SnapPhonics

safest

SAY-fuhst/ˈseɪ.fəst/adjective
  1. adjMost out of reach from danger or harm.

  2. adjMost free from risk or the chance of getting hurt.

  3. adjMost likely to give protection from danger.

  4. adjMost properly held tight or fastened in place.

  5. adjMost able to be trusted or relied on.

  6. nounA metal box with a lock for keeping valuable things inside.

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Syllables

safest

2 syllables

Letters

Base word

safe

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: Open Syllable A (Long A)

When A is the last letter of a syllable, the syllable is open and the A says its name /eɪ/ — like in 'ba-by' and 'pa-per'.

This is the open-syllable pattern: a syllable that ends in a vowel leaves that vowel 'open', so it says its long name. Here, a lone A at the end of a syllable says /eɪ/ (ba-by, a-pron, lady). The long A sound is also spelled other ways, each its own rule — silent E (cake), or vowel teams (ai in rain, ay in play) — but those are not open syllables.

Tip

Long A says its name — A!

Examples

f

Phonics Rule: Letter F

The letter F makes the /f/ sound, like in 'fish', 'fun', and 'fox'. The upper teeth touch the lower lip.

F is a voiceless labiodental fricative — the upper front teeth rest on the lower lip while air flows through to make the /f/ sound. It is very consistent.

Tip

F is for fish — and fish starts with /f/!

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?

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