The English alphabet is a set of 26 letters used to write the English language. Think of these letters as the basic building blocks for every word you read, write, and speak. Mastering them is the first step to unlocking the language.

Each letter comes in two forms: uppercase (like A, B, C) and lowercase (like a, b, c). Uppercase letters are also called capital letters. They are used at the beginning of sentences and for proper names, like 'John' or 'London'.

Learning the alphabet means learning the name and order of each letter. Most native English speakers learn the order by singing the alphabet song. Below is a list of all 26 letters in their standard order, along with a guide on how to pronounce their names.

Did you notice the note for Z? In American English, it's pronounced "zee." In British English and many other places, it's "zed." Both are correct!

Knowing the alphabet in order, or "alphabetical order," is a useful skill. It helps you find words in a dictionary, look up a name in a contact list, or find a book in a library. Information is often organized alphabetically to make it easy to locate.

Ready to test your knowledge of the alphabet? Let's try a few questions.

Great job. Getting comfortable with the alphabet is the foundation for everything else in English.