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BRITISH ENGLISH · DISCOVER TOGETHER

Short A sound: listen for /æ/ in ant

The short A sound in ant is /æ/. It is different from the letter name “ay”. Listen to the British English recording from the game, then try the first sound-matching activity together.

Try it together
INSIDE THE ENGLISH GAMEThe first English listening game, with two letter choices and a spoken sound
The first English listening game, with two letter choices and a spoken sound

Listen to /æ/

The sound in ant, from the English game. Written form: a.

Find this sound in its first listening activity ↗

A short sound, not the alphabet name

The written letter a can represent different sounds in English words. This page focuses on its short sound in ant, also heard in cat and map. Keep the sound short rather than turning it into “ay”, and follow the pronunciation model your child uses at school.

Notice the sound in a whole word

Say ant naturally, then listen for its first sound. In cat and map, the same vowel sound is in the middle. Begin with one familiar example; finding a sound in several positions can come later. English short a is not the same vowel as the French sound taught on the French A page.

SIDE BY SIDE

Match a sound to its letter

  1. Play the short A recording on this page.
  2. Open the first listening activity and hear the instruction.
  3. Let your child choose the letter they hear.

The listening game mixes the first sounds, including A. It is not an A-only drill.

Try the first letter sounds

The discovery games are free to try without a card or account. Full family access is paid. Check Prices for the current plans in pounds; changing between French and British English does not require another purchase.

PUT THE SCREEN DOWN

An ant on a map

You will need: Paper and crayons.

  1. Draw a tiny ant on a simple map.
  2. Say ant and map naturally.
  3. Listen for the short A sound together, then invent where the ant is going.

Keep this activity using your browser’s Print menu, or share it by email. No sign-up needed.

Girafoufou · https://www.girafoufou.com/en/learning-games/short-a-sound

Questions
from parents.

Is this the letter name A?

No. The letter name is “ay”. Here we are listening to the short vowel /æ/, as in ant. The same letter can stand for other sounds in other words.

Carry the idea a little further.

TRY IT TOGETHER

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Listen to the sounds in a short word and blend them together. Explore a first British English blending game, plus a playful spoken activity off screen.

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About this guide

Product guide by the Girafoufou team. Updated . The activities described here are checked against the English game.

Educational context, not an endorsement of Girafoufou:

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A small discovery.
Then time to play.

The discovery games are free to try without a card or account. Full family access is paid. Check Prices for the current plans in pounds; changing between French and British English does not require another purchase.

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