sounds
nounThings you hear when air vibrates in a way your ears can pick up.
nounVibrations moving through air or another material that can make you hear things.
nounNoises that do not have any real meaning.
nounThe smallest parts of a language that you can hear when someone speaks.
nounThe special style of music that a musician or band has.
nounNarrow areas of water between land or between two seas.
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: OU Diphthong
OU makes the /aʊ/ sound, like in 'out' and 'house'.
The diphthong OU glides from /a/ to /ʊ/. It usually appears in the middle of a word. OU has several possible sounds, but /aʊ/ is the most common.
Tip
OU — ouch! I'm out of the house!
Examples
Phonics Rule: ND End Blend
ND at the end of a syllable blends /n/ and /d/ together, like in 'hand', 'sand', and 'send'.
ND is a common end blend (coda blend). The nasal /n/ and voiced stop /d/ are both heard. It appears very frequently in English words.
Tip
ND ends with a d-d-d — hand, sand, send!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Plural -S (/z/ sound)
After voiced sounds, -S says /z/, like in 'dogs' and 'birds'.
After voiced consonants and vowels, the plural -s says /z/. Most people don't notice this — it sounds natural.
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.