Phonics patterns, sound by sound
78 patterns
English has about 44 sounds and far more ways to spell them. These pages take one pattern at a time — what it sounds like, which words use it, and how to practise it — in the order that actually works.
Digraphs
Beginning blends
Ending blends
Vowel teams
R-controlled vowels
Diphthongs
Silent e (magic e)
Common questions
What order should phonics be taught in?
Single letter sounds first, then CVC blending, then consonant digraphs (sh, ch, th), then blends (bl, st, tr), then silent-e, then vowel teams and r-controlled vowels.
What is the difference between a digraph and a blend?
A digraph is two letters making one brand-new sound — 'sh' says /sh/. A blend is two letters that keep their own sounds but run together — 'st' is still /s/ plus /t/.
How many phonics sounds are there in English?
About 44 distinct sounds (phonemes), spelled by roughly 250 letter combinations. That is why systematic phonics beats guessing.
Play the phonics games
Sound Wheels turns every pattern on this page into a spinnable, readable word.
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