would
verb auxiliaryUsed to say what might happen if something else were true.
verb auxiliaryUsed to say what someone did many times in the past.
verb auxiliaryUsed to ask someone politely to do something.
verb auxiliaryUsed to say what you think might happen or be true.
verb auxiliaryUsed to imagine or pretend something that is not real.
"would" does not follow standard phonics patterns and should be memorized.
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: Letter W
The letter W makes the /w/ sound, like in 'win', 'wet', and 'web'. The lips round into an O shape.
W is a voiced bilabial approximant — the lips round tightly then open as voice flows. W is sometimes silent (write, wrong) and can act as a vowel in some combinations (aw, ew, ow).
Tip
W rounds your lips — make an O then say /w/!
Examples
Phonics Rule: OU says /ʊ/
OU can say the short /ʊ/ sound (like 'book'), in 'could', 'would', and 'should'.
In the helper words could, would, and should, OULD says /ʊd/ — the OU makes the short /ʊ/ sound and the L is silent.
Tip
Could, would, should — all sound alike!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Silent L
Sometimes the L is silent — you don't say it, like in 'could', 'would', and 'half'.
In some words the L is silent. You see it, but you don't say it. This happens in the helper words could, should, and would, and in words like half, calf, calm, palm, and yolk. (When L comes before K it also goes silent — walk, talk, chalk — but there the A+L team already spells the vowel sound.)
Tip
Sometimes L is silent — you could, would, should not say it!
Examples
Phonics Rule: Letter D
The letter D makes the /d/ sound, like in 'dog', 'day', and 'dig'. The tongue tip touches behind the upper teeth.
D is a voiced alveolar stop. The tongue tip touches the ridge just behind the upper front teeth, then releases with voice. It reliably makes the /d/ sound in almost all positions.
Tip
D is for dog — and dog starts with /d/!
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.