Phonics has its own vocabulary, which can make it sound far more complicated than it is. These three words all describe the same simple idea: how many letters are working together to make one sound. That's it.
Digraph
Two letters making one sound. Examples: sh in ship, ee in feet, ai in rain, ch in chip.
Trigraph
Three letters making one sound. Examples: igh in high, air in fair, ear in dear.
Split digraph
Two letters that make one sound but are split apart by another letter. Examples: the a and e in cake (a–e), the i and e in time (i–e).
A closer look at split digraphs
Split digraphs are the ones parents find most confusing, so they're worth a moment. You may remember them being called “magic e” — the idea that a silent e on the end of a word reaches back and changes the vowel sound.
Compare cap and cape. In cap, the a is short. Add an e on the end and the a changes to its long sound: cape. The a and the e are working together as one sound, even though they're split apart by the p. That's a split digraph.
The five split digraphs
There are five to look out for: a–e (cake), e–e (these), i–e (time), o–e (home) and u–e (cube). All five are tested in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check.
Digraph or blend? A common mix-up
A digraph makes one new sound — in shop, the s and h don't make their own sounds, they make a single “sh.”
A blend (sometimes called adjacent consonants) is different — you still hear both letters' sounds, just close together. In stop, you hear the s and the t separately: s–t–o–p. So st is a blend, not a digraph.
Do children need to know these words?
Not really — your child learns to read the sounds without needing the labels. But teachers use these terms, and you'll see them on worksheets and in reading records, so it helps you to know what they mean. When a worksheet says “find the digraph,” you'll now know it's asking for two letters that make one sound.
See every sound in the right order
PhonicSpace introduces digraphs, trigraphs and split digraphs in a careful sequence — the same order schools use. A calm phonics app for Reception and KS1, informed by over 40 years of UK primary teaching and SENCO experience.
Join the waitlistCommon questions
Is “ck” a digraph?
Yes. In duck, the c and k together make a single /k/ sound, so ck is a consonant digraph.
Why was it called “magic e”?
Because the silent e on the end seems to “magically” change the vowel sound earlier in the word — cap becomes cape. Schools now usually call it a split digraph, but it's the same idea.
Can the same letters be a digraph in one word and not another?
Yes — English is full of these. For example “ea” makes one sound in both sea and head, but a different sound in each. Children gradually learn these variations.
This guide is for general information. Your child's school is always the best source of advice. PhonicSpace is informed by over 40 years of UK primary teaching and SENCO experience.