ENGLISH CONSONANT SOUNDS
THE SOUNDS [p], [b]
Spelling and Reading
[p] is pronounced when spelt as:
p
p
pp
Other Spellings: gh
[p] is not pronounced: a) in the words:
en [pen], help [help], lip [lip] poppy [’popi], happy ['haspi]hiccough ['hikAp]
c
b) in Greek words before a, s, |
upboard f'kAbsd], receipt [ri'sirt], raspberry ['rcuzbsn] pneumonia [njVmsunja], psalm [sa:m], Ptolemy ['totami][b] is pronounced when spelt as:
b boy [boi], bad [basd], blow [blsuj
bb ebb [eb], stubborn f'stAbsn]
[b] is not pronounced in the
words after m and before t: lamb [laem], plumber [‘pUma],
comb [ksum], bomb [bom], debt [det], doubt [daot], subtle [*SAtl], tomb [tu:m]
THE SOUNDS [t], [d]
Spelling and Reading
[t] is pronounced when spelt as: t tt
Other Spellings:
-ed preceded by a
voiceless consonant th in some proper names
in the word [t] is not pronounced:
in the middle position
in the words ending in -stle. -sten
in French borrowings
[d] is pronounced when spelt as: d dd
Other Spellings:
-ed preceded by voiced consonants or vowels [d] is not pronounced in the words:
train [trem], tea [ti:], stop [stop] butter ['bAts], written ['nt(a)n]
stopped [stopt], helped [helpt] Thames |'temz], Thomas ['tDmas], Anthony ['aentam] thyme [taim] Ulpuji
often [‘Df(9)n], Christmas ['krismss chestnut ['tfesnAt], L
boatswain [’b3us(9)n], ,
bankruptcy fbaeqkrapsi] listen t'lis(a)n], hasten ['heis(s)n] castle ['ka:s(s)l], ostler J'psls^vaM# fasten[;fa:s(a)n], whistle|'wis(3)l] restaurant ['restro:r)], trait [trei(t)], bouquet [’bukei], ballet ['baelei]
door [da:], sad [sasd], kind [kaind] add [aed],.muddy ['niAdi]
begged [begd], played [pleid]
handkerchief [hasrjkatfifj handsome [‘hsnsam]
Windsor ['winz
THE SOUNDS [kj, [g]
Spelling and Reading
[
keep [ki:p], king [kig], basket ['ba:skrt] can (noun) [ter,], clock [klDk], club [kkbj
electric [1'lektrik], music ['mjurzik]
occasion [3'kei3(s)n],iiccnr |0‘k3:| black [blaek], lock [Ink]
kJ is pronounced when spelt as: k
c before a, o, u and consonants c in the terminal position
cc
ck
Other Spellings: ch in a number of Latin and Greek words cqu
qu [kw]
qu [k]
IL
que
L-k / .
But: exhibit [ig'iibit] kh - w [k] is not pronounced:
Before n in the initial position:
In the words
anchor [ aeijka], architect ['a:kitekt], chemist Pkaemist], scheme f'ski:m],
( /y\M/r || , / v i
acquaintance (a kweint(a)ns]
quick [kwik], quality fkwoliti],
quantity ['kwontiti],
banquet Pbffiijkwit]
conquer [ kogka] Jlquor ['lika],
mosquito [mas'ki:tau]
antique [aen'ti:k],
picturesque [.piktfa'resk],
mosque [mosk], technique [tek'ni:k]
except [ik'sept], exercise ['eksisaiz],
exhibition [(eksi'bif(a)n]
i t
khan [kg:n], khaki [!ka:ki]
knee [ni:], knife [naif], knight [nait]
knowledge ['nolidj]
Indict [in'dait], muscle ['mAsI]
[G] is pronounced when spelt as: g before a, o, u, before a consonant and in the terminal position
Mind:
V1. .
gu
Other Spellings: gue
gh
X followed by a stressed vowel is pronounced as [gz]
game [geim], gap [gasp], go [gsu], gun [gAn], gram [graem], bag [basg], leg [leg]
begin [bi'gin], eager ['i:ga],.
finger [’firjga], forget [fa'get], get [get],
gift ['gift], geese ['gi:s], girl ['g3:lj,
tiger [’taiga], together [ta'geSa],
give [giv], gild [gild]
egg [eg], beggar ['begs]
guard [ga:d], guide [gaid]
prologue ['prautag],
dialogue ['daiatog]
ghost [gaust], spaghetti [spa'geti]
exist [ig'zist], exam [ig'zaem]
is not pronounced:
before n in the initial and final positions
when spelt as:
ng
Mind:
gm in the Greek words such as gh preceded by i, au, ou
r
gnat [nagt], gnome [naum], foreign [ form], sign [sain]
singer ['sirjs], tongue ['tAT)]
English ['irjgliJ], England ['irjgbnd], hungry ['hArjgri], -
language ['lasrjgwidjJ, mingle ['mirjgl] diaphragm ['daiafraeyrp] paradigm ['pgeradaim] high [hai], light [lait], caught [ko:t], plough [plau], bought [bo:t]
ice, gloves, glass, neglect, single,
[gr]:
THE SOUNDS [f],
peg, bug, tug, d£og, hug, mug, wig giie,- league, plague; flag, dialogue league.
[f] is pronounced when spelt as: f ff
Other Spellings: ph
gh
fade [feid], feel [fi:l], folk [fouk] off [t>f], giraffe [d53'ra:f]
phonetics [fou'netiks], sapphire ['sasfais] enough [i'nAf], laugh [la:f
[
Exerc Task j
f] is not pronounced in the words:halfpenny ['heipni], lieutenant [ljui'tenant] (in A. E.) but [lef tenant]
8. [v] is pronounced when spelt as:
V
Other Spellings:
f (only in the word of [av]) ph
very ['veri], view [vju:], velvet ['velvit]
BE *=/
nephew ['nevju:] or ['nefju:
THE SOUND [w]
■■■ ■
oi(r)
ve me, , very
Other Spellings: wh before vowels except o u after fl, sometimes g or s
language, persuade [pa sweid] But: [k] —conquer ['knnks]. liquor ['hkaJ.Mft/tW
e, veal,
moving, evict,
believe,
Spelling and Reading
[w] is pronounced when spelt as:
w
sweet [swi:t], work [w3:k]
why [wai], when [wen], where [wea] squirrel fskwiral],
mosquito [mas'kfctojjU, soiree I 'swcurei], choir [kwaia], :wu: ijuaj, (; uemWa:]
[w] is not pronounced:
when followed by r
when wh is followed by o
in the words
everyone ['evriWAn], once [WAns]
write [rait], wrong [roq] whom [hum], whole [haul]
/Ji ■'* •
towards [ to:dz] or [ta'wo:dz],
two [tu:], sword ['so:d],
Jwopence tAp(a)ns], answer ['a:nss]
in the geographical names ending in -wich. -wick
Greenwich ['gnnid3], Warwick [SvDrik]
THE SOUNDS [0], [3]
Spelling and Reading
[
think [Girjk], three [0ri:]. tooth [tu:0]
0] is pronounced when spelt as:
fh at the beginning, at the end of the words and before a vowel
B
f
ut: [5] — with [wi3][
they [9ei]- thus j^ASj. mother ['mActej, faiher"
3] is pronounced when spelt as: th in pronouns, prepositions,
conjunctions, in other words — before vowels, in the article the
THE SOUNDS [s], [z]
Spelling and Reading
[s] is pronounced when spelt as: s
ss
Other Spellings: c before e, i, x
speak [spi:k], seasor. [si:z(3 n] pass [pa:s], necessary [’nes3s(a)n]
certainly ['s3:t3nli], circle ['s3:k(s)l], cycle [saik(a)I]
scent [sent’, scissors [!siz3zy scythe ' said], abscess [‘aebstsj