The ch and tch Digraphs

Read the /ch/ sound spelled ch at the start and often tch after a short vowel.

The letters c and h together make /ch/, like a train going 'choo choo'. You hear it in 'chin', 'chop', and 'much'. There is also a three-letter spelling: tch. The t is silent and just helps out.

We often use tch at the end of a word right after a short vowel, as in 'catch', 'itch', and 'fetch'. Read 'match': /m/ /a/ /ch/. Three sounds, five letters!

A few common words break the pattern, like 'much', 'such', and 'rich', so learn those by heart.

• 1c and h together say /ch/.
• 2tch also says /ch/; the t is silent.
• 3tch often comes right after a short vowel.