onto
prepositionMoves something from one place to another place on top of something, as in 'the cat jumped onto the chair'.
prepositionMeans you have found out about something or someone, as in 'mum is onto my trick'.
Syllables
2 syllables
Letters
Related words (same phonics pattern)
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: Short O
The letter O makes a short sound, like in 'hot' and 'dog'.
When the letter O appears in a closed syllable, it usually makes the short O sound /ɑ/. In American English, this sounds like 'ah'.
Tip
O says /ɑ/ like 'Ahh!' said the doctor.
Examples
Phonics Rule: NT End Blend
NT at the end of a syllable blends /n/ and /t/ together, like in 'tent', 'mint', and 'want'.
NT is a very common end blend. The nasal /n/ flows into the stop /t/. In fast speech the /t/ is sometimes barely voiced, but both sounds are present.
Tip
NT tents up at the end — tent, mint, hunt!
Examples
Phonics Rule: O says /uː/
In a few little words the single O says 'oo', like in 'do', 'who', and 'to'.
Usually O says its short or long sound, but in a small set of common words a lone O makes the 'oo' sound /uː/ instead — do, who, to, two, into, onto, tomb, womb. These words are learned by heart.
Tip
Who will do it? O says oo!
Examples
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