architectures
nounThe art and science of designing and building structures like houses and bridges.
nounA particular style or way of designing buildings.
nounThe way something is built or put together, including its frame and materials.
nounThe overall structure and design of a system or product.
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: R-Controlled AR
When R comes after A, it changes the sound to /ɑːr/, like in 'car' and 'star'.
When A is followed by R, the R 'bosses' the vowel and changes its sound. Instead of short A or long A, you hear /ɑːr/. R-controlled vowels are sometimes called 'Bossy R'.
Tip
Bossy R takes the car to the farm!
Examples
Phonics Rule: CH Digraph (/k/ sound)
In some words from Greek, CH makes the /k/ sound, like in 'chorus' and 'chemistry'.
When CH comes from a Greek-origin word, it says /k/ instead of /tʃ/. Common examples include words related to music (chorus, chord), science (chemistry, chrome), and character. These words must be learned.
Tip
CH in Greek words sounds like K — chemistry, chorus, character!
Examples
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
Phonics Rule: Letter T
The letter T makes the /t/ sound, like in 'top', 'tap', and 'ten'. The tongue tip taps behind the upper teeth.
T is a voiceless alveolar stop. The tongue tip touches the ridge behind the upper teeth and releases with a puff of air. Double T (tt) makes the same /t/ sound.
Tip
T taps — touch your tongue to make /t/!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Short E
The letter E makes a short sound, like in 'bed' and 'red'.
When the letter E appears in a closed syllable, it usually makes the short E sound /ɛ/. This is often confused with short I by new readers.
Tip
E says /ɛ/ like an egg on your head.
Examples
Phonics Rule: CT End Blend
CT at the end of a syllable blends /k/ and /t/ together, like in 'act' and 'fact'.
CT is an end blend — both sounds are heard. The back of the tongue makes /k/, then the tip taps /t/.
Tip
CT blends at the end — act, fact, insect!
Examples
Phonics Rule: R-Controlled UR
When R comes after U, it makes the /ɜːr/ sound, like in 'turn' and 'burn'.
UR makes the same /ɜːr/ sound as ER and IR. It's the least common of the three spellings.
Tip
The nurse with fur says /ɜːr/!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Suffix -ES
The suffix -ES is added to words ending in S, X, Z, CH, or SH to make them plural or third-person singular.
When a word ends in a hissing or buzzing sound (s, x, z, ch, sh), adding just -S would be hard to say. So -ES is added instead and pronounced /ɪz/ — it adds a syllable. For example: box → boxes, wish → wishes, buzz → buzzes.
Tip
-ES adds a whole extra syllable — box-es, wish-es!
Examples
What is SnapPhonics?
A phonics reference for teachers, parents and learners. Every English word, broken into the sounds that make it — with audio, syllables, and the rule behind each spelling.
Save words to study lists, build flashcard decks, and scan your own worksheets and books.