Letter O
O is a vowel. It says ah, as in Owl.
The otter has an orange.
Words that start with O
Tap a picture to hear the word.
How to write O
Start at the top and go round to the left, all the way round, back to where you started. O is a closed circle.
Shape in short: Single continuous elliptical oval drawn counter-clockwise.
Practise tracingFind every O and o
Tap the letters that match. Careful, some look alike!
Find 4 letters to win.
Watch out!
O and Q look alike, but Q has a little tail. O and C look alike too, but O is closed.
Fun fact
The letter O is the same shape as your mouth when you say its name.
Quick quiz
Secret codes for O
For big kids who love puzzles.
Teaching the letter O
Objective: children can name O and o, say its sound (ah, as in Owl), form it correctly and spot it in words.
- Say it: show the letter, say its sound clearly and have children copy you. Use the sound, not the name, to start.
- Hear it: say the words octopus, orange, otter, olive. Children clap when they hear the sound at the start.
- See it: point out the capital and small partner, Oo.
- Write it: model the strokes in the air, then on paper. Start at the top and go round to the left, all the way round, back to where you started. O is a closed circle.
- Use it: read the sentence together: "The otter has an orange."
Common mix-ups
O and Q look alike, but Q has a little tail. O and C look alike too, but O is closed.
Support and stretch
- Support: use sand or a finger on the table before pencil.
- Stretch: ask for a new word that begins with O in it, or spot O in a sentence.
Curriculum links (best guesses, please check)
- UK: Letters and Sounds, Phase 2, set 3. EYFS Literacy: word reading and writing.
- US: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1.D (name upper and lowercase letters) and RF.K.3.A (letter-sound correspondence).
Phonics order varies between schools and schemes. Match it to yours.
Helping at home with O
Your child is learning to recognise O and o, hear the sound ah, as in Owl, and write the letter. Little and often works best: 5 to 10 minutes is plenty.
Say it the way school does
Teachers use pure sounds, so try not to add "uh" on the end. Say ah, as in Owl as short and crisp as you can.
Five easy ideas
- Go on a letter hunt: spot O on cereal boxes, signs and books.
- Write O in a tray of rice, sand or shaving foam.
- Make it with play dough or draw it huge with chalk outside.
- Find things that start with O in the name: octopus, orange, otter, olive.
- Read "The otter has an orange." together and let your child point to the O.
If your child mixes up letters that look alike, that is very normal at this age. O and Q look alike, but Q has a little tail. O and C look alike too, but O is closed.
Questions about the letter O
What sound does the letter O make?
The letter O makes the sound ah, as in Owl. Try saying it with a friend, then find three things in the room that start with that sound.
How do you write the letter O?
Start at the top and go round to the left, all the way round, back to where you started. O is a closed circle.
What words start with O?
Some easy words that start with O are octopus, orange, otter, olive. The otter has an orange.
Is O a vowel or a consonant?
O is a vowel. The vowels are A, E, I, O and U, and every word needs at least one.