The 44 Phonemes and Their Graphemes
Phoneme = sound. Grapheme = letter or group of letters that writes the sound. English has about 44 phonemes: 24 consonant sounds and 20 vowel sounds in this classroom model. A phoneme may be represented by several possible graphemes.
1 Say
Say the whole word naturally.
Say the whole word naturally.
2 Stretch
Listen from left to right.
Listen from left to right.
3 Count
One box for each sound.
One box for each sound.
4 Record
Write one phoneme per box.
Write one phoneme per box.
5 Map
Write its grapheme below.
Write its grapheme below.
24 consonant phonemes
PhonemePossible graphemesExamples
PhonemePossible graphemesExamples
/b/b, bbbed, ribbon
/d/d, dd, eddog, add, filled
/f/f, ff, ph, ghfish, cliff, phone
/g/g, gg, gh, gugo, egg, ghost
/h/h, whhat, who
/j/j, g, ge, dgejam, giant, bridge
/k/c, k, ck, ch, quecat, kit, school
/l/l, llleg, bell
/m/m, mm, mbmap, hammer, lamb
/n/n, nn, kn, gnnet, dinner, knee
/p/p, pppig, apple
/r/r, rr, wrrun, carrot, write
/s/s, ss, c, ce, scsun, mess, city
/t/t, tt, edtop, letter, stopped
/v/v, ve, fvet, give, of
/w/w, wh, uwet, why, quick
/y/y, iyes, onion
/z/z, zz, s, se, xzoo, buzz, is
/zh/s, si, ge, zmeasure, vision
/ch/ch, tch, tuchip, match, future
/sh/sh, ti, ci, ch, sship, motion, special
/th/ththin, thumb
/th/ voicedththis, weather
/ng/ng, n, nguesing, bank, tongue
20 vowel phonemes
PhonemePossible graphemesExamples
PhonemePossible graphemesExamples
/a/a, ai, aucat, plaid, laugh
/e/e, ea, aibed, bread, said
/i/i, y, e, uisit, gym, busy
/o/o, a, auhot, want
/u/u, o, ou, ooup, son, trouble
/ai/a-e, ai, ay, eighmake, rain, day
/ee/ee, ea, e, y, iefeet, eat, me
/igh/i-e, igh, y, ieride, light, fly
/oa/o-e, oa, ow, onote, boat, snow
/yoo/u-e, u, ew, uecube, human, few
/oo/ shortoo, u, oulbook, put, could
/oo/ longoo, u-e, ue, ewmoon, rule, blue
/ow/ow, ou, oughcow, out, bough
/oy/oi, oycoin, boy
/ar/ar, acar, father
/air/air, are, ear, erefair, care, bear
/ear/ear, eer, eredear, cheer, here
/or/or, ore, aw, au, oughfork, more, saw
/er/er, ir, ur, ear, orfern, bird, turn
/uh/ schwaa, e, i, o, uabout, taken, pencil
Example map: float
Phonemes/f//l//oa//t/
Graphemesfloat
Remember
Count sounds, not letters. A grapheme may contain one letter (m), two (sh), three (igh), or be split (a-e). Say consonants cleanly without adding “uh”.NZ English note: The exact number and identity of phonemes can vary with accent. This chart uses a practical 44-phoneme classroom model and lists common, not exhaustive, grapheme choices.