Consonant Digraphs

What Are Consonant Digraphs?#

Consonant digraphs are two-letter combinations that represent a single sound in English. Unlike individual consonants, these pairs work together to create unique phonemes, adding richness and complexity to the English language.

Common Consonant Digraphs and Their Sounds#

1. Ch

   • Sound 1: /tʃ/ (as in “chair”)
     • Examples: chair, church, cheese, lunch
   • Sound 2: /k/ (often in words of Greek origin)
     • Examples: chemistry, chorus, monarch, ache
   • Sound 3: /ʃ/ (often in words of French origin)
     • Examples: chic, machine, champagne, parachute

2. Sh

   • Sound: /ʃ/
   • Examples: ship, shell, fish, shower

3. Th

   • Sound 1: /θ/ (voiceless, as in “think”)
     • Examples: think, thumb, bath, healthy
   • Sound 2: /ð/ (voiced, as in “this”)
     • Examples: this, that, breathe, mother

4. Ph

   • Sound: /f/
   • Examples: phone, elephant, photo, alphabet

5. Wh

   • Sound 1: /w/ (in most modern pronunciations)
     • Examples: what, where, when, white
   • Sound 2: /h/ (in some dialects or older pronunciations)
     • Examples: who, whose, whole

6. Ng

   • Sound: /ŋ/
   • Examples: sing, ring, long, hanging

7. Ck

   • Sound: /k/
   • Examples: duck, clock, black, stick

8. Gh

   • Sound 1: /f/ (at the end of some words)
     • Examples: laugh, rough, tough, enough
   • Sound 2: Silent (in many words)
     • Examples: right, light, high, through

Examples in Context#

1. Ch: The chef (/ʃ/) prepared a chicken (/tʃ/) dish with chemicals (/k/) for flavor.
2. Th: I think (/θ/) that (/ð/) this (/ð/) book is worth (/θ/) reading.
3. Gh: She laughed (/f/) at the sight (/silent/) of the high (/silent/) tower.

Key Takeaways#

• Consonant digraphs are two-letter combinations representing a single sound.
• Common digraphs include ch, sh, th, ph, wh, ng, and ck.
• Some digraphs have multiple possible pronunciations depending on the word’s origin or usage.

FAQs#