clown
PronouncedKLOWN
nounA performer in a circus who wears funny clothes, a red nose, and face paint to make people laugh.
verbTo act in a silly or funny way.
nounA person who behaves in a silly or foolish way.
nounA small colorful fish that lives in sea anemones.
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: CL Blend
Sound“kl”·/kl/
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: OW Diphthong
Sound“ow”·/aʊ/
OW sometimes makes the “ow” sound, like in 'cow' and 'how'.
OW can make the “ow” diphthong sound (like 'cow') or the long O sound “oh” (like 'snow'). The “ow” sound is more common before N, L, and D.
Tip
OW — ow! The cow says ow!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Letter N
Sound“n”·/n/
The letter N makes the /n/ sound, like in 'net', 'nap', and 'nut'. The tongue tip touches behind the upper teeth.
N is a voiced alveolar nasal — the tongue tip touches the ridge behind the upper teeth while voice hums through the nose. It is one of the most common consonants in English.
Tip
N hums through the nose — say /n/ and feel the buzz!
Examples
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