The letter combination “dge” in the English language typically makes one sound. This sound can be heard in words like “badge,” “edge,” and “judge.” Let’s break down the word “badge” to understand the phonemes associated with the letters “dge.”
When we say the word “badge,” we can hear three distinct sounds: /b/ /a/ /j/. The first sound, /b/, is represented by the letter “b” in the word “badge.” The second sound, /a/, is represented by the letter “a.” Lastly, the sound /j/ is represented by the letter combination “dge.”
To further illustrate this, let’s blend the individual phonemes together: /b/ /a/ /j/ = badge.
In this example, the letter combination “dge” functions as a single sound, which is the /j/ sound. It is important to note that the letter “g” is silent in this particular combination, and its purpose is to change the sound of the preceding vowel.
So, in the word “badge,” the letter combination “dge” represents one phoneme, the /j/ sound.