Which statement describes the letter 'c' in phonics?

Which statement describes the letter 'c' in phonics?

• A. The letter 'c' is silent in most words.
• B. The letter 'c' can represent different sounds depending on the following letters.
• C. The letter 'c' always makes the /k/ sound.
• D. The letter 'c' only represents the /s/ sound before vowels.

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that a single letter can make more than one sound, and we figure out which sound to hear from c by looking at the letters that come after it. Before e, i, or y, the letter c usually says the soft /s/ sound, as in city or cent. Before a, o, or u, it usually says the hard /k/ sound, as in cat or cup. There are exceptions and occasional silent cases, but the pattern beginners rely on is that c can represent different sounds depending on the following letters. So describing c as only ever making the /s/ sound before vowels isn’t accurate, because it often makes /k/ as well. The strongest general description is that c can produce different sounds based on what follows.

The main idea is that a single letter can make more than one sound, and we figure out which sound to hear from c by looking at the letters that come after it. Before e, i, or y, the letter c usually says the soft /s/ sound, as in city or cent. Before a, o, or u, it usually says the hard /k/ sound, as in cat or cup. There are exceptions and occasional silent cases, but the pattern beginners rely on is that c can represent different sounds depending on the following letters. So describing c as only ever making the /s/ sound before vowels isn’t accurate, because it often makes /k/ as well. The strongest general description is that c can produce different sounds based on what follows.