Phonics Magic · Sounds
Every sound in your kit
Every sound in your kit, short and clean, the way you say it at the table. Sounds, not letter names. That one habit does most of the work.
The recordings aren't here yet. For now, each tile tells you how to say its sound.
Three habits that do most of the work
- Say the sound, not the name. For m, say /m/, not “em.”
- No extra “uh.” Keep stop sounds like /b/ and /t/ quick: /b/, not “buh.”
- Stretch the stretchy ones. Hold /s/ like a snake hiss, or hum /m/. Keep stop sounds quick.
How to read a cue
The cue is on each tile's back. A curved mark means short, as in dot. A straight line means long, as in note. Red vowel tiles show both cues because they're also used in Silent E words.
Consonants27 tiles
20 single letters, qu, and the doubles ss, ll, ff and zz.
Blue tiles are consonants. There are two r tiles and two t tiles.
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b
/b/ as in bug quick
How to say
b says /b/, as in bug. Quick.
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c
/k/ as in cat quick also /s/, as in scene
How to say
c says /k/, as in cat. Quick.
Also /s/, as in scene.
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d
/d/ as in dog quick
How to say
d says /d/, as in dog. Quick.
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f
/f/ as in fin stretch
How to say
f says /f/, as in fin. Stretch.
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g
/g/ as in gum quick also /j/, as in germ and huge
How to say
g says /g/, as in gum. Quick.
Also /j/, as in germ and huge.
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h
/h/ as in hat quick, breathy
How to say
h says /h/, as in hat. Quick, breathy.
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j
/j/ as in jam quick
How to say
j says /j/, as in jam. Quick.
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k
/k/ as in kid quick
How to say
k says /k/, as in kid. Quick.
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l
/l/ as in leg stretch
How to say
l says /l/, as in leg. Stretch.
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m
/m/ as in mop hum
How to say
m says /m/, as in mop. Hum.
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n
/n/ as in net hum
How to say
n says /n/, as in net. Hum.
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p
/p/ as in pig quick
How to say
p says /p/, as in pig. Quick.
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qu
/kw/ as in quack two sounds, one tile
How to say
qu says /kw/, as in quack. Two sounds, one tile.
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r1 of 2
/r/ as in red stretch, no “ruh”
How to say
r says /r/, as in red. Stretch, no “ruh”.
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r2 of 2
/r/ as in red stretch, no “ruh”
How to say
r says /r/, as in red. Stretch, no “ruh”.
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s
/s/ as in sun stretch, a hiss also /z/, as in these
How to say
s says /s/, as in sun. Stretch, a hiss.
Also /z/, as in these.
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t1 of 2
/t/ as in top quick
How to say
t says /t/, as in top. Quick.
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t2 of 2
/t/ as in top quick
How to say
t says /t/, as in top. Quick.
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v
/v/ as in van stretch
How to say
v says /v/, as in van. Stretch.
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w
/w/ as in wig quick
How to say
w says /w/, as in wig. Quick.
-
x
/ks/ as in fox two sounds, one tile
How to say
x says /ks/, as in fox. Two sounds, one tile.
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y
/y/ as in yes quick
How to say
y says /y/, as in yes. Quick.
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z
/z/ as in zip stretch, a buzz
How to say
z says /z/, as in zip. Stretch, a buzz.
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ss
/s/ as in kiss stretch
How to say
ss says /s/, as in kiss. Stretch.
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ll
/l/ as in shell stretch
How to say
ll says /l/, as in shell. Stretch.
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ff
/f/ as in off stretch
How to say
ff says /f/, as in off. Stretch.
-
zz
/z/ as in buzz stretch
How to say
zz says /z/, as in buzz. Stretch.
Short vowels5 tiles
Each red tile carries both cues.
The short sound is the one you use first. The long sound arrives with Silent E and the vowel teams. Here /ū/ sounds like “you,” as in cube and cute.
- aShort/ă/as in catLong/ā/as in bake
How to say
Short: /ă/ as in cat. Say it quick and open.
Long: /ā/ as in bake. The vowel says its name.
- eShort/ĕ/as in bedLong/ē/as in eve
How to say
Short: /ĕ/ as in bed. Say it quick and open.
Long: /ē/ as in eve. The vowel says its name.
- iShort/ĭ/as in pigLong/ī/as in kite
How to say
Short: /ĭ/ as in pig. Say it quick and open.
Long: /ī/ as in kite. The vowel says its name.
- oShort/ŏ/as in dotLong/ō/as in note
How to say
Short: /ŏ/ as in dot. Say it quick and open.
Long: /ō/ as in note. The vowel says its name.
- uShort/ŭ/as in sunLong/ū/as in cube
How to say
Short: /ŭ/ as in sun. Say it quick and open.
Long: /ū/ as in cube. The vowel says its name.
Consonant digraphs6 tiles
Two letters, one sound.
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sh
/sh/ as in ship stretch
How to say
sh says /sh/, as in ship. Stretch.
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ch
/ch/ as in chip quick
How to say
ch says /ch/, as in chip. Quick.
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wh
/w/ as in when quick
How to say
wh says /w/, as in when. Quick.
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th
/th/ as in thin stretch also the sound at the start of “this,” as in these
How to say
th says /th/, as in thin. Stretch.
Also the sound at the start of “this,” as in these.
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ph
/f/ as in phone stretch
How to say
ph says /f/, as in phone. Stretch.
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ck
/k/ as in duck quick
How to say
ck says /k/, as in duck. Quick.
Silent E1 tile
The pink e is silent. It reaches back over one consonant to make the vowel long: tap, tape. kit, kite. Nothing to hear here.
Nothing to hear on this tile.
R-controlled5 tiles
ir, er and ur spell the same vowel sound in bird, her and turn in common US pronunciation.
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ar
/ar/ as in star
How to say
ar says /ar/, as in star.
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or
/or/ as in corn
How to say
or says /or/, as in corn.
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ir
/er/ as in bird
How to say
ir says /er/, as in bird.
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er
/er/ as in her
How to say
er says /er/, as in her.
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ur
/er/ as in turn
How to say
ur says /er/, as in turn.
Vowel teams8 tiles
Two ow tiles? Orange ow spells /ō/ in row. Purple ow spells /ow/ in cow.
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ai
/ā/ as in rain
How to say
ai says /ā/, as in rain.
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ay
/ā/ as in play
How to say
ay says /ā/, as in play.
-
ee
/ē/ as in tree
How to say
ee says /ē/, as in tree.
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ea
/ē/ as in meat
How to say
ea says /ē/, as in meat.
-
igh
/ī/ as in night
How to say
igh says /ī/, as in night.
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oa
/ō/ as in boat
How to say
oa says /ō/, as in boat.
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ow
/ō/ as in row
How to say
ow says /ō/, as in row.
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ue
/ū/ as in blue
How to say
ue says /ū/, as in blue.
Diphthongs4 tiles
Gliding vowel sounds.
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oy
/oi/ as in toy
How to say
oy says /oi/, as in toy.
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oi
/oi/ as in coin
How to say
oi says /oi/, as in coin.
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ow
/ow/ as in cow
How to say
ow says /ow/, as in cow.
-
ou
/ow/ as in cloud
How to say
ou says /ow/, as in cloud.
Not sure your child's ready for these sounds yet?
Try the tile warm-ups to build first words with the tiles in your box.
More tile warm-ups