SnapPhonics

specific

Pronouncedspuh-SIH-fihk

/spə.ˈsɪ.fɪk/adjective

Exact or particular, not general or vague. Pointing to one clear thing.

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Syllables

specific

3 syllables

Letters

Related words (same phonics pattern)

spiritualcrispspedatmosphericspellingspecimen

Phonics breakdown

sp

Phonics Rule: SP Blend

Sound“sp”·/sp/

S and P blend together — you hear both sounds! Like in 'spin' and 'sport'.

The blend SP combines /s/ and /p/ spoken quickly together.

Examples

e

Phonics Rule: Schwa

Sound“uh”·/ə/

In unstressed syllables, vowels often make a lazy 'uh' sound called schwa, like the A in 'about'.

Schwa “uh” is the most common vowel sound in English. Any vowel letter can make the schwa sound when it's in an unstressed syllable. It sounds like a quick, lazy 'uh'.

Tip

Schwa is lazy — any vowel can say 'uh' when it's not stressed!

Examples

c

Phonics Rule: Soft C

Sound“s”·/s/

C says /s/ before E, I, or Y, like in 'city' and 'face'.

When C comes before the letters E, I, or Y, it makes the soft /s/ sound instead of the hard /k/ sound. This is called 'Soft C'.

Tip

C is soft before E, I, Y — the city is nice!

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

f

Phonics Rule: Letter F

Sound“f”·/f/

The letter F makes the /f/ sound, like in 'fish', 'fun', and 'fox'. The upper teeth touch the lower lip.

F is a voiceless labiodental fricative — the upper front teeth rest on the lower lip while air flows through to make the /f/ sound. It is very consistent.

Tip

F is for fish — and fish starts with /f/!

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

c

Phonics Rule: Hard C

Sound“k”·/k/

C makes the /k/ sound before A, O, U, or a consonant, like in 'cat' and 'cup'.

The letter C makes the hard /k/ sound when followed by A, O, U, or a consonant. This is the default C sound. Examples: cat, cup, coat, cold, crab, class.

Tip

C says K before A, O, U — cat, cup, coat!

Examples

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