The Letter N
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Basics on the topic The Letter N
Learning the Letter N – Introduction
Welcome to the marvellous world of the alphabet, where today's spotlight is on the friendly letter n. As the 14th letter in the English alphabet, it plays a crucial role in helping us form words and express ourselves. Whether you're crafting a story or identifying objects around you, the letter n is sure to be of great use!
Understanding the Letter N – Definition and Pronunciation
The letter n is a consonant and is known for its nasal sound, articulated by allowing the airflow to escape through the nose, resulting in the familiar /n/ sound.
Children learning the alphabet will quickly discover that this sound is a building block for many words. It's important to distinguish the sound of n from other consonants to ensure clear pronunciation and accurate spelling.
The Letter N – Example Words and Sentences
The letter n is notable and appears at the beginning, middle and end of words. For instance, Nancy the nurse neatly knitted a navy napkin. Here, the letter n is used at the start of several words, showcasing its frequent usage and versatility.
Words with the Letter N
The letter n is quite common, so let's look at a list of words that feature this letter prominently:
| Begin With | Contain | End With |
|---|---|---|
| nurse | planet | can |
| napkin | dinner | pen |
| night | sunny | run |
| noodle | window | fan |
Writing the Letter N – How to?
Writing the letter N is simple and can be enjoyable. To write the capital N, start at the top, draw a straight line down, then go back up to the top left and draw a diagonal line down to the bottom right. Finally, draw another straight line from the bottom to the top right. For the lower case n, start at the middle line, draw a straight line down to the bottom, then move back up to the middle line and draw a small hump that curves down to the bottom right. To write a pre-cursive letter n, follow the steps below:
| Step | Instruction | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start on the black line |  |
| 2 | Whoosh to the top. |  |
| 3 | Come back down making a straight line. |  |
| 4 | Go back up this straight line and curve over the top. |  |
| 5 | Come straight down and finish with a small flick. |  |
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing the Letter N
Common mistakes when writing the letter n include confusing it with similar-looking letters like m and h. To avoid this, remember:
- n is short and has one hump.
- m has two humps.
- h is tall.
Learning the Letter N – Summary
Key Learnings from this Text:
- The letter n is the 14th letter in the English alphabet.
- It is a consonant with a unique nasal sound, pronounced as /n/ .
- The capital N is used for names and at the beginning of sentences, and the lower case n is used in the middle or end of words. Often, you will find it in different adjacent consonant blends.
- Recognising and writing the letter n enhances literacy skills.
Enjoy practising the letter n, and keep exploring the world of letters and sounds. Each step you take makes you a better reader and writer. Remember to check out our website for interactive practice problems, videos and printable worksheets to support your educational journey.
The Letter N – Frequently Asked Questions
Transcript The Letter N
Let’s join Dee and Kala in the phonics garden and learn all about /n/. This is the letter n, it makes the sound /n/. This is a capital /N/ and this is a lower case /n/. They both make the /n/ sound like in nut, nap and net! Let's practise the /n/ sound with Kala! "/n/, /n/!" Can you spy anything in the garden that begins with /n/? "There's a nest, that starts with /n/!" Is there anything else in the garden that starts with /n/? "There's a necklace, that also begins with /n/!" Uh-oh! /N/ is hiding with the other letters! Can you help find /n/ in the alphabet? Point to the letter when you find it! Did you also point here? You did some great work in the phonics garden! Today we learnt all about /n/, we listened to and made the /n/ sound! We found words that began with /n/ and found it in the alphabet! Interested in a challenge? Watch this video again and see if you can find the newt, the nail and the noodles hidden in the garden! Comment below when you find them! If you want to learn more, check out the next sound!
The Letter N exercise
-
Which one is the correct letter?
HintsListen carefully to the sound, play it again and think about what you can hear.
The place that birds lay their eggs is a ____.
Look again at the picture above. What sound does this word start with?
SolutionThe correct letter is n. This makes the /n/ sound.
-
What sound does the letter make?
HintsThe word nap starts with the sound.
Listen to all four sounds again. Which one is the same as the beginning of the word nut?
SolutionThe correct sound is /n/.
-
Find the objects that begin with "n".
HintsThere are 5 items that start with n to highlight.
Listen to this word. Can you find it in the picture?
Listen carefully to the names of the objects.
SolutionThe five items that begin with n are:
- notebook
- nine
- nail
- napkin
- nurse
-
What is the word?
HintsListen carefully. Does the word start or end with n?
What other sounds can you hear?
Here we can see the words with pictures. Use this to help you find the matching pairs above.
SolutionThe words are:
- neck
- pin
- nap
- run
-
Help Kala find the objects that begin with "n".
HintsListen to the sound. Which words begin with this sound?
Say all of the items out loud. In which ones do you hear the /n/ sound at the beginning?
There are two correct choices.
SolutionNut and net start with /n/.
-
Can you put the words in the correct group?
HintsListen carefully to this word. Do you hear n at the beginning or at the end?
Think carefully about the first sound that you hear, is it n or a different sound?
There are 3 words that begin with n and 3 words that end with n.
SolutionNight, narwhal and nachos have n at the beginning.
Sun, pan and man have n at the end.
Rhyming Words
The Letter S
The Letter A
The Letter T
The Letter P
The Letter I
The Letter N
The Letter M
The Letter D
The Letter G
The Letter O
The Letter K
The Letter H
The Letter E
The Letter R
The Letter U
The Letter L
The Letter B
The Letter F
The Letter J
The Letter Q(u)
The Letter W
The Letter V
The Letter X
The Letter Y
The Letter Z
Consonant Letter Sounds
Matching Letters to Consonant & Vowel Sounds— Let's Practise!
CVC Words: The Initial Consonant
CVC Words: The Middle Vowel
CVC Sounds: The Final Consonant
CVC Words
Long and short Vowel sounds
Words, Syllables & Sounds
Consonant Blends
Onsets & Rimes
Decoding: Look at the Picture
Decoding: Stretch out the Word
Counting & Segmenting Syllables
Final 'E' and Split Digraphs
Adjacent Consonants _r
Adjacent Consonants s_
Adjacent Consonants _t
Adjacent Consonants l
The Soft C
The Soft G
Alternative Pronunciation y (I)
