LoginThe Letter Y
In this lesson, we will learn about all the sounds of the letter Y. It is the twenty-fifth and penultimate letter of the English alphabet. Join me, will ya?
Y is the twenty-fifth and the sixth (or seventh if including W) semi-vowel letter of the English alphabet.
Semi-vowels are sounds between consonants and vowels that are pronounced with some restriction in the vocal tract.
| Uppercase Form | Y |
|---|---|
| Lowercase | y |
| Name | wye (pronounced /ˈwaɪ/) |
| Sounds | /j/, /i/, /aɪ/, /ɪ/ |
The Letter Y: Sounds
Common Sounds
The letter Y has four sounds:
Sound 1: /j/
The letter 'y' sounds /j/ before vowels, so 'y' is a consonant here:
be
law
can
Sound 2: /i/
'y' as a vowel, at the end of a word, sounds /i/:
bod
pon
happ
Sound 3: /aɪ/
'y' as a vowel sounds /aɪ/:
sk
Jul
c
t
Sound 4: /ɪ/
The letter 'y' also sounds /ɪ/ mainly in the middle of words, so it is a vowel:
m
cr
p
m
The Letter Y: Combinations
'Y' can be combined with other letters, mainly consonants.
Consonant + Y + Consonant
If 'y' precedes and follows a consonant, it sounds /aɪ/:
ye
'ye' sounds /aɪ/:
b
r
d
The Letter Y: Use
'Y' can be used as
An adjectival suffix in English morphology
A person, a number, an influence, etc. that is not known or not named, like
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