Grapheme

Definition

A grapheme is a letter or group of letters that represents a single phoneme, such as the SH in SHIP or the single T in TOP. Graphemes are the written counterpart of phonemes.

Why it matters

Recognising multi-letter graphemes (digraphs) helps you anticipate letter pairs from a single expected sound.

Examples

• The grapheme TH for the sound in THIN.
• The grapheme CK for /k/ in BACK.

Best practices

• Watch for common digraphs when a sound suggests a pair.
• Treat digraphs as single sound-units when reasoning.

Frequently asked