5 letters · 2 sounds · updated 15 Aug 2026

How to pronounce
"eight"

"eight" is pronounced with 2 sounds across 2 phonics chunks: eigh · t. Tap each box below to hear the sound, then blend them to read the word.

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What "eight" means

The number after seven.

In a sentence: There are eight biscuits left in the tin.

The tricky part

Four letters for one sound. 'eigh' says /ay/, and the 'gh' is silent — nothing like the 'igh' in 'night'.

'Weight' and 'neighbour' use the same 'eigh' for /ay/.

Even though 'eight' has 5 letters, it has only 2 sounds — the grapheme 'eigh' — a four-letter team for the long-A sound.

How do you pronounce "eight"?

To pronounce "eight" correctly, say each of the 2 sounds in order, then blend them smoothly. This technique — Elkonin sound boxes — is used in thousands of US classrooms following the Science of Reading approach. Here's the step-by-step phonics method:

  1. 1 Say the sound for "eigh" — then pause
  2. 2 Say the sound for "t" — final sound
  3. ✓ Blend all 2 sounds together: "eight"

Words that rhyme with "eight"

waitplateawaitcreateestatehatedilate

Frequently asked questions about "eight"

How do you pronounce "eight"?
To pronounce "eight", say each of its 2 phonics sound chunks in order — eigh, and t — then blend them smoothly. Tap the sound boxes above to hear each chunk.
How many sound chunks are in "eight"?
"eight" has 2 phonics sound chunks: eigh · t. Breaking a word into chunks helps kids decode it one sound at a time using the Science of Reading approach.
What are the phonics sounds in "eight"?
The phonics sounds in "eight" are eigh, and t. Each chunk represents one distinct sound; together they spell the 5-letter word "eight".
How many letters are in "eight"?
"eight" has 5 letters and 2 phonics sound chunks.
What words rhyme with "eight"?
Words that rhyme with "eight" include "wait", "plate", "await", "create", "estate". See the full rhyme-family hub linked below.

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