Say the name of each vowel one more time and notice that your mouth is completely open. You can demonstrate the difference between vowels and consonants for yourself.

For now, just remember that the 21 letters that are not vowels function as consonants: Bb Cc Dd Ff Gg Hh Jj Kk Ll Mm Nn Pp Qq Rr Ss Tt Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz Those that require the voice to make their sounds are called “voiced consonants. Some, in fact, don’t even use the vocal cords. In this way, they provide clear beginning and ending points for words and parts of words. There are also a few consonants that occasionally act as a vowel, as we will see in Step 2.īecause consonants restrict the flow of air, they restrict the flow of sound. Consonants can combine with other consonants, sometimes creating new sounds. However, consonants do have some tricks of their own. They always join with one or more vowels.

Whereas certain vowels can stand alone as a word, consonants do not function on their own in our language. Consonants, however, depend on restricting the flow of air through the mouth using the tongue, teeth, or lips. Remember, vowels depend on the unrestricted flow of air. For now, just know that these 5 letters are our always vowels: Aa Ee Ii Oo Uu ConsonantsĬonsonants, for the most part, are the opposite of vowels. Plus, a vowel can form a word by itself, such as the words, “I,” “a,” or “O.” As you learn to translate symbols into sound, you will understand the role of vowels and how they change in different combinations. They are also the most versatile letters in the alphabet, combining in different ways to create 16 of the 44 sounds in English. Vowels sounds are the foundation sounds in a word or part of a word. Because the mouth is open, vowel sounds can last as long as there is breath. Vowels depend on the unrestricted flow of air over the vocal cords and through the mouth. Depending on the particular sound we wish to make, we change the flow of the air in different ways with the tongue and the lips. When we speak, we force air over the vocal cords and through the mouth. The letters in the alphabet divide into these two types of sounds. As you learn the symbols, you should also learn the vowels and consonants. When learning the alphabet, it's not just about learning letters.

What letters are vowels