column
nounA tall upright post that holds up a roof or the top part of a building.
nounA vertical line of words or numbers in a table that you read from top to bottom.
nounA line of soldiers or vehicles moving along a road one behind the other.
nounA piece of writing that goes down the page in a newspaper or magazine, next to other pieces of writing.
nounA regular piece of writing in a newspaper or magazine by the same person about the same subject.
nounA tall tube-shaped part of a skeleton, such as the backbone.
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: Hard C
C makes the /k/ sound before A, O, U, or a consonant, like in 'cat' and 'cup'.
The letter C makes the hard /k/ sound when followed by A, O, U, or a consonant. This is the default C sound. Examples: cat, cup, coat, cold, crab, class.
Tip
C says K before A, O, U — cat, cup, coat!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Short O
The letter O makes a short sound, like in 'hot' and 'dog'.
When the letter O appears in a closed syllable, it usually makes the short O sound /ɑ/. In American English, this sounds like 'ah'.
Tip
O says /ɑ/ like 'Ahh!' said the doctor.
Examples
Phonics Rule: Letter L
The letter L makes the /l/ sound, like in 'lamp', 'leg', and 'lip'. The tongue tip touches behind the upper teeth.
L is a voiced lateral approximant — the tongue tip touches the ridge behind the upper teeth while air flows around the sides. Double L (ll) makes the same /l/ sound.
Tip
L is for lamp — light it up with /l/!
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: Silent N in MN
In MN at the end of a word, the N is silent! You only say /m/, like in 'autumn' and 'column'.
When MN appears at the end of a word, the N is silent. You only pronounce the M. Examples: autumn, column, hymn, solemn, condemn.
Tip
N is silent at the end — say the M in autumn!
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.