The English alphabet: letter names A to Z

Letters children often mix up

• English letter names are not the same as Vietnamese ones. A is said like "ay", E like "ee" and I like "eye".
• G and J swap easily: G sounds like "jee" and J like "jay".
• H ("aitch"), W ("double-u") and Y ("why") have names that do not sound like the letter at all, so practise them on their own.
• Z is "zee" in American English and "zed" in British English. Both are correct.
• This page teaches letter names. Letter sounds (phonics) are a different skill: the letter c is called "see" but makes a /k/ sound in "cat".

Practise at home

• Sing or say the alphabet slowly while pointing at each letter on the chart.
• Find the first letter of your child's name, then of family members' names.
• Play "I spy a letter" with books, shop signs and food packets.

Questions

Does Letter Island teach phonics?

No. It teaches letter names and the first letter of a word, not letter sounds. If you want phonics, pair it with a phonics programme.

Why does the game start with S, A, T, I, P?

These letters make many short words (sat, tip, pat), so they are a common starting set in early reading. The remaining letters follow on the next islands.

Should my child learn capital or small letters first?

Both appear together on this page and in the game (Aa, Bb). Children usually recognise capitals first; point to both as you say the name.