Consonant digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh, ph)
You learn to recognise and spell consonant digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh, ph) that represent a single sound.
How to write it
Two consonant letters join together to make a single new sound: sh, ch, th, wh, or ph.
A worked example
A great white ___ swam past the reef. (digraph sh)
- Listen for the /ʃ/ sound at the start: s and h join to make sh.
- Then add ark: s-h-a-r-k.
- You spell shark.
More examples
The pirates buried the treasure ___. (digraph ch)
- Listen for the /tʃ/ sound at the start: c and h make ch.
- Then add est: c-h-e-s-t.
- You spell chest.
Smile for the family ___! (digraph ph)
- The /f/ sound in photo comes from the Greek-origin digraph ph.
- Write ph at the start: photo.
Try it yourself
digraph ph
A playful ___ jumped out of the waves.
digraph sh
On a sunny day, you can see your ___.
Watch out
Writing f instead of ph in words of Greek origin like photo or dolphin.
Remember that animal and technology words often take ph: photo, dolphin, phone, elephant.
Tips
- sh, ch, th are the three core native English digraphs.
- wh asks a question (who, what, where, when, why) or describes light colours/movement (white, whisper, wheel).
Why it works
In English, two letters frequently join to make one sound. Recognising digraphs prevents spelling sounds with single letters or inventing spellings.