Pronunciation FAQs: Word Spellings and their Pronunciations

Jose Pablo Corrales, a BIN-02 student (3^rd Quarter-2010), had the following doubts in regards to some word spellings.

Words ending in “ugh”

We can state that this particular ending is pronounced as an /f/-sound. And that is necessary to keep in mind when learning words like the following:

1. enough

2. laugh

3. tough

4. rough

5. cough

But be careful when this word ending additionally contains a –t = “ght.” In this particular situation, the sequence of “gh” becomes mute; it is not pronounced at all. Just the /t/-sound will be pronounced.

1. light

2. caught

3. bright

4. fought

5. taught

Words beginning with “kn” like in “knight”

There is a group of words in English that begins with the letter sequence “kn,” in which the “k” is a silent letter. That is, in the spelling sequence “kn,” it is just the /n/ that gets to be pronounced.

1. knee

2. kneel

3. knife

4. knob

5. knock

Letter “j” and the spelling sequence “ge” or “dge”

Letter “j” gets to be pronounced like /dʒ/. Except for foreign names or words such as Juan, usually coming from Spanish, the “j” is never pronounced as /h/.

1. jack

2. jacuzzi

3. jaguar

4. jaw

5. jelly

On the other hand, the letter sequences “ge” and “dge” are almost always pronounced like /dʒ/.

-ge = /dʒ/	-dge = /dʒ/
age	judge
page	cartridge
engage	bridge
package	pledge
savage	fridge

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Transcription Exercise 3: /æ/

Let’s transcribe the following words containing /æ/

1. has	11. manage
2. that	12. satin
3. brand	13. began
4. as	14. Alex
5. back	15. package
6. fact	16. acting
7. masks	17. daddy
8. fast	18. handy
9. math	19. vanity
10. had	20. exactly

And the answers?

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Vowel Practice 2

Read the text below, and decide which vowel sound the green vowels stand for.

Television

The first commercial television broadcast was made on April 20, 1939 by Radio Corporation of America (RCA). Since 1939, it has become one of the most important facts of modern life. Television is very much a part of the modern world. Its effects are felt all over the world.

Television is a reflection of the modern world, say some people. It shows contemporary society. It affects customs and culture, others say. Television is bad for culture because it keeps culture from growing, say still others.

Good or bad, television is difficult to avoid. Its pictures enter homes, stores, airports, and factories. It is here to stay!

Let's work the text together!

Here we have the answers.

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Week 5: Contrastive Words Practice

Contrastive Words Practice

Read each series of words making the difference in vowel quality.

/iy/	/ı/	/Ɛ/	/æ/	/a/
lead	lid	led	lad
reed	rid	red	rad	rod
deed	did	dead	dad
meet	mitt	met	Matt
heed	hid	head	had
bean	bin	Ben	ban
beat	bit	bet	bat
	pin	pen	pan
teen	tin	ten	tan	ton
	big	beg	bag	bog
reek	Rick	wreck	rack	rock
Pete	pit	pet	pat	pot
seed	sid	said	sad	sod
seat	sit	set	sat
sleep	slip		slap
peak	pick	peck	pack

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Week 5: Reading Practice with the Diagraph

Sentence Practice

Read the following sentences containing diagraphs. Pay close attention to the words containing the orange "a."

a) Pam and Larry are near the apple tree.

b) The actor seems to be angry at the actress.

c) I asked the manager if he had a map.

d) After the wild animal left the classroom, I came back.

e) The last cat we had was black and furry.

f) Laughter is at times absent from some happy events.

g) This is your last chance to wrap up the session.

h) Canada is not in Africa.

i) At last the package with the photographs from Japan has arrived.

j) Telegraph Hill is in San Francisco, California.

k) Saturday is a good moment to visit Napa Valley.

l) The plane landed as planned and rapidly.

m) The Titanic crashed against an iceberg and sank in the Atlantic.

n) Cramming for an exam is a bad habit.

o) Don’t panic if a bobcat attacks you.

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