The Letter U

Introduction to the Letter U

Today's journey is all about an often-used and unique letter in our language—the letter u. It's a useful letter that we encounter in many essential words. Whether you're writing a story or learning new vocabulary, understanding the letter u is key to becoming a great reader and writer.

Understanding the Letter U – Definition and Sounds

It's a vowel, and it can produce different sounds depending on the word. Remember, the sound of the letter u can be heard in words like umbrella, under and fun.

Writing the Letter U – How to?

Writing the letter u is straightforward and fun. To write the capital U, start at the top, draw a line down, curve it at the bottom and bring it back up to the top. For the lower case u, start in the middle, draw a line down, curve it up to the right, and bring it back down slightly below the starting point. To write a pre-cursive letter u, follow the steps below.

Step	Instruction
1	Start on the black line
2	Whoosh to the top.
3	Come straight back down the line.
4	Curve under and go back to the top.
5	Come straight back down and finish with a small flick.

The Letter U – Example Words and Sentences

The letter u is useful and ubiquitous, appearing at the beginning, middle and end of words. For instance, Uncle Ulysses used an umbrella under the unusual sky. Here, the letter u is used at the start of several words, showcasing its versatility.

Words with the Letter U

The letter u is quite common, so let's look at a list of words that feature this letter prominently:

Sometimes the letter u can make different sounds depending on the letters that surround it. In the words rescue and argue, the letter u has joined with e to make the digraph /ue/.

The Letter U – Summary

Keep exploring the world of letters with our interactive lessons and printable activities. The letter u is just one exciting part of your alphabetic adventure!

The Letter U – Frequently Asked Questions