The English Alphabet
The English alphabet is a set of 26 letters used to write the English language. Understanding these letters is the fundamental first step to reading, writing, and speaking English. Each letter has an uppercase (capital letter, e.g., A) and a lowercase form (small letter, e.g., a). Both forms represent the same letter and sound.
The 26 Letters
Here are all the letters of the English alphabet, shown in both uppercase and lowercase, along with a simple example word for each:
| Uppercase | Lowercase | Example Word (starts with) |
|---|---|---|
| A | a | Apple |
| B | b | Ball |
| C | c | Cat |
| D | d | Dog |
| E | e | Elephant |
| F | f | Fish |
| G | g | Goat |
| H | h | Hat |
| I | i | Igloo |
| J | j | Jar |
| K | k | Kite |
| L | l | Lion |
| M | m | Monkey |
| N | n | Nest |
| O | o | Orange |
| P | p | Pen |
| Q | q | Queen |
| R | r | Rabbit |
| S | s | Sun |
| T | t | Tiger |
| U | u | Umbrella |
| V | v | Van |
| W | w | Watch |
| X | x | X-ray / Box (ends with) |
| Y | y | Yak / Sky (ends with) |
| Z | z | Zebra |
Vowels
Vowels are special letters that represent open sounds, where the breath flows freely through the mouth. The primary English vowels are A, E, I, O, U.
The letter Y can sometimes act as a vowel, especially when it appears at the end of a word (e.g., in 'sky' or 'happy') or in the middle of a word (e.g., 'gym').
- A as in cat, acorn, father
- E as in bed, eagle, me
- I as in pin, ice, bike
- O as in dog, open, go
- U as in cup, unicorn, flute
Consonants
Consonants are all the letters in the alphabet that are not vowels. They represent sounds made with some obstruction or modification of the breath by the lips, teeth, or tongue.
The consonants are: B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y (when it's not acting as a vowel), Z.
Learning Tip
Practice saying each letter and its common sound(s) aloud. Try to identify the vowels and consonants in simple words you encounter daily. Singing alphabet songs can also be a fun way to learn!