# Letter Sounds in Order: Which to Teach First (and Why)

> Why phonics doesn't start at A, the order to teach letter sounds in, how to say each sound clearly, and words your child can read after every group.
>
> Published by We Love Phonics. Updated October 27, 2026.

Source: https://welovephonics.com/learn/letter-sounds-in-order/

Most of us learned the alphabet as a song, from A to Z. It’s a lovely song, but it is not the best order for learning to read. Phonics teaches letter sounds in groups chosen so that children can start reading real words almost straight away. This guide gives you a teaching order, explains the thinking behind it, and lists words your child can read after each group.

## Why not just go A to Z?

Think about the first five letters: a, b, c, d, e. With those, a child can read… *bad, cab, bed*, and not much else. Now take **s, a, t, p, i, n**. With those six, your child can read *sat, sit, pin, pan, tap, tip, nap, nip, ant, tin, pat, pit, spin, snap* and more.

A good teaching order:

- **Makes words quickly.** Early success keeps children keen.
- **Mixes vowels in early.** Every word needs a vowel, so **a** and **i** come in the first group.
- **Separates look-alikes and sound-alikes.** **b** and **d** look similar, and **m** and **n** sound similar, so they are taught apart.
- **Starts with common letters.** **s** and **t** appear in a huge number of words; **x** and **z** can wait.

Different programs use slightly different orders, and that’s fine. What matters is the principle: a few sounds, lots of words, then a few more.

## A teaching order for home

Teach the groups in this order. Spend about a week on each group, or longer if your child needs it. Keep reviewing earlier sounds every day.

| Group | Sounds | Words your child can read |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | s, a, t, p, i, n | sat, pin, tap, nap, sit, ant |
| 2 | m, d, g, o | mad, dog, got, map, dig, mop |
| 3 | c, k, e, u, r | cat, kit, red, cup, run, pet |
| 4 | h, b, f, l | hat, bed, fun, leg, bus, fig |
| 5 | j, v, w, x | jam, van, web, box, wig, fox |
| 6 | y, z, qu | yes, zip, quit, yum, zap, quiz |

After group 6 come the **digraphs**: two letters, one sound, like **sh, ch, th, ng** and **ck**. Our guide to [digraphs](https://welovephonics.com/learn/digraphs-explained/) picks up from here.

## How to say each sound

Saying sounds clearly is the most useful thing you can practice yourself. The main trap is adding an “uh” to the end: “suh”, “muh”, “tuh”. That extra sound makes blending much harder, because “muh-a-tuh” doesn’t sound like *mat*.

There are two kinds of sound:

- **Stretchy sounds** can be held for as long as you have breath: `/s/` (sssss), `/m/` (mmmm), `/f/` (ffff), `/n/`, `/l/`, `/r/`, `/v/`, `/z/`, and all the vowels. Say these long and smooth.
- **Bouncy sounds** can’t be stretched: `/t/`, `/p/`, `/k/`, `/b/`, `/d/`, `/g/`. Say these as short and quiet as you can, almost a whisper. `/t/` is a tiny tap of the tongue, not “tuh”.

The short vowel sounds in early phonics are:

- **a** as in *ant* and *apple*
- **e** as in *egg* and *bed*
- **i** as in *insect* and *pin*
- **o** as in *octopus* and *dog*
- **u** as in *umbrella* and *cup*

A few letters have more than one sound. **c** and **k** both make `/k/` in early words. **x** makes `/ks/` (as in *box*), and **qu** makes `/kw/`. Keep it to the most common sound at first, and introduce the extras later.

If you are not sure how a sound should be said, search for a short “phonics sounds” pronunciation video and listen once. It is worth five minutes.

## How to teach a new letter sound

Each new sound gets the same quick routine, about five minutes:

1. **Hear it.** Say three words that start with the sound: “*sun, sock, sandwich*. They all start with `/s/`.”
2. **See it.** Show the letter, written large in lowercase. “This is how we write `/s/`.”
3. **Say it.** Your child says the sound while looking at the letter. Do this several times.
4. **Write it.** Trace the letter in the air, on your child’s back, in sand, or on paper.
5. **Use it.** Make a word with the new sound and the ones they know: *s-a-t*, *sat*.

Many children remember sounds more easily with an action or a picture. For `/s/` you might wiggle your hand like a snake; for `/a/`, pretend ants are crawling up your arm. Make up your own. Silly is good.

## How to review

Reviewing matters as much as teaching. Write each sound your child has learned on an index card. Every day, flick through the pile and ask “What sound?” Put the ones they know quickly in one pile and the slow ones in another. Spend a little extra time on the slow pile, then mix them back in.

Keep it fast and light. If the pile is getting long, review a handful each day rather than all of them.

Try this tonight

### Sound snap

1. Write four or five sounds your child knows on index cards, twice each, so you have pairs.
2. Shuffle and deal them face up, one at a time, into a pile.
3. When two matching sounds appear in a row, the first person to say the *sound* (not the letter name) and slap the pile wins the cards.
4. Let your child win most rounds.

Five minutes, two players, and endless repeat requests.

## How long does it take?

There is no set time. Some children move through the single letters in a couple of months; others take most of a school year. Both are normal. A better question is: *can my child blend words using the sounds they know?* If yes, add the next group. If not, practice [blending](https://welovephonics.com/learn/how-to-teach-blending/) with the sounds they have before adding more.

## Common questions about letter-sound order

**What about capital letters?** Teach lowercase first. Show capitals when they come up naturally, starting with the first letter of your child’s name.

**What about the letter names?** Children pick them up from songs and books, and they’re useful for spelling out loud. Keep them separate from sound practice for now: “Its name is *ess*; it says `/s/`.”

**What if my child mixes up b and d?** Very common, and usually outgrown. Teach them weeks apart, and give one a strong hook, such as “**b** has a bat first, then the ball.”

Every child learns at their own pace. If you are worried about your child’s hearing or speech, talk to your pediatrician.

## A sample week with the first group

Here’s what the first week might look like, in about ten minutes a day:

- **Monday:** teach `/s/` and `/a/`. Play I spy with both sounds.
- **Tuesday:** review `/s/` and `/a/`, teach `/t/`. Blend your first word together: *sat*.
- **Wednesday:** review, teach `/p/`. Read *sat, pat, tap, sap*.
- **Thursday:** review, teach `/i/`. Read *sit, pit, tip, sip*.
- **Friday:** review, teach `/n/`. Read *pin, tin, nap, pan, ant*.
- **Weekend:** no new sounds. Play a game like sound snap and read a few words on cards.

If your child needs longer, stretch it over two weeks. The [CVC words list](https://welovephonics.com/learn/cvc-words-list/) has more words for each group, and our [phonics games for 4-year-olds](https://welovephonics.com/learn/phonics-games-for-4-year-olds/) keep review fun.

### Free: letter-sound tracing sheets

One page for each of the first six sounds, s, a, t, p, i, n, with a big letter to trace, words that start with it, and a word to read at the bottom.

[Get the free printables](https://welovephonics.com/printables/)

## Frequently asked questions

**What are the first letter sounds to teach?**

Many programs start with s, a, t, p, i and n, because those six letters make lots of simple words like sat, pin and tap. Any small group that includes a vowel or two and makes plenty of words works well.

**Is it OK if my child’s school uses a different order?**

Yes. If your child’s school uses its own order, follow it at home so your child hears the same message twice. The principles are the same.

**How many letter sounds are there?**

English has about 44 sounds, written with 26 letters in many combinations. Children start with one sound for each letter, then learn letter pairs such as sh and ee.

**Should letter sounds be taught with actions?**

Actions and pictures help many children remember sounds, especially at the start. Use them as a memory hook and let them fade once the sound is secure.