shadow
PronouncedSHA-doh
nounA dark shape made on the ground or a wall when something blocks the light.
nounDarkness or dimness in a place.
nounA person who follows someone else secretly to watch them.
nounA ghost or spirit.
verbTo follow someone secretly without them knowing.
verbTo follow a working person around during their day to learn about their job.
Syllables
2 syllables
Letters
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: SH Digraph
Sound“sh”·/ʃ/
S and H together make the quiet sound “sh”, like in 'ship' and 'fish'.
The digraph 'sh' makes the “sh” sound. Think of the 'shh, be quiet' sound. It can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a word.
Tip
SH says 'shhh' — be quiet on the ship!
Examples
When the letter A appears in a closed syllable (a syllable that ends with a consonant), it usually makes the short A sound “a”. This is one of the first vowel sounds students learn.
Tip
A says “a” like a cat that sat on a mat.
Examples
Phonics Rule: Letter D
Sound“d”·/d/
The letter D makes the /d/ sound, like in 'dog', 'day', and 'dig'. The tongue tip touches behind the upper teeth.
D is a voiced alveolar stop. The tongue tip touches the ridge just behind the upper front teeth, then releases with voice. It reliably makes the /d/ sound in almost all positions.
Tip
D is for dog — and dog starts with /d/!
Examples
The spelling 'ow' can make the long O sound “oh”, especially at the end of a word. It can also make the “ow” diphthong sound (like 'cow').
Tip
Snow falls slow — OW says long O!
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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