helpless
PronouncedHEHL-pluhs
adjUnable to do anything to change a bad situation.
adjUnable to look after yourself or do things without someone helping you.
adjUnable to stop something from happening.
adjUnable to protect yourself from harm or attack.
Syllables
2 syllables
Letters
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: Letter H
Sound“h”·/h/
The letter H makes the /h/ sound, like in 'hat', 'hop', and 'hen'. It is a soft breath of air.
H is a voiceless glottal fricative — just a puff of air with no friction. It always appears before a vowel and is sometimes silent (as in 'hour' or 'honest').
Tip
H is a puff of air — breathe out and say /h/!
Examples
When the letter E appears in a closed syllable, it usually makes the short E sound “eh”. This is often confused with short I by new readers.
Tip
E says “eh” like an egg on your head.
Examples
Phonics Rule: LP End Blend
Sound“lp”·/lp/
LP at the end of a syllable blends /l/ and /p/ together, like in 'help' and 'gulp'.
LP is an end blend — you hear both the /l/ and the /p/. The tongue makes /l/, then the lips pop for /p/.
Tip
LP blends at the end — help, gulp, yelp!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Suffix -LESS
Sound“liss”·/lɪs/
The suffix -LESS means 'without'. It turns a noun or verb into an adjective.
-LESS means without: helpless = without help, fearless = without fear, careless = without care. It is always pronounced “liss” and never changes the spelling of the base word.
Tip
-LESS means without — helpless means without help!
Examples
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