may
PronouncedMAY
nounThe fifth month of the year, coming after April.
verbTo be allowed to do something.
verbSomething that is possibly true or might happen.
nounA white flower that grows on a hawthorn bush.
nounA girl's name, often a short form of Mary.
"may" does not follow standard phonics patterns and should be memorized.
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: Letter M
Sound“m”·/m/
The letter M makes the /m/ sound, like in 'map', 'mud', and 'mop'. Both lips press together with voice through the nose.
M is a voiced bilabial nasal — both lips press together while the voice hums through the nose. Double M (mm) makes the same /m/ sound.
Tip
M hums like mmm — press your lips and hum!
Examples
Phonics Rule: AY Vowel Team
Sound“ay”·/eɪ/
AY at the end of a word says long A, like in 'play' and 'day'.
The vowel team 'ay' makes the long A sound “ay” and typically appears at the end of a word or syllable. It's the end-of-word partner to 'ai'.
Tip
AY at the end of the day says long A!
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.