SnapPhonics

laughed

PronouncedLAFT

/ˈlæft/verb
  1. verbMade the sounds and movements that show you find something funny or amusing.

  2. verbMade fun of someone or something in a mean or unkind way.

  3. verbSaid something while laughing.

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Syllables

laughed

1 syllable

Letters

Base word

laugh

Related words (same phonics pattern)

Phonics breakdown

l

Phonics Rule: Letter L

Sound“l”·/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

Sound“a”·/æ/

In a few words AU says short A “a” instead of “aw” — 'laugh' rhymes with 'staff'.

AU almost always says “aw” (author, autumn, because, sauce). A small group of words says short A “a” instead: laugh, laughter, aunt and draught. In laugh and draught the GH says /f/, so laugh is simply “laf”. These are worth learning by sight — the spelling gives no clue.

Tip

Laugh rhymes with staff — not with sauce!

Examples

gh

Phonics Rule: GH as /f/

Sound“f”·/f/

Sometimes GH makes the /f/ sound, like in 'laugh' and 'laughter'.

In some words, GH makes the /f/ sound at the end of words or syllables. Examples: enough, rough, tough, cough, laugh. These must be memorized.

Tip

GH laughs with an /f/ — enough, rough, laugh!

Examples

ed

Phonics Rule: Suffix -ED (/d/ sound)

Sound“d”·/d/

After voiced sounds like /b/, /g/, /n/, -ED says /d/, like in 'played' and 'named'.

After voiced consonants and vowels, -ed says /d/. The E is silent.

Tip

After a buzzy sound, -ED says /d/!

Examples

What is SnapPhonics?

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