E P Tips

English Pronunciation Tips

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    • <-se> Episode 1
    • <-se> Episode 2
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    • <a> is not ʌ
    • <ai>
    • <al>
    • <au>
    • <bt>
    • <cc>
    • <ch> = k
    • <ch> = ʃ
    • <ea> = e
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    • <ear> = ɜː
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    • <ei> = eɪ
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    • <gn>
    • <i> = iː
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    • <ng>
    • <ng> again
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    • <ove> does not = ʌv
    • <qu> = k
    • <s> = ʒ
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    • <th> = t
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    • 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
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    • -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
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    • Non-silent <e>

<ng>

In the middle of a word, the combination of letters <ng> can be pronounced in different ways. In words like anger, finger, hunger, linger, where the ending is not a suffix (a finger is not someone who fings!) the combination is pronounced ŋɡ. In words where the ending is a suffix, such as singer, singing, strongly, the combination is pronounced ŋ.

As you might expect, there are some exceptions. The most important of these involves the comparative (“more”) and superlative (“most”) forms of the adjectives long, strong and young. Because the endings are suffixes, you would expect the ŋ pronunciation, but what you get is the ŋɡ pronunciation:

longer/longest lɒŋɡə lɒŋɡɪst
stronger/strongest strɒŋɡə strɒŋɡɪst
younger/youngest jʌŋɡə jʌŋɡɪst

http://blogjam.name/EPTips/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/ng.mp3
Alternative sound

Finally, there are words like danger and ginger, where the <ng> combination is pronounced ndʒ.

Updated 2015_04_05

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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

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