chalk
nounA soft white powder made from limestone, used for writing and drawing.
nounA stick of this powder used for writing on a blackboard.
verbTo write or draw something using chalk.
verbTo rub chalk on something to stop it slipping, like on your hands before climbing.
nounA white powder put on land to help plants grow.
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: CH Digraph
C and H together make a new sound: /tʃ/, like in 'chop' and 'much'.
When C and H are together, they don't say /k/ + /h/. They make a completely new sound: /tʃ/. This is called a digraph — two letters making one sound.
Tip
CH — choo choo goes the train!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Short A
The letter A makes a short sound, like in 'cat' and 'bat'.
When the letter A appears in a closed syllable (a syllable that ends with a consonant), it usually makes the short A sound /æ/. This is one of the first vowel sounds students learn.
Tip
A says /æ/ like a cat that sat on a mat.
Examples
Phonics Rule: LK End Blend
LK at the end of a syllable blends /l/ and /k/ together, like in 'milk', 'silk', and 'bulk'.
LK is an end blend where the lateral /l/ leads into the velar stop /k/.
Tip
LK silks at the end — milk, silk, bulk!
Examples
What is SnapPhonics?
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