English Grammar Class 1 Vowels and Consonants - PDF

In today’s lesson, we will discuss Consonants and Vowels. A consonant is any speaking sound that is not a vowel. It also refers to the alphabetic letters that stand in for certain sounds; consonants include Z, B, T, G, and H.

Introduction to Grammar

• There are 26 letters in the English alphabet. Out of 26 five are Vowels.  And Consonants make up the remaining 21 letters.

• Vowels: A, E, I, O, U

• Vowel-Containing Words: Cow, Pencil, Umbrella, Book, etc.

• Consonants: B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y, Z

• Examples: Consonants present in the word Bag are ‘B’ and ‘g’. Similarly in the word Notebook, ‘N’, ‘t’, ‘b’, and ‘k’ are consonants.

Activity: You notice that when you say “AAA”, your mouth is open. There! You just uttered a vowel. A vowel is a letter, standing in for an open sound.

• The English language has six vowels: a, e, i o, u, and occasionally y. 

• Y can function as a consonant or a vowel depending on the context, as in the word story or yes. Vowels are a representation of open, frictionless vocal sounds.

• The Latin phrase little vocalis, or "vocal letter," from the root word vox, or "voice," is the source of the Old French voyeur, from which the word vowel is derived. 

Consonants

Consonants

• An English consonant is a letter (sound) that is not a vowel.

• There are 21 consonants in the English language.

• Examples: In the word Blanket, the letters ‘B’, ‘l’, ‘n’, ‘k’, and ‘t’ are consonants while ‘a’, and ‘e’ are vowels.

A word is made up of vowels and consonants, while a sentence is made up of a group of words.

The following are a few examples of a sentence:

• Don’t freeze the fresh fruit.

• The big plane flew at night.

• I saw a rainbow.

• I want a new pencil.

• The dogs are barking.

Vowels

Vowels

• vowel “A”

short sound: Apple, Cat

long sound: Cake, Bake

• vowel “E” 

Short sound: Jet, net

Long sound: feet, leaf

• Vowel “I”

Short sound: fish, pit

Long sound: kite, idle

• Vowel “o”

Short sound: clock, ought

Long sound: rope, coke

• vowel “U”

Short sound: sun

Long sound: cute, umbrella

Consonants and Vowels Differences 

Consonants and Vowels

Difficult Word Meanings:

Summary

In this chapter, we have learned about vowels and consonants. There are twenty-six alphabets in the English language and out of 26 five are vowels and the remaining 21 are consonants. Consonants carry the intention and the message, while vowels transmit the passion. Most people either have more significant vowels or more significant consonants. However, in order to properly use the vowels and consonants, you must exercise the tongue's muscles. Speech is simpler to hear when it is clear, crisp, and comprehensible thanks to consonant sounds. Vowels are more difficult to learn than consonants. Each consonant sound is typically pronounced only once. Vowels play a significant role in our language. We wouldn't be able to speak or sing without them. They are crucial for acquiring English reading and writing skills.

Practice Questions

Identify the given vowel words.

1. Fish

2. Eyes

3. Apple

Identify the given consonant words.

4. Sitting

5. Stopped

6. Drop

Answers

1. The vowel in the word Fish is “ i”.

2. The vowel in the word Eyes is “e”.

3. The vowels in the word Apple are  “a”, “e”.

4. The consonants in the word Sitting are “s”, “t”, “n”, “g”.

5. The consonants in the word Stopped are “s”, “t”, “p”, “d”.

6. The consonants in the word Drop are “d”, “r”, “p”.

Importance of Learning Vowels and Consonants for Class 1

The way we pronounce words depends greatly on our understanding of the concept of vowels and consonants.

• Consonants and vowels are an integral part of the English language. In our daily lives, we constantly pronounce words that are a combination of vowels and consonants; hence, it is vital to know their difference.

• The vowels are often pronounced differently in different words in the English language, which could cause confusion, especially for kids. They will not have problems getting proper pronunciations if they get their basics right.

• By learning the use of vowels in English grammar, kids also enhance their vocabulary and improve their communication skills.

• Excellent speaking skills in the English language can only be achieved if you have a proper understanding of vowels and consonants.

Examples of Vowels and Consonants in English Grammar Class 1

In the chapter on consonants and vowels for Class 1, students will get to practise the following types of exercises:

• Fill in the blanks with the proper vowel to form meaningful words:

• C_w.

• B_ll.

• K_te.

• _l_ph_nt.

• G_rl.

• B_y.

• Find the consonants in the following words:

• School

• Friday

• May

• Flag

• Table

• Chair

• Fill in the blanks with appropriate consonants to form meaningful words:

• Ca_el.

• Ta_le.

• Co_k.

• _ul_.

• _row.

• From the below word puzzle, find out a minimum of two words that have the same vowel sound of each of the vowels a, e, i, o, u.

• Use long vowel words to complete the following words:

• F_ _ t

• R _ _ t.

• T _ _ th.

• G _ _ se.

• B _ _ k.

• F _ _ l.

• Mention the number of vowels in each word listed below:

• Cheerful

• Undo

• Beware

• Mango

• Sweet 

Important Facts about Vowels and Consonants in English Grammar

• There are 26 letters in the English alphabet system out of which only five are vowels, i.e., a, e, i, o, u.

• Consonants and vowels pair to produce different sounds.

• Vowels are different from consonants as they are pronounced with our mouths open. For example, when we pronounce the letter “e”, only the mouth opens but our lips, tongue, and teeth do not move.

• Consonants are pronounced by moving different parts of our mouths such as lips, teeth, or tongue. For instance, when we pronounce the letter “l”, we have to move our lips to touch our palate.

• The letter Y can sometimes be counted as a vowel for example in words like sky, lovely, thyme, etc.

• Every vowel has more than one sound or it can be silent without any sound.

• The speech sound of vowels is made by humans without constricting the flow of air from the lungs.

• Consonants are formed by constricting the flow of air by our teeth, tongue, or lips.

Grab Your Free Copy of Consonant and Vowel Words for Class 1

If you are looking to score well in your exams, then grab the free PDF of the definition of vowels and consonants for Class 1 prepared by Vedantu’s expert team.

• The PDF contains easy and simple explanations of the vowels and consonants concept along with many exercises in varied forms which helps students grasp the concept smoothly and be stress-free during their exams.

• You can download the PDF on your device so that you can access it from anywhere without even an internet connection.

• If you want to quickly revise the chapter right before your exam, the PDF is also available in a printable format to give you ease of access.

Sometimes, students find difficulty in understanding consonants and vowels and where to use them properly. Top educators of the Vedantu have tried to eliminate the confusion among Class 1 students by giving proper explanation and examples with answers to ensure students have a clear understanding of when and where to use vowels and consonants and the exceptions to the rules.