siege
nounWhen an army surrounds a city or fort and tries to capture it by stopping supplies from getting in.
nounA time when something difficult or unpleasant keeps happening, especially when someone is ill.
nounA sudden and repeated attack or problem that lasts for a while.
nounA group of herons.
Syllables
1 syllable
Letters
Phonics breakdown
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
Phonics Rule: IE Vowel Team (Long E)
When IE appears in the middle of a word, it usually says long E, like in 'piece' and 'chief'.
The vowel team IE makes the long E sound /iː/ in the middle of a word. Examples: piece, chief, field, shield, brief. Remember: I before E except after C.
Tip
IE in the middle says EE — piece, chief, field!
Examples
Phonics Rule: GE says /dʒ/
GE at the end of a word says /dʒ/ (the J sound), like in 'large' and 'page'.
At the end of a word, GE says /dʒ/. It follows a long vowel or consonant (large, page, cage, huge, stage), where DGE follows a short vowel (bridge, badge).
Tip
GE at the end says J — large, page, huge!
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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