The Letter D Sound
Related Pages
Phonic Sounds
English for Kids
These lessons, with videos and songs, help Kindergarten kids learn how to pronounce the letter d.
Learning the Sounds of the Letter “D”
The letter D represents the sound /d/, which is a voiced consonant. It’s a common sound that occurs at the beginning, middle, or end of many English words.
When and Where “D” is Found in Words
-
Beginning of Words
The sound /d/ often appears at the start of words.
Examples: dog, duck, dance, door, dirt -
Middle of Words
The sound appears between vowels or consonants.
Examples: candle, ladder, window, reading -
End of Words
It is common at the end of words, creating a crisp stop.
Examples: bed, sad, kid, bird
The following diagram shows some examples of words that have the d sound. Scroll down the page for more examples and songs to help you learn how to pronounce words with the d sound.
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Part 1: Phonemic Awareness (Start vs. End)
This section helps children build auditory isolation skills. They need to hear where the sound lives in a word.
Warm-Up: Before starting, practice the /d/ sound together. Emphasize that it is a “stop sound” made by tapping the tip of the tongue behind the front teeth.
The Activity: Point to each image in the grid one by one.
- Have the child say the word out loud: “DOG."
- Ask them to exaggerate the /d/ sound: “Did you hear it at the very beginning (D-og) or at the very end?”
- Have them use a crayon, marker, or stamper to color in or check the START or END box.
Answer Key for Your Reference:
🐕 DOG: START
🛏️ BED: END
🦆 DUCK: START
✋ HAND: END
🪑 DESK: START
☁️ CLOUD: END
Part 2: Phonics & Handwriting (Trace and Write)
This section bridges the gap between hearing the sound and writing the letter symbol ($d$). It also highlights that $d$ can appear at the beginning or end of written words.
Watch for Reversals: Young learners frequently confuse lowercase b and d.
The Activity:
- Have the child identify the picture (e.g., 🦌 DEER) and trace the dotted letter d with a pencil.
- Read the full word together while tracking with a finger.
- On the blank line (______), have them try to write the entire word independently, copying the letters they just looked at.
Quick Tips for Success
Keep it Oral First: If a child is struggling with Part 1, say the words for them and stretch the sounds out: “d-d-d-uck” vs “be-d-d-d”.
Incorporate Touch: For kids struggling to trace, have them trace the letter with their index finger on the paper before using a pencil.
Writing the letter D
Free worksheets to help students practice writing the letter D and the Alphabet.
Letter d Worksheet (lower case)
Letter D Worksheet (upper case)
Write Lower Case Letters
Write Upper Case Letters
Some words have the silent D
Learn about the silent D
Phonics Letter - D Song
Learn some words starting with the Letter D - Dolphin, Deer, Dance, Drive, Draw, Desk, Daughter, Down, Duck, Dog, Difficult, and Dinner.
The Letter D Song - Learn the Alphabet
Some words starting with the Letter D.
Letter D sound
How to make the “D” sound?
Learn words that contain the D consonant.
The Letter D Song
The D Song
Alphabet Letters - D is for Dragons! And Donuts!
Learn the sound of the letters
Learning Short Vowels
| Short Vowels | ||
|---|---|---|
| Short A | Short E | Short I |
| Short O | Short U | Short Vowels |
Learning Long Vowels
| Long Vowels | ||
|---|---|---|
| Long A | Long E | Long I |
| Long O | Long U | Y (vowel) |
| Long Vowels | Short & Long Vowels | |
Compare Short & Long Vowels
| Short & Long Vowels | ||
|---|---|---|
| Short & Long A | Short & Long E | Short & Long I |
| Short & Long O | Short & Long U | |
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