Consonant digraphs: sh, ch, th, ck and ng
Short answer: A digraph is two letters that make one sound. In English, sh says /ʃ/ (ship), ch says /tʃ/ (chair), th says /θ/ or /ð/ (three, this), ck says /k/ (duck) and ng says /ŋ/ (sing). Do not say the two letters separately. Learn each pair as one sound.
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At a glance
| Letters | Sound | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sh | /ʃ/ | ship, fish |
| ch | /tʃ/ | chair, lunch |
| th | /θ/ or /ð/ | three, this |
| ck | /k/ | duck, back |
| ng | /ŋ/ | sing, ring |
How to make the sound
- For /ʃ/, round your lips a little and push air: shhh.
- For /tʃ/, start with /t/ and release into /ʃ/.
- For /θ/ and /ð/, put your tongue tip between your teeth. /θ/ is air only; /ð/ has a buzz.
- For /ŋ/, raise the back of your tongue and let the sound go through your nose. Do not add a /g/.
Examples in sentences
- ship
sh = /ʃ/: /ʃɪp/. - chair
ch = /tʃ/: /tʃɛr/. - three
th = /θ/: /θri/. - this
th = /ð/: /ðɪs/. - duck
ck = /k/: /dʌk/. - sing
ng = /ŋ/: /sɪŋ/.
Common problems
- Reading the letters separately: sh is one sound, /ʃ/, not /s/ plus /h/.
- Saying th as /t/ or /s/: Put your tongue between your teeth: three, not tree.
- Adding /g/ after ng: In sing, say /ŋ/ only. Do not say sing-g.
For Vietnamese speakers
- Vietnamese has no /θ/ or /ð/, so these two sounds need practice with a mirror.
- Final /ŋ/ exists in Vietnamese; use the same sound for sing and ring.
Check yourself
- What sound does “sh” make?
Show the answer
/ʃ/ One sound.
- What sound does “ng” make in “sing”?
Show the answer
/ŋ/ No /g/.
- What sound does “ch” make?
Show the answer
/tʃ/ As in chair.
Questions
What is a digraph?
Two letters that make one sound, such as sh.
Is th voiced or voiceless?
Both. /θ/ in three is voiceless; /ð/ in this is voiced.
Does ck come at the start of a word?
No. It comes at the end or in the middle, such as duck or pocket.
More lessons in this part
Part of the 👄 Pronunciation tool: Phonics & Word Decoding. See also the English pronunciation guide. Đọc bằng tiếng Việt.
Written for English learners by the English for Fun team. How we write our lessons · Last updated 2026-11-05.
Reviewed by Chinh Q. Hoang, PhD, founder, English for Fun · 2026-10-30