Phonic awareness is best described by which of the following capabilities?

Phonic awareness is fundamentally the ability to recognize and interact with the sounds that make up spoken language. This encompasses critical skills such as hearing, identifying, and manipulating sounds in words, which are essential for developing reading and writing abilities. For instance, when a child can recognize that the word "cat" consists of three distinct sounds (/k/, /æ/, and /t/), it highlights their awareness of phonemes, the basic units of sound in language.

The other options do not capture the essence of phonemic awareness. Spelling involves the visual representation of sounds but does not necessarily indicate an understanding of the sounds themselves. Reading with expression pertains more to fluency and comprehension than to phonics skills. Writing coherent sentences relies on grammar and vocabulary rather than sound manipulation. Thus, the correct identification of phonemic awareness ties directly back to the ability to engage with and manipulate the sounds present in spoken language.