The letter W: listen, repeat, and write
Whale · حوت
Letter name: دبليو · Letter sound: وْ /w/
How to say the letter W
Round the lips as if to whistle, then open them with voice: 'w'. Like the Arabic waw in walad.
In phonics we teach the sound of a letter before its name, because the sound is what the child uses when reading. The name of W is "دبليو" in Arabic script, but when we read Whale we hear the sound /w/.
Words that start with W
Tap a word to hear it, then repeat it with your child
Short sentence
The whale is in the water.
الحوت في الماء.
Trace the letter Ww
Write with your finger or mouse over the faded letter, then try the small letter
Letter W worksheets to print
Trace capital W
Dotted tracing rows for capital W with a Whale picture.
Trace small w
Dotted tracing rows for small w on handwriting lines.
Picture and word
Ww with a Whale picture and words that start with the letter to read, trace and colour.
Colour the letter W
Big outline capital and small letters to colour with the word Whale.
Find and circle W
A grid of mixed letters: find capital W and small w and circle them.
Which words start with W?
8 words in English and Arabic: colour the star next to the words that start with the W sound.
Tip for parents and teachers
The letter name 'double-u' is long and confusing, so focus on its sound 'w' and link it to whale and water.
What comes after W?
FAQ about the letter W
How is the letter W pronounced?
The letter name is "W". Its reading (phonics) sound is /w/, closest to the Arabic حرف الواو (و). Round the lips as if to whistle, then open them with voice: 'w'. Like the Arabic waw in walad.
What is the difference between the name and the sound of W?
We use the name when spelling, but the sound is what we hear at the start of Whale. In phonics we teach the sound first because it is what the child needs to read words.
Which words start with W for kids?
Whale (حوت), Water (ماء), Window (نافذة), Watch (ساعة يد), Wolf (ذئب). Listen to each one on this page.
How do I teach my child the letter W at home?
The letter name 'double-u' is long and confusing, so focus on its sound 'w' and link it to whale and water. Then print the free tracing sheet and write capital W and small w together.