mission, as, pleasure, island/corps
sc	s, sh, sk	science, conscious, miscarriage
sh	sh	dish
st	s, st	castle/listen, fast
t	ch, d, t, 🛇	mature/picture, theater, bat/expect, ballet/castle/listen
tch	ch	hatch
th	Th, th	then, thin
u	i, oo, U, u, w, 🛇	busy/build, put, truth/fruit, up, quick/suite, guard/guess/laugh/tongue/boulder
ui	i, U	build, fruit
ur	er	fur
uy	I	buy
v	v	van
w	w, 🛇	wet, wrap/answer/sword/two/who/law
wh	Hw, wH	when, cowhide
wr	R, wR	wrap, dowry
x	ks, 🛇	box, faux*
y	E, i, y	happy, gym, yes
z	z, 🛇	zip, rendezvous*

The Sounds of Letters and Letter Combinations in Order of Complexity

Spelling	Sounds	Examples
ay	A	day
ck	k	neck
ee	E	see
ew	U	grew
ia	oo	initial
ie	E	field
io	oo	religion
ir	er	first
oa	O	boat
oe	O	toe
oi	oy	point
oy	oy	boy
sh	sh	dish
tch	ch	hatch
ur	er	fur
uy	I	buy
v	v	van
au	a, o	aunt/laugh, audio/caught
aw	o, uw	law, away
b	b, 🛇	rib, debt/climb
bt	bt, t	obtuse, obtuse
ct	kch, kt	picture, expect
dg	dg, j	bedgown, bridge
eo	E, e	people, leopard
er	eir, er	very/merry, her
ey	A, E	they, key
f	f, 🛇	if, fifth*
gn	Gn, n	magnify, sign
gu	G, Gu	guard, gum
h	H, 🛇	him, honest/heir/rhyme/ghost/through
j	j, 🛇	jam, marijuana*
k	k, 🛇	ink, know/knot
kn	kn, n	knicknack, know/knot
l	l, 🛇	lag/bulk, half/walk/could/colonel*
m	m, 🛇	ham, mnemonic*
mb	m, mb	climb, jumbo
ow	O, ow	low, how
p	p, 🛇	map, pneumonia/psychology/corps/receipt
ph	f, pH	phone, uphold
ps	ps, s	laps, psychology
rh	R, RH	rhyme, barhop
st	s, st	castle/listen, fast
th	Th, th	then, thin
ui	i, U	build, fruit
w	w, 🛇	wet, wrap/answer/sword/two/who/law
wh	Hw, wH	when, cowhide
wr	R, wR	wrap, dowry
x	ks, 🛇	box, faux*
z	z, 🛇	zip, rendezvous*
ae	a, E, u	aesthetic, algae, aerobic
ai	A, e, I	paint, said, aisle
ch	ch, k, sh	much, school, chef
d	d, t, 🛇	lid/hummed, hopped, Wednesday/handkerchief
ei	A, E, e	weigh, weird, heifer
gm	Gm, jm, m	enigma, judgment, phlegm
i	E, i, 🛇	ski, big/build, business
mn	m, mn, n	autumn, hymnal, mnemonic
n	n, ng, 🛇	win, wink, autumn
or	er, or, our	word, sorry, for
qu	k, kw, ky	plaque/lacquer, quit, queue*
r	er, R, 🛇	tour/sour, rat, February*
sc	s, sh, sk	science, conscious, miscarriage
y	E, i, y	happy, gym, yes
ao	Ao, Aou, EO, O	chaos, aorta, karaoke, pharaoh
ar	eir, er, or, our	arid/arrow, solar, far, war
c	k, s, s, 🛇	can/school/picture/expect, cent, special, indict
e	E, e, i, 🛇	me/people, let/leopard, bend/rated, love/asthetic
ea	A, E, e, oo	break, eat, head, learn
g	G, j, zh, 🛇	bag, gem, regime, sign/phlegm/through
gh	f, G, GH, 🛇	laugh, ghost, bighorn, through/drought
ng	ng, nG, nj, nng	rung, fungi, ingest/fungi, hunger
oo	O, oo, U, u	brooch, foot, boot, flood
t	ch, d, t, 🛇	mature/picture, theater, bat/expect, ballet/castle/listen
s	s, sh, z, zh, 🛇	us/muscle/psychology/laps, mansion/mission, as, pleasure, island/corps
o	O, o, U, u, wu, 🛇	most, on, do, done, once, colonel*/leopard/people
ou	O, oo, ou, ow, U, u	though, courage, soul, out, you/through, touch
u	i, oo, U, u, w, 🛇	busy/build, put, truth/fruit, up, quick/suite, guard/guess/laugh/tongue/boulder
a	A, a, i, o, ou, u, 🛇	able, pat/pan, message, father, walk, want, head/aisle

The Spelling of Sounds in Alphabetical Order

Spelling	Sounds	Examples
A	a, ai, ay, ea, ei, ey	able, paint, day, break, weigh, they
a	a, ae, au	pat/pan, aesthetic, aunt/laugh
Ao	ao	chaos
Aou	ao	aorta
b	b	rib
bt	bt	obtuse
ch	ch, t, tch	much, mature/picture, hatch
d	d, t	lid/hummed, theater
dg	dg	bedgown
E	ae, e, ea, ee, ei, eo, ey, i, ie, y	algae, me/people, eat, see, weird, people, key, ski, field, happy
e	ai, e, ea, ei, eo	said, let/leopard, head, heifer, leopard
eir	ar, er	arid/arrow, very/merry
EO	ao	karaoke
er	ar, er, ir, or, r, ur	solar, her, first, word, tour/sour, fur
f	f, gh, ph	if, laugh, phone
G	g, gh, gu	bag, ghost, guard
GH	gh	bighorn
Gm	gm	enigma
Gn	gn	magnify
Gu	gu	gum
H	h	him
Hw	wh	when
I	ai, uy	aisle, buy
i	a, e, i, u, ui, y	message, bend/rated, big/build, busy/build, build, gym
j	dg, g, j	bridge, gem, jam
jm	gm	judgment
k	c, ch, ck, k, qu	can/school/picture/expect, school, neck, ink, plaque/lacquer
kch	ct	picture
kn	kn	knicknack
ks	x	box
kt	ct	expect
kw	qu	quit
ky	qu	queue*
l	l	lag/bulk
m	gm, m, mb, mn	phlegm, ham, climb, autumn
mb	mb	jumbo
mn	mn	hymnal
n	gn, kn, mn, n	sign, know/knot, mnemonic, win
ng	n, ng	wink, rung
nG	ng	fungi
nj	ng	ingest/fungi
nng	ng	hunger
O	ao, o, oa, oe, oo, ou, ow	pharaoh , most, boat, toe, brooch, though, low
o	a, au, aw, o	father, audio/caught, law, on
oo	ea, ia, io, oo, ou, u	learn, initial, religion, foot, courage, put
or	ar, or	far, sorry
ou	a, ou	walk, soul
our	ar, or	war, for
ow	ou, ow	out, how
oy	oi, oy	point, boy
p	p	map
pH	ph	uphold
ps	ps	laps
R	r, rh, wr	rat, rhyme, wrap
RH	rh	barhop
s	c, c, ps, s, sc, st	cent, special, psychology, us/muscle/psychology/laps, science, castle/listen
sh	ch, s, sc, sh	chef, mansion/mission, conscious, dish
sk	sc	miscarriage
st	st	fast
t	bt, d, t	obtuse, hopped, bat/expect
Th	th	then
th	th	thin
U	ew, o, oo, ou, u, ui	grew, do, boot, you/through, truth/fruit, fruit
u	a, ae, o, oo, ou, u	want, aerobic, done, flood, touch, up
uw	aw	away
v	v	van
w	u, w	quick/suite, wet
wH	wh	cowhide
wR	wr	dowry
wu	o	once
y	y	yes
z	s, z	as, zip
zh	g, s	regime, pleasure
🛇	b, c, d, e, f, g, gh, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u, w, x, z, a	debt/climb, indict, Wednesday/handkerchief, love/asthetic, fifth, sign/phlegm/through, through/drought, honest/heir/rhyme/ghost/through, business, marijuana, know/knot, half/walk/could/colonel, mnemonic, autumn, colonel/leopard/people, pneumonia/psychology/corps/receipt, February, island/corps, ballet/castle/listen, guard/guess/laugh/tongue/boulder, wrap/answer/sword/two/who/law, faux, rendezvous, head/aisle

The Spelling of Sounds in Order of Complexity

Sound	Spelling	Examples
Ao	ao	chaos
Aou	ao	aorta
b	b	rib
bt	bt	obtuse
dg	dg	bedgown
EO	ao	karaoke
GH	gh	bighorn
Gm	gm	enigma
Gn	gn	magnify
Gu	gu	gum
H	h	him
Hw	wh	when
jm	gm	judgment
kch	ct	picture
kn	kn	knicknack
ks	x	box
kt	ct	expect
kw	qu	quit
ky	qu	queue*
l	l	lag/bulk
mb	mb	jumbo
mn	mn	hymnal
nG	ng	fungi
nj	ng	ingest/fungi
nng	ng	hunger
p	p	map
pH	ph	uphold
ps	ps	laps
RH	rh	barhop
sk	sc	miscarriage
st	st	fast
Th	th	then
th	th	thin
uw	aw	away
v	v	van
wH	wh	cowhide
wR	wr	dowry
wu	o	once
y	y	yes
d	d, t	lid/hummed, theater
eir	ar, er	arid/arrow, very/merry
I	ai, uy	aisle, buy
ng	n, ng	wink, rung
or	ar, or	far, sorry
ou	a, ou	walk, soul
our	ar, or	war, for
ow	ou, ow	out, how
oy	oi, oy	point, boy
w	u, w	quick/suite, wet
z	s, z	as, zip
zh	g, s	regime, pleasure
a	a, ae, au	pat/pan, aesthetic, aunt/laugh
ch	ch, t, tch	much, mature/picture, hatch
f	f, gh, ph	if, laugh, phone
G	g, gh, gu	bag, ghost, guard
j	dg, g, j	bridge, gem, jam
R	r, rh, wr	rat, rhyme, wrap
t	bt, d, t	obtuse, hopped, bat/expect
m	gm, m, mb, mn	phlegm, ham, climb, autumn
n	gn, kn, mn, n	sign, know/knot, mnemonic, win
o	a, au, aw, o	father, audio/caught, law, on
sh	ch, s, sc, sh	chef, mansion/mission, conscious, dish
e	ai, e, ea, ei, eo	said, let/leopard, head, heifer, leopard
k	c, ch, ck, k, qu	can/school/picture/expect, school, neck, ink, plaque/lacquer
A	a, ai, ay, ea, ei, ey	able, paint, day, break, weigh, they
er	ar, er, ir, or, r, ur	solar, her, first, word, tour/sour, fur
i	a, e, i, u, ui, y	message, bend/rated, big/build, busy/build, build, gym
oo	ea, ia, io, oo, ou, u	learn, initial, religion, foot, courage, put
s	c, c, ps, s, sc, st	cent, special, psychology, us/muscle/psychology/laps, science, castle/listen
U	ew, o, oo, ou, u, ui	grew, do, boot, you/through, truth/fruit, fruit
u	a, ae, o, oo, ou, u	want, aerobic, done, flood, touch, up
O	ao, o, oa, oe, oo, ou, ow	pharaoh , most, boat, toe, brooch, though, low
E	ae, e, ea, ee, ei, eo, ey, i, ie, y	algae, me/people, eat, see, weird, people, key, ski, field, happy
🛇	b, c, d, e, f, g, gh, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u, w, x, z, a	debt/climb, indict, Wednesday/handkerchief, love/asthetic, fifth, sign/phlegm/through, through/drought, honest/heir/rhyme/ghost/through, business, marijuana, know/knot, half/walk/could/colonel, mnemonic, autumn, colonel/leopard/people, pneumonia/psychology/corps/receipt, February, island/corps, ballet/castle/listen, guard/guess/laugh/tongue/boulder, wrap/answer/sword/two/who/law, faux, rendezvous, head/aisle

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