Grapheme
/ˈɡræfiːm/noun
A grapheme is the smallest unit in a writing system that represents a sound in a language.
Each letter in the English alphabet is a grapheme.
Often appears as...
- grapheme recognition
- grapheme mapping
Usage tips
Neutral
letter, symbol, character
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Understanding Sounds
A grapheme relates to phonemes, showing how written symbols correlate to sounds.
In English, the grapheme 'c' can represent the sounds /k/ in 'cat' or /s/ in 'cell'.
Pro Tip 2/3Educational Context
Recognizing graphemes is key in learning to read and write.
Teachers often focus on grapheme identification in early literacy instruction.
Pro Tip 3/3Common Mistakes
Confusing graphemes with phonemes
Remember that graphemes are written units, whereas phonemes are sounds.
Compare with
graphemephonemicalphabetdiacriticsyllable
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