When learning the alphabet, it's not just about learning letters. As you learn the symbols, you should also learn the vowels and consonants. The letters in the alphabet divide into these two types of sounds. When we speak, we force 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.
Vowels
Vowels depend on the unrestricted flow of air over the vocal cords and through the mouth. Because the mouth is open, vowel sounds can last as long as there is breath. Vowels sounds are the foundation sounds in a word or part of a word. They are also the most versatile letters in the alphabet, combining in different ways to create 16 of the 44 sounds in English. 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. For now, just know that these 5 letters are our always vowels:
Aa Ee Ii Oo Uu
Consonants
Consonants, for the most part, are the opposite of vowels. Remember, vowels depend on the unrestricted flow of air. Consonants, however, depend on restricting the flow of air through the mouth using the tongue, teeth, or lips. Whereas certain vowels can stand alone as a word, consonants do not function on their own in our language. They always join with one or more vowels. However, consonants do have some tricks of their own. Consonants can combine with other consonants, sometimes creating new sounds. There are also a few consonants that occasionally act as a vowel, as we will see in Step 2.
Because consonants restrict the flow of air, they restrict the flow of sound. In this way, they provide clear beginning and ending points for words and parts of words. Some, in fact, don’t even use the vocal cords. We call these “voiceless” consonants. They rely on just a puff of air. Those that require the voice to make their sounds are called “voiced consonants. 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
You can demonstrate the difference between vowels and consonants for yourself. Say the name of each vowel one more time and notice that your mouth is completely open. Next, say the names of these consonants—Hh, Mm,and Ss—and notice how your tongue, teeth, and lips participate in starting and stopping the sound.
Your goal for this part of Step 1 is to learn the difference between a vowel and a consonant. You should also be sure that you know the five primary vowels before moving on to Step 1.3.