Phonogram is just a fancy word for a symbol which represents sounds. English uses the symbols of letters and letter combinations to represent the sounds of our spoken language. Click below to hear the most common sounds of the following English phonograms.

Alphabet Phonograms

a

/a/, /A/, /ah/
(cat, a-ble, fa-ther)

b

/b/
(bat)

c

/k/, /s/
(cat, cent)

d

/d/
(dog)

e

/e/, /E/
(let, be)

f

/f/
(fan)

g

/g/, /j/
(go, gym)

h

/h/
(hat)

i

/i/, /I/
(sit, i-vy)

j

/j/
(jam)

k

/k/
(kite)

l

/l/
(lap)

m

/m/
(man)

n

/n/
(nap)

o

/ah/, /O/, /OO/
(on, go, do)

p

/p/
(pan)

q

/kw/ 'q' needs a 'u'
(queen)

r

/r/
(run)

s

/s/, /z/
(sat, has)

t

/t/
(top)

u

/u/, /U/, /oo/
(sun, u-nit, put)

v

/v/
(van)

w

/w/
(wet)

x

/x/, /z/
(box, xylophone)

y

/y/, /E/, /I/
(yes, baby, cry)

z

/z/
(zoo)

Common Two-Letter Phonograms

ch

/ch/, /k/, /sh/
(chin, Christ, chef)

sh

/sh/
(ship)

th

/th/ /TH/
(think, that)

ph

/f/
(phone)

ng

/ng/
(sing)

Complex Phonograms

ai

/A/
(paid)

ar

/ar/
(far)

au

/aw/
(sauce)

aw

/aw/
(raw)

ay

/A/
(pray)

ci

/sh/
(so-cial)

ck

/k/
(rock)

dge

/j/
(edge)

ea

/E/, /e/, /A/
(seat, head, great)

ear

/er/
(early)

ed

/ed/ /d/ /t/
(gift-ed, rolled, kicked)

ee

/E/
(keep)

ei

/A/, /E/, /i/
(heir, seize, sov-er-eign)

eigh

/A/
(eight)

er

/er/
(her)

ew

/oo/, /yoo/
(dew, few)

ey

/A/, /E/
(hey, key)

gn

/n/
(sign)

ie

/E/, /I/
(grieve, pie)

igh

/I/
(night)

ir

/er/
(bird)

kn

/n/
(knight)

ng

/ng/
(sing)

oa

/O/
(boat)

oe

/O/
(toe)

oi

/oy/
(boy)

oo

/oo/, /u/, /O/
(food, shook, door)

or

/or/
(for)

ou

/ow/, /O/, /OO/, /u/
(spout, soul, soup, coun-try)

ough

/O/, /oo/, /uf/, /off/, /ah/, /ow/
(though, through, tough, trough, thought, bough)

ow

/ow/, /O/
(now, grow)

oy

/oy/
(boy)

si

/sh/, /zh/
(ses-sion, fu-sion)

tch

/ch/
(latch)

ti

/sh/
(na-tion)

ui

/oo/
(suit)

ur

/er/
(church)

wh

/w/
(wheat)

wr

/r/
(write)