Right after A comes B, the second letter of the alphabet. Like A, it's a consonant, and it plays a big part in many words we use every day. You'll find it everywhere, from the start of a book to the buzz of a bee.

Recognizing the shape of B, both uppercase (B) and lowercase (b), is the first step. The next is learning its sound.

The sound of B is straightforward. To make it, press your lips together firmly for a moment, then push a puff of air out as you open them. It creates a short, voiced sound: /b/, or "buh."

Try saying these words out loud, paying attention to how your mouth forms the B sound at the beginning:

• Ball
• Bat
• Book

The letter B doesn't only start words. It can also appear in the middle or at the end.

Listen for the /b/ sound in the middle of these words:

• Rabbit
• Table
• About

And here it is at the end:

• Tub
• Web
• Job

Once you know the sound, you can start building words and sentences. See if you can spot all the B's in this short sentence:

"The big brown bear bought a big blue balloon."

Each 'b' makes that same familiar "buh" sound. Getting comfortable with this sound is a building block for reading and speaking.

Let's check what you've learned about the letter B.

Great job. Now you have a solid handle on the second letter of the alphabet.