laughter
PronouncedLAF-ter
nounThe sound someone makes when they think something is funny.
nounThe shaking and smiling movements your face and body make when you find something amusing.
Phonics breakdown
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
Phonics Rule: AU says “a” (laugh, aunt)
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
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
Phonics Rule: Letter T
Sound“t”·/t/
The letter T makes the /t/ sound, like in 'top', 'tap', and 'ten'. The tongue tip taps behind the upper teeth.
T is a voiceless alveolar stop. The tongue tip touches the ridge behind the upper teeth and releases with a puff of air. Double T (tt) makes the same /t/ sound.
Tip
T taps — touch your tongue to make /t/!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Suffix -ER
Sound“er”·/ɜːr/
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.