The English alphabet is a set of letters used to write the English language. Learning the alphabet is the first step in mastering English. In this tutorial, we'll explore the English alphabet, its letters, sounds, and how they're used in words.
What is the English Alphabet?
The English alphabet consists of 26 letters, each with its own unique sound and shape. These letters can be combined to form words, sentences, and paragraphs, allowing us to communicate with others.
The Letters of the Alphabet
Below is a list of the 26 letters of the English alphabet:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Vowels and Consonants
In the English Alphabet, there are two main types of letters: vowels and consonants.
Type |
Letters |
Vowels |
A, E, I, O, U |
Consonants |
B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, X, Z, (usually W and Y) |
Digraphs in Written English
Apart from single letters, there are combinations of letters called digraphs, which represent specific sounds in English.
Digraph |
Sound |
Example |
ch |
/tʃ/ |
chin |
ci |
/ʃ/ or /s/ |
special or city |
ck |
/k/ |
duck |
gh |
/f/, /ɡ/, /h/, /ŋ/ |
enough, ghost, high, cough |
ng |
/ŋ/ |
sing |
ph |
/f/ |
phone |
qu |
/kw/ |
quick |
rh |
/r/ |
rhyme |
sc |
/sk/ or /s/ |
science or scissors |
sh |
/ʃ/ |
shop |
th |
/θ/ or /ð/ |
think or this |
ti |
/ʃ/ or /ʒ/ |
action or nation |
wh |
/w/ or /hw/ |
what or when |
wr |
/r/ |
write |
zh |
/ʒ/ |
measure |
Special Letters in English
- The letters "A" and "I" are not just letters but also words in English.
- Historically, the ampersand symbol "&" was considered the 27th letter of the alphabet, following "Z".
Latin Script Influence
The English Alphabet is based on the Latin script, which is a set of letters shared by many alphabets derived from the classical Latin alphabet. This influence shapes the structure and appearance of the English Alphabet as we know it today.
Letters of the Alphabet
The English alphabet comprises 26 letters, each with its own uppercase (capital) and lowercase (small) form. Here's a breakdown of each letter:
# |
Capital Letter |
Small Letter |
Phonic (Pronunciation) |
Name |
1 |
A |
a |
/eɪ/, /æ/ |
a |
2 |
B |
b |
/biː/ |
bee |
3 |
C |
c |
/siː/ |
cee |
4 |
D |
d |
/diː/ |
dee |
5 |
E |
e |
/iː/ |
e |
6 |
F |
f |
/ɛf/ |
ef |
7 |
G |
g |
/dʒiː/ |
gee |
8 |
H |
h |
/(h)eɪtʃ/ |
(h)aitch |
9 |
I |
i |
/aɪ/ |
i |
10 |
J |
j |
/dʒeɪ/ |
jay |
11 |
K |
k |
/keɪ/ |
kay |
12 |
L |
l |
/ɛl/ |
el |
13 |
M |
m |
/ɛm/ |
em |
14 |
N |
n |
/ɛn/ |
en |
15 |
O |
o |
/oʊ/ |
o |
16 |
P |
p |
/piː/ |
pee |
17 |
Q |
q |
/kjuː/ |
cue |
18 |
R |
r |
/ɑːr/ |
ar |
19 |
S |
s |
/ɛs/ |
ess |
20 |
T |
t |
/tiː/ |
tee |
21 |
U |
u |
/juː/ |
u |
22 |
V |
v |
/viː/ |
vee |
23 |
W |
w |
/ˈdʌbəl.juː/ |
double-u |
24 |
X |
x |
/ɛks/ |
ex |
25 |
Y |
y |
/waɪ/ |
wy |
26 |
Z |
z |
/zi/zɛd/ |
zee/zed |
Understanding these letters and their sounds is fundamental for learning English.