cough
verbTo push air from your lungs through your mouth with a sudden, loud sound, usually to clear your throat.
nounA sudden, loud sound that comes from your lungs when you push air out through your mouth.
nounAn illness that makes you cough again and again.
verbTo force something out of your lungs or throat by coughing.
verbTo make a sound that is like a cough.
Syllables
1 syllable
Letters
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: OUGH Pattern
OUGH can make many different sounds — it must be learned word by word.
OUGH is one of the most irregular patterns in English. There is no rule that predicts which sound a given OUGH word uses, so the rule card shows each variant alongside an example word you can tap to hear. Each word must be memorized.
Tip
OUGH is tricky — listen to each variant and learn the words individually.
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.