Beginning Sounds

English (Mridang) — read-aloud sessions build sound awareness before spelling; matching beginning sounds helps new readers.

• Every word starts with a beginning sound — the very first sound we hear.
• How to match words that start with the same sound.
• That the beginning sound is not always the same as the first letter's name (like 'c' in cat vs city).

Verbal: The beginning sound is the first sound you say when you speak a word out loud.

Symbolic: Say the word slowly → the FIRST sound you hear = beginning sound.

Level 1 — Same beginning sound

Level 1 — Listening carefully

Say sun and snake slowly — both start with the /s/ sound.

Level 2 — Letters vs sounds

C can sound like /k/ (cat) or /s/ (city) — always say the word to check the sound.

Level 2 — Tricky beginnings

Ph in 'phone' sounds like /f/; silent letters like the 'k' in 'know' change the beginning sound.

Which word begins with the same sound as 'fish'?

Step 1 — Say 'fish' slowly: /f/-ish
Step 2 — Check each option's first sound
Step 3 — 'fan' starts with /f/ too
Answer: fan

• Which word begins with the same sound as 'sun': snake or cat?
• Say three words that begin with /m/.
• What sound does 'phone' begin with?

Stretch: Find three objects in your room that begin with the same sound as your name.

Revision tip: Say five words out loud and clap on the very first sound of each.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Beginning Sounds.