Which term refers to the use of knowledge of letter-sound and sound/letter relations to predict and confirm reading?

• A. Phonology
• B. Phonemic awareness
• C. Phonics
• D. Phonological cues

Answer: (D)

Phonics is about how letters map to sounds and how those sound-letter relationships help you read. When you know that certain letters represent particular sounds, you can predict how a word should sound from its spelling and then confirm it by blending the sounds together. This decoding process lets you read unfamiliar words by using letter-sound correspondences.

Phonology deals with the system of sounds in a language as a whole, not specifically with letters. Phonemic awareness focuses on hearing and manipulating sounds in spoken language, without referencing written letters. “Phonological cues” isn’t a standard term used for linking reading to letter sounds.