Letter A: Sounds, Words and How to Write It
A is the first letter of the English alphabet. It is the very first letter, and B comes after it. A is a vowel. The capital (uppercase) letter is A and the small (lowercase) letter is a.
How to write it · Sounds · Words · Printable sheet · Quiz · FAQ
Last updated: October 2026
Letter A at a Glance
| Position | 1st of 26 letters |
|---|---|
| Type | Vowel |
| Uppercase and lowercase | A a |
| Comes between | (start) and B |
| Main sounds | short a, long a, ah |
| Strokes to write it | Capital A: 3 · small a: 1 |
How to Write Capital A and Small a
Follow the numbers: start each stroke at its numbered dot and move in the direction of the arrow. The blue top line, dashed middle line and red bottom line match the lines on handwriting paper.
Capital A (3 strokes)
- Start at the top. Draw a slanted line down to the left.
- Go back to the top. Draw a slanted line down to the right.
- Draw a short line across the middle to join the two sides.
Small a (1 stroke)
- Start just below the middle line. Curve up, around to the left and down, like a small c.
- Close the circle back where you started.
- Without lifting your pencil, draw a short straight line down on the right side.
Small a is a short letter: it sits between the dashed middle line and the bottom line, like a, c and o.
Common mix-up: Lowercase a can look like o or d. Check for the little straight line on the right side, which is short (not tall like d).
Practice by tracing in the letter tracing game, then on paper with the Alphabet Tracing and Lowercase Letter Tracing worksheets.
Free Printable Letter A Tracing Sheet
Print this one-page sheet for practice at home or in class. Each row starts with a solid model letter, followed by dotted letters to trace, then empty lines to write A and a alone.
What Sound Does A Make?
- short a: the sound at the start of apple and in the middle of cat. Examples: apple, ant, cat, hat.
- long a: A saying its own name. Examples: acorn, cake, rain, play.
- ah: an open sound, as in some words. Examples: father, car, spa.
Words That Start With A
A is for Apple! Here are more A words:
A also appears in the middle or at the end of words: cat, hat, banana, cake, bag.
Interesting Facts About A
- The capital A comes from an ancient symbol that showed the head of an ox. Turn A upside down and you can still imagine the horns.
- A is a word all by itself, as in "a cat".
Quick Quiz: Letter A
Answer each question, then tap it to check.
Which letter comes right after A?
B. A is the first letter, so it has no letter before it.
Which word starts with the short a sound: apple, egg or orange?
Apple. Egg starts with E and orange starts with O.
Is A a vowel or a consonant?
A vowel. The vowels are A, E, I, O and U.
Activities for Parents and Teachers
In the Classroom
Ask children to find objects in the classroom that start with A, like an apple or an art supply. Build an "A is for..." wall display together, adding a new picture each time someone spots one.
At Home
Go on an A scavenger hunt around the house — look for an apple, an arrow, or anything else that starts with A. Say each word slowly, stretching out the beginning sound so your child can hear it clearly.
Tips
Parents: Practice tracing letter A with a finger in sand, shaving cream, or on a steamy window before moving to pencil and paper — it keeps the motion playful and low-pressure.
Teachers: Pair the letter A with a related craft, like an apple-stamp painting, so children connect the letter's shape to a real object they can hold.
Frequently Asked Questions
What number letter is A in the alphabet?
A is the first letter of the 26-letter English alphabet. It is the very first letter, and B comes after it.
Is A a vowel or a consonant?
A is a vowel. The five vowels are A, E, I, O and U. Every English word has at least one vowel sound, and vowels can make short and long sounds.
What sound does the letter A make?
A makes these sounds: short a as in apple; long a as in acorn; ah as in father.
How do you write a small a?
Start just below the middle line. Curve up, around to the left and down, like a small c. Close the circle back where you started. Without lifting your pencil, draw a short straight line down on the right side. Small a is a short letter: it sits between the dashed middle line and the bottom line, like a, c and o.
What are some words that start with A?
Words that start with A include apple, ant, alligator, airplane, arm, acorn.
Why is A the first letter of the alphabet?
The order of our alphabet goes back thousands of years to the alphabets that Latin came from, and the letter that became A was already first in those ancient alphabets.
Summary
A is the first letter of the alphabet and is a vowel. Its main sounds are short a, long a, ah. Capital A takes 3 strokes and small a takes 1. Next, learn the letter B.