Phonics Fundamentals · 2026 Guide
Digraphs: two letters, one sound
A digraph is two letters working together to make one sound — sh in "ship", ch in "chip", th in "thank". Children typically learn digraphs in the second half of kindergarten, right after mastering CVC words. This guide covers all 8 main consonant digraphs with IPA sounds, example words, and classroom-tested teaching order.
What is a digraph?
A digraph is two letters that spell one sound. The key word is one — unlike a consonant blend where each letter keeps its own sound, a digraph creates a new sound different from either letter alone. "S" + "h" = /ʃ/ (the "hush" sound), not /s/ + /h/. This is why digraphs are taught as units, not decoded letter by letter.
sh /ʃ/
the hush sound
The /ʃ/ sound — what you make when telling someone to be quiet. Made with the tongue raised near the roof of the mouth, air flowing out in a steady stream. One of the easiest digraphs to teach and hear.
Position in words: Common at the start and end of words (ship, fish).
initial
ch /tʃ/
the chew sound
The /tʃ/ sound — a quick burst like a train starting up or chewing crunchy food. It's technically two sounds (/t/ + /ʃ/) blended into one, but English spelling treats it as a single unit.
Position in words: Appears at start (chip), middle (lunchtime), and end (much).
th /θ/ (voiceless) or /ð/ (voiced)
the tongue-out sounds
TH has two sounds. The voiceless /θ/ (as in "thin", "bath") is made with the tongue between the teeth, no voice. The voiced /ð/ (as in "the", "this") is the same mouth position but with voice added. Children often need to see the difference — put a hand on the throat to feel the vibration of voiced /ð/.
Position in words: Voiceless usually at start (think) or end (bath). Voiced usually in function words (the, this, that) and some middles (mother).
wh /w/ (in most modern English)
the question-word sound
In modern US and UK English, "wh" is pronounced the same as /w/ — so "whale" sounds like "wail". Historically it was a breathy /hw/ sound, still preserved in some Scottish and older US dialects. For teaching purposes, we treat wh as /w/.
Position in words: Almost always at the start of words, especially question words (what, when, where, why, which).
ph /f/
the f-sound spelled differently
PH makes the same sound as the letter F — /f/. It comes from Greek origin words that kept their original Greek spelling when borrowed into English (phi → ph). Useful to teach because many science and academic words use it: phone, photo, phonics, alphabet, dolphin.
Position in words: Often in words of Greek origin. Can appear at the start (phone), middle (alphabet), or end (graph).
initial
ng /ŋ/
the nasal ending sound
The /ŋ/ sound — the "ng" at the end of "ring" or "song". Made with the back of the tongue touching the soft palate, air coming through the nose. Children sometimes spell this as just "n" at the end of words, so the digraph needs explicit teaching.
Position in words: Almost exclusively at the end of syllables (ring, ending, singing).
ck /k/
the k-sound at word endings
CK makes the /k/ sound — same as C or K alone, but spelled as two letters. This is an English spelling convention: after a short vowel at the end of a one-syllable word, we write "ck" instead of just "k" (back, sick, duck). Children need to learn the rule: short vowel + /k/ sound + end of word = ck.
Position in words: Always at the end of syllables, after a short vowel (pack, rock, duck). Never at the start.
qu /kw/
the kw-sound
QU actually makes two sounds: /k/ + /w/. But because Q is almost never written alone in English (always with a following U), we treat "qu" as a digraph. It's technically a "diphonemic grapheme" — two letters, two sounds — but taught as a single spelling unit.
Position in words: Almost always at the start of words (queen, quiet). Rare in middles or ends.
Digraph vs. consonant blend
Parents and new teachers often confuse digraphs with consonant blends. The difference is simple once you hear it:
Digraph
Two letters → one NEW sound
- ship = /ʃ/ (not /s/ + /h/)
- chip = /tʃ/ (new sound)
- think = /θ/ (new sound)
- phone = /f/ (same as f alone)
- The letters BLUR together — you can't hear them separately.
Blend
Two letters → two sounds, spoken quickly
- slip = /s/ + /l/ (both heard)
- frog = /f/ + /r/ (both heard)
- trip = /t/ + /r/ (both heard)
- stop = /s/ + /t/ (both heard)
- Each letter keeps its own sound — you can slow down and hear them separately.
Teaching tip: when a child encounters a new word, ask them to say the two letters slowly. If they can hear two sounds, it's a blend — decode letter by letter. If the letters produce one sound, it's a digraph — treat the pair as a single unit.
Teaching order (Science of Reading)
Most structured phonics curricula (Orton-Gillingham, Jolly Phonics, Wilson, Saxon) teach digraphs in this order, starting the second half of kindergarten:
- sh first — it\'s the easiest digraph to hear and produce, with clear mouth position.
- ch — similar teaching to sh; use "chew" or "choo-choo train" as a memory hook.
- th (voiceless first) — "thin", "thank", "bath". Put a finger between the teeth and blow.
- th (voiced) — "the", "this", "that". Same mouth, add voice.
- wh — often taught together with question words ("wh-questions": who, what, when, where, why).
- ph — introduced with "phone" and "photo"; teach as alternate spelling of /f/.
- ng — last sound in "ring", "sing". Usually taught alongside short vowels + ng (sang, ring, long).
- ck — teach the spelling rule: short vowel + /k/ at end of one-syllable word = ck.
- qu — introduce after children have mastered the single letters Q and U.
Pace: most programmes introduce 1–2 digraphs per week, with daily review. By the end of first grade, children should decode all main digraphs fluently in running text.
Frequently asked questions
What is a digraph?
A digraph is two letters that work together to make one sound. In English, there are two main types: consonant digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh, ph, ng, ck, qu) and vowel digraphs (ai, ea, oa, ee, etc. — usually called vowel teams). This page covers consonant digraphs. The word "digraph" comes from Greek: di (two) + graphe (writing).
What are the most common consonant digraphs?
The most common consonant digraphs taught in phonics are sh, ch, th, wh, ph, ng, and ck. Some curricula add qu, gh (as in "ghost"), and wr (as in "write", though wr has a silent w). In US and UK kindergarten and first-grade reading, sh, ch, and th are the first three taught — usually in the second half of kindergarten, after CVC words are solid.
What order should I teach digraphs?
Most curricula teach sh first (easiest to hear and make), followed by ch, then th (both voiceless "thin" and voiced "the"). Then wh, ph, ng, ck, and qu. The order roughly matches how common each digraph is in early-reader text — sh, ch, and th appear in hundreds of everyday words, while ph and qu are rarer.
What is the difference between a digraph and a blend?
A digraph is two letters making ONE sound — the two letters blur into a single new sound (sh = /ʃ/). A blend is two or three letters where each letter keeps its own sound, spoken quickly together (bl = /b/ + /l/, still two sounds). "Ship" starts with a digraph; "slip" starts with a blend. This distinction matters because digraphs need memorising as units, while blends can be decoded letter by letter.
Why does "th" have two different sounds?
English spelling uses "th" for two different sounds that come from the same mouth position but differ in voice. Voiceless /θ/ (no voice) appears in content words like "think", "thank", "bath", "tooth". Voiced /ð/ (with voice) appears mostly in function words: the, this, that, there, them, they, those, and some middles like mother, father, brother. The two sounds are distinct phonemes, but English never bothered to create separate spellings for them.
Why is "ck" written as two letters if it only makes /k/?
English spelling uses "ck" (instead of just "k" or "c") after a short vowel at the end of a one-syllable word. So we write "back", "sick", "duck", "rock" — not "bak", "sik", "duk", "rok". The rule exists because a single "k" after a short vowel would look wrong in English. After long vowels or two vowels, we use "k" alone (cake, peek, look) or just "c" (music). This is a classic Spalding/Orton-Gillingham spelling rule taught in 1st and 2nd grade.
Are digraphs taught the same way in Indian English phonics?
Yes. Digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh, ph, ng, ck, qu) are taught in every English phonics programme worldwide — Jolly Phonics (used in many Indian CBSE and ICSE schools) covers them in Book 2, after CVC words. The only difference is pronunciation: Indian English speakers sometimes pronounce the voiceless /θ/ sound like /t/ (saying "ting" for "thing"). This is common and not a reading error; it's a dialectal pronunciation difference. Focus on recognising the spelling pattern, not forcing a specific accent.
When should children start learning digraphs?
Most children start digraphs in the second half of kindergarten or early first grade, after they're fluent with CVC words. A typical sequence: Weeks 1–16 of kindergarten = CVC and short vowels; Weeks 17+ = add digraphs. By end of first grade, children should read all seven main digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh, ph, ng, ck) fluently in real text.