LETTER GROUPINGS, SOUND AND EXAMPLE

a ... 'aa' as in 'bat' ... [ ] ... exact

a ... 'ah' as in 'father' ... [ ] ... father
a ... 'uh' as in 'supply' ... [ ] ... about
a ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... base, able
a ... 'eh' as in 'bed' ... [ ] ... share
aa ... 'ah' as in 'father' ... [ ] ... bazaar, aardvark
ai ... 'eh' as in 'bed' ... [ ] ... said
ai ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... aisle
ai ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... maid
au ...'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ] ... cause
au ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... gauge
au ... 'aa' as in 'bat' ... [ ] ... aunt
ay ... 'eh' as in 'bed' ... [ ] ... says
ay ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... pay
augh ... 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ] ... daughter
aw ... 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ] ... shawl
ea ... 'ee' as in 'she' ... [ ] ... heat
ea ... 'uh' as in 'supply' ... [ ] ... ocean
ea ... 'eh' as in 'bed' ... [ ] ... head
ea ... 'ah' as in 'father' ... [ ] ... heart
ea ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... great
eau ... 'ew' as in 'few' ... [
] ... beauty
ea[r] ... 'ur' as in 'her' ... [ ] ... learn
oa ... 'oh' as in 'no' ... [
] ... oat

silent ...thumb
b ... 'b' as in 'bit' ... [

] ...bone

c ... 'k' as in 'cap' ... [

] ... casserole

ce ... 's' as in 'sip' ... [

] ... ice

ce ... 'sh' as in 'ship' ... [

cc ... 'k' as in 'cap' ... [
C

] ... ocean
] ... with 's' as in 'sip' ... [

accent
ch ... 'k' as in 'cap' ... [
ch ... 'ch' as in 'char' ... [

] ... choir
] ... chance

ch ... 'sh' as in 'ship' ... [

] ... chartreuse

ci ... 'ch' as in 'char' ... [

] ... ancient

] ...

ck ... 'k' as in 'cap' ... [

] ... back

cz ... 't' as in 'time' ... [ ] with 's' as in 'sip' ... [

(one of two possible pronunciations)
sch ... 'sh' as in 'ship' ... [

d ... 'd' as in 'dime' ... [

D

] ... czar

] ... schmuck

] ... dark

dge ... 'j' as in 'jar' ... [

] ... judge
ed ... 't' as in 'time' ... [ ] ... tripped
e ... silent ... there
ce ... 's' as in 'sip' ... [

] ... ice

ce ... 'sh' as in 'ship' ... [

] ... ocean

dge ... 'j' as in 'jar' ... [

] ... judge
e ... 'eh' as in 'bed' ... [ ] ... shed
e ... 'ee' as in 'she' ... [ ] ... be
e ... 'uh' as in 'supply' ... [ ] ... anthem
ea ...'ah' as in 'father' ... [ ] ... heart
ea ... 'ee' as in 'she' ... [ ] ... heat
ea ... 'eh' as in 'bed' ... [ ] ... head
ea ... 'uh' as in 'supply' ... [ ] ... ocean
ea ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... great
ea[r] ... 'ur' as in 'her' ... [ ] ... learn
E

eau ... 'ew' as in 'few' ... [

] ... beauty
ed ... 't' as in 'time' ... [ ] ... tripped
ee ... 'ih' as in 'sit' ... [ ] ... been
ee ... 'ee' as in 'she' ... [ ] ... weep
ei ... 'ee' as in 'she' ... [ ] ... receive
ei ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... veil
eig ... 'uh' as in 'supply' ... [ ] ... foreign (can also be
reduced 'ih' as in 'sit' ... [ ])
eig ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... reign
eigh ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... weigh
eigh ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... height
eo ... 'eh' as in 'bed' ... [ ] ... leopard
eo ... 'ee' as in 'she' ... [ ] ... people
ew ... 'ew' as in 'few' ... [
ew ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [

] ... few
] ... blew

ey ... 'ee' as in 'she' ... [ ] ... key

ey ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... they
ie ... 'eh' as in 'bed' ... [ ] ... friend
ie ... 'ee' as in 'she' ... [ ] ... brief
ie ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... lie
oe ... 'oh' as in 'no' ... [
] ... foe
ue ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [ ] ... blue
ye ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... bye
F

f ... 'f' as in 'fan' ... [ ] ... fear

f ... 'v' as in 'van' ... [ ] ... of
, sign
augh ... 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ] ... daughter
dge ... 'j' as in 'jar' ... [
] ... judge
eig ... 'uh' as in 'supply' ... [ ] ... foreign (can also be
reduced 'ih' as in 'sit' ... [ ])
eig ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... reign
eigh ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... weigh
eigh ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... height
igh ...'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... sigh
g ... 'g' as in 'gap' ... [

] ... go

ge ... 'dj' as in 'measure' ... [

G

] ... beige

ng ... 'ng' as in 'sing' ... [

] ... ring

ng ... 'ng' as in 'sing' ... [

angst

] with 'k' as in 'cap' ... [

] ...

ng ... 'ng' as in 'sing' ... [ ] with 'g' as in 'gap' ... [ ] ...

anger
ough ... 'oh' as in 'no' ... [
] ... though
ough ... 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ] ... thought
ough ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [ ] ... through
ough ... 'ow' as in 'now' ... [
] ... bough
ough ... 'ah' as in 'father' ... [ ] OR 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ]
with 'f' as in 'fan' ... [

] ... cough

ough ... 'uh' as in 'butter' ... [

enough
H

] with 'f' as in 'fan' ... [

silent ... honor, thyme

augh ... 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ] ... daughter
ch ... 'k' as in 'cap' ... [

] ... choir

] ...

ch ... 'ch' as in 'char' ... [

ch ... 'sh' as in 'ship' ... [

] ... chance
] ... chartreuse

h ... 'h' as in 'hi' ... [ ] ... happy

igh ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... sigh
eigh ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... weigh
eigh ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... height
ough ... 'oh' as in 'no' ... [
] ... though
ough ... 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ] ... thought
ough ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [ ] ... through
ough ... 'ow' as in 'now' ... [
] ... bough
ough ... 'ah' as in 'father' ... [ ] OR 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ]
with 'f' as in 'fan' ... [

] ... cough

ough ... 'uh' as in 'butter' ... [

enough
ph ... 'f' as in 'fan' ... [

] with 'f' as in 'fan' ... [

] ... phone

sch ... 'sh' as in 'ship' ... [

sh ... 'sh' as in 'ship' ... [

] ... schmuck
] ... shame

th ... 'th' as in 'thin' ... [ ] ... thanks

th ... 'th' as in 'this' ... [

] ... those

ai ... 'eh' as in 'bed' ... [ ] ... said

ai ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... aisle
ai ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... maid

ci ... 'ch' as in 'char' ... [ ] ... ancient

ei ... 'ee' as in 'she' ... [ ] ... receive
ei ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... veil
eig ... 'uh' as in 'supply' ... [ ] ... foreign (can also be
reduced 'ih' as in 'sit' ... [ ])
eig ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... reign
eigh ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... weigh
eigh ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... height
i ... 'ih' as in 'sit' ... [ ] ... him
i ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... time
i ... 'uh' as in 'supply' ... [ ] ... pencil (can also be
reduced 'ih' as in 'sit' ... [ ])
ie ... 'eh' as in 'bed' ... [ ] ... friend
ie ... 'ee' as in 'she' ... [ ] ... grieve
ie ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... lie

] ...

igh ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [

i[r] ... 'ur' as in 'her' ... [
oi ... 'oy' as in 'toy' ... [
oi ... 'w' as in 'will' ... [
choir
ui ... 'ih' as in 'sit' ... [ ]

] ... sigh
] ... bird
] ... moist
] with 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
... build

si ... 'dj' as in 'measure' ... [

ti ... 'sh' as in 'ship' ... [

] ... vision

] ... motion

ti ... 'ch' as in 'char' ... [

j ... 'j' as in 'jar' ... [

] ...

] ... mention

] ... joy

j ... 'y' as in 'yes' ... [ ] ... fjord

j ... 'h' as in 'hi' ... [

] ... junta

silent ... know

K

ck ... 'k' as in 'cap' ... [

k ... 'k' as in 'cap' ... [

L
M

] ... back
] ... king

silent ... palm

l ... 'l' as in 'lap' ... [ ] ... love
m ... 'm' as in 'map' ... [
silent ... damn
n ... 'n' as in 'nap' ... [

] ... mine
] ... name

n ... 'ng' as in 'sing' ... [

N

] ... think

ng ... 'ng' as in 'sing' ... [

] ... ring

ng ... 'ng' as in 'sing' ... [

angst

] with 'k' as in 'cap' ... [

] ...

ng ... 'ng' as in 'sing' ... [

anger

] with 'g' as in 'gap' ... [

] ...

eo ... 'eh' as in 'bed' ... [ ] ... leopard

eo ... 'ee' as in 'she' ... [ ] ... people
o ... 'w' as in 'will' ... [
] with 'uh' as in 'butter' ... [
one
o ... 'ih' as in 'sit' ... [ ] ... women
o ... 'ah' as in 'father' ... [

] ... body

] ...

o ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [ ] ... do

o ... 'uh' as in 'pull' ... [ ] ... wolf
o ... 'oh' as in 'no' ... [
] ... go
o ... 'uh' as in 'butter' ... [ ] ... love
o ... 'uh' as in 'supply' ... [ ] ... bottom
oa ... 'oh' as in 'no' ... [
] ... oat
oe ... 'oh' as in 'no' ... [
] ... foe
oi ... 'oy' as in 'toy' ... [
] ... moist
oi ... 'w' as in 'will' ... [
] with 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
choir
oo ...
oo ...
oo ...
oo ...
ou ...
ou ...
ou ...
ou ...

'oo' as in 'boo' ... [

'uh' as in 'pull' ... [
'uh' as in 'butter' ...
'oh' as in 'no' ... [
'oo' as in 'boo' ... [
'uh' as in 'pull' ... [
'uh' as in 'butter' ...
'oh' as in 'no' ... [

] ...

] ... too
] ... wood
[ ] ... blood
] ... brooch
] ... you
] ... could
[ ] ... trouble
] ... soul

ou ... 'ow' as in 'now' ... [

] ... round
ou[r] ... 'ur' as in 'her' ... [ ] ... journey
o[r] ... 'ur' as in 'her' ... [ ] ... word
ough ... 'oh' as in 'no' ... [
] ... though
ough ... 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ] ... thought
ough ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [ ] ... through
ough ... 'ow' as in 'now' ... [
] ... bough
ough ... 'ah' as in 'father' ... [ ] OR 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ]
with 'f' as in 'fan' ... [

] ... cough

ough ... 'uh' as in 'butter' ... [

] with 'f' as in 'fan' ... [

enough
ow ... 'ow' as in 'now' ... [
] ... cow
ow ... 'oh' as in 'no' ... [
] ... row
oy ... 'oy' as in 'toy' ... [
] ... joy
wo ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [ ] ... two

] ...

p ... 'p' as in 'pit' ... [

] ... pear

ph ... 'f' as in 'fan' ... [

] ... phone

q ... 'k' as in 'cap' ... [

] ... quiet

r ... 'r' as in 'run' ... [

] ... rat

silent ... island

s ... 's' as in 'sip' ... [ ] ... some
s ... 'z' as in 'zip' ... [ ] ... his
sch ... 'sh' as in 'ship' ... [
S

] ... schmuck

si ... 'dj' as in 'measure' ... [

sh ... 'sh' as in 'ship' ... [

] ... vision

] ... shame

ss ... 'sh' as in 'ship' ... [ ]... issue

ss ... 's' as in 'sip' ... [ ] ...miss
ss ... 'z' as in 'zip' ... [ ] ... possession
silent ... fasten
t ... 't' as in 'time' ... [ ] ... tap
t ... 'ch' as in 'char' ... [
T

] ... future

th ... 'th' as in 'thin' ... [ ] ... thanks

th ... 'th' as in 'this' ... [

] ... those

ti ... 'sh' as in 'ship' ... [

] ... motion

ti ... 'ch' as in 'char' ... [

] ... mention

silent ... plague (it signals a hard G without being

pronounced)
au ... 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ] ... cause
au ... 'ay' as in 'say' ... [ ] ... gauge
au ... 'aa' as in 'bat' ... [ ] ... aunt
augh ... 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ] ... daughter
U

eau ... 'ew' as in 'few' ... [

] ... beauty
ou ... 'uh' as in 'butter' ... [ ] ... trouble
ou ... 'uh' as in 'pull' ... [ ] ... could
ou ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [ ] ... you
ou ... ... 'oh' as in 'no' ... [
] ... soul
ou ... 'ow' as in 'now' ... [
] ... round
ough ... 'oh' as in 'no' ... [
] ... though
ough ... 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ] ... thought

ough ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [ ] ... through

ough ... 'ow' as in 'now' ... [
] ... bough
ough ... 'ah' as in 'father' ... [ ] OR 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ]
with 'f' as in 'fan' ... [

] ... cough

ough ... 'uh' as in 'butter' ... [ ] with 'f' as in 'fan' ... [

enough
ou[r] ... 'ur' as in 'her' ... [ ] ... journey
u ... 'uh' as in 'supply' ... [ ] ... autumn
u ... 'uh' as in 'butter' ... [ ] ... up

] ...

u ... 'ew' as in 'few' ... [

] ... union
u ... 'eh' as in 'bed' ... [ ] ... bury
u ... 'uh' as in 'pull' ... [ ] ... full
u ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [ ] ... flute
u ... 'w' as in 'will' ... [
] ... quiet
ue ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [ ] ... blue
ui ... 'ih' as in 'sit' ... [ ] ... build
u[r] ... 'ur' as in 'her' ... [ ] ... burn
V

v ... 'v' as in 'van' ... [

] ... voice

silent ... answer

aw ... 'aw' as in 'law' ... [ ] ... shawl
W

ew ... 'ew' as in 'few' ... [

] ... few
ew ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [ ] ... blew
ow ... 'ow' as in 'now' ... [
] ... cow
ow ... 'oh' as in 'no' ... [
] ... row
w ... 'w' as in 'will' ... [
] ... wise
wo ... 'oo' as in 'boo' ... [ ] ... two

x ... 'k' as in 'cap' ... [ ] with 's' as in 'sip' ... [

expert
x ... 'z' as in 'zip' ... [ ] ... xylophone

] ... ax,

x ... 'g' as in 'gap' ... [

] ... exhibit

ay
ay
ey
ey
oy

...
...
...
...
...

'eh'
'ay'
'ee'
'ay'
'oy'

as
as
as
as
as

in
in
in
in
in

] with 'z' as in 'zip' ... [

'bed' ... [ ] ... says

'say' ... [ ] ... pay
'she' ... [ ] ... key
'say' ... [ ] ... they
'toy' ... [
] ... joy

y ... 'ih' as in 'sit' ... [ ] ... crypt

y ... 'uh' as in 'supply' ... [ ] ... syringe
y ... 'y' as in 'yes' ... [ ] ... you
y ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... rhyme, my
y ... 'ee' as in 'she' ... [ ] ... melody
ye ... 'ai' as in 'buy' ... [
] ... bye
y[r] ... 'ur' as in 'her' ... [ ] ... myrtle

cz ... 't' as in 'time' ... [ ] with 's' as in 'sip' ... [

(one of two possible pronunciations)
z ... 'z' as in 'zip' ... [ ] ... lazy
z ... 'dj' as in 'measure' ... [ ] ... azure
z ... 't' as in 'time' ... [ ] with 's' as in 'sip' ... [
z ... 's' as in 'sip' ... [ ] ... ritz

] ... czar

] .. Nazi