Consonant Digraphs:
* A consonant digraph is a pair of consonants that represent a single sound. These are often used to represent sounds that are difficult to spell with a single letter.
* Examples: ch (as in "chair"), th (as in "thin"), sh (as in "ship"), ph (as in "phone"), ck (as in "back"), wh (as in "what")
Double Letters:
* Double letters (including double consonants) are used in spelling to represent different sounds:
* Shortening a vowel sound: In words like "running" and "hopping", the double consonant after a short vowel helps indicate that the vowel is short.
* Representing a single consonant sound: In words like "happy" and "better", the double consonants represent a single consonant sound.
* Representing a different sound: In words like "write" and "know", the double consonants create different sounds than if they were single letters.
Important Note: It's crucial to remember that double consonants are not always pronounced as two separate sounds. They often have a distinct purpose in spelling and pronunciation.
Let me know if you have any other questions!