The English alphabet
Learn the 26 letters of the English alphabet, how to say them, and the letters people confuse most.
In this lesson you will
- Say the 26 letters of the alphabet
- Hear the difference between letters that sound similar
- Spell words aloud and understand spelling
Learn
English has 26 letters: 5 vowel letters (A, E, I, O, U) and 21 consonant letters. Each letter has a name (how you say it in the alphabet) and one or more sounds (how it sounds in words).
It helps to group letters by the vowel sound in their name:
- /eɪ/ (like “day”): A, H, J, K
- /iː/ (like “see”): B, C, D, E, G, P, T, V (and Z in American English)
- /e/ (like “bed”): F, L, M, N, S, X (and Z in British English — “zed”)
- /aɪ/ (like “my”): I, Y
- /əʊ/ or /oʊ/ (like “go”): O
- /uː/ (like “you”): Q, U, W
- /ɑː/ (like “car”): R
Letters that learners often mix up: E and I (E = “ee”, I = “eye”), G and J (G = “jee”, J = “jay”), A and R, B and V. Practise these pairs slowly.
W is “double-u”. Z is “zed” in British English and “zee” in American English — both are correct.
| Letters | Sound in the letter name |
|---|---|
| A H J K | /eɪ/ — day |
| B C D E G P T V | /iː/ — see |
| F L M N S X Z (UK) | /e/ — bed |
| I Y | /aɪ/ — my |
| O | /əʊ/ — go |
| Q U W | /uː/ — you |
| R | /ɑː/ — car |
Examples
- A, B, C, D, E, F, G
- My name is Kim: K-I-M.
- “Jet” is J-E-T.
- “Gym” is G-Y-M.
- Zed or zee? Both are correct.British / American
Vocabulary
letter
one sign of the alphabet
“B is a letter.”
alphabet
all the letters in order
“The English alphabet has 26 letters.”
vowel
the letters A, E, I, O, U
“E is a vowel.”
consonant
a letter that is not a vowel
“B and T are consonants.”
capital letter
a big letter, like A
“Names start with a capital letter.”
small letter
a lowercase letter, like a
In real life
On the phone, giving an email address.
Audio isn’t available in this browser — read the transcript instead.
Agent: Can I have your email address, please?
Rosa: Yes, it’s rosa dot gil at mail dot com.
Agent: Is that G-I-L?
Rosa: Yes, G-I-L.
Agent: Thank you.
Practice
Which letter has the same vowel sound as “day”?
Listening: Spelling names
Audio isn’t available in this browser — read the transcript instead.
Man: My name’s Jake. J-A-K-E.
Woman: And your surname?
Man: Green. G-R-E-E-N.
Woman: Thank you. And your city?
Man: York. Y-O-R-K.
1.What is the man’s surname?
2.Which letter starts his first name?
3.What city does he live in?
Speaking
Say the whole alphabet slowly. Then spell your name, your city and your favourite food.
- Take care with E / I, G / J and A / R.
- Say “double” for two letters the same: “Anna” = A, double N, A.
Writing
Write five words you use every day and next to each, how you spell it aloud (for example: coffee — C-O-double F-E-E).
Lesson quiz
Which pair do learners often confuse?
Review
Key points
- 26 letters: 5 vowels (A E I O U) and 21 consonants.
- Group letters by sound: A-H-J-K, B-C-D-E-G-P-T-V, F-L-M-N-S-X, I-Y, O, Q-U-W, R.
- Watch out for E/I, G/J, A/R, B/V.
- W = double-u; Z = zed (UK) or zee (US).
What you learned
- ✓ I can say the English alphabet.
- ✓ I can spell words aloud.
- ✓ I can hear letters that sound similar.