muscle
nounBody tissue that can get tight and loose to make your body move.
nounA single part of your body made of the tissue that helps you move.
nounStrong, big muscles that you can see on someone's body.
nounPower or strength to do something.
verbTo push or force your way through something using strength.
Syllables
2 syllables
Letters
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: Letter 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: Short U
The letter U makes a short sound, like in 'cup' and 'bus'.
When the letter U appears in a closed syllable, it usually makes the short U sound /ʌ/. This sounds like 'uh'.
Tip
U says /ʌ/ like 'uh-oh, what's up?'
Examples
Phonics Rule: Soft SC says /s/
Before E, I, or Y, the SC says just /s/ — the C is soft, like in 'scene' and 'science'.
When SC comes before E, I, or Y, the C goes soft and SC says /s/ (scene, science, scent, scissors, descend). Before other letters SC says /sk/ (scan, score, school). A few words like 'muscle' also have a silent C in SC.
Tip
SC before E, I, Y is soft — you hear /s/ in the science scene!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Letter 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: Schwa
In unstressed syllables, vowels often make a lazy 'uh' sound called schwa, like the A in 'about'.
Schwa /ə/ is the most common vowel sound in English. Any vowel letter can make the schwa sound when it's in an unstressed syllable. It sounds like a quick, lazy 'uh'.
Tip
Schwa is lazy — any vowel can say 'uh' when it's not stressed!
Examples
What is SnapPhonics?
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