unsure
Pronounceduhn-SHURE
adjNot certain or confident about something.
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: Prefix UN-
Sound“uhn”·/ʌn/
UN- means 'not' or 'the opposite of'. 'Unhappy' means 'not happy'.
The prefix un- is added to the beginning of a word to mean 'not' or to reverse an action. 'Happy' → 'unhappy' (not happy). 'Do' → 'undo' (reverse doing).
Tip
UN makes it undone — unhappy, unfair, unlike!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Letter S
Sound“s”·/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: URE says “oor”
Sound“oor”·/ʊər/
URE makes the “oor” sound, like in 'sure', 'cure', and 'pure'.
URE is an r-controlled team saying “oor” or “yoor”: sure, cure, pure, secure, mature. (Different from the -ture suffix in 'picture'.)
Tip
Are you sure it's pure — sure, cure, pure!
Examples
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