Now the last sound. This is harder than the first one, and there is a reason why.
Step 1: Let's Learn
Read it, or press Listen and follow the words.
Why the end is harder
The first sound arrives while you are still listening carefully. By the end, your attention has moved on.
How to catch it
Say the word and hold the very last bit. Mmmuuunnn… The part you are still saying is the last sound.
Or chop the front off
Say sun. Now say it without the /s/. You get "un". Say that without the /u/. You get /n/.
Why the last sound matters
When you write a word, the last sound is the last letter. Miss it and the word is not finished.
Missing the end is the commonest spelling slip
Children write "ca" for cat far more often than they write "at". The end is what falls off.
The middle is hardest of all
First is easiest. Last is harder. The middle sound is the hardest, and that is what you meet next chapter.
Step 2: Try It Yourself
Listen to the ending on its own.
/s/as in sit/an/as in cansanthe whole word
| First sound | /s/, written s |
|---|---|
| Ending | /an/, written an |
| Blended | san |
| Is it a word? | Not a word |
| Words you know ending in an | man, can, pan |
san is not a word. That is fine — you blended it correctly, and the sounds went together just as they should. Blending always works; it just does not always land on a real word. Change the first sound and try again.
Step 3: Watch an Example
One step at a time.
Holding the End
Ana finds the last sound in sun.
- Step 1
She says the whole word slowly. Sunnnnn.
Chopping the Front Off
Sam finds the last sound in map.
- Step 1
He says map. Then map without the /m/: "ap".
The End Falling Off
Ana writes cat as "ca".
- Step 1
She heard /k/ and wrote c.
Step 4: Your Turn
Practice makes it stick.
The End of Dog
Problem 1 of 2
What is the last sound in dog?
Writing "ca"
Problem 2 of 2
Someone writes "ca" for cat. What did they miss?
Catch the Ending
1 of 4
Last sound in map?
2 of 4
Why is the last sound harder than the first?
3 of 4
Why does the last sound matter for writing?
4 of 4
Which sound is hardest of all to hear?
Step 5: Quick Check
Show what you know.
Question 1 of 1
What is the last sound in hat?
What You Learned
- The last sound is harder to catch than the first.
- Say the word and hold the very end, or chop the front off.
- The last sound is the last letter when you write.
- Missing the end is the commonest spelling slip there is.