What does a grapheme represent?

A grapheme represents a written representation of a sound using one or more letters, making the answer accurate. Graphemes are the smallest units of written language and can include individual letters, such as 'a' or 'b', as well as combinations of letters, like 'sh' in 'shut' or 'ea' in 'bread'. This foundational understanding is crucial in early education, as it connects phonemic awareness (the sounds of spoken language) with the written form of those sounds, fostering literacy development.

In contrast, other options do not accurately define a grapheme. A numerical value pertains to numbers rather than sounds or letters. An auditory sound made by speech refers to phonemes, which are the sounds themselves, rather than their written forms. A visual image of a word describes the overall appearance of a word but does not capture the specific written representation of sounds, which is the essence of a grapheme.