English is a globally spoken language with roots in the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family. It developed over centuries through influences from Latin, French, Norse, and other languages.
Today, English is spoken by more than 1.5 billion people around the world. It is the official or national language in many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and several Caribbean and African nations.
The English alphabet has 26 letters – 5 vowels and 21 consonants. Each letter comes in uppercase and lowercase forms. English writing also uses a wide range of punctuation and special characters.
Below is the breakdown of all letters and characters used in English.
English Vowel Letters
The English alphabet has 5 vowel letters: a, e, i, o, u. These vowels are essential in forming syllables and words.
English Vowels (Lowercase)
English Vowels (Uppercase)
English Consonant Letters
English has 21 consonant letters. They form the backbone of words along with vowels. Consonant sounds can be voiced or unvoiced, and many have similar sounds in other languages.
English Consonants (Lowercase)
English Consonants (Uppercase)
Special Characters in English
English writing uses a variety of punctuation marks and symbols such as period (.), comma (,), question mark (?), exclamation (!), apostrophe ('), quotation marks ("), and more.
These characters enhance clarity and structure in written English.
Digits in English
English uses the standard Arabic numerals 0–9. These are universally recognized and are used in both mathematics and everyday writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many letters are in English?
There are 26 letters in the English alphabet. Of them, 5 are vowel letters, and the remaining 21 are consonants.
Where is English spoken?
English is spoken in over 100 countries, and it is the official language of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and many others. It is also the dominant language in international communication and diplomacy.
How many people speak English?
English is spoken by around 1.5 billion people worldwide, making it the most widely studied second language on the planet.
