Year 2 · English · Literacy
Consonant digraphs: sh, ch, th, ck and ng
Reading and spelling words where two letters work together to make one sound, such as 'ship', 'chin', 'thin', 'duck' and 'ring'.
Awaiting educator review. This material was drafted by our content team with AI assistance and is waiting for review by a qualified educator. Please check it suits your child before using it. Created 10 October 2026.
These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to New Zealand year levels by age (NZ Year 1 is the first year of school). They are not yet mapped to The New Zealand Curriculum, so check them against your own learning programme.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Recognise that two letters can work together to represent one sound.
- Read and spell words containing sh, ch, th, ck and ng.
- Count the sounds in words that contain a digraph.
Success looks like
- I can say the sound for sh, ch, th, ck and ng.
- I can read words with these letter pairs.
- I can count the sounds in a word like 'ship'.
The big idea
So far, most words your child has read have one letter for each sound. In this lesson they meet digraphs: two letters that team up to make one sound.
- sh as in ship, fish, shop
- ch as in chin, chip, much
- th as in thin, this, bath (th can be a soft 'thin' sound or a buzzy 'this' sound)
- ck as in duck, sock, back (ck comes straight after a short vowel at the end of a word)
- ng as in ring, song, king (ng comes at the end of a word or syllable)
When counting sounds, a digraph counts as one sound. 'Ship' has four letters but only three sounds: /sh/ /i/ /p/. Underlining the two letters together helps children see them as a team.
To read a digraph word, look for the letter team first, then blend: /ch/ /i/ /p/ … chip.
Worked examples
Reading a digraph word
Read the word 'shed'.
- Look for a letter team. 's' and 'h' are together: sh.
- Say the sounds: /sh/ /e/ /d/.
- Blend them: shed.
Answer: The word is 'shed'.
Counting sounds
How many sounds are in 'duck'?
- Say the word slowly: /d/ /u/ /ck/.
- Remember that 'ck' makes one sound.
- Count: 1, 2, 3.
Answer: 'Duck' has 3 sounds, even though it has 4 letters.
Spelling with a digraph
Spell the word 'song'.
- Segment the word: /s/ /o/ /ng/.
- Write a letter or letter team for each sound: s, o, ng.
- Read it back to check: song.
Answer: s-o-n-g
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
Which word starts with the sound /sh/?
shop — 'Shop' starts with the digraph sh.
Which letters finish the word 'so__' to make something you wear on your foot?
ck — s-o-ck spells 'sock'. We use ck after a short vowel at the end of a word.
Which word has the 'ng' sound?
king — 'King' ends with ng.
How many sounds are in 'chip'?
3 — /ch/ /i/ /p/ makes 3 sounds. The ch is one sound.
Which word has the digraph 'th'?
bath — 'Bath' ends with th.
Blend these sounds and type the word: /f/ /i/ /sh/
fish — /f/ /i/ /sh/ blends to 'fish'.
How many sounds are in the word 'thin'? Type a number.
3 — /th/ /i/ /n/ is three sounds.
Which two letters make the first sound in 'chat'? Type them.
ch — 'Chat' starts with the digraph ch.
Watch out for
- Sounding each letter separately, such as /s/ /h/ for sh. Teach children to scan for letter teams before blending.
- Counting letters instead of sounds. 'Duck' has four letters but three sounds.
- Using 'ck' at the start of words. 'ck' is used after a short vowel, usually at the end of a word; words start with c or k instead.
Tips for parents
- Make a set of cards with sh, ch, th, ck and ng and play a quick flash-card game each day.
- Use a coloured pencil to underline letter teams in a book or a cereal box.
- Show your child how your mouth changes for /s/ and /sh/ so they can feel the difference.
Go further
- Sort a pile of word cards into 'sh', 'ch' and 'th' groups.
- Write a silly sentence using as many digraph words as possible, such as 'A fish had a chip on a ship.'
- Go on a digraph hunt in the kitchen and list labels with sh, ch, th, ck or ng.