SnapPhonics

snips

PronouncedSNIHPS

/ˈsnɪps/noun
  1. nounShort sharp cuts made with scissors or similar tools.

  2. nounHand tools used for cutting, similar to scissors.

  3. nounSmall pieces cut off from something.

  4. nounSmall amounts of something.

  5. verbTo cut with short sharp actions using scissors.

  6. nounSounds made by scissors or similar cutting tools.

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Syllables

snips

1 syllable

Letters

Base word

snip

Related words (same phonics pattern)

Phonics breakdown

sn

Phonics Rule: SN Blend

Sound“sn”·/sn/

S and N blend together — you hear both sounds! Like in 'snow' and 'snap'.

The blend SN combines /s/ and /n/ spoken quickly together.

Examples

i

Phonics Rule: Short I

Sound“ih”·/ɪ/

The letter I makes a short sound, like in 'sit' and 'big'.

When the letter I appears in a closed syllable, it usually makes the short I sound “ih”. This is one of the trickiest short vowels because it sounds similar to short E.

Tip

I says “ih” like an itch you can't miss.

Examples

p

Phonics Rule: Letter P

Sound“p”·/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

s

Phonics Rule: Plural -S (/s/ sound)

Sound“s”·/s/

After a quiet sound like p, t, k or f, the plural ending says /s/ — like 'cats' and 'cakes'.

Say 'ssss' and then 'zzzz' with a finger on your throat — only 'zzzz' buzzes. When the word already ends in a quiet (unvoiced) sound like p, t, k or f, the plural ending stays quiet too and says /s/. This happens whether the word is spelled -s (cats) or -es (cakes, notes), because in cakes the e is silent and only the s is sounded.

Examples

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