Vowels: long a sound /eɪ/ Listen to the long a sound Play long a illustration Common long a spellings spellin g exampl e other pronunciations for spelling a_e (VCe) [1] same cake safe Pla y Pla y Pla y none ai [1] rai n pai d fai th Pla y Pla y none spellin g exampl e other pronunciations for spelling Pla y ay say play way Pla y Pla y Pla y none eigh eigh t weigh sleigh Pla y Pla y Pla y none [1] ai and a_e spellings with the letter r When the ai spelling is followed by the letter r or the consonant of the a_e spelling is the letter r (as in the words stair and care ), the sound is more likely to be pronounced as the air sound instead of the long a sound followed by the r sound. The long a sound in suffixes spell ing exampl e other pronunciations for spelling -a te [2] celebr a te decora te evalua Pla y Pla y Pla short i (delica te) spell ing exampl e other pronunciations for spelling te y [2]: -ate suffix Only verbs using the -ate suffix are pronounced with a long a sound, otherwise the short i pronunciation is more common (as in the words delicate and unfortunate ). Non-phonetic long a words The long a sound is underlined in the following words: they grea t brea k grey café Play Play Play Play Play Vowels: long e sound /i/ Listen to the long e sound Play
Transcript
Vowels: long a sound /eɪ/
Listen to the long a sound Play
long a illustration
Common long a spellings
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
a_e (VCe)[1]
samecakesafe
PlayPlayPlay
none
ai[1]rainpaidfaith
PlayPlayPlay
none
aysayplayway
PlayPlayPlay
none
eigheightweighsleigh
PlayPlayPlay
none
[1] ai and a_e spellings with the letter rWhen the ai spelling is followed by the letter r or the consonant of the a_e spelling is the letter r (as in the words stair and care), the sound is more likely to be pronounced as the air sound instead of the long a sound followed by the r sound.
The long a sound in suffixes
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
-ate[2]celebratedecorateevaluate
PlayPlayPlay
short i (delicate)
[2]: -ate suffixOnly verbs using the -ate suffix are pronounced with a long a sound, otherwise the short i pronunciation is more common (as in the words delicate and unfortunate).
Non-phonetic long a wordsThe long a sound is underlined in the following words:theygreatbreakgreycafé
PlayPlayPlayPlayPlay
Vowels: long e sound /i/
Listen to the long e sound Play
long e illustration
Common long e spellings
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
eekeepfreeseem
PlayPlayPlay
none
eaeachdreamtea
PlayPlayPlay
short e (dead)
ie_epiecegrieveachieve
PlayPlayPlay
none
ie[1]briefpriestfield
PlayPlayPlay
long i (pie)
-yhappymarrypony
PlayPlayPlay
long i (my)
-e[2] mewe
PlayPlay
none
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
she Play
[1] ie spellingAlong with the long e and long i pronunciation, the ie spelling is occasionally pronounced as two adjacent vowel sounds, such as the words quiet, alien, and science. Consult a dictionary to be certain of the pronunciation of unfamiliar words spelled ie.
[2] -e spellingThe -e spelling is pronounced as the long e only in single-syllable words where the e is the final and only vowel in the spelling of the word.
The long e sound in suffixes
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
-cyagencyfluencyefficiency
PlayPlayPlay
none
-ityqualityabilityreality
PlayPlayPlay
none
-logytrilogyapology mythology
PlayPlayPlay
none
-graphyphotographychoreographytopography
PlayPlayPlay
none
The consonant+y suffixes are most frequently pronounced with a long e sound. An exception is the -fy suffix, which is usually pronounced with a long i sound (as in the words notify and glorify).
Non-phonetic long e words
The long e sound is underlined in the following words:skipeopleweirdreceipt
PlayPlayPlayPlay
Vowels: long i sound /ɑɪ/Listen to the long i sound Play
long i illustration
Common long i spellings
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
i_e (VCe)
icehidesmile
PlayPlayPlay
none
igh lightbright
PlayPlay
none
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
sigh Play
ie[1]tiepiedie
PlayPlayPlay
long e (brief)
-yshyskydry
PlayPlayPlay
long e (happy)
-y-cycledynamichyper
PlayPlayPlay
short i (symbol)
[1] ie spellingAlong with the long e and long i pronunciation, the ie spelling is occasionally pronounced as two adjacent vowel sounds, such as the words quiet, alien, and science. Consult a dictionary to be certain of the pronunciation of unfamiliar words spelled ie.
The long i sound in suffixes
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
-ize/-iseemphasizeexerciseimprovise
PlayPlayPlay
none
-fyclarifyspecifyidentify
PlayPlayPlay
none
Non-phonetic long i words
The long i sound is underlined in the following words:
eye Play
mindkindchildbuy
PlayPlayPlayPlay
Vowels: long o sound /oʊ/Listen to the long o sound Play
long o illustration
Common long o spellings
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
o_e (VCe)[1]
jokeropevote
PlayPlayPlay
none
oa[1]boatsoaptoast
PlayPlayPlay
none
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
owsnowownknown
PlayPlayPlay
ow sound (cow)
o (CVC)[1]mostgoboth
PlayPlayPlay
short o (box)aw sound (dog)
[1] o_e, oa, and o spellings with the letter r When the common long o spellings are followed by the letter r or the consonant of the o_e spelling is the letter r (as in the words for, soar and more), the sound is more likely to be pronounced as the or sound instead of the long o sound followed by the r sound. If the or spelling occurs on an unstressed syllable (as in the words honor and factor), a schwa+r pronunciation is also possible.
The long o sound in suffixesnone
Non-phonetic long o wordsThe long o sound is underlined in the following words:thoughgoes
PlayPlay
Vowels: long u sound /ju/Listen to the long u sound Play
long u illustration
Common long u spellings
The spellings for long u and oo sound are quite similar. (The oo sound has one additional spelling, oo.)
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
[1] A long u spelling is generally pronounced as a long u (not an oo sound) sound when it comes after the following consonant sounds:
m sound k sound f sound b sound v sound h sound
Following other consonant sounds, these spellings are more likely to be pronounced as the oo sound.
[2] ue spellingThe -ue spelling is usually silent when it occurs at the end of a word and follows the letters g, ng, or q (examples include the words fatigue, tongue, and unique). An exception is the word argue, which ends in a long u sound.
The long u sound in suffixesnone
Non-phonetic long u wordsThe long u sound is underlined in the following words:usualuniversitybeautifulmusicfuturehuman
PlayPlayPlayPlayPlayPlay
Vowels: short a sound /æ/Listen to the short a sound Play
short a illustration
Common short a spellings
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
-a-(CVC)[1]askbathclass
PlayPlayPlay
none
[1] a spelling followed by the letter rWhen the consonant following the letter a is the letter r (as in the words star and car), the sound is usually pronounced as the ar sound instead of the short a sound followed by the r sound. If the ar spelling occurs on an unstressed syllable (as in the words dollar and sugar), a schwa+r pronunciation is also possible.
The short a sound in suffixesnone
Non-phonetic short a wordsThe short a sound is underlined in the following words:havelaugh
PlayPlay
Vowels: short e sound /ɛ/Listen to the short e sound Play
short e illustration
Common short e spellings
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
sendyes
PlayPlay
eaheadbreadheaven
PlayPlayPlay
long e (dream)
[1] e spelling followed by the letter rWhen the consonant following the letter e is the letter r (as in the words her and after), the sound is usually pronounced as the schwa+r instead of the short e sound followed by the r sound.
The short e sound in suffixesnone
Non-phonetic short e wordsThe short e sound is underlined in the following words:saidsaysfriendguestagain
PlayPlayPlayPlayPlay
Vowels: short i sound /ɪ/Listen to the short i sound Play
short i illustration
Common short i spellings
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
-i-(CVC)[1]itlipspin
PlayPlayPlay
none
consonant-y-consonant
mythsymbolsystem
PlayPlayPlay
long i (cycle)
[1] i spelling followed by the letter rWhen the consonant following the letter i is the letter r (as in the words stir and girl), the sound is usually pronounced as the schwa+r instead of the short i sound followed by the r sound.
The short i sound in suffixes
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
-ate[2]accuratepassionateunfortunate
PlayPlayPlay
long a (celebrate)
-iveactiveexcessivealternative
PlayPlayPlay
none
-ed[3]landedskated celebrated
PlayPlayPlay
no vowel
[2] -ate suffixThe -ate suffix is pronounced with a short i sound when the word is being used as a noun or an adjective. When the -ate suffix is being used as a verb, a long a pronunciation is more common (as in the words celebrate and evaluate).
[3] -ed endingThe vowel sound of the -ed ending is pronounced with a short i sound when the sound before the -ed is a t sound or a d sound.
Non-phonetic short i wordsThe short i sound is underlined in the following words:beengivebusybuilding
PlayPlayPlayPlay
Vowels: short o sound /ɑ/Listen to the short o sound Play
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
-o-(CVC)[1]oddboxshock
PlayPlayPlay
long o (most)aw sound (dog)
[1] o spelling followed by the letter rWhen the consonant following the letter o is the letter r (as in the words for and order), the sound is usually pronounced as the or sound instead of the short o sound followed by the r sound. If the or spelling occurs on an unstressed syllable (as in the words honor and doctor), a schwa+r pronunciation is also possible.
The short o sound in suffixesnone
Non-phonetic short o wordsThe short o sound is underlined in the following words:father Play
Vowels: short u sound /ʌ/Listen to the short u sound Play
short u illustration
Common short u spellings
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
-u-(CVC)[1] usduck
PlayPlay
other u (put)
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
just Play
[1] u spelling followed by the letter rWhen the consonant following the letter u is the letter r (as in the words blur and fur), the sound is usually pronounced as the schwa+r instead of the short u sound followed by the r sound.
The short u sound in suffixesnone
Non-phonetic short u wordsThe short u sound is underlined in the following words:won/one[2]
donenonefromcomeenoughmotherbrother
PlayPlayPlayPlayPlayPlayPlayPlay
[2]: won/oneThe words one and won are homonyms and are pronounced the same.
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
awlawawfuldrawn
PlayPlayPlay
none
-o- (CVC)[1]doglostsoft
PlayPlayPlay
short o (top)long o (most)
aucautionhauntauthor
PlayPlayPlay
none
aughcaughtdaughtertaught
PlayPlayPlay
none
ough(+t)[2]broughtthoughtfought
PlayPlayPlay
none
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
(w+)a[3]wantwashwatch
PlayPlayPlay
none
[1] o spelling followed by the letter r When the consonant following the letter o is the letter r (as in the words for and order), the sound is usually pronounced as the or sound. If the or spelling occurs on an unstressed syllable (as in the words honor and factor), a schwa+r pronunciation is also possible.
[2] ough(+t) spellingThe ough spelling is pronounced with the aw sound when it is followed by the letter t. There are no pronunciation patterns when ough occurs at the end of a word. For example, the words enough, through, and though each have different pronunciations for the ough spelling.
[3] (w+)a spellingThe letter a is often pronounced as the aw sound when it occurs between the letter w and a consonant. Exceptions to this pattern include the words wax, waste, and wagon.
The aw sound in suffixesnone
Non-phonetic aw sound wordsThe aw sound is underlined in the following words:gonetalkwalkalmost
PlayPlayPlayPlay
Vowels: ow sound /aʊ/Listen to the ow sound sound Play
ow sound illustration
Common ow sound spellings
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
oioilvoicepoint
PlayPlayPlay
none
oyboyjoyloyal
PlayPlayPlay
none
The oi sound in suffixesnone
Non-phonetic oi sound wordsThe oi sound is underlined in the following words:lawyer[1] Play[1]: lawyerThe word lawyer can be pronounced with either the oi sound or the aw sound followed by a y sound.
Vowels: oi sound /ɔɪ/Listen to the oi sound Play
oi sound illustration
Common oi sound spellings
spelling example other pronunciations for spellingoi oil
voicePlayPlay
none
spelling example other pronunciations for spellingpoint Play
oyboyjoyloyal
PlayPlayPlay
none
The oi sound in suffixesnone
Non-phonetic oi sound wordsThe oi sound is underlined in the following words:lawyer[1] Play[1]: lawyerThe word lawyer can be pronounced with either the oi sound or the aw sound followed by a y sound.
Introduction to Schwa /ə/The reduced vowel sound called schwa is the most common vowel sound in spoken English. Schwa is a quick, relaxed, neutral vowel pronunciation very close to a short u. The purpose of schwa is to allow unstressed syllables to be said more quickly so the main beats of spoken words are easier to place on the stressed syllables.
Schwa does not have an exact and standard pronunciation. Due to the near-identical pronunciation of schwa and short u, many dictionaries merge the transcription of the two sounds and strictly use /ə/. Separate symbols are retained here to indicate whether a vowel sound falls on a stressed or unstressed syllable.
1. in an unstressed syllable of a multi-syllable word
2. as a reduced vowel sound in a function word
Schwa in an unstressed syllable
In words with more than one syllable, not every syllable is given equal emphasis when spoken. Three levels of syllable stress are possible:
1. stressed2. secondarily stressed3. unstressed
Every multi-syllable word has a single stressed syllable. The single stressed syllable of the word has the most emphasis. The remainder of the syllables may have a secondary stress or may be unstressed.
The word emphasize has all the levels of stress. The first syllable is stressed, the second syllable is an unstressed syllable pronounced as schwa, and the third syllable has a secondary stress.
em• pha •size Play
• • •
The spelling of schwa
Many multi-syllable words do not seem to be pronounced as they are spelled. This is because schwa is a function of syllable stress and not of spelling. Once learners can recognize stressed syllables, it becomes easier to predict when schwa will be used in an adjacent, unstressed vowel, regardless of the spelling. The examples below
show schwa as it is exhibited when spelled with each vowel. The unstressed vowel sound, schwa, is underlined in each word.
Examples of schwa spelling
a spelling againvitamin
PlayPlay
e spelling petitioncelebrate
PlayPlay
i spelling presidentexperiment
PlayPlay
o spelling occurcondition
PlayPlay
u spelling campussupport
PlayPlay
Dictionaries and schwa
Even for stressed syllables, some dictionaries do not use a separate symbol for schwa /ə/ and the short u /ʌ/. When schwa is the only symbol used, it can be assumed that the word is pronounced with the short u sound. The table below compares the transcription used by Merriam-Webster OnLine Dictionary and Cambridge Dictionary of American English.
Example Dictionary CitationsMerriam-Webstertranscription
Proper use of schwa helps speakers adopt and maintain English sentence stress patterns. Certain grammatical words called function words can have two different pronunciations in spoken English: a citation form and a reduced form.
The citation form of a word is the pronunciation shown first in a dictionary transcription. It is the pronunciation used when the word is spoken alone or out of context. Citation form pronunciation is actually less common than the reduced pronunciation of function words.
If a dictionary transcribes reduced forms of words, it is usually noted as a secondary transcription. If this transcription shows the vowel sound of function words reduced to schwa, the vowel sound of the word is said quicker and with a more neutral vowel sound than the citation pronunciation. Function words are typically only reduced when the word is used within a sentence, and not if the word is being spoken in isolation. The purpose of reduced pronunciations is to help function words fall into the background of speech, while content words gain emphasis.
Reduced Function WordsDictionary Citation Reduced Citation (Schwa)
can /kæn/ Play /kən/ Playdo /du/ Play /də/Playto /tu/ Play /tə/ Playyou /ju/ Play /jə/ Play
American English Stress
The underlying pattern of English rhythm is that the stressed syllables of stressed words occur on relatively evenly spaced "beats." This concept is called the Rhythm Rule. This pattern is possible
because words and sentences have three levels of stress:
1. stressed 2. unstressed 3. secondarily stressed
Stressed syllables and wordsWithin words, a single stressed syllable is given emphasis by any combination of being pronounced louder, for more time, and/or at a different pitch than surrounding syllables. A stressed syllable of a word is mostly static and unchanging.
Stressed syllablesof words don'tusually change.
stressed syllable stressed syllable↓ ↓
vol un teer in spi ra tion
• • • • • • •
Sentence stress is more flexible than syllable stress. Which word is stressed can change to fit the speaker's intended meaning. A word is stressed by emphasizing its stressed syllable more than the stressed syllable of surrounding words.
Stressed wordsof sentences arevery flexible.
stressed syllable↓
Are you com ing?
• • • •
Or possibly:stressed syllable
↓Are you com ing?
• • • •
Or even:
stressed syllable↓
Are you com ing?
• • • •
In short, the stressed syllable of a word rarely changes, but stressed words of a sentence are greatly flexible.
Unstressed syllables and wordsEqually important to the rhythm of English is the reduction of unstressed syllables and unstressed words. Syllables and even entire words can be reduced by any combination of using a more neutral vowel sound (schwa), decreasing the length of the vowel sound, and omitting sounds (possibly entire syllables).
In both words andsentences, unstressed syllables often occur next to stressed syllables.
unstressed syllable
unstressed syllables
↓ ↓ ↓vol un teer in spi ra tion
• • • • • • •
unstressed syllables↓ ↓
Are you com ing?
• • • •
Secondarily stressed syllables and words
Secondarily stressed syllables create a beat of less prominence than a stressed syllable and are not reduced. Their primary purpose is in maintaining the rhythm of English. Secondarily stressed syllables are usually separated from stressed syllables by at least one unstressed syllable. Within sentences, words can also be given a secondary stress, either to highlight important information or even merely to maintain rhythm.
Secondarily stressed syllablesare usually separated from stressed syllables by at least one unstressed syllable.
secondary stress secondary stress
↓ ↓vol un teer in spi ra tion
• • • • • • •
secondary stress↓
Are you com ing?
• • • •
Letter x Pronunciation: k+s or g+zStudents and teachers cannot assume that the letter x is always pronounced with the more commonly known k sound + s sound pronunciation.
In English, the x spelling has two possible pronunciations:
k sound + s sound (box) g sound + z sound (exact)
x = g sound + z sound
The pronunciation of the letter x will be that of the g sound + z sound when both of the following are true:
The word's stressed syllable begins immediately after the letter x
The x is followed by a vowel sound
g sound plus z sound
exact/ɪg 'zækt/
• • Play
example
/ɪg
'zæm
pəl/
• • •
Play
existence/ɪg 'zɪ
stəns/
• • •
Play
anxiety
/æŋ
'zɑɪ ə ti/
• • • •
Play
x = s sound + k sound
The letter x will be pronounced as the k sound + s sound when both of the above are not true.
Also, the letter x will be pronounced as the k sound +s sound when it is the final letter of the word. Note: Inflectional suffixes such as -es and -ed can be added to words ending in the letter x without changing the pronunciation from the k sound + s sound (examples include the words fixes and fixed).
k sound plus s sound
box/bɑks/
• Play
toxic/'tɑk sɪk/
• •Play
explain/ɪk 'spleɪn/
• • Play
galaxy
/'gæl ək si/
• • •
Play
Exceptions
There are a few exceptions to the letter x pronunication patterns. The following words are pronounced as g sound + z sound, even though syllable stress under the rules presented above would not dictate it:
x pronunciation exceptions
exit'ɛg ziɪt
• •Play
exile'ɛg zɑɪl
• •Play
existential
ɛg
zɪ
'stɛn
ʃəl
• • • •
Play
Linking
At its simplest, linking is the merging of multiple words together until they sound as if they are only one word. Native speakers of English all do this naturally. Linking is an advanced topic for non-native speakers, but learning to correctly link words can result in significantly more fluid and fluent sounding English speech. Failing to link words naturally results in spoken English which may have awkward pauses, extra, unnecessary sounds, and which will sound very foreign to native speakers.
Techniques used for linking words depend on specific adjacent sounds where the words meet in the sentence.
Blending soundsBlending is smoothly transitioning from the pronunciation of one sound into the next sound. Blending works well for linking from one continuous consonant--a fricative, approximant, or nasal sound--to another different continuous consonant.
In the phrase "this month," the s sound /s/ blends smoothly into the m sound /m/.
Blending can also be used to link continuous consonants and vowel sounds, as in the phrase "this afternoon." Here the s sound /s/ of the word "this" is shared between both words.
Coarticulation: overlapping soundsCoarticulation occurs when adjacent sounds overlap one another, causing a change in one or both sounds' pronunciation. Two examples of coarticulation include nasal aspiration and lateral aspiration.
Nasal aspiration occurs when the d sound /d/ links into the n sound /n/. The tongue moves into the position of the d sound, but the sound is not completed with the typical aspiration (release of air). Instead, the stopped air is released as an n sound.
An example of nasal aspiration occurs in the phrase "good news": the air is stopped as a d sound, but released as an n sound.
Lateral aspiration is similar in concept to nasal aspiration in that the air is stopped as a normal d sound /d/, but released as a different sound. In lateral aspiration, the d sound /d/ is released as an l sound /l/.
In the phrase "bad luck," the d sound /d/ links into the l sound /l/, and lateral aspiration occurs.
Assimilation: changing soundsAssimilation is a more drastic type of coarticulation. Instead of "sharing" part of a sound, the merged sounds are pronounced as an entirely different
sound. Two examples of assimilation occur when the t sound /t/ or d sound /d/ precede the y sound /j/.
When the t sound /j/ and y sound /j/ assimilate, the sounds merge into the ch sound /ʧ/. This causes the phrase "don't you" /doʊntju/ to be pronounced as "donchou" /doʊnʧu/.
The d sound assimilates with the y sound and is pronounced as a j sound /ʤ/. This causes the phrase "did you" /dɪdju/ to be pronounced as "dijou" /dɪʤu/.
Intrusion: Adding soundsIntrusion is placing an additional sound between other sounds. For instance, adding a slight w sound /w/ or y sound /j/ between vowel sounds is a helpful technique for pronouncing both vowels clearly.
In the phrase "he asked," a small y sound /j/ is added between the long e /i/ and short a /æ/. This allows both vowel sounds to be pronounced fully and separately without pausing between words.
A slight w sound /w/ is added to link the oo sound /u/ to the short i /ɪ/ sound in the phrase "do it." Again, this allows both vowel sounds to be pronounced clearly.
Elision: Omitting soundsElision occurs when a sound is removed from a word. For example, when a t sound /t/ or d sound /d/ is between two other consonant sounds (but not the first sound of a word), the t sound /t/ or d sound /d/ can be omitted.
In the phrase "kept going," the t sound /t/ is between two consonant sounds and can be omitted.
In the phrase "diamond ring," the d sound /d/ is between two consonant sounds and can be omitted.
Geminates: Double soundsGeminates occur when one word ends with and the next word begins with the same consonant sound. Continuous consonants link to each other differently than stops and affricates.
Identical double continuous consonants link by pronouncing one, single sound for an extended period of time. In the phrase, "social life," the l sound /l/ is produced for more time than if the sound occurred alone.
When linking identical stop sounds, the stopped portion of the sound is held for an extended period of time, then released. In the phrase "pet turtle," the t sound is stopped, held for extra time, then
released. This stop, hold, and release signals the pronunciation of both sounds.
The j sound /ʤ/ and ch sound /ʧ/ are the only affricate sounds in English. In a sequence of identical affricates, no special linking occurs and the sounds are pronounced twice in a row. Therefore, in the phrase "orange juice," the j sound should be pronounced twice.
Consonant Fricative: z sound /z/Listen to the z sound Play
z sound illustration
How to pronounce the z sound
The z sound is voiced (the vocal cords vibrate during its production), and is the counterpart to the unvoiced s sound.
To create the z sound, the front of the tongue is placed close to the tooth ridge. The tip of the tongue should be close to the upper backside of the top front teeth. The tongue is kept tense as air is pushed between a small groove along the center of the tip of the tongue and the front of the tooth ridge. The front sides of the tongue touch the side teeth toward the front of the mouth. The lips are held slightly tense during the sound.
This sound is a continuous consonant, meaning that it should be capable of being produced for a few seconds with even and smooth pronunciation for the entire duration.
Common z sound spellings
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
zzoodozenquiz
PlayPlayPlay
none
s[1]visithisbecause
PlayPlayPlay
s sound (past)
x[2]exitexampleanxiety
PlayPlayPlay
s sound (box)
[1]: s spellingThe letter s is more likely to be pronounced as a z sound than an s sound when it occurs between vowel sounds within a word. If the letter s is part of a prefix (such as the word disability), this is less likely to be true. At the end of a word the letters s or se are equally likely to be pronounced as an s sound
or a z sound. It is important to note the correct pronunciation at the time of learning new vocabulary with these spellings.
[2]: x spellingStudents must realize that the letter x can be pronounced as k sound + s sound or as g sound + z sound. A combination of syllable stress and surrounding sounds determine the correct letter x pronunciation.
The z sound in suffixes
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
-s/-es[3]boyscars finishes
PlayPlayPlay
s sound (cats)
-ise/-izeemphasizeexercise improvise
PlayPlayPlay
none
-ismtourismjournalismactivism
PlayPlayPlay
none
[3]: -s/-es suffixWhether the -s/-es suffix is pronounced with a z sound or with an s sound depends on the final sound before the suffix.
Non-phonetic z sound words
The z sound is often overlooked in the pronunciation of high-frequency words that end in the letters s or se. Although the following high-frequency words are not non-phonetic, their z sound pronunciation should be memorized, as these words
The z sound is underlined in the following words:asishisthosebecause
PlayPlayPlayPlayPlay
Consonant Fricative: s sound /s/Listen to the s sound Play
s sound illustration
How to pronounce the s sound
The s sound is unvoiced (the vocal cords do not vibrate during its production), and is the counterpart to the voiced z sound.
To create the s sound, the front of the tongue is placed close to the tooth ridge. The tip of the tongue should be close to the upper backside of the top front teeth. The tongue is kept tense as air is pushed between a small groove along the center of the tip of the tongue and the front of the tooth ridge. The front sides of the tongue touch the side teeth toward the front of the mouth. The lips are held slightly tense during the sound.
This sound is a continuous consonant, meaning that it should be capable of being produced for a few seconds with even and smooth pronunciation for the entire duration.
Common s sound spellings
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
s/ss[1]sopastkiss
PlayPlayPlay
z sound (visit)
c(+e)centerlicencebounce
PlayPlayPlay
none
c(+i)circlecitymedicine
PlayPlayPlay
none
sc[2]sciencemuscledescend
PlayPlayPlay
s sound+k sound (scare)
x[3]boxnextoxygen
PlayPlayPlay
z sound (exit)
[1]: s/ss spellingThe letter s is more likely to be pronounced as a z sound than an s sound when it occurs between vowel sounds within a word. If the letter s is part of a prefix (such as the word disability), this is less
likely to be true. At the end of a word the letters s or se are equally likely to be pronounced as an s sound or a z sound. It is important to note the correct pronunciation at the time of learning new vocabulary with these spellings.
[2]: sc spellingThe sc spelling is most likely to be pronounced as an s sound when the spelling occurs in the middle of a word. At the beginning of a word, it is more likely to be pronounced as the s sound followed by the k sound, as in the words scare and script.
[3]: x spellingStudents must realize that the letter x can be pronounced as k sound + s sound or as g sound + z sound. A combination of syllable stress and the surrounding sounds determine the correct letter x pronunciation.
The s sound in suffixes
spelling example other pronunciations for spelling
-s/-es[4]catswantslaughs
PlayPlayPlay
z sound (boys)
-ous/iouscautiouscuriousdangerous
PlayPlayPlay
none
[4]: -s/-es suffixWhether the -s/-es suffix is pronounced with an s sound or with a z sound depends on the final sound before the suffix.
At its simplest, a nasal aspiration is a combination d+n sound that is produced by stopping the air using the tongue position of a d sound, and then releasing the air as an n sound. This means that the aspiration of the d sound is released through the nose instead of the mouth.
What is the velum?
The velum is the flap in the back of the mouth that allows or prohibits the passage of air through the nasal tract (and out the nose) instead of out through the mouth. The velum is closed for all of the sounds of American English except the three nasal consonants (the n sound, m sound, and ng sound).
A nasal aspiration begins with the velum closed, but ends with it open. This occurs when an n sound immediately follows a d sound.
Creating a nasal aspiration
During the beginning of a normal d sound the front of the tongue presses against the back of the tooth ridge and the sides of the teeth (this is the same position the tongue takes during an n sound). Since
the velum is closed during the beginning of the d sound, no air can leave the vocal tract. When a d sound is aspirated normally, the tongue releases from the tooth ridge and air exits through the mouth. A nasal aspiration occurs when the tongue is held in the stopped position of a d sound and then, after the air is stopped, the velum opens, and an n sound is produced.
The syllabic n
If the tongue is released from the tooth ridge before the velums opens, a vowel sound will be added between the d sound and n sound. It is impossible to create the nasal aspiration when this occurs. It is not necessary for all syllables that include an n sound to also include a vowel sound. When an n sound occurs in a syllable without a vowel sound, it is called a syllabic n. When produced correctly, a nasal aspiration can occur simultaneously with a syllabic n. This often happens when a word that ends with the d sound is contracted with the word not.
Practice
The location of the nasal aspiration is underlined in the following examples:
nasal aspiration word practicehiddenburdengardensuddenly
PlayPlayPlayPlay
couldn'tshouldn'twouldn'thadn't
PlayPlayPlayPlay
Nasal aspirations also spontaneously occur when a word that ends in a d sound is followed by a word
that begins with an n sound. Practicing nasal aspirations within words will help non-native speakers become more comfortable when situations that require linking these sounds occur.
The location of the nasal aspiration is underlined in the following examples:
The -ed ending PronunciationsThe -ed ending is used to form the simple past and past participle of words in English. There are three possible pronunciations for the -ed ending:
1. short i+d sound2. t sound3. d sound
Which pronunciation to use depends on the final sound before the -ed.
1: -ed ending pronounced as short i+d sound
When the final sound of the word is a d sound or a t sound (including all of the t sound allophones), the -ed ending is pronounced as short i+d sound. This forces a syllable to be added to the word.
Sound Example1. d sound needed Play2. t sound waited Play
When the final sound of the word is an unvoiced sound (except the t sound itself), the -ed ending is pronounced as a t sound. An unvoiced sound does not use the vocal cords during its production. Besides the t sound, English has only seven other unvoiced sounds that occur at the end of a word:
Sound Example1. p sound stopped Play2. k sound looked Play3. unvoiced th sound* unearthed Play4. sh sound washed Play5. s sound passed Play6. f sound laughed Play7. ch sound watched Play
The h sound is the only unvoiced sound that does not occur at the end of a word in English.
*The unvoiced th sound is rather uncommon before the -ed ending.
3: -ed ending pronounced as d sound
When the final sound of the word is a voiced sound (except the d sound itself), the -ed ending is pronounced as a d sound. A voiced sound uses the vocal cords during its production. Since all vowel sounds are voiced, there are far more voiced sounds in English than unvoiced sounds. Besides the d sound, English has 16 other voiced sounds that occur at the end of a word:
Sound Example1. b sound described Play2. g sound begged Play3. voiced th sound* bathed Play4. zh sound massaged Play5. z sound pleased Play6. v sound loved Play
Sound Example7. j sound changed Play8. l sound called Play9. r sound cured Play10. schwa+r answered Play11. ar sound starred Play12. or sound poured Play13. air sound scared Play14. m sound dreamed Play15. n sound rained Play16. ng sound belonged Play
