sharply
advIn a sudden and quick way.
advIn a way that is strict or unkind.
advIn a way that is very steep or goes straight up and down.
advIn a way that causes pain or stings.
advIn a way that is exact and correct.
advIn a way that shows smart thinking and careful attention.
Syllables
2 syllables
Letters
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: SH Digraph
S and H together make the quiet sound /ʃ/, like in 'ship' and 'fish'.
The digraph 'sh' makes the /ʃ/ 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
Phonics Rule: R-Controlled AR
When R comes after A, it changes the sound to /ɑːr/, like in 'car' and 'star'.
When A is followed by R, the R 'bosses' the vowel and changes its sound. Instead of short A or long A, you hear /ɑːr/. R-controlled vowels are sometimes called 'Bossy R'.
Tip
Bossy R takes the car to the farm!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Letter P
The letter P makes the /p/ sound, like in 'pan', 'pig', and 'pot'. Both lips press together then pop open.
P is a voiceless bilabial stop — both lips press together and release with a puff of air but no voice. It pairs with B (which is the voiced version of the same mouth position).
Tip
P pops open — press your lips and let it POP!
Examples
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.
Save words to study lists, build flashcard decks, and scan your own worksheets and books.