What is a digraph?

Question

A digraph is when two letters come together to make one sound — like "sh" in ship or "ch" in chair.

Answer 1

A digraph is when two letters work together to make one sound.

For example:

1. "sh" in ship
2. "ch" in chair
3. "th" in thumb

Even though there are two letters, you only hear one sound!

Answer 2

What is a Digraph?

A digraph is when two letters come together to make one sound. You don’t pronounce each letter individually—you hear just one sound.

✏️ Common Examples:

1. sh as in ship
2. ch as in chair
3. th as in thumb
4. wh as in whale
5. ph as in phone

These are consonant digraphs, made from consonants. There are also vowel digraphs, like:

1. ea in beach
2. ai in rain

🧠 Why This Matters: Science of Reading

According to the Science of Reading, children learn best when they’re taught using a systematic and explicit approach. That means:

1. Teaching letter-sound patterns (like digraphs) in a clear, step-by-step way
2. Practicing each skill until it’s mastered
3. Building on previous knowledge so reading becomes automatic and fluent

Understanding digraphs is a key step in developing strong decoding and spelling skills—especially for struggling or beginning readers.

👩‍🏫 How a Tutor Can Help

As a certified tutor with over 30 years of experience, I use research-based, structured methods to teach reading. I break down phonics concepts like digraphs into easy-to-understand steps using visuals, games, and multisensory activities—so your child can gain skills and confidence.

📩 If your child is struggling with reading or just needs support learning phonics the right way, I’d love to help. Send me a message to schedule a session or learn more!