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Some sounds use two letters — Language, 4–6

Sometimes two letters work together to make one sound. Language, 4–6 years.

One sound can have a letter team

When you say ship, the first sound is made by s and h working together: sh. Neither letter says that sound alone in this word. You can spot other teams too, such as ch in chip or th in thin.

Why join letters?

Our mouths can make more sounds than one letter can show by itself. Writers needed a way to record sounds such as sh, ch or th, so they put letters together. The team is not extra decoration: it helps someone read the sound that was meant.

Build a word with a sound team

Let us write ship. First, say the word slowly: sh-i-p. Next, hear the first sound, /sh/. Write the team sh, then add i for /i/ and p for /p/. Put them together and read sh-i-p: ship.

Do not count every letter as one sound

It feels sensible to give every letter its own sound, because many simple words work that way. But in ship, sh is one beginning sound, not two separate sounds /s/ and /h/. Look for a familiar team before you pull a word apart.

Teams help you read and write

You meet sound teams in names, labels, signs and books. Knowing that ch can work together helps you read a new word instead of stopping at the first two letters. When you write, the team helps you record a sound someone else can recognise.

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