LESSON 4
Some of our consonants also have more than one sound. We have also certain combinations of consonants which represent one sound. This combination of two letters to represent one sound is called a digraph, as gh, in cough, ch in church. A digraph may either be a combination of two consonants or of two vowels or of a vowel and a consonant. The following table contains the consonants which have more than one sound:
- c—k as in cat
- c—s as in vice
- g—j as in ginger
- g—hard as in go
- s—sh as in sure
- s—zh as in usual
- s—soft as in also
- s—z as in does
- x—soft as in extra
- x—gz as in exist
The following table gives the digraphs most commonly used:
- ng—as in ring, tongue
- ch—as in church and much
- ch—k as in chasm
- ch—sh as in chagrin
- th—as in then, those
- th—as in thin and worth
- ce—sh as in ocean
- ci—sh as in special
- dg—j as in edge
- gh—f as in rough
- ph—f as in sylph
- qu—kw as in quart
- qu—k as in conquer
- sh—as in shall
- si—sh as in tension
- si—zh as in vision
- ti—sh as in motion
The use of these digraphs gives us a number of additional sounds. Notice the use of the consonants which have more than one sound and also the digraphs in the spelling lesson for the week. Mark the consonants and digraphs.
Monday
- Commence
- Certain
- General
- Gradual
- Sugar
Tuesday
- Soldier
- Season
- Pleasure
- Exact
- Exercise