Consonant Digraphs — 1st Grade Lesson
Students will read and spell words with the consonant digraphs sh, ch, th, and wh, and know that two letters make one sound.
1st Grade · Phonics · ~15 min lesson
What is a digraph?
A digraph is two letters that make one new sound. You can’t hear the letters separately — they work as a team.
- sh → /sh/ as in ship
- ch → /ch/ as in chip
- th → /th/ as in thin
- wh → /wh/ as in when
The four digraphs to know
| Digraph | Sound | Example words |
|---|---|---|
| sh | /sh/ | ship, fish, shop |
| ch | /ch/ | chip, chair, lunch |
| th | /th/ | three, thin, bath |
| wh | /wh/ | when, whale, white |
Digraphs can appear at the beginning (ship, chip) or the end (fish, lunch) of a word.
Digraphs vs. blends
- Blend (bl, gr): two sounds you hear. blue = /b/ + /l/.
- Digraph (sh, ch, th, wh): one new sound. ship = one /sh/ sound.
Stretch the word and count the sounds. Fish has three sounds: f-i-sh. The sh is one sound even though it’s two letters.
How to practice at home
- Digraph hunt: find words with sh, ch, th, or wh in books and signs.
- Feel it: put a hand on your throat for th and notice the buzz.
- Sort words: sort picture cards by their digraph (sh words vs. ch words).
Practice with the exercises above, then download the free printable consonant digraphs worksheet.
Practice Exercises
Try these on your own, then reveal the answer to check.
What ONE sound does 'sh' make?
💡 It's one sound, not s + h.
Which word starts with the digraph 'ch': 'chair' or 'bear'?
💡 ch-ch-chair.
Which word has the /th/ sound: 'three' or 'tree'?
💡 Th-three.
Fill in the digraph: '_ip' to make a boat word.
💡 It sails on the sea.
Which word starts with 'wh': 'when' or 'hen'?
💡 wh-when.
How many letters make the /sh/ sound in 'fish'?
💡 Count the letters that make one sound.
Printable Worksheets
Put this lesson into practice with free, printable worksheets — each with an answer key.
Before You Start
- CVC words and blends
- All single letter sounds
Common Mistakes to Watch For
- Separating digraph sounds (saying 's' + 'h' for 'sh')
- Mixing up ch and sh
What to Learn Next
Browse more Phonics worksheets or explore all 1st Grade worksheets.
Related Worksheets
Consonant Digraphs Worksheet: sh, ch, th, wh
A digraph is two letters that make one sound. Pick sh, ch, th, or wh to finish each word.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a digraph?
Two letters that come together to make ONE new sound, like sh in ship, ch in chip, th in thin, and wh in when.
How is a digraph different from a blend?
A blend (like bl) keeps both sounds. A digraph (like sh) makes one brand-new sound you can't get from either letter alone.
Original & reviewed. Every worksheet is created in-house from a grade-level skill brief, checked for a correct answer key, and reviewed for grade-appropriateness. Our editorial policy.