---
title: "Phonics Vocabulary"
description: "Know and use the vocabulary of phonics and word structure: phoneme, grapheme, GPC (grapheme-phoneme correspondence), blend, segment, digraph, CVC, vowel, consonant, syllable, root word, suffix, prefix"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/phonics-vocabulary-mt_EqXlZfB4jp
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/phonics-vocabulary-mt_EqXlZfB4jp.md
retrieved: 2026-11-12
---

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# Phonics Vocabulary

Know and use the vocabulary of phonics and word structure: phoneme, grapheme, GPC (grapheme-phoneme correspondence), blend, segment, digraph, CVC, vowel, consonant, syllable, root word, suffix, prefix, and homophone, and understand that these words describe the building blocks that phonics instruction is built on

Subject: English · Area: Spelling & Word Study · Ages 4 to 7
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/phonics-vocabulary-mt_EqXlZfB4jp

## Ready when they can

- Say the sounds for common graphemes (e.g. 'sh', 'ch', 'th', 'ee', 'igh') and use 'phoneme' and 'grapheme' correctly when explaining
- Blend sounds together to read an unfamiliar word and explain what they are doing using the word 'blend'
- Segment a word into its individual sounds for spelling and use the term 'segment' to describe the process

## Lesson: Words phonics uses

Phonics has its own special words. These words help you talk about sounds and letters.

A phoneme is one sound, like the first sound in 'sun'. A grapheme is the letter or letters that show that sound.

*(drawing: Blend c, a, t together to make the word cat.)*

**Example.** Mia wants to spell 'sun'. She segments it into three sounds: s, u, n. Then she writes s, u, n as letters.

**Tip.** A digraph is two letters that make one sound. Say 'sh' in 'ship'. It makes one soft sound.

**Recap.** Phonics words like phoneme, blend, and segment describe sounds and letters.

## Practice

8 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Opens up

- [Homophones](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/homophones-mt_37QCuGOxFe)
- [Spelling from dictation](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/spelling-from-dictation-mt_AhfyJoTQtY)
- [Segmenting words into sounds](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/segmenting-words-into-sounds-mt_BhYJZUsErp)
- [Suffixes](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/suffixes-mt_FYK8m6eHQm)
- [Alternative Spellings for Sounds](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/alternative-spellings-for-sounds-mt_p_jxNLdus4)
- [Spelling Simple Suffixes](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/spelling-simple-suffixes-mt_QdMMLRYWhn)
- [The prefix un-](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/the-prefix-un-mt_zBUcAPDRPM)