SnapPhonics

appointment

uh-POYN-tmuhnt/ə.ˈpɔɪn.tmənt/noun
  1. nounA time that you have arranged to meet someone or do something.

  2. nounWhen someone is chosen for a job or position.

  3. nounA job or position that someone has been chosen for.

  4. nounEquipment or furniture in a place.

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Syllables

appointment

3 syllables

Letters

Phonics breakdown

a

Phonics Rule: Schwa

In unstressed syllables, vowels often make a lazy 'uh' sound called schwa, like the A in 'about'.

Schwa /ə/ is the most common vowel sound in English. Any vowel letter can make the schwa sound when it's in an unstressed syllable. It sounds like a quick, lazy 'uh'.

Tip

Schwa is lazy — any vowel can say 'uh' when it's not stressed!

Examples

pp

Phonics Rule: Double Consonant

Two of the same consonant together make just one sound, like the LL in 'ball' or TT in 'butter'.

When two identical consonants appear together, they make just one consonant sound, and the doubling signals a short vowel before it. A common case is the FLOSS rule: a one-syllable word with a short vowel doubles a final f, l, s, or z (off, ball, miss, buzz). Examples: ball, butter, happy, mitten, egg, off.

Tip

Double consonants make one sound — ball, butter, egg!

Examples

oi

Phonics Rule: OI Diphthong

OI makes the /ɔɪ/ sound in the middle of a word, like in 'oil' and 'coin'.

A diphthong is a vowel sound that glides from one sound to another. OI glides from /ɔ/ to /ɪ/. Use OI in the middle of a word and OY at the end.

Tip

OI in the middle — coin and point!

Examples

nt

Phonics Rule: NT End Blend

NT at the end of a syllable blends /n/ and /t/ together, like in 'tent', 'mint', and 'want'.

NT is a very common end blend. The nasal /n/ flows into the stop /t/. In fast speech the /t/ is sometimes barely voiced, but both sounds are present.

Tip

NT tents up at the end — tent, mint, hunt!

Examples

ment

Phonics Rule: Suffix -MENT

The suffix -MENT turns a verb into a noun meaning the result or state of the action.

-MENT is a noun-forming suffix. It is added to verbs (move → movement, enjoy → enjoyment, treat → treatment). The -MENT syllable uses the schwa sound: /mənt/.

Tip

-MENT makes it a thing — move + ment = movement!

Examples

What is SnapPhonics?

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