SnapPhonics

saddest

SA-duhst/ˈsæ.dəst/adjective
  1. adjFeeling the most sorrow and unhappiness.

  2. adjLooking the most sorrowful or unhappy.

  3. adjMost likely to make someone feel sorrow or upset.

  4. adjThe worst in quality; very shameful or regrettable.

  5. adjThe darkest or most dull in colour.

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Syllables

saddest

2 syllables

Letters

Base word

sad

Related words (same phonics pattern)

Phonics breakdown

s

Phonics Rule: Letter S

The letter S usually makes the /s/ sound, like in 'sun', 'sit', and 'sock'. Air hisses through a small gap.

S is a voiceless alveolar fricative when it makes the /s/ sound. At the end of many words it can also make a /z/ sound (as in 'dogs' or 'has'). At the start of a word it is always /s/.

Tip

S hisses like a snake — sssssun!

Examples

a

Phonics Rule: Short A

The letter A makes a short sound, like in 'cat' and 'bat'.

When the letter A appears in a closed syllable (a syllable that ends with a consonant), it usually makes the short A sound /æ/. This is one of the first vowel sounds students learn.

Tip

A says /æ/ like a cat that sat on a mat.

Examples

dd

Phonics Rule: Double Consonant

Two of the same consonant together make just one sound, like the LL in 'ball' or TT in 'butter'.

When two identical consonants appear together, they make just one consonant sound, and the doubling signals a short vowel before it. A common case is the FLOSS rule: a one-syllable word with a short vowel doubles a final f, l, s, or z (off, ball, miss, buzz). Examples: ball, butter, happy, mitten, egg, off.

Tip

Double consonants make one sound — ball, butter, egg!

Examples

est

Phonics Rule: Suffix -EST

Adding -EST means 'the most', like 'biggest' and 'fastest'.

The suffix -est makes a superlative — it means 'the most' of something. 'Big' → 'biggest' means the most big of all.

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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