Year 1 English: Letter sounds: f, l, j, v, w, x, y, z and the double letters
Part of the Year 1 English letters, sounds and the alphabet chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Letter sounds: f, l, j, v, w, x, y, z and the double letters
Some sounds are made with two letters that make one sound: ff in puff, ll in bell, ss in grass and zz in buzz. These double letters are at the end of the word.
qu makes two sounds together, like the start of queen. The letter x at the end of box is one letter, but it makes two sounds.
Key ideas
- ff, ll, ss and zz are double letters. Each makes one sound.
- f is for fish. l is for lamp.
- j is for jug. v is for van. w is for web.
- y is for yo-yo. z is for zebra.
- qu makes two sounds, like the start of queen.
- x makes two sounds at the end of box.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the end of the word bell, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a bell.
- Find the sound at the end of the word. The letters ll make one l sound at the end of bell.The end sound of bell is made by ll.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.ll
Check. The other letters in bell make the other sounds. ll is the one at the end. ✓
Watch out. Two l letters make one sound, so write both.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the start of the word van, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a van.
- Find the sound at the start of the word. The letter v makes the sound at the start of van.The start sound of van is made by v.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.v
Check. The other letters in van make the other sounds. v is the one at the start. ✓
Watch out. Van starts with v and ends with n.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the start of the word queen, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a queen.
- Find the sound at the start of the word. The letters qu make two sounds, k and w, at the start of queen.The start sound of queen is made by qu.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.qu
Check. The other letters in queen make the other sounds. qu is the one at the start. ✓
Watch out. Write both letters, q and u, together.
Watch out
Watch out: ff, ll, ss and zz each make one sound. Write both letters, but do not count them as two sounds. The letter x is one letter, but it makes two sounds.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Sort the pictures into two piles: words that end with a double letter (puff, bell, grass, buzz) and words that do not. Ask: “Which letters are at the end?” Explain that queen starts with qu, which is two sounds together.
Exercise 1D Sounds: f, l, j, v, w, x, y, z and double letters
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the end of the word puff, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a puff.
- Find the sound at the end of the word. The letters ff make one f sound at the end of puff.The end sound of puff is made by ff.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.ff
Check. The other letters in puff make the other sounds. ff is the one at the end. ✓
Watch out. Two f letters make one sound, so write both.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the start of the word fish, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a fish.
- Find the sound at the start of the word. The letter f makes the sound at the start of fish.The start sound of fish is made by f.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.f
Check. The other letters in fish make the other sounds. f is the one at the start. ✓
Watch out. Fish starts with f and has a sh sound later. We only want the start.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the start of the word lamp, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a lamp.
- Find the sound at the start of the word. The letter l makes the sound at the start of lamp.The start sound of lamp is made by l.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.l
Check. The other letters in lamp make the other sounds. l is the one at the start. ✓
Watch out. Lamp starts with l and ends with p.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the start of the word jug, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a jug.
- Find the sound at the start of the word. The letter j makes the sound at the start of jug.The start sound of jug is made by j.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.j
Check. The other letters in jug make the other sounds. j is the one at the start. ✓
Watch out. Jug starts with j and ends with g.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the start of the word van, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a van.
- Find the sound at the start of the word. The letter v makes the sound at the start of van.The start sound of van is made by v.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.v
Check. The other letters in van make the other sounds. v is the one at the start. ✓
Watch out. Van starts with v and ends with n.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the start of the word web, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a web.
- Find the sound at the start of the word. The letter w makes the sound at the start of web.The start sound of web is made by w.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.w
Check. The other letters in web make the other sounds. w is the one at the start. ✓
Watch out. Web starts with w and ends with b.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the start of the word yo-yo, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a yo-yo.
- Find the sound at the start of the word. The letter y makes the sound at the start of yo-yo, as in yes.The start sound of yo-yo is made by y.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.y
Check. The other letters in yo-yo make the other sounds. y is the one at the start. ✓
Watch out. Yo-yo starts with y. The letter o is in the middle.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the start of the word zebra, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a zebra.
- Find the sound at the start of the word. The letter z makes the sound at the start of zebra.The start sound of zebra is made by z.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.z
Check. The other letters in zebra make the other sounds. z is the one at the start. ✓
Watch out. Zebra starts with z. The b and r come later.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the start of the word queen, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a queen.
- Find the sound at the start of the word. The letters qu make two sounds, k and w, at the start of queen.The start sound of queen is made by qu.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.qu
Check. The other letters in queen make the other sounds. qu is the one at the start. ✓
Watch out. Write both letters, q and u, together.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the end of the word bell, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a bell.
- Find the sound at the end of the word. The letters ll make one l sound at the end of bell.The end sound of bell is made by ll.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.ll
Check. The other letters in bell make the other sounds. ll is the one at the end. ✓
Watch out. Two l letters make one sound, so write both.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the end of the word grass, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a grass.
- Find the sound at the end of the word. The letters ss make one s sound at the end of grass.The end sound of grass is made by ss.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.ss
Check. The other letters in grass make the other sounds. ss is the one at the end. ✓
Watch out. Two s letters make one sound, so write both.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the end of the word buzz, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a buzz.
- Find the sound at the end of the word. The letters zz make one z sound at the end of buzz.The end sound of buzz is made by zz.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.zz
Check. The other letters in buzz make the other sounds. zz is the one at the end. ✓
Watch out. Two z letters make one sound, so write both.
Key words. A sound is what a letter says. A letter is the shape we write. Two letters can make one sound, like ck.
Method. Find the sound at the end of the word box, then write the letter or letters that make it.
- Read the name of the picture. The name tells us which word to look at.The picture is a box.
- Find the sound at the end of the word. The letter x is at the end of box and makes two sounds, k and s.The end sound of box is made by x.
- Write the answer. Write every letter that makes the sound, in order.x
Check. The other letters in box make the other sounds. x is the one at the end. ✓
Watch out. The letter x is one letter, even though it makes two sounds.
Method. Find the picture that ends with the double letters ll.
- Read each picture name. Each name has its own sound at the start or the end.puff, bell, box
- Find the name with the sound at the end. Only bell ends with the sound made by ll.bell has the sound at the end
- Write the answer. bell
Check. Only bell has that sound at the end. The other names do not. ✓
Watch out. Do not choose a picture because it looks like the answer. Check the spelling of its name.
Method. Find the picture that starts with the sound j.
- Read each picture name. Each name has its own sound at the start or the end.jug, van, web
- Find the name with the sound at the start. Only jug starts with the sound j.jug has the sound at the start
- Write the answer. jug
Check. Only jug has that sound at the start. The other names do not. ✓
Watch out. Do not choose a picture because it looks like the answer. Check the spelling of its name.
Method. The letter x is one letter, but it makes two sounds at the end of box.
- Look at the end of box. The letter x is at the end.box ends with x
- Count the sounds the letter x makes. In the word box, x says k and s.x = k + s
- Write the answer. Not quite. The letter x makes two sounds, k and s, at the end of box.
Check. Box has three letters, b, o and x, and x makes two sounds. ✓
Watch out. One letter can make two sounds, and two letters can make one sound.
Method. Count the letters, then count the sounds. Two letters can make one sound.
- Count the letters in puff. Write each letter, then count it.p - u - f - f = 4 letters
- Count the sounds. The two f letters make one f sound.p, u, ff = 3 sounds
- Write the answer. 4 letters, 3 sounds
Check. The sounds are p, u and f. The letters are p, u, f and f. ✓
Watch out. A letter and a sound are not the same. ff has two letters but only one sound.