sponge
PronouncedSPUHNJ
nounA piece of soft, porous material used for washing and cleaning.
nounA sea animal with a soft body full of tiny holes.
nounA light, fluffy cake.
verbTo soak up liquid with a sponge or similar material.
verbTo take money or help from someone by asking or by tricks.
nounA person who tries to get money or favours from others.
Syllables
1 syllable
Letters
Related words (same phonics pattern)
Phonics breakdown
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
Phonics Rule: O says “uh”
Sound“uh”·/ʌ/
O sometimes says the “uh” sound (like short U), like in 'son', 'love', and 'month'.
In a set of common words, O says “uh” instead of short “o”: son, won, month, mother, brother, love, glove, dove, dozen, oven, money, honey.
Tip
O can say uh — son, love, month!
Examples
Phonics Rule: NG Digraph
Sound“ng”·/ŋ/
NG together makes the “ng” sound at the back of your mouth, like in 'ring' and 'song'.
The digraph 'ng' makes the nasal sound “ng”. This sound is made at the back of your mouth/throat. It almost always appears at the end of a word or syllable.
Tip
Sing a song — NG rings along!
Examples
When the letter E appears in a closed syllable, it usually makes the short E sound “eh”. This is often confused with short I by new readers.
Tip
E says “eh” like an egg on your head.
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.