The English alphabet is your starting point for reading, writing, and speaking. It has 26 letters, each with its own name and at least one sound. Mastering these letters is the first step to unlocking the entire language.

These letters are divided into two main groups: vowels and consonants. Think of vowels as the open, airy sounds that form the core of words. Consonants are the sounds made by partially blocking airflow with your tongue, teeth, or lips.

There are only five vowel letters: A, E, I, O, and U. But they are responsible for many different sounds. Each vowel has at least two main sounds: a "short" sound and a "long" sound. A long vowel sound is the same as the letter's name.

For example, the letter A has a short sound, like in the word apple, and a long sound, like in the word acorn. The same is true for the other vowels.

Sometimes the letter Y also acts as a vowel, making sounds like 'i' or 'e', as in the words gym or my.

All the other letters in the alphabet are consonants. Most consonants make just one primary sound, which makes them a bit more straightforward than vowels. For example, the letter B almost always makes the /b/ sound you hear in ball or baby.

Some consonants can be tricky, though. The letters C and G are special because they can make two different sounds, a "hard" sound and a "soft" sound.

• C makes a hard /k/ sound before the vowels a, o, and u (as in cat, cot, cut). It makes a soft /s/ sound before e, i, and y (as in cell, city, cycle).
• G makes a hard /g/ sound before a, o, and u (as in gas, goat, gum). It makes a soft /j/ sound before e, i, and y (as in gel, giant, gym).

English letters often team up to create new sounds. When two letters combine to make a single sound, it’s called a digraph. These are very common, and learning to spot them will make reading much easier.

There are also vowel combinations. For example, 'ea' can sound like the long E in team, and 'ai' can sound like the long A in rain. You'll discover more of these patterns as you continue to read and listen.

Time to check your understanding of these fundamental concepts.

Understanding the alphabet and the sounds each letter makes is the first major step in mastering English.