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Every Letter Stands for a Sound · Sounds & Words · CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.A · letter-sound correspondence

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Every Letter Stands for a Sound

with Quill

A cozy classroom corner filled with colorful alphabet posters on the wall. Quill the friendly feather-pen character holds up a big letter card and calls out the sound, while a group of young children lean in with delighted, curious faces.

Identify that each letter of the alphabet stands for at least one sound.
Produce the most common sound for three letters: M, S, and A.
Match a letter card to an object whose name begins with that letter's most common sound.
Recognize that knowing a letter's sound is how you begin to read a word.

Key terms

letter: A written symbol of the alphabet that stands for a sound.
sound: The noise a letter makes when you say it out loud.
letter name: What we call a letter, which is different from the sound it makes.
vowel: A letter like A that can stand for more than one sound.
beginning sound: The first sound you hear at the start of a word.

Letters and Their Sounds

Every letter of the alphabet stands for at least one sound, and most letters have a sound they make most of the time. When you see a letter, you can say its sound out loud. That sound is the first clue you use to start reading a word. Knowing letter sounds is the very first key that unlocks reading new words on your own.

Feeling Sounds in Your Mouth

Your mouth helps you make each sound, and noticing how it moves makes the sound easier to remember. For /m/, your lips press together. For /s/, your teeth come close and air hisses out. For /a/, your jaw drops a little and the sound is short and quick. When you feel and hear the sound, you can match it to the right letter every time.

Letter Names Are Not Letter Sounds

A letter has a name and a sound, and they are different. The letter M has the name em, but its sound is /m/. When you read, you use the sound, not the name. Saying the name will not help you sound out a word, but saying the sound starts you reading. Always reach for the sound when you meet a new letter in a word.

Worked examples

Which sound does the letter S make?

Look at the letter S and think about its most common sound.
Bring your teeth close and blow soft air to make /s/.
Hear /s/ at the start of sun and snake to be sure.

Answer: The letter S makes the /s/ sound.

Match the letter M to a picture.

Say the sound for M: /m/, with your lips pressed together.
Say each picture name slowly and listen to its first sound.
Moon begins with /m/, so the moon picture matches the letter M.

Answer: The letter M matches the moon.

Hi! I am Quill. I love words, and I want to share a secret with you. Every letter stands for at least one sound — a sound it makes most of the time. When you see a letter, you can say that sound out loud. That is how readers begin to figure out a new word! Look at the letter M. Say it with me: /m/ /m/ /m/. Feel your lips press together? That press is the M sound. Moon starts with M. Mm-moon! Mittens also starts with M. Now try S. Bring your teeth close together — almost touching — then blow a soft, steady stream of air: /s/ /s/ /s/. Sun starts with S. Ss-sun! Snake also starts with S. Ss-snake! If you cannot feel the air through your teeth, try again and listen for the hissing sound. Now try A. Let your jaw drop a little and say /a/ — short and quick, like you are surprised: Aa-apple! That quick /a/ is the most common sound for A in Kindergarten. (Vowels like A have other sounds too, but we learn one at a time!) Here is the big idea: each letter has a most common sound. See the letter, say the sound — and you are already starting to read! Not sure which picture to pick? Say the letter sound slowly, then say the name of each picture. Listen for the same sound at the very start.

Activity

Quill is holding letter cards. Tap each letter and drag it — or tap to choose — the picture that starts with that sound.

Practice

Say the sound for the letter A and pick a picture that begins with it.

Tell which picture starts with the same sound as the letter S.

Common mistakes to avoid

The letter name is the same as its sound.The name and the sound are different; readers use the sound, like /m/, not the name em.
Every letter has only one sound.Some letters, like the vowel A, stand for more than one sound, so we learn the most common sound first.

Check your understanding

Quill holds up the letter S. Which word starts with the /s/ sound that S makes?

A child points to a picture of a mitten and says, 'This starts with the letter M.' Then the child says the sound /m/. What is the child doing?

Which picture starts with the same sound as the letter M?

Recap

Every letter stands for at least one sound, and most letters have a sound they make most of the time. See the letter, say its sound, and you are already starting to read, because the sound is what unlocks new words.

Reflect

Which letter sound is your favorite to make with your mouth, and why?