The Letter P
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Basics on the topic The Letter P
Introduction to the Letter P
Today's journey is all about a particular letter that pops up frequently in our language—the letter p. It's a unique and playful letter that we use to spell many of our favourite words. Whether you're crafting a note or naming a pet, understanding the letter p is key to becoming a great reader and writer.
Understanding the Letter P – Definition and Sounds
The letter p is the 16th letter in the English alphabet and is known for its popping sound, which phonetically sounds like /p/ .
It's a consonant, and when we say it, we press our lips together and release a burst of air. Remember, the sound of the letter p is the same in words like pop, puppy and pencil.
Writing the Letter P – How to?
Writing the letter p is quite straightforward and can be lots of fun. To write the capital P, start at the top, draw a straight line down then go back to the top and make a big half circle that touches the middle of the line. For the lower case p, start below the middle line, draw a straight line down past the bottom line, go up to the top and loop it with a half circle that meets the middle line. To write a pre-cursive letter p, 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 underneath the line. |  |
| 4 | Go back up this straight line and make a loop. |  |
| 5 | Finally come back along the bottom of the loop making a short lead out. |  |
The Letter P – Example Words and Sentences
The letter p isn't shy; it pops up at the beginning, middle and end of words. For instance, Pete the parrot picked a pack of pickled peppers. Here, the letter p is used at the start of both words and names, showing its versatility.
Words with the Letter P
The letter p is quite popular, so let's look at a list of words that feature this letter prominently:
| Begin With | Contain | End With |
|---|---|---|
| panda | happy | cup |
| play | apple | lap |
| pencil | spoon | map |
| parrot | slippery | tap |
The Letter P – Summary
Key Learnings from this Text:
- The letter p is known for its distinctive popping sound, represented phonetically as /p/ .
- It is the 16th letter in the English alphabet.
- Writing the letter p involves straight lines and a half circle.
- The letter P can appear at the beginning, middle or end of words.
Keep exploring the world of letters with our interactive lessons and printable activities. The letter p is just the start of your alphabetic adventure!
The Letter P – Frequently Asked Questions
Transcript The Letter P
Let’s join Dee and Kala in the phonics garden and learn all about /p/. This is the letter p, it makes the sound /p/. This is a capital /P/ and this is a lower case /p/. They both make the /p/ sound like in pan, pepper and planet! Let's practise the /p/ sound with Kala! "/p/, /p/!" Can you spy anything in the garden that begins with /p/? "There's a pond, that starts with /p/!" Is there anything else in the garden that starts with /p/? "There's a pretzel, that also begins with /p/!" Uh-oh! /P/ is hiding with the other letters! Can you help find /p/ 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 /p/, we listened to and made the /p/ sound! We found words that began with /p/ and found it in the alphabet! Interested in a challenge? Watch this video again and see if you can find the pinecone, pancakes and poster hidden in the garden! Comment below when you find them! If you want to learn more, check out the next sound!
The Letter P exercise
-
Which one is the correct letter?
HintsListen carefully to the sound, play it again and think about what you can hear.
This bird is called a ____.
Look again at the picture above. What sound does this word start with?
SolutionThe correct letter is p. This makes the /p/ sound.
-
What sound does the letter make?
HintsThe word peg starts with the sound.
Listen to all four sounds again. Which one is the same as the beginning of the word pond?
SolutionThe correct sound is /p/.
-
Find the objects that begin with "p".
HintsThere are 5 items that start with /p/ 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 /p/ are:
- pizza
- pencil
- pumpkin
- plum
- pyjamas
-
What is the word?
HintsListen carefully. Does the word start or end with p?
What other sounds can you hear in each word?
Here we can see the words with pictures. Use this to help you find the matching pairs above.
SolutionThe words are:
- pop
- pip
- pack
- top
-
Help Kala find the objects that begin with "p".
HintsListen to the sound /p/. Which words begin with this sound?
Say all of the items out loud. In which ones do you hear the /p/ sound at the beginning?
There are two correct choices.
SolutionPen and pig start with /p/.
-
Can you put the words in the correct group?
HintsListen carefully to this word. Do you hear p at the beginning or at the end?
Think carefully about the first sound that you hear, is it p or a different sound?
There are 3 words that begin with p and 3 words that end with p.
SolutionPuffin, play and pan have p at the beginning.
Map, hoop and jump have p 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 l
The Soft C
The Soft G
Alternative Pronunciation y (I)
