zip
PronouncedZIHP
nounA fastener made of two rows of metal or plastic teeth that lock together when you pull a slider up or down.
verbTo close something by pulling a zip fastener.
verbTo move very quickly with a sharp whistling sound.
nounA sharp high sound that something makes when it moves very fast through the air.
nounEnergy and liveliness.
verbTo squeeze computer files into a smaller package using a special method.
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: Letter Z
Sound“z”·/z/
The letter Z makes the /z/ sound, like in 'zip', 'zoo', and 'buzz'. It buzzes like a bee.
Z is a voiced alveolar fricative — air hisses through a small gap with voice added, creating a buzzing sound. It is the voiced partner of S. Double Z (zz) makes the same /z/ sound.
Tip
Z buzzes like a bee — zzzzzip!
Examples
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
Phonics Rule: Letter P
Sound“p”·/p/
The letter P makes the /p/ sound, like in 'pan', 'pig', and 'pot'. Both lips press together then pop open.
P is a voiceless bilabial stop — both lips press together and release with a puff of air but no voice. It pairs with B (which is the voiced version of the same mouth position).
Tip
P pops open — press your lips and let it POP!
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.
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