Reception English and phonics · Letter sounds: s, a, t, p, i, n, m, d · Lesson 1.1

Reception English and phonics: The sounds of s and a

Part of the Reception English and phonics letter sounds: s, a, t, p, i, n, m, d chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

1.1

The sounds of s and a

Reception
Say the sound for s and a, Match a letter to its picture by the first sound

Sam and Priya are learning letters. Each letter has a sound. The sound is what the letter says.

This book cannot play sounds. A grown-up says each sound and each picture name out loud. Every question can be checked by looking at the picture, the written word or the letters.

The order of letters follows the first groups of the Letters and Sounds programme, phases 2 and 3 (Department for Education). Learn one group at a time.

Sam has a big yellow sun in his book. The word sun starts with the letter s. The letter s makes the sound /s/, like a snake hissing.

The letter a makes the sound /a/, as in ant.

sun
ant

The first letter of each name gives its first sound.

Key ideas

The letter s makes the sound /s/, as in sun.
The letter a makes the sound /a/, as in ant.
The first letter of a picture name tells you its first sound.
The page cannot play sounds: check the picture and the letters.

Worked example 1.1.1

Which picture starts with the sound /s/?

tin
sun
ant

Method. Find the picture whose name starts with the sound /s/.

Look at the start of each name. The first letter, or first letters, give the first sound. A grown-up can read each name aloud.
tin starts with t · sun starts with s · ant starts with a
Find the sound /s/. Only one name starts with this sound.
/s/ is at the start of sun.
Write the answer. Use the word written under the picture.
sun

Check. Say sun slowly, sound by sound. It starts with /s/. ✓

Watch out. Look at the start of the name, not at the end or the middle.

Worked example 1.1.2

Which letter makes the first sound of this picture? Choose a, s, t.

ant

Method. Say the name of the picture. Then find the letter that makes its first sound.

Read the name. Read every letter in the name.
ant
Find the first sound. The first letter tells the first sound.
The first sound is /a/.
Choose the letter for that sound. Choose from a, s, t.
a

Check. The word ant starts with a. ✓

Watch out. Some letters make a different sound in other words. Check the start of this word only.

Worked example 1.1.3

Look at the picture. Write the letters for its name, one box at a time, in order.

sad

Method. Say the word, sound by sound. Then write one letter, or one group of letters, in each box.

Say the name of the picture. A grown-up says the word slowly.
sad
Say each sound in order. Each sound is written as one box.
s - a - d
Write the letters in order. The letters go in the same order as the sounds.
s-a-d

Check. Read the letters back: s-a-d. They spell sad. ✓

Watch out. Write the sounds from left to right, and leave no box out.

Watch out

Watch out: sun has a u in the middle, but the first sound is /s/. When you match a first sound, look only at the first letter.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Say the sounds, not the letter names. Say “sss” for s, and “a” as in ant. Point to the letter, then to the picture, and read the name out loud.