Diphthongs:
* Sound: A single vowel sound that starts with one sound and glides to another.
* Example: The word "boy" has the diphthong "oy," which starts as an "oh" sound and glides to a "y" sound.
* Spelling: Diphthongs can be spelled with one or two letters.
* Examples: "oi" in "coin," "ow" in "cow," "au" in "taught."
Vowel Digraphs:
* Sound: Two letters that represent a single vowel sound.
* Example: The word "rain" has the vowel digraph "ai," which makes the "ay" sound.
* Spelling: Always involves two letters.
* Examples: "ea" in "bread," "ie" in "pie," "oo" in "moon."
Key Differences:
* Sound production: Diphthongs involve a glide between sounds, while vowel digraphs represent a single vowel sound.
* Number of letters: Diphthongs can be represented by one or two letters, while vowel digraphs always use two.
In short, diphthongs involve a change in sound, while vowel digraphs simply use multiple letters to represent a single vowel sound.