SnapPhonics

roughly

RUHF-lee/ˈrʌf.liː/adverb
  1. advAbout or close to a number, but not exact.

  2. advIn a way that is not gentle or kind.

  3. advIn an uneven or bumpy way.

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Syllables

roughly

2 syllables

Letters

Base word

rough

Related words (same phonics pattern)

Phonics breakdown

r

Phonics Rule: Letter R

The letter R makes the /r/ sound, like in 'run', 'red', and 'rope'. The tongue curls back slightly.

R is a voiced approximant. The tongue curls back or bunches up without touching the roof of the mouth. When R follows a vowel it changes that vowel's sound (r-controlled vowels).

Tip

R is for run — /r/ with a curl of the tongue!

Examples

ough

Phonics Rule: OUGH Pattern

OUGH can make many different sounds — it must be learned word by word.

OUGH is one of the most irregular patterns in English. There is no rule that predicts which sound a given OUGH word uses, so the rule card shows each variant alongside an example word you can tap to hear. Each word must be memorized.

Tip

OUGH is tricky — listen to each variant and learn the words individually.

Examples

ly

Phonics Rule: Suffix -LY

Adding -LY to a word usually makes it describe HOW something is done, like 'slowly' and 'quickly'.

The suffix -ly usually turns an adjective into an adverb. 'Slow' → 'slowly' means 'in a slow way'.

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.

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