chew
verbTo crush food with your teeth to make it soft before you swallow it.
nounA sweet that you eat by chewing it.
verbTo think carefully about something.
verbTo bite or tear at something with your teeth.
Syllables
1 syllable
Letters
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: EW says /uː/
EW usually says the 'oo' sound /uː/, like in 'flew' and 'grew'.
The vowel team EW most often makes the pure 'oo' sound /uː/ at the end of a syllable: flew, grew, chew, crew, blew. After some consonants it adds a Y-glide and says /juː/ — see the companion 'EW says /juː/' rule (few, mew, pew).
Tip
EW says oo — flew, grew, chew!
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.
