shower
Water that falls from a showerhead to wash your body while standing up.
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: OW Diphthong
OW sometimes makes the /aʊ/ sound, like in 'cow' and 'how'.
OW can make the /aʊ/ diphthong sound (like 'cow') or the long O sound /oʊ/ (like 'snow'). The /aʊ/ sound is more common before N, L, and D.
Tip
OW — ow! The cow says ow!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Suffix -ER
Adding -ER can mean 'more' (bigger) or 'a person who' (teacher).
The suffix -er has two main uses: comparative ('big' → 'bigger' = more big) and agent ('teach' → 'teacher' = a person who teaches).
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.