I – IV NEW PATTERN. The sh spelling pattern is pronounced |sh|, as in dish and shop.

V LEARN the sh spelling pattern pronounced |sh|, as in slush.

NEW PATTERN. The shr spelling pattern is pronounced |shr|, as in shred.

Digraphs

A digraph consists of two letters that, when paired, have a special pronunciation. Examples of digraphs are sh, |sh|, as in ship, and ch, |ch|, as in check. The individual sounds of the consonant s and the consonant h are not preserved when their letters are combined in the digraph. Rather, they form a new sound entirely, as we see with |sh|, as in cash and ship.

The letters of a digraph are always found entirely in the same syllable. If the letters that look like they are a digraph are separated into different syllables, then these letters do not comprise a digraph. For example, the th in pothole is not a digraph. Why not? Because pothole has the t and h in separate syllables (pot • hole).

There are many digraphs and trigraphs not mentioned here that will be covered in upcoming lessons.