What defines a grapheme?

A grapheme is indeed defined as the smallest part of written language that represents a phoneme, which is the basic sound unit in a language. This means that graphemes convey meaning and sound through their written representation. For example, in English, the letter "b" is a grapheme that corresponds to the phoneme /b/.

The primary function of a grapheme is to serve as a building block of written language, linking the visual symbols we see on the page with the sounds we create when we speak. This connection is fundamental in literacy education, helping learners understand how to decode written words into sounds and thus read them correctly.

The other options pertain to different elements of language and literacy. A group of words refers to phrases or clauses, which do not define the smallest written units. Phonemic awareness is the understanding of individual sounds in spoken language, which relates to but is distinct from graphemes as it does not involve the written components. A reading comprehension technique typically involves strategies to understand and interpret text rather than defining individual written symbols.