circle
nounA shape made of a curved line where every point is the same distance from the centre.
verbTo draw a line around something to mark or surround it.
nounA group of people who know each other and share interests.
verbTo move around something along a curved path.
nounAny round shape or arrangement that looks like a circle.
nounDark marks or puffiness under the eyes caused by tiredness.
Syllables
2 syllables
Letters
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: Soft C
C says /s/ before E, I, or Y, like in 'city' and 'face'.
When C comes before the letters E, I, or Y, it makes the soft /s/ sound instead of the hard /k/ sound. This is called 'Soft C'.
Tip
C is soft before E, I, Y — the city is nice!
Examples
Phonics Rule: R-Controlled IR
When R comes after I, it makes the /ɜːr/ sound, like in 'bird' and 'first'.
IR makes the same /ɜːr/ sound as ER and UR. There's no difference in pronunciation — only in spelling.
Tip
The bird in a shirt says /ɜːr/!
Examples
Phonics Rule: CL Blend
C and L blend together — you hear both sounds! Like in 'class' and 'clean'.
The blend CL combines /k/ and /l/ spoken quickly together.
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
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