either
determinerOne or the other of two things or people.
conjunctionUsed with 'or' to show two choices or possibilities.
adverbAlso; as well.
Syllables
2 syllables
Letters
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: EI says long E
EI can say the long E sound /iː/, often after C, like in 'ceiling' and 'receive'.
EI says long E /iː/ in the 'i before e except after c' set: ceiling, receive, deceive, conceive, seize. (EI says long A /eɪ/ in vein, rein, eight.)
Tip
I before E, except after C — ceiling, receive!
Examples
Phonics Rule: TH Digraph (Voiced)
TH can make a buzzy sound /ð/, like in 'this' and 'the'. You can feel your throat vibrate!
The voiced TH /ð/ is the vibrating version. Put your hand on your throat — you can feel it buzz. This sound appears in very common words like 'the', 'this', 'that', 'they'.
Tip
Voiced TH buzzes — this, that, the!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Suffix -ER
Adding -ER can mean 'more' (bigger) or 'a person who' (teacher).
The suffix -er has two main uses: comparative ('big' → 'bigger' = more big) and agent ('teach' → 'teacher' = a person who teaches).
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.