Introducing Consonant Digraphs (sh, ch)

Free sample questions, a clear explanation, and 5 practice skills with an AI tutor that guides without giving the answer away.

Letter Super Friends: Meet Sh and Ch!

Hello, Super Reader! You already know that letters have their own special sounds. The letter 's' makes a /s/ sound like a snake, and 'h' makes a /h/ sound like you're out of breath. But what happens when letters become best friends and hold hands?

Imagine you and your best friend have a secret handshake or a special song you only sing together. That's what our letter friends do! When certain letters team up, they stop making their own sounds and make one, brand-new sound together. We call these special teams digraphs!

Meet the "Shhhh" Team: sh

When 's' and 'h' hold hands, they become the sh team! They love to be quiet. They make the sound you hear when you say, "Shhhhh, the baby is sleeping!"

Let's read some words with our sh friends:

ship 🚢
fish 🐠
shell 🐚
brush 🖌️

Meet the "Choo-Choo" Team: ch

Next up is the team of 'c' and 'h'! When they get together, they make the fun sound of a train chugging down the tracks: "Ch-ch-ch!" It’s the sound you hear at the beginning of cheese!

Can you spot the ch team in these words?

chop 🥕
chin 😊
rich 💰
lunch 🥪

Key Takeaway!

Remember, letter teams are special! When you see sh or ch, they don't make two separate sounds. They use their super friend power to make ONE new sound. It’s their secret team sound!

You are now a Digraph Detective! As you read your books this week, keep your eyes open for these amazing letter teams. Great job learning about our new super friends!

Sample questions

1. Which picture shows something that starts with the 'sh' sound, like in 'shoe'?

○ A. sun

○ B. hat

✓ C. shark

○ D. cat

Answer: C. shark — Listen carefully to the beginning sound of each word. The 'sh' sound is a quiet, soft sound.

2. Look at the word 'fish'. Which two letters together make the 'sh' sound at the end?

○ A. f

○ B. i

○ C. s

✓ D. sh

Answer: D. sh — Remember, when 's' and 'h' are together, they make one new sound, /sh/.

3. Which word has the 'sh' sound in it?

○ A. dog

✓ B. ship

○ C. frog

○ D. bird

Answer: B. ship — Say each word aloud and listen for the /sh/ sound.

Skills in this topic

Identify the consonant digraph 'sh' and its sound.
Read words containing the 'sh' digraph (e.g., 'ship', 'fish').
Identify the consonant digraph 'ch' and its sound.
Read words containing the 'ch' digraph (e.g., 'chop', 'rich').
Explain why 'sh' and 'ch' are special letter combinations, not just two separate sounds.

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