E P Tips

English Pronunciation Tips

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    • -bo(u)rne
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  • Sounds
  • Spelling to sound
    • <-se> Episode 1
    • <-se> Episode 2
    • <-se> Episode 3
    • <a> is not ʌ
    • <ai>
    • <al>
    • <au>
    • <bt>
    • <cc>
    • <ch> = k
    • <ch> = ʃ
    • <ea> = e
    • <eak>
    • <ear> = ɜː
    • <ease>
    • <ei> = eɪ
    • <eigh>
    • <eo>
    • <g> = ʒ
    • <gain>
    • <ge> and <gi>
    • <gn>
    • <i> = iː
    • <mb>
    • <ng>
    • <ng> again
    • <o> = uː
    • <on> = ʌn
    • <ood>
    • <ose>
    • <ost>
    • <ou> = uː
    • <ou> = ʌ
    • <ough>
    • <ound>
    • <oup>
    • <our> = ɜː
    • <ove> = ʌv
    • <ove> does not = ʌv
    • <qu> = k
    • <s> = ʒ
    • <ss>
    • <th> = t
    • <ui>
    • <w(h)a> and <qua(w)>
    • <wor> = wɜː
    • Initial <th> = ð
    • Silent <h>
    • Silent <s>
    • Silent <w>
  • Stress
    • -aire
    • -eer
    • -esque
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    • -proof
    • -worthy
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  • Symbols
  • Transcriptions
    • Transcription 1
  • Vowels
    • No schwa!
    • Vowel alternation: aɪ ~ ɪ
    • Vowel alternation: eɪ ~ æ
    • Vowel alternation: iː ~ e
    • Vowel alternation: əʊ ~ ɒ
    • ə elision in the first syllable
  • Word endings
    • -(m)ony = (m)əni
    • -(n)gue
    • -ac
    • -ade
    • -age = ɑːʒ
    • -ance
    • -ane
    • -ary and -ory
    • -ate
    • -chief
    • -cious
    • -eous
    • -et
    • -ex(e)
    • -ful(ly)
    • -gm
    • -i = aɪ
    • -ice
    • -ine
    • -ious
    • -ique
    • -ite = ɪt
    • -less
    • -ment
    • -mn
    • -ngle
    • -nomy & -tomy
    • -olic
    • -on
    • -oose
    • -oric(al)
    • -our
    • -our = aʊə
    • -path
    • -pathy
    • -re
    • -sis
    • -sten & -stle
    • -ture
    • -ward(s)
    • Non-silent <e>

<au>

The most frequent pronunciation of the sequence is ɔː.  Here are some examples:

applause August auk author cause daunt exhaust flaunt haul launch maul paunch pause saunter taut taunt

However there are some words where the pronunciation is either ɒ or ɔː

Austin Australia Austria auxiliary

The word auction is more usual with ɔː, but some speakers have ɒ.
In words or phrases borrowed from French the pronunciation is əʊ, as inː

au contraire au fait au pair au revoir café au lait chauvinist

The words mauve and taupe also have əʊ.

Aunt is ɑːnt.

Gauge is ɡeɪdʒ.

The sequence <augh> is ɔː in

aught caught daughter fraught haughty naught naughty slaughter taught

but is ɑːf in draught, laugh and laughter.


How could I have forgotten sausage = ˈsɒsɪdʒ and sauerkraut = ˈsaʊəkraʊt? Thanks to Petr Rösel for reminding me. It has also occurred to me that trauma is sometimes pronounced ˈtraʊmə instead of ˈtrɔːmə.
2013_08_21

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    Latest update: 2015_04_18
    Number of tips: 246
    Number of tips with sound: 42

    Latest changes:

    Updated and added sound to -ese

    Added sound to Funny business

    Added sound to Graph

    Added sound to That

    Added sound to Tricky pairs

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