# Letters Make Sounds

- Link: https://thecuriosi.com/lessons/letters-make-sounds/
- Published: 2026-10-31T14:54:19+05:30
- Author: MAHENDRA MANCHIKALAPATI

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 2. [Alphabet Adventures: Letters and Sounds](https://thecuriosi.com/courses/alphabet-letters-and-sounds/)
 3.  Lesson 3 of 8

Letters have names, but they also make **sounds**. When we read, we use the sounds.
The letter name of M is “em”, but the sound it makes is /m/, like the start of _moon_.
Today we will listen to the sounds letters make.

## Names and sounds are different

Say “B”. That is the letter’s name. Now say the first sound of _ball_. That is the
letter’s sound: /b/. When you see a letter between two slashes, like /b/, it means“
say the sound”.

### Keep the sounds short

Try to say sounds short and clean. Say /b/, not “buh”. Say /t/, not “tuh”. Short
sounds make it easier to join sounds together later.

## Sound words for every letter

Here is a picture word for every letter. Say the word, then say just the first sound.

  |  Letter |  Sound word |  Letter |  Sound word |  
   |  a |  apple |  n |  nest |  
 |  b |  ball |  o |  octopus |  
 |  c |  cat |  p |  pig |  
 |  d |  dog |  q |  queen |  
 |  e |  egg |  r |  rain |  
 |  f |  fish |  s |  sun |  
 |  g |  goat |  t |  top |  
 |  h |  hat |  u |  umbrella |  
 |  i |  igloo |  v |  van |  
 |  j |  jam |  w |  web |  
 |  k |  kite |  x |  box (end sound) |  
 |  l |  leg |  y |  yo-yo |  
 |  m |  moon |  z |  zip |

### Some letters are special

A few letters like to change. The letter **c** often says /k/ like _cat_, but sometimes/
s/ like _city_. The letter **g** often says /g/ like _goat_, but sometimes /j/ like
_giraffe_. The letter **q** nearly always comes with **u**, as in _queen_. You do
not need to remember all of this yet. Just know that letters can surprise you!

## Feel the sounds

Put your hand in front of your mouth and say /p/. Can you feel a puff of air? Now
hum /m/ with your lips closed. Can you feel them buzz? Every sound feels a little
different in your mouth.

### Example

Ravi looked at his toy car. He said “car” slowly: /k/ … ar. “Car starts with /k/!”
he said. The letter that makes that sound in _car_ is c.

## Key takeaways

 * Letters have names and sounds.
 * We use letter sounds when we read.
 * Keep sounds short: /b/, not “buh”.
 * Some letters, like c and g, can make more than one sound.

## Practice

Say the first sound of each word, then name the letter: **sun, fish, ten, mop, lion**.

Answers: sun starts with /s/ (s), fish with /f/ (f), ten with /t/ (t), mop with /
m/ (m), and lion with /l/ (l).

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 [ Previous lesson Big Letters and Small Letters ](https://thecuriosi.com/lessons/big-and-small-letters/)
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