Single letter
The "y" sound — /y/
As in yes. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.
Mouth shape
Tongue near roof, voice it
Gesture
Eat a yummy yogurt and say y-y-y
Example words
- yes
- yam
- yet
- yell
- yak
How to teach the “y” sound
- Hear it first. Tap Play three times. Have your child watch your mouth while you copy the sound — no letter name yet, just the pure sound /y/.
- Do the gesture. Eat a yummy yogurt and say y-y-y— kids remember sounds 2× faster when there’s a physical action attached.
- Find it in words. Read the 5 example words aloud slowly, stretching the /y/ sound: “y–e–s”.
- Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /y/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
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ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids