* Different definitions: Some definitions only consider combinations of two letters that make a single sound (like "sh" in "ship"). Others include combinations that create a different sound than the individual letters (like "th" in "thin").
* Contextual variation: Some digraphs can represent different sounds depending on the context. For example, "ch" can be pronounced as /tʃ/ (as in "church") or /k/ (as in "chemical").
* Frequency of use: Some digraphs are very common (like "th" and "sh"), while others are rarer (like "ck" and "ph").
However, you can find some estimates:
* Common digraphs: There are about 20-30 common digraphs used in English spelling. These are the ones you'd find in most lists of digraphs.
* Less common digraphs: If you consider all possible combinations of two letters, there are many more digraphs, but many of these are rare or non-standard.
Instead of focusing on an exact number, it's more helpful to understand the concept of digraphs and their use in English spelling.