Step-by-step English Level 1: The sounds of t and p
Part of the Step-by-step English Level 1 letter sounds: s, a, t, p, i, n chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
The sounds of t and p
Tom has a tin on the shelf. Tin starts with t. The letter t makes the sound /t/.
The letter p makes the sound /p/, as in pan and pig.
Say /t/ and /p/ as short sounds. Do not add "uh" after them.
Key ideas
- t makes the sound /t/, as in tin, top and tent.
- p makes the sound /p/, as in pan, pin and pig.
- Say /t/ and /p/ quickly, with no extra sound.
- Look at the first letter only.
Method. Find the picture whose name starts with the right letter.
- Look at the first letter of each name. The first letter gives the first sound.tin: t pan: p apple: a
- Find the name that starts with the sound /t/. That is the picture you need.tin starts with t
- Write the answer. tin
Check. Only tin starts with t. ✓
Watch out. Look at the start of each name, not the end.
Method. Say the name, then pick its first letter.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Find its first sound.tin
- Find the first letter of the name. The first letter stands for the first sound.tin starts with t
- Write the answer. t
Check. t is the first letter of tin. ✓
Watch out. Use the first letter only.
Method. Find the picture whose name starts with the right letter.
- Look at the first letter of each name. The first letter gives the first sound.sun: s nut: n tap: t
- Find the name that starts with the sound /t/. That is the picture you need.tap starts with t
- Write the answer. tap
Check. Only tap starts with t. ✓
Watch out. Look at the start of each name, not the end.
Watch out
Watch out: tap starts with t but ends with p. Look at the first letter to find the first sound.Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Say "t" not "tuh", and "p" not "puh". Ask the child to point to the first letter of each name.
Exercise 1B Practice: the sounds of t and p
Method. Say the name, then pick its first letter.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Find its first sound.tap
- Find the first letter of the name. The first letter stands for the first sound.tap starts with t
- Write the answer. t
Check. t is the first letter of tap. ✓
Watch out. Use the first letter only.
Method. Find the picture whose name starts with the right letter.
- Look at the first letter of each name. The first letter gives the first sound.ink: i pin: p top: t
- Find the name that starts with the sound /t/. That is the picture you need.top starts with t
- Write the answer. top
Check. Only top starts with t. ✓
Watch out. Look at the start of each name, not the end.
Method. Say the name, then pick its first letter.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Find its first sound.top
- Find the first letter of the name. The first letter stands for the first sound.top starts with t
- Write the answer. t
Check. t is the first letter of top. ✓
Watch out. Use the first letter only.
Method. Find the picture whose name starts with the right letter.
- Look at the first letter of each name. The first letter gives the first sound.sock: s tent: t pan: p
- Find the name that starts with the sound /t/. That is the picture you need.tent starts with t
- Write the answer. tent
Check. Only tent starts with t. ✓
Watch out. Look at the start of each name, not the end.
Method. Say the name, then pick its first letter.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Find its first sound.tent
- Find the first letter of the name. The first letter stands for the first sound.tent starts with t
- Write the answer. t
Check. t is the first letter of tent. ✓
Watch out. Use the first letter only.
Method. Find the picture whose name starts with the right letter.
- Look at the first letter of each name. The first letter gives the first sound.top: t ant: a pan: p
- Find the name that starts with the sound /p/. That is the picture you need.pan starts with p
- Write the answer. pan
Check. Only pan starts with p. ✓
Watch out. Look at the start of each name, not the end.
Method. Say the name, then pick its first letter.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Find its first sound.pan
- Find the first letter of the name. The first letter stands for the first sound.pan starts with p
- Write the answer. p
Check. p is the first letter of pan. ✓
Watch out. Use the first letter only.
Method. Find the picture whose name starts with the right letter.
- Look at the first letter of each name. The first letter gives the first sound.pin: p ink: i top: t
- Find the name that starts with the sound /p/. That is the picture you need.pin starts with p
- Write the answer. pin
Check. Only pin starts with p. ✓
Watch out. Look at the start of each name, not the end.
Method. Say the name, then pick its first letter.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Find its first sound.pin
- Find the first letter of the name. The first letter stands for the first sound.pin starts with p
- Write the answer. p
Check. p is the first letter of pin. ✓
Watch out. Use the first letter only.
Method. Find the picture whose name starts with the right letter.
- Look at the first letter of each name. The first letter gives the first sound.pig: p ant: a sock: s
- Find the name that starts with the sound /p/. That is the picture you need.pig starts with p
- Write the answer. pig
Check. Only pig starts with p. ✓
Watch out. Look at the start of each name, not the end.
Method. Say the name, then pick its first letter.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Find its first sound.pig
- Find the first letter of the name. The first letter stands for the first sound.pig starts with p
- Write the answer. p
Check. p is the first letter of pig. ✓
Watch out. Use the first letter only.
Method. Compare the first letters, then find the one that is different.
- Look at the first letter of each name. Find the letter that is different.tin: t tap: t sun: s
- Find the one that is different. The others all start with the same letter.sun is different
- Write the answer. sun
Check. The others start with t. ✓
Watch out. Ignore the rest of each word. Compare only the first letters.
Method. Compare the first letters, then find the one that is different.
- Look at the first letter of each name. Find the letter that is different.pan: p pin: p sun: s
- Find the one that is different. The others all start with the same letter.sun is different
- Write the answer. sun
Check. The others start with p. ✓
Watch out. Ignore the rest of each word. Compare only the first letters.
Method. Find the first letter, then check Sam's claim.
- Say the word slowly. Look at the first letter.tin
- Find the first letter. The first letter gives the first sound.first letter = t
- Compare with what Sam said. The two letters must match.s is not t
- Write the answer. No, tin starts with t.
Check. tin begins with t. ✓
Watch out. Look at the first letter, not a letter in the middle.
Method. Find the first letter, then check Sam's claim.
- Say the word slowly. Look at the first letter.pan
- Find the first letter. The first letter gives the first sound.first letter = p
- Compare with what Sam said. The two letters must match.s is not p
- Write the answer. No, pan starts with p.
Check. pan begins with p. ✓
Watch out. Look at the first letter, not a letter in the middle.