What is a digraph?

A digraph is defined as a pair of letters that come together to create a single sound or phoneme. This can commonly be observed in English where combinations such as "ch," "sh," and "th" produce distinct sounds that are not necessarily related to the individual sounds of the letters themselves. For example, in the word "chat," the "ch" represents one sound rather than two separate sounds, differentiating it from a single letter that represents just one sound or a random collection of letters.

The nature of a digraph emphasizes the blending of two letters to produce a unique phonetic output, essential for understanding phonics in early childhood literacy development. This understanding aids educators and caregivers in teaching children to decode words and confidently recognize sound-letter relationships.