Step-by-step English Level 1: The sounds of g and o
Part of the Step-by-step English Level 1 letter sounds: m, d, g, o, c, k chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
The sounds of g and o
The letter g makes the sound /g/, as in goat and gift.
The letter o makes the sound /o/, a short sound like the o in hot. It is in octopus and ox.
Both words in each pair start with the same sound, so look at the letter.
Key ideas
- g makes the sound /g/, as in goat and gift.
- o makes the short sound /o/, as in octopus and ox.
- The sound /g/ is a hard sound, as in goat.
- Look at the first letter of each picture name.
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.nut: n mop: m goat: g
- Find the name that starts with the sound /g/. That is the picture you need.goat starts with g
- Write the answer. goat
Check. Only goat starts with g. ✓
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.goat
- Find the first letter of the name. The first letter stands for the first sound.goat starts with g
- Write the answer. g
Check. g is the first letter of goat. ✓
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 gift: g net: n
- Find the name that starts with the sound /g/. That is the picture you need.gift starts with g
- Write the answer. gift
Check. Only gift starts with g. ✓
Watch out. Look at the start of each name, not the end.
Watch out
Watch out: goat starts with a hard g. Do not put a different sound in its place.Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Say "g" as in goat, a hard sound at the back of the throat. Say "o" as in ox, short and round.
Exercise 2B Practice: the sounds of g and o
Method. Say the name, then pick its first letter.
- Say the name of the picture slowly. Find its first sound.gift
- Find the first letter of the name. The first letter stands for the first sound.gift starts with g
- Write the answer. g
Check. g is the first letter of gift. ✓
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.map: m octopus: o cat: c
- Find the name that starts with the sound /o/. That is the picture you need.octopus starts with o
- Write the answer. octopus
Check. Only octopus starts with o. ✓
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.octopus
- Find the first letter of the name. The first letter stands for the first sound.octopus starts with o
- Write the answer. o
Check. o is the first letter of octopus. ✓
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.tap: t ant: a ox: o
- Find the name that starts with the sound /o/. That is the picture you need.ox starts with o
- Write the answer. ox
Check. Only ox starts with o. ✓
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.ox
- Find the first letter of the name. The first letter stands for the first sound.ox starts with o
- Write the answer. o
Check. o is the first letter of ox. ✓
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.goat: g gift: g 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 g. ✓
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.octopus: o ox: o 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 o. ✓
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.goat
- Find the first letter. The first letter gives the first sound.first letter = g
- Compare with what Sam said. The two letters must match.s is not g
- Write the answer. No, goat starts with g.
Check. goat begins with g. ✓
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.octopus
- Find the first letter. The first letter gives the first sound.first letter = o
- Compare with what Sam said. The two letters must match.s is not o
- Write the answer. No, octopus starts with o.
Check. octopus begins with o. ✓
Watch out. Look at the first letter, not a letter in the middle.