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'''[[English language|English]]''' is notorious for its many varied, inconsistent and irregular '''[[spelling]]s'''. This can be seen at its most extravagant in the field of [[English noun#Types of nouns|proper noun]]s—for example, simply adding  an 'h' to 'Maria' to make it rhyme with 'pariah', or calling oneself 'Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh' while pronouncing it 'Chumley Fanshaw'. An example of a common [[misspelling]] is 'disasterous' for 'disastrous', retaining the 'e' of 'disaster'.  Many words do not turn out to have the pronunciation they appear to have: 'do' and 'to' do not rhyme with 'go' and 'no', while 'seismic', instead of being 'seezmic' or 'sayzmic', or even 'sayizmic', is in fact 'size-mic'. The above grid (reproduced and explained below) provides links to three lists and a '''[[A (letter)|cluster of articles]]''' devoted to these things.


<center><big>
To show pronunciation, these articles use correct spellings with added [[Accent (pronunciation)|accent]] marks, instead of relying on the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] (IPA). In some cases incorrect respellings are placed next to the correct ones, signalled by a preceding asterisk, like '''thís''' *thíss.  The accent marks show pronunciation, '''thús'''. A table of these accents (which are not part of the language<ref>A few different accents, mostly from French, sometimes crop up in English, however; see [[French words in English]].</ref>) can be found below; there is also an [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] key at [[English phonemes]]. Where there is more than one accent, the first is [[stress (linguistics)|stressed]], and the same is true after a hyphen, so in the respelling  of '''Tchaikóvsky''', *Chŷ-kóffskỳ, it is 'kóff' that has the main stress. (Another way of showing new stress is with a bar: '''Tchaî'''|'''kóvsky'''.) A sentence from the preceding paragraph can thus be rewritten as follows: "An example of a common misspelling is *disāsterous for '''disāstrous''', retaining the '''E''' of '''disāster'''." Respelling may be used to exemplify an incorrect spelling, or show a correct pronunciation, or a bit of both. Unlike the [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]], where there can only be one version per pronunciation, as there must be an unambiguous one-to-one correspondence, there can be many respellings: if *disāsterous for '''disāstrous''' is a common mistake, we can also represent the pronunciation as *dizāstrus or *dizāstrous or *dizāstrəss (with 'ə', a special character &ndash; the only one used &ndash; for [[schwa]]); or we can contrast [[British English]] *dizàstrus with [[American English|American]] *dizástrus.
[[English_spellings/A|A]]   [[English_spellings/B|B]]   [[English_spellings/C|C]]   [[English_spellings/D|D]]  [[English_spellings/E|E]]   [[English_spellings/F|F]]   [[English_spellings/G|G]]   [[English_spellings/H|H]]  [[English_spellings/I|I]]   [[English_spellings/J|J]]  [[English_spellings/K|K]]  [[English_spellings/L|L]]  [[English_spellings/M|M]]  [[English_spellings/N|N]]  [[English_spellings/O|O]]   [[English_spellings/P|P]]   [[English_spellings/Q|Q]]   [[English_spellings/R|R]]  [[English_spellings/S|S]]  [[English_spellings/T|T]]  [[English_spellings/U|U]]  [[English_spellings/V|V]]  [[English_spellings/W|W]]  [[English_spellings/X|X]]  [[English_spellings/Y|Y]]  [[English_spellings/Z|Z]]  [[English_spellings/Apostrophe|Apostrophe]]'''
</big></center>


:''The letter links above lead to alphabetically arranged selections of commonly misspelt and/or mispronounced words, alongside some regular ones for contrast; in addition, the present page features  a 'retroalphabetical' list (see Contents) with words arranged alphabetically by their final letters''
Particular attention is given to [[homophones]], words with the same pronunciation but different meanings.   English is rich in homophones, many of which are also homonyms, having also the same spelling, as, for example, '''cán''' ''able, tin'' (the italicised words suggest meanings, in this case two); while homographs are words with the same spelling whose meanings are distinguished by different pronunciations.
 
'''English''' is famous, even notorious, for its varied '''spellings'''. This can be seen at its most extravagant in the field of proper names, as, for example, simply adding  an 'h' to 'Maria' to make it rhyme with 'pariah', or calling oneself 'Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh', pronounced 'Chumley Fanshaw'. On a more prosaic level, however, there are dangers. An example of a common misspelling is 'disasterous' for 'disastrous', retaining the 'e' of 'disaster'. And conversely, words may not turn out to have the pronunciation they appear to have: 'do' and 'to' you might expect to rhyme with 'go' and 'no', while 'seismic', instead of being 'seezmic' or 'sayzmic' is in fact 'size-mic'. These lists are devoted to these things.
 
A few notes on how to read them: linguists conventionally signal an incorrect spelling by putting an asterisk before it, like *thiss, and here we also include accent marks to show stress and pronunciation, '''thús'''. A table of these (which are not part of the language<ref>Different accents, mostly from French, are sometimes used, however; see [[French words in English]]. Also, some Hawaiian words have accents.[http://www.geocities.com/~olelo/o-pronunciation.html]</ref>) can be found at the end of this article; there is also an [[International Phonetic  Alphabet|IPA]] key at [[English phonemes]]. Where there is more than one accent, the first is stressed, and the same is true after a hyphen, so in the respelling *Chŷ-kóffsky, it is 'kóff' that has the main stress. A sentence from the preceding paragraph can thus be rewritten as follows: An example of a common misspelling is *disāsterous for '''disāstrous''', retaining the '''e''' of '''disāster'''.
 
Particular attention is given to [[homophones]], words with the same pronunciation.  English is rich in homophones; it also has many homonyms, words with the same spelling and pronunciation, and homographs, words with the same spelling but different pronunciation.  Examples of all three are grouped together here.  


Also of special note are words that many writers incorrectly divide.  '''ôver''' and '''dûe''', for example, combine to form '''overdûe''', without a space in the middle.  Such examples are included with ‘one word’ alongside them: '''alongsîde''' one word.   
Also of special note are words that many writers incorrectly divide.  '''ôver''' and '''dûe''', for example, combine to form '''overdûe''', without a space in the middle.  Such examples are included with ‘one word’ alongside them: '''alongsîde''' one word.   


An equals sign = is placed between homophones (in some cases the approximately equals sign ≈ is more appropriate). Homographs and other similar-looking words are included after 'cf.' (from Latin ''conferre'', 'compare').  
An equals sign = is placed between homophones (in some cases the approximately equals sign ≈ is more appropriate). Homographs and other similar-looking words are included after 'cf.' (Latin ''conferre'', 'compare').  


Some words from other languages, in most cases French, may appear in English with accents from those languages. Such spellings are shown using bold italics: '''touchè''' may be written with a French accent: '''''touché''''' *tooshây.
Some words from other languages, in most cases French, may sometimes appear in English with accents from those languages. Here, such spellings are shown using bold italics: '''touchè''' may be written with a French accent: '''''touché''''' *tooshây.


The apostrophe is an important part of spelling and so it is treated as a letter, with its own place at the end of the alphabet.  Fragments of words are in bold when correctly spelt: '''Ukrâine''' has -'''âine''', not -âne. Words in ''italics'' are used to suggest meanings, in the case of similar words.  The word ''person'' (or ''persons'' after more than one) implies either a personal or family name.  Such words are included because they often contrast with the spellings of homophones, for example a bank clerk might be named '''Clàrk''' or '''Clàrke''', but most probably not 'Clerk' (which is pronounced identically in [[British English|BrE]]).  It may, of course, also be a commercial or place name, as this is a matter regarding individuals: the fact that one is more likely to meet a person, most probably male, called '''Maurice Mórris''' than one called '''Mórris Maurice''', both words and hence both names being pronounced the same in BrE ('''Maurìce''' in [[American English|AmE]]), is about as relevant as the fact that one is unlikely to meet a person called either.
The [[apostrophe]] is an important part of spelling and so it is treated as a letter, with its own place at the end of the alphabet.   


{{TOC-right}}
Fragments of words are in bold when correctly spelt: '''Ukrâine''' has -'''âine''', not -âne.


==Retroalphabetical list==
Words in ''italics'' are used to suggest meanings (e.g. '''sêa''' ''water'' = '''sêe''' ''vision'', where the equals sign denotes identical pronunciation).  Words beginning with an initial capital may have no word in italics following: these are names of people, either personal or family, and/or commercial or  place names.  Such words are included because they often contrast with the spellings of homophones:  a bank clerk might be named '''Clàrk''' or '''Clàrke''', but probably not 'Clerk' (though  [[British English|BrE]] '''clerk''' = '''Clàrk'''/'''Clàrke'''). Unusual spellings can be explained by regular ones: '''Cloúgh''' = '''Clúff'''. An American called '''Maurìce Mŏrris''' could just as well be called '''Mórris Maurice''' ("Morris Morris") in Britain, where '''Maurice''' = '''Mórris''' (although it would be putting the conventional surname before the conventional given name).
:''For the conventionally alphabetical list, see the links at the top of the page''


This list is in alphabetical order beginning with the final letter of the word and continuing backwards through it.  The headword is on the right. In this way, suffixes and other word endings can be seen grouped together, just as prefixes can be seen in normal alphabetical order.  So, instead of '''ádd båll coúsin''', we have '''réplicA fláB plástiC'''; and so for '''mûsiC''', see under -'''c''', for '''mûsicaL''', see under -'''l''', for '''pàrticlE''', see under -'''e''', and so on.
==Links to letter articles and lists==
{{:English_spellings/Catalogs/Masterlist}}
In the navigation table above (reproduced at the top of each article in the [[CZ:Article structure|cluster]]) the cells in each row link as follows:


Some  suffixes are included separately with their pronunciation applying or not to following words.
*Top row: '''''articles''''' on each letter and its use in English. There are similar articles on [[GH]], the [[apostrophe]] and the [[hyphen]].


Throughout, the apostrophe is treated as the last letter, after '''z'''.   
*Second row: '''''alphabetical''''' lists of of commonly misspelt and/or mispronounced words, alongside more regular words they may be confused with (words beginning with an apostrophe are [[English spellings/Catalogs/Apostrophe|here]]). Some incorrect spellings are also listed, signalled by an asterisk: *dispánd '''disbánd''' means that the word is 'disband'. (The ''bottom row'' is devoted entirely to misspellings and typos.)
For clarity, italic association words are to the left of the example word:  
   
*Third row: '''''retroalphabetical''''' lists, arranged alphabetically according to the final letter of the word and continuing backwards through it: 
::In the retroalphabetical lists the headword is on the right. In this way, suffixes and other word endings can be seen grouped together, just as prefixes can be seen in normal alphabetical order.  So, instead of '''ádd båll coúsin''', we have '''réplicA fláB plástiC'''; and so for '''mûsiC''', see under -'''C''', for '''mûsicaL''', see under -'''L''', for '''pàrticlE''', see under -'''E''', and so on.


''woman'' '''mâid''' = ''make'' '''mâde'''
::Some  suffixes are included separately; their pronunciation may or may not apply to following words ("always -'''ãrian'''" means there is no other pronunciation of -'''ãrian''').


===A===
::Throughout, the apostrophe is treated as the last letter, after '''Z'''.  (Words ending in an apostrophe are [[English spellings/Catalogs/Apostrophe#Final and medial|also here]].)
mostly schwa -'''a'''


[[British English|BrE]] ''barrier, drink'' '''bàr''' = ''sheep'' '''bàa'''  
::For clarity, italic association words are to the left of the example word:
:::''woman'' '''mâid''' = ''make'' '''mâde'''


'''Ábba
::Some incorrect spellings are listed retroalphabetically, in which case the misspelling goes on the right, just as in the alphabetical list:
:::'''wêasel''' *wêasal


'''Shêba
*Bottom row: '''''common misspellings''''' including '''''typos''''' (blue-linked for checking purposes), followed by the correct versions.


'''Cûba
Two main varieties are distinguished: [[British English]] (BrE), that of the [[United Kingdom|UK]] and much of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] (see also [[Commonwealth English]]), and [[American English]] (AmE), that of the [[United States of America|USA]] and [[Canada]] (without the [[caught-cot merger|'''cåught''' = '''cót''']] merger that has occurred in some parts of North America).


'''Hécuba
Unlike dictionaries, the lists include personal and place names for their own sake and for contrast.


'''scûba
==Table of accents==
These accents are intended to show the pronunciation while retaining the spelling: they are not part of the language. Those on '''i''' and '''y''' show the same sound; similarly with '''u''', '''oo''' and '''w'''.  Accented vowels are stressed ('''ỳ''' is normally unstressed, as in '''háppy''').  '''ā''', not in the table, means that the sound is '''à''' in standard British and Commonwealth pronunciations but '''á''' in American and other British and Commonwealth speech.
{|class="wikitable"
|rowspan=2|
|colspan=3 align=center|'''Front vowels
|colspan=5 align=center|'''Back vowels
|-
!e
!i       
!y<ref>When not accented, '''y''' is usually the semi-consonant of '''yoû''' and '''yés'''.</ref>
!a
!o
!u
!oo
!w<ref>When not accented, '''w''' is usually the semi-consonant of '''wê''' and '''wíll'''.</ref>
|-
|width=36%|The typical short sound, never occurring at the end of a word (acute accent)
|width=8%|'''pét
|width=8%|'''pít
|width=8%|'''crýpt
|width=8%|'''cát
|width=8%|'''dóg'''<ref>In American English this short British sound is replaced by the longer '''à''' in most positions, and by '''ŏ''' before '''r'''.</ref>
|width=8%|'''nút
|width=8%|
|width=8%|
|-
|The typical long sound, corresponding to the names of the letters A, E, I, O and U (circumflex accent)
|'''sêe
|'''nîce
|'''mŷ
|'''nâme
|'''nôse
|'''rûle
|'''toô
|'''neŵ
|-
|Sounds shown with the grave accent ('''ẁ'''- and '''qù'''- indicate the [[British English|BrE]] '''ó''' sound of the following '''a''', '''ẁad''' rhyming with '''qùad'''; '''òu''' and '''òw''' are diphthongs sounding like '''àù''' in '''àùtobahn''': '''nòw''' has this '''sòund''')
|'''èight''' (= â)
|'''machìne''' (= ê)
|'''quaỳ''' ''water'' = '''kêỳ''' ''lock'' <br>(= ê)
|'''àre
|'''òther''', '''blòod''' <br>(= ú)
|'''fùll''' (= oò), '''qùantity''' (= w)
|'''foòt''' (= ù)
|'''ẁant''' (= wó)<ref>Grave accents on '''w''' and on a '''u''' following a '''q''' indicate the sound of the following '''a''': '''à''' in American English, but in British the extra sound '''ó''' as in the British pronunciation of '''hót'''.</ref>
|-
|The '''ër''' sound (umlaut accent)
|'''përson
|'''bïrd
|'''mÿrtle
|('''ëarth''')
|'''wörd
|'''pürr
|
|
|-
|The '''åw'''/'''ŏr''' sound (ring accent)<ref>'''å''' and '''ŏ''' show the same sound: ideally the '''o''' too would have a ring over it, but this symbol is not available, so '''ŏ''' is used instead.</ref>
|
|('''cŏin''')
|('''jŏy''')
|'''åll'''
|'''mŏre
|(for some BrE speakers) '''sůre
|
|
|-
|The '''ãir''' sound (tilde accent)
|('''thére''')
|('''ãir''' =
|'''Ãyr''')
|'''stãre
|
|
|
|
|-
|Irregular (respelling needed)
|'''sew''' (= '''sô''')
|'''meringue''' (*məráng)
|
|'''because''' (*bikóz)
|'''woman''' (*wùmən), '''women''' (*wímən)
|'''business''' (*bízníss)
|
|
|}


'''tûba
===Example sentences===
These sentences show how the accents may be used, for example, when teaching pronunciation. Words without accents are monosyllables with the [[schwa]] sound, a neutral grunt.


'''Lŏrca
''The usual short sound, acute accent:''


(but [[Vladimir Nabokov|Nabokov]]'s is '''Àda''') '''Âda'''
'''The gínger cát was jéalous of the bláck cát: howéver, the tábby was a véry dífferent mátter - the stúff of réveries, ín fáct.


'''Granàda
''The usual long sound, circumflex accent:''


'''Grenâda
'''Sây mŷ nâme thrêe tîmes with stŷle and Î’ll gô and fînd a tûne to plây for yoû.


'''propagánda
''The third sound, grave accent:''


'''referénda<ref>Plural of '''referéndum''': for more words like this, see [[English irregular nouns]].</ref>
'''Christìna Grèy shoùld (and dòes?) lòve her mòther and fàther.


.*îdêə '''idêa
''The '''ër''' sound, umlaut:''


.*flê '''flêa
'''But fïrst, Mÿrtle, fürther dïrty, ïrksome and distürbing wörk for the nürses.


.*plê '''plêa
''The '''ŏr''' sound ('''sůre''' here is with [[British English|British]] pronunciation = '''Shåw'''), the ring, or half-ring:''


-êə '''Crîmêa
'''Sůre yoû ŏught to cråwl ón åll fŏurs, m’lŏrd?


-êə '''ãrêa
''Irregular, without accent, instead with respelling:''


''person'' '''Chélsy''', etc. = ''place''  '''Chélsêa'''
'''Many women? Any woman!''' (pronounced: *Ménny wímmin? Énny wùman!)


.*Swónzy '''Sẁansêa
==Double letters==
The following alphabetical table shows examples of how letters can be doubled in English.  


.*nåuzêə '''nåusêa
Double consonant letters before suffixes are used (as often elsewhere) to preserve short vowel sounds, as in '''flípped''' (not *flîped), '''rebélled''' (not *rebêled) and '''pégged''' (not *pêged, which if regular would in any case be pronounced *pêjed).  Compare '''scrâped''', past of '''scrâpe''', and '''scrápped''', from '''scráp'''. In the case of '''t''', doubling it after an unstressed vowel and before a suffix may seem unnecessary, but in some cases it can be doubled before -'''ed''': either '''tàrgeted''' or '''tàrgetted''' (but always '''commítted''').


'''Ólga
The sign # indicates a double letter that is rare in that position; capital-letter words indicate that the double letter in this position is only found in names. An asterisk (*) indicates a respelling to show pronunciation, and an equals sign (=) introduces a [[homophone]].
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!letter
!initial
!medial
!final
!final + silent e
|-
|'''A
|'''àardvark''' #<ref>'''àardvark''' and '''Transvàal''' are from '''[[Afrikaans|Afrikàans]]''', itself a further example.</ref>
|'''bazàar''' #
|'''bàa''' #
|
|-
|'''B
|
|'''ríbbon
|'''ébb''' #
|'''Crábbe''' (= '''cráb''')
|-
|'''C
|
|'''sóccer''' (*sócker), '''accépt''' (*əxépt)
|
|
|-
|'''D
|
|'''hídden
|'''ádd
|
|-
|'''E
|'''êel
|'''bêen
|'''sêe
|
|-
|'''F
|'''Ffoùlkes'''
|'''éffort
|'''óff'''
|'''Clíffe''' (= '''clíff''')
|-
|'''G
|
|'''aggréssion''' (-'''g'''-), '''exággerate''' (-j-)
|'''égg''' #
|'''Légge''' (= '''lég''')
|-
|'''H
|
|'''hítchhike''' # (accidental)
|
|
|-
|'''I
|
|'''skìíng''' #
|'''Hawàìi''' #
|
|-
|'''J
|
|
|'''hàjj''' # (also spelt '''hàdj''')
|
|-
|'''K
|
|'''púkka'''; '''boòkkeeper''' (accidental)<ref>With a pause to indicate both '''k'''’s are pronounced.</ref> #
|
|
|-
|'''L
|'''llàma'''<ref>Also representing a [[Welsh language|Welsh]] sound in place names like '''Llandudno''' (-dídno) and '''Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwrndrobllllantysiliogogogóch'''.</ref> #
|'''fílling
|'''wéll'''
|'''bélle''' ''beauty'' (= '''béll''' ''ring'')


'''broûhàhà
|-
|'''M
|
|'''súmmer
|'''Crámm''' (= '''crám''')
|'''grámme''' (= '''grám''')
|-
|'''N
|
|'''dínner
|'''ínn''' # ''pub''
|'''Ánne''' (= '''Ánn''')
|-
|'''O
|'''oôze, oòmph''' #
|'''foôd, foòt, flòod, doŏr'''
|'''toô
|'''Loôe''' (= '''loô''')
|-
|'''P
|
|'''flípped
|
|'''stéppe''' ''Asia'' # (= '''stép''' ''foot'')
|-
|'''Q
|
|'''Sadìqqi''' #
|
|
|-
|'''R
|
|'''érror
|'''pürr
|
|-
|'''S
|
|'''méssy
|'''lóss
|'''crevásse
|-
|'''T
|
|'''bétter
|'''ẁatt
|'''couchétte''' -sh-
|-
|'''U
|
|'''vácuum''' # (*vákyoôm)
|
|
|-
|'''V
|
|'''révved''' #
|
|
|-
|'''W
|
|'''Lawwell''' # (accidental)
|
|
|-
|'''X
|
|'''[[Exxon|Éxxon]]''' ™ #
|'''[[Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans|Bób B. Sóxx]]''' #
|
|-
|'''Y
|
|'''[[Omar Khayyam|Khayyàm]]''' #
|
|
|-
|'''Z
|
|'''fízzy
|'''búzz
|
|}


'''gèisha
==Names of the letters==
The names of the letters of the alphabet are rarely written out in English (a simple capital being the normal usage: "with a C, not a K") so that, unlike in many other languages, most of their spellings have a rather unofficial status. But they can be shown as follows, using real words where possible:


clóss- '''claustrophôbìa
'''A''': '''â''' (the indefinite article, when stressed), '''èh?''' ''what?


-íshə, rhymes with '''milítia''' -'''ícia
'''B''': '''bê''' ''exist'', '''bêe''' ''sting


'''Alícia
'''C''': occasionally '''cêe'''; '''sêe''' ''look'', '''sêa''' ''ship


'''Galìcia
'''D''': [[River Dee|'''Dêe''' ''River]], ''surname''


'''Patrícia
'''E''': '''ê''' as in '''êmail''', '''ê-mail


'''Albânia
'''F''': '''éff''' as in the euphemism '''éff óff


'''Tanzanìa
'''G''': '''gêe''' ''up, exclamation'' *jêe


'''Armênia
'''H''': '''âitch''' as in '''drópping your âitches


.*skítzô-frêniə '''schizophrênia
'''I''': '''Î''' ''me'', '''eŷe''' ''vision


'''Slovênia
'''J''': '''jây''' ''bird


'''insómnia
'''K''': '''Kây''' ''person


Wó- '''Wallônia
'''L''': '''él''' ''elevated railway'' ([[American English|AmE]])


'''ària
'''M''': '''ém''' ''dash


'''malãria
'''N''': '''én''' ''dash


'''Bavãria
'''O''': '''ôwe''' ''debt'', '''ôh!''' ''exclamation


'''Alexāndria
'''P''': '''pêa''' ''pod'', '''pêe''' ''urine'', '''p''' ''pence'' ([[British English|BrE]])


'''Lîbêria
'''Q''': '''queûe''' ''line'', '''cûe''' ''ball'', ''prompt


'''hystêria
'''R''': '''àre''' ''be'', BrE '''àh''' ''exclamation


pìts- '''pizzerìa
'''S''': occasionally '''éss


'''Victŏria
'''T''': '''têa''' ''drink'', '''têe''' ''golf'', '''tì''' ''do-re-mi


'''trattorìa
'''U''': '''yoû''' ''me'', '''eŵe''' ''sheep


.*Âyshə or *Âyzhə '''Âsia
'''V''': '''[[Bobby Vee|Vêe]]''' ''Bobby''


-zhə '''amnêsia
'''W''': "'''doúble you'''" (*dúblyu; cf. '''vácûum''', which actually does have a '''doúble Û''')


-zhə '''Indonêsia
'''X''': '''éx-''' ''past


.*Toô-nìzhə [[American English|AmE]]; [[British English|BrE]] Chû-nízìə '''Tunisia'''
'''Y''': '''whŷ''' ''reason'' (voiced '''w''', as in BrE)


-zhə '''Maláysia
'''Z''': BrE '''zéd''', AmE '''zêe


mostly -shə -'''tia
==''The Chaos''==
by Gerard Nolst Trenité


.*Crôw-âyshə '''Croâtia
This poem on pronunciation irregularities was first published in 1920. Accent marks, respellings and editorial comments have been added to reflect current [[British English]] pronunciation. The unadorned poem, with an introduction, can be found [http://ncf.idallen.com/english.html here].


-tìə '''Ossétia


'''Patrícia''' rhymes with '''milítia
'''The Châós''' (*câyóss)


'''inërtia


'''vîa
Dêarest crêature ín creâtion


'''trŏika
Stúdying English (*Ínglish) pronunciâtion,


'''là
:Î wíll têach yoû ín mŷ vërse


'''Kampàla
:Sòunds lîke cŏrpse, cŏrps (*cŏr), hŏrse and wörse.


'''Mandéla
Î wíll kêep yoû, Sûsy, busy (*bízzy),


-zwâyla '''Venezuèla
Mâke yŏur héad wíth hêat grôw dízzy;


'''umbrélla
:Têar ín eŷe, yŏur dréss yŏu'll téar;


'''côla
:Quêer, fãir sêer (*sêe-er), hêar mŷ prãyer.


'''scrófula
Prây, consôle yŏur lòving pôet,


.*pé-nínssyələ '''península
Mâke mŷ côat loòk neŵ, dêar, sew (=sô) ít!   
:Júst compãre heàrt, hêar and hëard,


'''Mà
:Dîes and dîet (*dîət), lŏrd and wörd.


'''Alabáma
Swŏrd (*sŏrd) and swård, retâin and Brítain


'''Pánamà
[Mînd the látter hòw ít's wrítten].


'''dràma
:Mâde hás nót the sòund of báde,


or -mə '''cínemà
:Sây–said (*séd), pây–pâid, lâid but pláid.
Nòw Î sůrely wíll nót plâgue yoû


'''Émma
Wíth súch wörds as vâgue and âgûe,


'''dilémma
:Bút bê cãreful hòw yoû spêak,


'''diplôma
:Sây: gúsh, bùsh, steâk, strêak, breâk, blêak,


'''carcinôma
Prêvious, précious, fûchsia (*feŵsha), vîa,   
 
Récipê, pîpe, stúdding-sâil, choîr (=quîre);


'''Victoriàna
:Wôven, óven, hòw and lôw,


.*Loû-êasy-Ánna '''Louisiána
:Scrípt, recêipt (*rissêet), shoe (=shoô), pôem, tôe.  
Sây, expécting fråud and tríckerỳ:


'''banāna
Dåughter (*dåwter), làughter (*làfter) ánd Terpsíchorê (*Terpsíckery),


'''Fontāna
:Brànch, rànch, mêasles, tópsails, aîsles (*îles),


'''Montána
:Míssîles, símilês, revîles.
Whôlly (=hôly), hólly, sígnal, sîgning (*sîning),


'''nìrvàna
Sâme, exámining, but mîning,
:Schólar (*scóllar), vícar, and cigàr,


'''Guyāna
:Sôlar, mîca, wår and fàr.


'''vagîna
From "desîre": desîrable - ádmirable from "admîre",


'''Regîna
Lúmber, plúmber, biêr, but brîer,
:Tópsham, broûgham (*breŵəm), renòwn, but knôwn,


'''Polyánna
:Knówledge, dòne, lône, góne, nòne, tône,


'''hénna
Òne (=wòn), anémonê, Balmóral,
Kítchen, lîchen (=lîken), låundry, laurel (lórrel).


'''anténna
:Gërtrude, Gërman (J-), wínd and wînd,


'''tûna
:Beau (=Bô), kînd, kíndred, queûe, mankînd,   
Tŏrtoise (*tŏrtus), türquŏise, chámois-léather (*shámwà-),


'''bôa
Rêading, Réading, hêathen, héather.


'''Nôah''' rhymes with '''Gôa
:Thís phonétic lábyrínth


'''môa
:Gíves móss, grôss, broòk, brôoch, nînth, plínth.


'''Pà
Háve yoû éver yét endéavoured


'''spà
To (=toô)<ref>Strong form of '''to''', not normal in a verb's infinitive, necessitated by the metre.</ref> pronòunce revêred and sévered,


'''brà
:Dêmon, lémon, ghoûl, fòul, sôul,


cf. '''Ôprah''' - '''ópera
:Pêter, pétrol and patrôl?


'''Pandŏra
Bíllet dòes nót énd lîke bállèt (*bállây);


'''Andŏrra''' AmE; BrE '''Andórra
Boûquèt, ẁallet, mállet, chálèt.       
:Blòod and flòod are nót lîke foôd,
       
:Nŏr ís môuld lîke shoùld and woùld (=woòd).


'''Sumàtra
Bánquet ís nót nêarly pàrquèt,


'''Sinàtra
Whích exáctly rhŷmes wíth khàkì. ''—not usually nowadays''
       
:Díscòunt, vîscòunt (*vîcòunt), lôad and brŏad,
       
:Towård, to fŏrward, to (=toô) rewård,


ork- '''ŏrchestra
Rícochèted and crôchèting, crôquèt?


'''strâta''' AmE ≈ BrE '''strâighter''' - '''stràta
Rîght! Yŏur pronunciâtion's OK.<ref>The pronunciation required by the metre is "ôkay", though the '''K''' is normally the stressed syllable: '''okây'''.</ref>


'''táffeta
:Ròunded, woûnded, griêve and síeve,
:Friénd and fiênd, alîve and líve.


'''excrêta
Ís yŏur R corréct ín hîgher?


-wə '''Manágua
Kêats assërts ít rhŷmes Thalîa.


-yûə or -wə '''Nicarágua
:Hûgh, but húg, and hoòd, but hoôt,
       
:Buŏyant, mínute, bút minûte.


'''nôva
Sây abscíssion wíth precísion,


'''sŏya
Nòw: posítion ánd transítion;


'''Gàza
:Woùld ít tálly wíth mŷ rhŷme
       
:Íf Î méntioned páradîgm?


'''plàza
Twòpence, thréepence, têase are êasy,


.*pêetsa '''pìzza
But cêase, crêase, grêase and grêasy?
 
:Cŏrnice, nîce, valìse, revîse,


===B===
:Râbíes, but lúllabîes.
'''náb


'''jáb
Óf súch púzzling wörds as nåuseous,


'''Árab
Rhŷming wéll wíth cåutious, tŏrtious,


'''stáb
:Yoû'll envélop lísts, Î hôpe,
       
:Ín a línen énvelôpe.


'''ébb
Woùld yoû lîke some mŏre? Yoû'll háve ít!


'''fíb
Áffidâvit, Dâvid, dávit.


'''níb
:To (=toô) abjûre, to përjure. Shèik
:Dòes nót sòund lîke Czéch but âche.   
Líberty, lîbrary, hêave and héaven,


.*lám '''lámb
Râchel, lóch, moustàche, eléven.  


.*lím '''límb
:Wê sây hállôwed, bút allòwed,


''climate'' '''clîme''' =  ''up'' '''clîmb
:Pêople, léopard, tôwed but vòwed.


.*côam '''cômb
Màrk the dífference, moreôver,


'''còme, húm, súm''' rhyme with '''succúmb
Betwêen mover (*moôver), plòver, Dôver.


.*dúm '''dúmb
:Lêaches, brêeches, wîse, precîse,


.*thúm '''thúmb
:Chálíce, bút polìce and lîce,


''fruit'' '''plúm''' = ''plumbing''  '''plúmb
Cámel, cònstable, únstâble,


.*núm '''númb
Prínciple, discîple, lâbel.  
   
:Pétal, pênal, and canál,


.*bóm '''bómb
:Wâit, surmîse, pláit, prómíse, pál,


.*côam '''cômb
Sûit, suìte, rûín. Cïrcuít, cónduít


.*toôm '''tomb
Rhŷme wíth "shïrk ít" and "beyónd ít". —''still?''


'''hóbnob
:Bút ít ís nót hàrd to téll


.*dŏrnób '''dŏorknob
:Whŷ ít's påll, måll, but Páll Máll.  


AmE *érb '''hërb
Múscle, múscular, gâol (=jâil), îron,


'''vërb
Tímber, clîmber, búllion, lîon,


'''ŏrb
:Wörm and stŏrm, chaise (*shézz), châós, chãir,


'''súburb
:Sénator, spectâtor, mãyor,


'''blürb
Îvy, prívy, fâmous; clámour


'''pertürb
Hás thê Â of dráchm and hámmer.


'''distürb
:Pùssy, hússy ánd posséss,


'''cúb
:Désert, but desërt, addréss.


'''dúb
Gôlf, wolf (=Woòlf), còuntenance, lieuténants
Hŏist ín lieû of flágs léft pénnants.


'''húb
:Coùrier, cŏurtier, tomb (*toôm), bómb, cômb,


'''clúb
:Còw, but Cowper (=Coôper), sòme and hôme.


===C===
"Sôlder, sôldier!  Blòod ís thícker",
'''mâniac


'''insómniac
Quôth hê, "than liqueûr ŏr líquor",   
:Mâking, ít ís sád but trûe,


.*afrô-dízzỳác '''aphrodísìac
:Ín bravàdo, múch ado (*adoô).  


'''lîlac
Strânger dòes nót rhŷme wíth ánger,


'''ålmanac
Neîther dòes devòur wíth clángour. —''neither does anger: *áng-gə''
:Pîlot, pívot, gåunt, but āunt,
:Fónt, frònt, wônt, wånt, gránd and grānt.


'''Quebéc
Àrsenic, specífic, scênic,


'''terrífic
Rélic, rhétoric, hygìênic.
:Goòseberry, goôse, and clôse, but clôse,


'''horrífic
:Páradise, rîse, rôse, and dôse.
Sây invèigh, nèigh, but invêigle,


'''lógic
Mâke the látter rhŷme wíth êagle.


.*shêek '''chìc
:Mînd! Mêándering but mêan,


'''pýrrhic
:Válentîne and mágazìne.


'''éthic
Ánd Î bét yoû, dêar, a pénny,


'''Góthic
Yoû sây máni-(fôld) lîke many (*ménny),


'''mýthic
:Whích ís wróng.  Sây râpier, pìêr,


'''repúblic
:Tîer (òne who tîes), but tìêr.


'''seîsmic
Àrch, archângel; prây, dòes ërring


'''irónic
Rhŷme wíth hérring ŏr wíth stïrring?   
:Príson, bîson, tréasure trôve,


'''Byrónic
:Trêason, hóver, còver, côve,


'''herôíc
Persevêrance, séverance.  Ríbald


cf. '''Pátrick''' - '''Éric
Rhŷmes (but pîebåld dòesn't) wíth níbbled.  
 
       
''ill'' '''síck'''    = ''thus'' '''síc'''
:Phâeton, paêan, gnát, ghåt, gnåw,  
 
       
-zíc '''mûsic
:Liên, psŷchic, shóne, bône, pshåw.
 
   
'''dramátic
Dôn't bê dòwn, mŷ ôwn, but roúgh ít,  
 
'''tråumátic
 
'''fanátic
 
''noun, verb'' '''státic
 
'''parasític
 
'''plástic
 
'''drástic
 
'''acoûstic
 
cf. ''adjective'' '''mýstical''' - ''noun'' '''mýstic
 
''loft'' '''áttic''' = ''Greek'' '''Áttic
 
'''paralýtic
 
''wood'' '''blóck''' = ''political'' '''blóc'''
 
'''súbfúsc
 
can be '''móllusk''' in American - '''móllusc
 
===D===
'''bád
 
'''dád
 
''book'' '''Bêde''' = ''string'' '''bêad
 
'''déad
 
'''héad
 
'''knêad
 
'''bréad
 
'''dréad
 
'''spréad
 
'''instéad
 
'''fád
 
'''hád
 
'''Ílìád
 
'''Jeremîád
 
'''trîád
 
'''lád
 
'''mád
 
'''gôad
 
'''rôad
 
'''brŏad
 
'''abrŏad
 
'''tôad
 
'''sád
 
'''qùad''' rhymes with '''ẁad
 
'''ádd
 
'''ódd
 
'''ae''' as schwa: *səbpênəd '''subpoênaed
 
-did -'''ded
 
'''woûnded
 
'''låuded
 
'''procêed
 
'''hêed
 
'''nêed
 
'''grêed
 
'''wêed
 
'''áct''' = -'''ácked
 
''tactful'' '''táct''' = ''tack'' '''tácked
 
'''stácked
 
AmE '''tráveled
 
-ld '''fîled
 
-ld '''smîled
 
-ld '''pîled
 
'''l''' doubled after stressed syllable - BrE and AmE '''rebélled
 
BrE '''trávelled
 
'''abándoned
 
'''boôed
 
-pt '''stépped
 
'''réd
 
''bare'' '''bãred
 
'''scãred
 
.*sâycríd '''sâcred
 
'''hámpered
 
cf. '''compãred''' - '''cómpéred
 
two syllables '''neûtered
 
'''revêred
 
'''sévered
 
'''mîred
 
cf. '''hâte''' -  *hâtíd '''hâted
 
cf. '''hâte''' -  *hâtríd '''hâtred
 
cf. '''kînd''' - *kíndríd '''kíndred
 
-rəd '''húndred
 
''bar'' '''bàrred
 
''food'' '''bâste''' = ''base'' '''bâsed
 
.*bîast '''bîased
 
-'''éssed''' mostly rhymes with -'''ést''': '''conféssed
 
.*blést, but can be *bléssid before a noun '''bléssed
 
'''asséssed
 
'''obséssed
 
-tíd -'''ted
 
'''tàrgeted
 
.*rícoshâid '''rícochèted
 
'''intërpreted
 
'''excîted
 
'''éxited
 
'''ẁanted
 
'''bígoted
 
-vd '''shôved
 
-vd '''lòved
 
'''allòwed
 
'''hállowed
 
'''néxt''' rhymes with '''séxed
 
''stare'' '''stãry-eŷed
 
''star'' '''stàrry-eŷed
 
''person'' '''Bŏyd''' = ''buoy'' '''buŏyed
 
'''âid
 
'''lâid
 
''make'' '''mâde''' = ''woman'' '''mâid
 
.*pâyed '''pâid
 
''bray'' '''brâyed''' = ''hair'' '''brâid
 
.*séd '''said
 
'''bíd
 
'''díd
 
'''líd
 
'''sqùalid
 
'''válid
 
'''vŏid
 
'''rápid
 
'''vápid
 
'''flûíd
 
'''Réginald
 
'''Rónald
 
'''géld
 
'''héld
 
'''fìêld
 
'''wìêld
 
'''mèld
 
'''wéld
 
'''gíld
 
'''chîld
 
'''mîld
 
'''wîld
 
'''ôld
 
'''bôld
 
'''fôld
 
'''thrêefôld
 
'''gôld
 
'''hôld
 
'''x yêars ôld''' in the plural, but hyphens when it's an ''adjective or  noun'' '''x-yêar-ôld'''
 
'''sôld
 
'''tôld
 
cf. '''gôld''' - '''Goûld
 
cf. '''coùld, shoùld''' and '''woùld''', all -ùd - '''môuld
 
'''ánd
 
'''hánd
 
'''lánd
 
-lənd: mostly schwa in (place or people’s) names, where it conveys familiarity: -'''lánd''' used for countries suggests alienness, even lack of sovereignty -'''land'''
 
'''Díxielánd'''
 
Tŷ- '''Thaîland
 
'''blánd''' = '''Blánd
 
'''Åuckland
 
'''Hólland
 
'''a''' as schwa before nouns, e.g. '''Ínland Révenue''', otherwise '''á''' - '''ínlánd
 
schwa possible in adjectival use - '''mâinlánd
 
'''Fínland
 
'''Pôland
 
'''Láplánd
 
'''Súnderland
 
'''mòtherlánd
 
'''hínterlánd
 
'''ôverlánd
 
'''Swítzerland
 
'''Quêensland
 
'''Scótland
 
'''heàrtland
 
'''Mãryland
 
'''demānd
 
'''Hélmand
 
'''sánd
 
'''fìênd
 
'''friénd
 
'''blénd
 
'''pénd
 
'''rénd
 
'''sénd
 
'''ténd
 
'''wénd
 
'''bînd
 
''crime'' '''fîned''' = ''discover'' '''fînd
 
'''hînd
 
one word '''hûmankînd
 
'''blînd
 
'''mînd
 
'''rînd
 
'''támarínd
 
''blow'' '''wínd
 
''round'' '''wînd
 
'''beyónd
 
'''ròund
 
'''woûnd
 
''religion'' '''Gód''' = ''idol'' '''gód
 
'''clód
 
'''nód
 
'''pód
 
'''foôd
 
'''goòd
 
'''hoòd
 
no y before -'''hoòd
 
'''lîkelihoòd
 
'''lîvelihoòd
 
'''moôd
 
'''broôd
 
'''woòd
 
apart from monosyllables, mostly -ə(r)d -'''ard
 
'''càrd
 
'''bêard
 
'''hëard
 
'''hàrd
 
.*Ríchərd '''Ríchard
 
'''shàrd
 
'''làrd
 
cf. ''wide'' '''brŏad''' - ''boring'' '''bŏred''' = ''wood, company'' '''bŏard
 
.*cúbbərd '''cúpboard
 
'''flŏorbŏard
 
.*lépərd '''léopard
 
'''lêotàrd 
 
'''bāstard
 
'''bústard
 
.*gàrd '''guàrd
 
'''wård
 
'''báckward
 
'''åwkward
 
except for [[Frankie Howerd|Fránkie Hòwerd]]: '''Hòward
 
'''yàrd
 
'''házard
 
'''lízard
 
'''wízard
 
'''blízzard
 
'''búzzard
 
''hear'' '''hëard''' = ''animals'' '''hërd
 
'''nërd
 
'''bïrd
 
''tie''  '''chŏrd''' = ''vocal'' '''cörd
 
''person''  '''Fŏrd''' = ''water'' '''fŏrd
 
name suffix, -fəd -'''ford
 
'''Brádford
 
'''Rédford
 
'''Blándford
 
'''Rétford
 
'''Óxford
 
''rope'' '''cŏrd''' =  ''music'' '''chörd
 
'''wörd
 
'''absürd
 
'''türd
 
'''applåud
 
'''Måud
 
'''fråud
 
'''Î’d
 
''listen'' '''hêed''' = ''he'' '''hê’d
 
'''shê’d
 
''plant'' '''wêed''' = ''we'' '''wê’d
 
.*prâycêed '''prècis’d
 
'''ít’d
 
'''yoû’d
 
'''thèy’d
 
===E===
final '''e''' is mostly silent; for words often italicised and ending in written -'''''é''''' see [[French words in English]]. '''e'''
 
AmE -'''ê''' -'''aê
 
'''nébulaê
 
'''fŏrmulaê
 
'''anténnaê
 
'''nôvaê
 
'''scrîbe
 
'''descrîbe
 
''medicine'' '''prescrîbe''' ≈ ''illegal'' '''proscrîbe
 
zé- '''xénophobe
 
'''lôbe
 
'''fâce
 
.*préffis '''préface
 
.*ménnis '''ménace
 
'''Ẁallis''' = '''Ẁallace
 
.*Hórris, rhyming with words in -'''óris''' - '''Hórace
 
.*térris '''térrace
 
'''îce
 
'''sácrifîce
 
'''órifíce''' BrE; AmE '''ǒrifíce
 
'''sürplíce
 
'''nîce
 
'''Véníce
 
'''cŏrníce
 
'''chŏice
 
'''vŏice
 
'''hóspíce
 
'''thrîce
 
'''caprìce
 
'''trîce
 
'''pôultíce
 
'''láttíce
 
''BrE verb'' '''práctíse'''  = ''noun, AmE verb''  '''práctíce
 
'''nôtíce
 
'''devîce
 
'''crévíce
 
'''véngeance
 
sometimes written as in French '''''séance''''' - '''sèànce
 
'''chānce
 
'''vígilance
 
'''románce
 
'''perfŏrmance
 
''noun = verb'' either stressed '''fînánce
 
'''híndrance
 
'''forbéarance
 
''enter'' '''éntrance
 
''beguile'' '''entrānce
 
cf. '''exístence''' - '''stānce
 
cf. '''exístence''' - '''resístance
 
AmE '''lîcense''', cf. BrE and AmE '''suspénse''' - '''lîcence
 
.*ákwêeyéssənss; cf. '''présence''', -zənss - '''acquiéscence
 
'''câdence
 
'''décadence
 
'''transcéndence
 
'''subsîdence
 
'''évidence
 
'''próvidence
 
cf. '''dénse''' - '''fénce
 
AmE '''defénse''' - '''defénce
 
AmE '''offénse''' - '''offénce
 
'''hénce
 
'''scîence
 
-shənss '''cónscience
 
'''åudience
 
-âshence '''impâtience
 
cf. '''prevâil''' - '''prévalence
 
'''vîolence
 
'''përmanence
 
'''adhêrence
 
'''occúrrence
 
'''rêcúrrence
 
'''ábsence
 
'''cómpetence
 
'''séntence
 
'''insístence
 
cf. '''stānce''' - '''exístence
 
'''ínfluence
 
''mint'' '''mínts''' ≈ ''meat'' '''mínce
 
''print'' '''prínts''' ≈ ''royal'' '''prínce
 
'''fìêrce
 
'''pìêrce
 
'''coërce
 
'''enfŏrce
 
-'''êí'''- '''reinfŏrce
 
'''divŏrce
 
verbs -'''ésce
 
-éss '''acquiésce
 
.*côwaléss '''coalésce
 
-éss '''effervésce
 
BrE -dyoôss or -joôss, AmE doôss -'''dûce
 
'''redûce
 
'''indûce
 
''verb'' '''prodûce
 
''noun'' '''próduce
 
'''Jŏyce
 
'''fâde
 
'''shâde
 
'''jâde
 
'''glâde
 
''woman'' '''mâid''' = ''make'' '''mâde
 
'''grenâde
 
sh-; AmE '''charâde''', BrE '''charàde
 
'''parâde
 
'''concêde
 
'''intercêde
 
'''supersêde
 
stressed in verbs, unstressed in nouns, but always pronounced -'''îde
 
'''régicide
 
'''sûicide
 
'''cŷanide
 
'''derîde
 
'''asîde
 
'''besîde
 
.*rizîde '''resîde
 
one word '''úpside
 
one word '''dòwnside
 
'''provîde
 
'''óxide
 
in some names -'''forde
 
íl- '''elûde
 
əl- '''allûde
 
'''lóngitude
 
'''látitude
 
'''áttitude
 
''insect'' '''bêe
 
'''divorcêe
 
'''fêe
 
'''cóffee
 
'''banóffee
 
'''tóffee
 
'''Yánkee
 
'''glêe
 
'''referêe
 
as a suffix meaning ‘without’ -frêe should be at least hyphenated, never a separate word:  
'''cãrefrêe and commítment-frêe
 
'''degrêe
 
'''pédigree
 
'''sêe
 
.*lîcencêe '''licensêe
 
cf. '''députy''' - '''devotêe
 
'''payêe
 
-'''êe''' has main stress when in contrast to '''emplŏyer''' - '''emplŏyêe
 
'''gáffe
 
'''lîfe
 
.*nîfe '''knîfe
 
'''wîfe
 
'''âge
 
mostly -íj -'''age
 
-íj '''cábbage
 
-íj '''bándage
 
.*hémərij '''haémorrhage
 
.*fôlìíj '''fôlìage
 
.*cárríj '''cárriage
 
.*márríj '''márriage
 
-àzh '''fûselage
 
-àzh '''cámouflage
 
-íj '''víllage
 
-àzh '''cóllage
 
-íj '''dámage
 
-íj '''mánage
 
-àzh '''bádinage
 
BrE *gáràj; *gáríj is regarded by many as uneducated; AmE *gəràzh '''gáràge
 
-íj '''áverage
 
''person'' '''Béveridge''' = -íj ''drink'' '''béverage
 
-íj '''lêverage
 
-àzh '''míràge
 
-íj '''stŏrage
 
BrE *báràj, AmE *bəràzh '''bárràge
 
'''sâge
 
BrE *məssàj, AmE *məssàzh '''mássàge
 
-íj '''méssage
 
-àzh '''dréssàge
 
-íj '''ûsage
 
-àzh '''sábotàge
 
-íj '''cóttage
 
-íj '''wâstage
 
-íj '''hóstage
 
-íj '''lánguage
 
-íj '''sávage
 
'''bádge
 
'''édge
 
'''plédge
 
'''slédge
 
-íj '''knówledge
 
'''mídge
 
'''rídge
 
'''brídge
 
'''pórridge
 
'''dódge
 
'''stódge
 
'''fúdge
 
'''sácrilege
 
'''prívilege
 
cf. '''édge''' - '''allége
 
'''oblîge
 
-êezh '''prestìge
 
-íj '''véstíge
 
'''chânge
 
'''whínge
 
'''lòunge
 
'''scròunge
 
'''Dôge
 
'''bàrge
 
'''làrge
 
'''dïrge
 
'''fŏrge
 
'''ürge
 
'''scöurge
 
'''pürge
 
'''sürge
 
.*âke '''âche
 
BrE *məstàsh, AmE *mústásh '''moustāche
 
-kê '''synécdochê
 
cf. '''trôphy''', '''átrophy''' - '''catástrophê
 
'''apóstrophê
 
.*dhə before consonants, *dhê before vowels - '''thê
 
'''lôathe''' rhymes with '''clôthe
 
''colour'' '''dŷe''' =  ''death''  '''dîe
 
'''bïrdìê
 
'''Chàrly''' = '''Chàrlie
 
''surname'' '''Wílley''' =  '''Wílly''' = '''Wíllie
 
'''Cónnie
 
'''Lónnie
 
'''Rónnie
 
'''pîe
 
soft g - '''menágerìê
 
'''côterìê
 
'''cálorìê
 
'''éyrìê
 
'''bâke
 
'''câke
 
'''Jâke
 
cf. '''bláck, Bláck''' - '''Blâke
 
'''mâke
 
'''snâke
 
'''sâke
 
'''tâke
 
''eat'' '''steâk''' = ''hold'' '''stâke
 
'''mistâke
 
'''lîke
 
'''chîldlîke
 
'''gódlîke
 
'''wårlîke
 
'''cátlîke
 
'''pîke
 
'''chôke
 
'''brôke
 
'''broòk''' rhymes with '''Ládbroke
 
'''broòk''' rhymes with '''Bólingbroke
 
'''evôke
 
'''provôke
 
'''wôke
 
'''rebûke
 
'''dûke
 
cf. ''noun, adjective'' '''fînal''' - ''noun'' '''finàlê
 
cf. ''adjective'' '''rátional''' - ''noun'' '''rationàle
 
cf. '''Âbel''', '''Bâbel''', ''''lâbel''', '''Mâbel''' - '''âble
 
'''impertürbable
 
'''applícable
 
dis- '''despícable
 
it is normal to retain an '''e''' before -'''able''' to show either the pronunciation of the preceding consonant or the long sound of the preceding vowel -'''eable
 
-nsəble '''pronòunceable
 
-jəble '''mánageable
 
-jəble '''chângeable
 
-kəble '''unshâkeable
 
-ləble '''sâleable
 
'''gâble
 
cf. '''lâbel''' - '''avâilable
 
'''unwínnable
 
'''ádmirable
 
'''desîrable
 
'''sâble
 
'''advîsable
 
'''tâble
 
'''debâtable
 
'''insurmòuntable
 
'''stâble
 
'''cònstable
 
'''forgívable
 
'''dábble
 
'''rábble


cf. '''rébel''' - '''pébble
Ánd distínguish bùffèt, búffet; 
   
   
'''dríbble
:Broôd, stoòd, roôf, roòk, schoôl, woòl, boôn,  
 
'''cóbble
 
'''góbble
 
'''hóbble
 
'''nóbble
 
'''wóbble
 
'''Húbble
 
'''rúbble
 
'''stúbble
 
'''édible
 
tánj- '''tángible
 
'''fállible
 
'''térrible
 
'''hórrible
 
'''comprehénsible
 
'''apprehénsible
 
'''sénsible
 
-sable is French - '''respónsible
 
axé- '''accéssible
 
'''colléctible
 
'''suscéptible
 
'''contémptible
 
'''irresístible
 
'''ámble
 
'''prê'''- '''preámble
 
'''gámble
 
'''rámble
 
'''scrámble
 
'''assémble
 
'''dissémble
 
.*rizémble '''resémble
 
.*onsómble '''ensemble
 
'''nímble
 
'''thímble
 
'''búmble
 
'''fúmble
 
'''húmble
 
'''júmble
 
'''múmble
 
'''rúmble
 
'''crúmble
 
'''grúmble
 
'''túmble
 
'''stúmble
 
'''nôble
 
'''doúble
 
AmE '''rûble''' = BrE '''roûble
 
'''troúble
 
'''pínnacle
 
'''bàrnacle
 
'''téntacle
 
'''óbstacle
 
.*vêícle '''vêhicle
 
'''véntricle
 
'''pàrticle
 
.*úngkəl '''úncle
 
'''càrbuncle
 
'''tréadle
 
'''crâdle
 
'''páddle
 
'''stráddle
 
'''ẁaddle
 
'''tẁaddle
 
''médal'' '''medallion''' = ''interfere'' '''méddle
 
'''bicycle''' ''pédal'' = ''sell'' '''péddle
 
'''díddle
 
'''fíddle
 
'''míddle
 
'''píddle
 
'''ríddle
 
'''códdle
 
'''cúddle
 
'''fúddle
 
'''befúddle
 
'''húddle
 
'''múddle
 
'''cándle
 
'''dándle
 
'''hándle
 
'''spíndle
 
'''noôdle
 
'''poôdle
 
'''gïrdle
 
'''cürdle
 
'''hürdle
 
'''kerfúffle
 
'''trúffle
 
'''strúggle
 
'''invêigle
 
'''g''' sounded separately from '''ng''' -'''ngle
 
'''ángle
 
'''bángle
 
'''dángle
 
spángle
 
'''wrángle
 
'''wángle
 
'''bürgle
 
'''bûgle
 
'''bîle
 
BrE -'''île''', AmE -əl '''môbile
 
'''åutomobìle
 
'''fîle
 
BrE -'''île''', AmE -əl '''frágile
 
'''Ánglophîle
 
'''mîle
 
'''símilê
 
.*fáx-íməly '''facsímilê
 
'''smîle
 
'''pîle
 
'''rîle
 
BrE -'''île''', AmE -əl '''stérile
 
BrE -'''île''', AmE -əl ''prayers'' '''míssal''' = ''war'' '''míssile
 
'''tîle
 
BrE -'''île''', AmE -əl '''vólatile
 
'''mërcantîle
 
'''ínfantîle
 
BrE -'''île''', AmE -əl '''hóstile
 
.*gîle, hard '''g''' - '''guîle
 
'''revîle
 
'''táckle
 
'''héckle
 
'''fréckle
 
'''píckle
 
'''tíckle
 
'''cóckle
 
'''búckle
 
'''ánkle
 
'''tínkle
 
'''wrínkle
 
'''wínkle
 
''food'' '''gríll''' = ''screen'' '''grílle
 
''fire'' '''côal''' = ''person'' '''Côle
 
'''dôle
 
'''hôle
 
'''môle
 
''ballot'' '''pôll''' = ''Poland'' '''Pôle''' = ''wood'' '''pôle
 
''over, eat'' '''rôll''' = ''play'' '''rôle
 
'''partíciple
 
''adjective, person'' '''príncipal''' = ''belief'' '''prínciple
 
'''discîple
 
'''sāmple
 
'''exāmple
 
'''dímple
 
'''símple
 
'''rúmple
 
'''crúmple
 
'''stêeple''' rhymes with '''pêople
 
'''nípple
 
'''rípple
 
'''típple
 
'''coúple
 
'''scrûple
 
'''vással''' and in AmE words in -'''āstle''' rhyme with '''hássle
 
-zle '''tòusle
 
''person'' Súttle = ''obvious'' '''súbtle
 
'''chŏrtle
 
-səl -'''stle
 
'''cāstle
 
'''véssel''' rhymes with -'''éstle
 
'''néstle
 
'''tréstle
 
'''wréstle
 
'''whístle
 
'''grístle
 
'''Rússell''' rhymes with -'''ústle
 
'''bústle
 
'''hústle
 
'''rústle
 
'''líttle
 
'''cáttle
 
'''kéttle
 
''gold'' métal = ''courage'' méttle
 
'''bóttle
 
'''súbtle''' rhymes with '''shúttle
 
-'''ûel''' rhymes with -'''ûle
 
'''módule
 
'''mûle
 
'''rûle
 
'''cápsule
 
'''dázzle
 
'''fízzle
 
cf. '''drível''' - '''drízzle
 
'''sízzle
 
'''púzzle
 
''person'' '''Mêe''' = ''you''' '''mê
 
cf. '''âim - '''câme
 
'''gâme
 
'''lâme
 
'''sâme
 
'''frâme
 
'''tâme
 
'''extrême
 
'''dîme
 
.*rèzhìme '''regìme
 
'''lîme
 
''verse'' '''rhŷme''' = ''frost'' '''rîme
 
'''tîme
 
'''íncòme
 
'''òutcòme
 
'''dôme
 
'''hôme
 
'''gênome
 
''Alaska'' '''Nôme''' = ''garden'' '''gnôme
 
'''sòme
 
səm -'''some
 
'''troúblesome
 
'''hándsome
 
'''thrêesome
 
'''h'''- '''whôlesome
 
'''wínsome
 
cf. '''hysteréctomy''' - '''epítomê
 
.*rizyûme '''resûme
 
.*rézumây, written with French accents avoids confusion with '''resûme''': '''''résumé'''''
 
.*prizyûme '''presûme
 
-syû- '''consûme
 
-syû- '''assûme
 
''frost'' '''rîme''' = ''verse'' '''rhŷme
 
''fruit'' '''lîme''' = ''England'' '''Lŷme
 
'''énzŷme
 
'''bâne
 
''persons'' '''Câin''' = '''Câine''' = ''stick'' '''câne
 
'''urbâne
 
'''Dâne
 
'''mêthane
 
'''Jâne
 
'''lâne
 
cf. '''remâin''' - ''relevant'' '''germâne
 
'''scêne
 
'''obscêne
 
'''gángrêne
 
-ône '''colôgne
 
-'''îgn''' rhymes with -'''îne
 
''person'' '''Germâine
 
'''mìgrâine
 
'''Ukrâine
 
.*Mádlin or *Mádlən - '''Mádeleíne'''
 
'''refîne
 
'''confîne
 
'''éngíne
 
cf. '''hérôín''' ''drug'', '''hérôíne''' ''hero'' - '''méscalíne
 
'''declîne
 
'''reclîne
 
'''mîne
 
'''vërmín''' rhymes with '''ërmíne
 
'''detërmíne
 
'''sërpentîne
 
'''türpentîne
 
'''intéstíne
 
K- '''Chrístìne
 
'''prístìne
 
'''magazìne
 
''win'' '''wòn''' = ''number'' '''òne
 
'''cône
 
cf. '''Stône of Scone''', *Scoôn - '''scóne
 
'''dòne
 
'''condône
 
'''góne
 
'''alône
 
'''anémonê
 
'''nòne
 
'''atône
 
'''stône
 
cf. '''Kíngston''', both have '''o''' as schwa - '''Mâidstone
 
'''zône
 
'''ãirbŏrne
 
'''o''' as schwa in best [[Australia|Aus]] pronunciation '''Mélbourne
 
'''Êastbŏurne
 
*dí-mâin '''demèsne
 
= -'''ô''', -'''ôw''' -  -'''ôe
 
'''ôboe
 
'''dôe
 
'''fôe
 
-oô '''shoe
 
'''Jôe
 
-oô '''canoe
 
'''rôe
 
'''tôe
 
'''wôe
 
'''Zôê
 
'''grâpe
 
'''Penélopê
 
'''ántelôpe
 
or ón- '''énvelôpe
 
'''shãre
 
'''awãre
 
'''bewãre
 
'''prepãre
 
'''îronwãre
 
'''sóftwãre
 
-'''re''' as schwa - *âkər '''âcre
 
-'''re''' as schwa - -kər '''mássacre
 
''ear'' '''hêar''' = ''this'' '''hêre
 
''them'' '''théir''' = ''that'' '''thére
 
''clothes'' '''wéãr''' = ''place'' '''whère
 
'''mêre
 
''was'' '''wëre
 
'''sevêre
 
'''shîre
 
in England, schwa, -shə -'''shire
 
.*Glóstersher '''Glóucestershire
 
.*Léstersher '''Léicestershire
 
.*Wùstersher '''Worcestershire
 
-'''shîre''' in Scotland – though non-Scots may not comply '''Âyrshîre
 
'''hîre
 
'''mîre
 
AmE '''mêter''' = BrE ''length'' '''mêtre
 
cf. '''fŏr''' - '''befŏre
 
'''to the fŏre
 
'''thérefore
 
(and, for some, '''toûr''' ''guide'')  ''rock''  '''tŏr''' = ''téar'' '''tŏre
 
'''bizàrre
 
cf. '''grándeûr''' - '''cûre
 
'''endûre
 
'''pāstûre
 
'''abjûre
 
-jər '''ínjure
 
-jər '''cònjure
 
'''përjure
 
'''lûre
 
-lyər '''fâilure
 
BrE əlyûə '''allûre
 
BrE  '''Shåw''' = AmE '''sûre
 
-zhər -'''sure
 
'''pléasure
 
'''méasure
 
'''tréasure
 
'''léisure
 
'''clôsure
 
-sh- '''préssure
 
-sh- '''físsure
 
-chər -'''ture
 
'''matûre
 
'''nâture
 
'''státure
 
'''fûture
 
'''sûture
 
'''wê’re
 
''of you'' '''yŏur''' = ''days'' '''yŏre''' = ''you are'' '''yŏu’re
 
''here'' '''thére''' = ''them'' '''théir''' = ''they'' '''thèy’re
 
'''chêese''', '''slêaze''' and '''frêeze''' rhyme with '''êase
 
-ss '''lêase
 
'''êase''' rhymes with ''plea'' '''plêas''' = ''request'' '''plêase
 
-ss '''crêase
 
''verb'', ''noun'' -ss '''decrêase
 
''verb'', ''noun'' -ss '''incrêase
 
-z '''têase
 
'''âce''' rhymes with '''châse
 
''confuse'' '''fâze''' = ''temporary'' '''phâse
 
-êez (no nationalities end in -ìse); usually stressed but can become unstressed before a noun as in '''Jápanese''': -'''êse
 
'''chêese
 
'''jöurnalêse
 
'''Nepalêse
 
'''Jápanêse
 
'''Chînêse
 
in all words apart from those specified below, -'''îse''' can be spelt -'''îze''', for example '''críticize''', and this is how -'''îse''' is pronounced in most verbs -'''îse
 
'''críticîse
 
pronounced but never spelt -ize ''noun, verb'' '''éxercîse
 
pronounced but never spelt -ize '''mërchandîse
 
pronounced but never spelt -ize '''fránchîse
 
'''vërbalîse
 
'''rêalise
 
'''êqualîse
 
-êez '''valìse
 
'''fërtilîse
 
never spelt -ize because it is a noun and pronounced -íss '''prémíse
 
never spelt -ize because pronounced -íss ''noun, verb'' '''prómíse
 
pronounced but never spelt -ize '''cómpromîse
 
pronounced but never spelt -ize '''surmîse
 
.*pŏrpus '''pŏrpoise
 
.*tŏrtus '''tŏrtoise 
 
pronounced but never spelt -ize '''despîse
 
'''glámorise
 
pronounced but never spelt -ize '''comprîse
 
pronounced but never spelt -ize '''surprîse
 
presh- '''pressurîse
 
'''émphasîse
 
'''práctíce''' = ''BrE verb'' '''práctíse
 
'''áppetîse
 
pronounced but never spelt -ize '''ádvertîse
 
.*éxpertêez '''expertìse
 
silent '''u'''; pronounced but never spelt -ize '''disguîse
 
pronounced but never spelt -ize '''advîse
 
cf. ''noun'' '''devîce''' - -z ''verb'' '''devîse
 
pronounced but never spelt *wîze '''wîse
 
pronounced but never spelt -wize -'''wîse
 
pronounced but never spelt -ize '''lîkewîse
 
pronounced but never spelt -ize '''clóckwîse
 
-ss, as also '''hénce''', '''fénce''' - '''dénse
 
'''sénse
 
'''nónsense
 
cf. '''defénce''', '''lîcence''', '''offénce''' where AmE has -'''ense''', all -ss '''suspénse
 
cf. '''dôze''' -ss '''dôse
 
-z '''chôse
 
'''grandiôse
 
.*loôze '''lose
 
''noun, adjective'' -s, ''verb'' -z '''clôse
 
-z '''nôse
 
-z '''choôse
 
.*lûce '''loôse
 
-z '''expôse
 
can have French accent: '''''exposé''''' *expôzây '''expôsè
 
-z '''rôse
 
'''ápse
 
'''lápse
 
''noun'' '''rêlapse
 
''verb'' '''relápse
 
'''collápse
 
'''trâipse
 
'''eclípse
 
''cop'' '''cóps''' = ''wood'' '''cópse
 
'''hëarse
 
cf. '''revërse''' - '''rehëarse
 
'''tërse
 
'''vërse
 
'''avërse
 
'''ádverse
 
cf. '''rehëarse''' - '''revërse
 
'''gŏrse
 
''voice'' '''hŏarse''' = ''animal'' '''hŏrse
 
'''wörse
 
'''bŏurse
 
''vulgar'' '''cŏarse''' = ''run'' '''cŏurse
 
-z '''ûse
 
''no!'' -z '''refûse
 
''rubbish'' -ss '''réfuse
 
-z '''mûse
 
-ss '''spòuse
 
-îze '''ánalyse
 
-îze '''páralyse
 
''lure'' '''bâit''' = ''anger, breath'' '''bâte
 
'''debâte
 
'''rêbâte
 
-âte ''verb'', -ət ''noun'' '''prédicate
 
'''índicâte
 
'''víndicâte
 
-ət '''certíficate
 
BrE -ət, AmE -'''âte''' - '''cándidate
 
'''fâte
 
'''hâte
 
'''lâte
 
-'''âte''' ''verb'', -ət ''adjective'' '''artículate
 
'''régulâte
 
'''mâte
 
-ít or -ət '''clîmate
 
-'''âte''' ''verb'', -ət ''adjective'' '''éstimate
 
''person'' '''Spèight''' = ''rush'' '''spâte
 
'''séparate
 
-rət '''dísparate
 
-âte ''verb'', -ət ''adjective'' '''delíberate
 
cf. '''ônerous''' - '''exónerâte
 
-rət '''désperate
 
'''émigrate
 
'''ímmigrate
 
-âte ''verb'', -ət ''adjective'' '''eláborate
 
máj- '''mágistrâte
 
'''démonstrâte
 
'''rémonstrâte
 
-âte ''verb'', -ət ''adjective'' '''precípitate
 
'''áctivâte
 
'''effête
 
'''complête
 
.*sôshalîte '''sôcialîte
 
'''elìte
 
'''polîte
 
'''gráníte
 
'''fînîte
 
.*définət '''définite
 
.*ínfinət '''ínfinite
 
'''unîte
 
'''despîte
 
AmE '''réspíte''' - '''réspîte
 
'''hýpocríte
 
AmE -'''or'''-; BrE '''fâvouríte
 
'''Trótskyîte
 
can be written 'Brontë' - '''Bróntê
 
'''ánecdote
 
'''ántidote
 
'''môte
 
'''nôte
 
'''vôte
 
'''fŏrtè
 
'''càste
 
'''hâste
 
'''châste
 
usually stressed -ét -'''étte
 
oô- '''oubliétte
 
'''serviétte
 
''matress'' '''pállet''' = ''paint'' '''pálette
 
cf. '''hámlet''' - *ómlet '''ómelette
 
'''kitchenétte
 
'''tríbûte
 
'''cóntríbûte
 
'''dístríbûte
 
''noun'' '''áttribûte
 
''verb'' '''attríbute
 
.*mínít ''time'' '''mínute
 
.*mŷ-neŵt ''small'' '''minûte
 
'''repûte
 
'''compûte
 
cf. '''ínput''' - '''impûte
 
'''bŷte
 
'''nêophŷte
 
mostly silent -'''ue
 
'''bàrbecûe
 
'''âgûe
 
.*lêag '''lêague
 
''persons'' '''Hãig''' = '''Hâigh''' = ''city, person'' '''Hâgue
 
.*plâig '''plâgue
 
.*Pràg '''Pràgue
 
.*sâygwây '''sèguè
 
-êeg ''noun'' '''íntrigue
 
-êeg ''verb'' '''intrìgue
 
-êeg '''fatìgue
 
.*meráng '''meringue
 
.*túng '''tòngue
 
-góg: all these words may, and in most cases [[British and American English|must]] lose the final '''ue''' in [[American English]]  -'''gógue
 
-óg '''sýnagogue
 
-óg '''dîalogue
 
'''àrgûe
 
''blow'' '''bleŵ''' = ''colour'' '''blûe
 
'''clûe
 
'''glûe
 
final '''que''' is silent: many words end like this, but not '''bàrbecûe''' - '''que
 
-àk '''pláque
 
-âik '''opâque
 
.*Môzám-bêek '''Mozambìque
 
cf. '''reálpolitìk''' - '''critìque
 
-ésk '''burlésque
 
-ésk '''Pinterésque
 
-ésk '''picturésque
 
-ósk '''mósque
 
cf. '''brísk''' -oòsk '''brùsque
 
''Susan'' '''Sûe''' = ''law'' '''sûe
 
.*insyû '''ensûe
 
-syû '''pursûe
 
.*íshû '''íssue
 
.*tíshû '''tíssue
 
'''câve
 
'''Dâve
 
'''gâve
 
'''háve
 
'''cónclâve
 
'''pâve
 
'''râve
 
'''crâve
 
''serious, dead'' '''grâve


''accent'' '''gràve
:Worcester (*Wùster), Boleýn, to (=toô) impûgn. 
Sây ín sòunds corréct and stërling


sw- '''suàve
Hëarse, hêar, heàrken, yêar and yëarling ''—yëar and yêarling are about as likely''


'''êve
Êvil, dévil, mézzotínt,


'''slêeve
:Mînd the Z (zéd)!  (A géntle hínt.)


'''belìêve
Nòw yoû nêed nót pây atténtion


'''relìêve
To (=toô) súch sòunds as Î dôn't méntion,
:Sòunds lîke pŏres, påuse, pŏurs and påws,
       
:Rhŷming wíth the prônòun yŏurs;


'''grìêve
Nŏr are próper nâmes inclûded,


'''síeve
Thôugh Î óften hëard, as yoû díd,     
:Fúnny rhŷmes to ûnicŏrn,
       
:Yés, yoû knôw them, Våughan and Stråchan —''nowadays regularised to *Strákhən


'''sémibrêve
Nô, mŷ mâiden, cŏy and còmely,
 
'''côërcíve
 
'''dîve
 
'''éndíve
 
'''recêive
 
'''concêive
 
'''fîve
 
cf. '''jîve''' ''dance'' - hard '''g''' in ''take'' '''gíve
 
'''hîve
 
'''líve
 
'''alîve
 
'''derîve
 
'''arrîve
 
'''contrîve
 
'''persuâsíve
 
'''adhêsíve
 
'''defénsíve
 
'''offénsíve
 
'''crêâtíve
 
'''tålkatíve
 
'''imáginatíve
 
'''sénsitíve
 
'''repétitíve
 
'''môtíve
 
'''revîve
 
'''abòve
 
''bird'' '''dòve
 
(BrE is regular '''dîved''') AmE ''dive'' '''dôve
 
''England'' '''Hôve''' = ''heave'' '''hôve
 
'''shòve
 
'''lòve
 
'''glòve
 
.*moôve '''move
 
'''groôve
 
'''rôve
 
'''grôve
 
'''stôve
 
'''trôve
 
'''strôve
 
'''nërve
 
'''sërve
 
.*prizërv '''presërve
 
'''Î’ve
 
'''wê’ve
 
'''yoû’ve
 
'''thèy’ve
 
'''Zimbàbwè
 
'''Lilóngwè
 
AmE '''áx''' - BrE '''áxe
 
'''yê
 
''me'' '''Î''' = ''sight'' '''eŷe
 
''pig, eye'' '''stŷ''' = ''eye'' '''stŷe
 
'''plêase''' and '''frêeze''' rhyme with '''slêaze
 
''period'' '''phâse''' = ''confuse'' '''fâze
 
'''gâze
 
'''ádze
 
''free'' '''frêes''' = ''cold'' '''frêeze
 
'''trapêze
 
most words in -'''îse''' can also be spelt -'''îze''': all exceptions are listed under -'''îse'''. -'''îze
 
never -ise '''sêize
 
''apart'' '''prîse''' = ''present'' '''prîze
 
never -ise '''sîze
 
'''dôze
 
'''búlldoze
 
'''Drûze
 
both pronounced -îze BrE '''ánalŷse''', AmE '''ánalŷze
 
both pronounced -îze BrE '''páralŷse''', AmE '''páralŷze
 
===F===
'''chìêf
 
'''míschíef
 
'''thìêf
 
'''belìêf
 
'''relìêf
 
'''stāff
 
'''whíff
 
'''táriff
 
'''óff
 
'''féoff
 
'''Géoff
 
'''blúff
 
'''stúff
 
'''íf
 
'''sérif
 
cf. ''reason'' '''môtíve''' - *mô-têef ''pattern'' '''môtìf
 
'''Álf
 
.*cāf '''cālf
 
.*hāf '''hālf
 
one word '''himsélf
 
one word '''hersélf
 
one word '''yoursélf
 
one word '''itsélf
 
one word '''mŷsélf
 
'''gôlf
 
'''Rôlph''' = '''Rôlf
 
.*wùlf '''wolf
 
'''gúlf
 
'''Bêowùlf
 
No expressions with [[modal verbs]] followed by ‘of’ exist.  What may sound like ‘of’ is the weak form of '''háve''' and so this or apostrophes should be written instead: '''woùld have''', '''shoùld’ve''', '''cān’t have''', '''mîght’ve''' etc. - *óv '''óf
 
'''goôf
 
cf. ''plural'' '''hoôves''' - '''hoôf
 
cf. ''plural'' '''roôfs''' *roôves '''roôf
 
===G===
'''fág
 
'''hág
 
'''nág
 
'''drág
 
'''ság
 
'''lég
 
'''pég
 
'''égg
 
'''díg
 
'''jíg
 
'''píg
 
'''ríg
 
'''wíg
 
'''sáng
 
'''âgeing
 
cf. ''sing'' '''sínging''' - -j- ''singe'' '''síngeing'''
 
.*âking '''âcheing'''
 
'''mâking'''
 
''snooker, drama'' '''cûeing''' = ''line'' '''queûeing'''
 
'''rûeing'''
 
'''brínging'''
 
cf. ''singe'' '''síngeing''' -j- - ''sing'' '''sínging'''
 
'''thíng'''
 
often mispronounced 'Beizhing': '''Bèijíng'''
 
AmE '''lâbeling
 
'''fîling
 
BrE '''lâbelling
 
'''fílling
 
'''dúmpling
 
'''êvening
 
'''mîning
 
'''exámining
 
''sound'' '''bŏing
 
.*dûíng '''doing
 
'''gôing
 
tûí- '''toíng and frôíng
 
''bell, round'' '''ríng
 
'''bríng
 
''squeeze'' '''wríng
 
'''síng
 
cf. râcing - '''râising
 
'''tàrgeting
 
'''intërpreting
 
'''bétting
 
'''gétting
 
'''forgétting
 
'''accrûing
 
'''flôwing
 
'''lápwing
 
'''léft-wíng
 
'''rîght-wíng
 
'''lóng
 
'''sóng
 
'''dúng
 
'''lúng
 
'''súng
 
'''bóg
 
'''dóg
 
'''hóg
 
'''lóg
 
cf. '''Jôe Blóggs''' - '''blóg
 
'''Stríndbërg
 
'''îcebërg
 
.*Hŷdlebërg '''Heîdelbërg
 
'''Bŏrg
 
'''Mágdebürg
 
'''Lúxemböurg
 
.*Shãrebŏrg '''Chérbourg
 
.*Strázbërg '''Strásböurg
 
'''búg
 
'''dúg
 
'''thúg
   
   
'''slúg
Î dôn't ẁant to spêak of Chòlmondeley (*Chúmley).
 
       
'''túg
:Nô. Yét Froûde compãred wíth pròud
 
===H===
silent after a vowel, combines to form consonant sounds with preceding consonant -'''h
 
can be several '''à'''’s: '''àh
 
mostly schwa -'''ah


cf. '''Marìa''' - '''Marîah
:Ís nô bétter thán McLeod (*McClòud).


'''parîah
But mînd trívial and vîal,


'''blàh
Trîpod, mênial, denîal,
       
:Trôll and trólley, réalm and rêam,
       
:Schédule, míschief, schísm, and schême.
Àrgil, gíll, Argŷll, gíll. Sůrely


'''ayatóllah
Mây bê mâde to rhŷme wíth Råleigh,
       
:Bút yŏu're nót suppôsed to sây


'''Gôa''' rhymes with '''Nôah
:Pìquèt rhŷmes wíth sóbriquèt.


'''hurràh
Hád thís ínvalid inválid


'''Ûtàh
Wörthless dócuments? Hòw pállid,
 
       
'''êach
:Hòw uncoûth hê, còuchant, loòked,  
 
       
'''blêach
:Whén for Pŏrtsmouth Î had boòked!
 
'''pêach
 
'''impêach
 
'''rêach
 
AmE *spínních; BrE *spínnídge '''spínach
 
''sand'' '''bêach''' = ''tree'' '''bêech
 
'''besêech
 
.*ték: abbreviation of '''téchnical'''; also '''hî-téch''' - '''téch
 
'''whích
 
-k '''Zûrich
 
cf. same sound in '''Åldwých''' -'''wích
 
and '''S'''- ''town''; AmE -'''ch'''; BrE -dge '''sándwich
 
.*Woòlidge '''Woòlwich
 
.*Brómmidge '''Brómwich
 
.*Grénnidge '''Gréenwich
 
.*Hárrídge '''Hárwich
 
.*Nórrídge, rhyming with '''pórridge''' - though some say -rích '''Nórwich
 
-wích '''Ípswich
 
-wích '''Drŏitwich
 
-wích '''Nántwich
 
'''squélch
 
''Wales'' '''Wélsh''' =  ''person'' '''Wélch'''
 
'''fílch
 
'''zílch
 
'''drénch
 
'''sténch
 
'''wénch
 
'''ínch
 
'''wínch
 
'''cónch
 
'''búnch
 
'''húnch
 
'''púnch
 
'''lýnch -ch
 
cf. ''easy'' '''sínch''', '''ch''' sound; ''down, wash'' sínk = ''together'' '''sýnch
 
-dóck '''Mürdoch
 
'''smoôch
 
'''àrch
 
'''sëarch
 
'''làrch
 
-k '''pâtriàrch
 
BrE -ək '''mónarch
 
'''kítsch
 
'''pùtsch
 
'''bátch
 
'''cátch
 
'''hátch
 
'''nátch
 
'''ẁatch
 
'''étch
 
'''fétch
 
'''kétch
 
'''ítch
 
'''dítch
 
'''hítch
 
'''glítch
 
'''pítch
 
'''stítch
 
cf. '''Åldwých''' - ''what'' '''whích''' BrE = ''wizard'' '''wítch
 
'''twítch
 
'''bótch
 
'''hótchpotch
 
'''Dútch
 
'''múch
 
-k '''eûnuch
 
'''còuch
 
'''gròuch
 
'''toúch
 
'''vòuch
 
'''súch
 
cf. place names in -'''wích''' - '''Åldwých
 
-d '''Rìyadh
 
''ð'' '''éth''' or '''édh
 
*ây '''èh
 
mostly silent -'''gh
 
''no'' '''nây''' = ''horse'' '''nèigh
 
''kill'' '''slây''' = ''ride'' '''slèigh
 
cf. '''convèy''', '''purvèy''' - '''invèigh
 
''how'' '''wây''' = ''heavy'' '''wèigh
 
''greeting'' '''hî''' = ''up'' '''hîgh
 
cf. voiced '''th''' in '''thŷ''': vowel sound identical - unvoiced '''th''' in '''thîgh
 
.''person'' '''[[Aneurin Bevan|Nŷe]]''' = ''near'' '''nîgh
 
.*sŷe '''sîgh
 
.*Éddinbrə '''Édinburgh
 
.*Frâzerbrə '''Frâserburgh
   
   
.*Pítsbürg '''Píttsburgh
Zeûs, Thêbes, Thales, Aphrodîtê,  
 
BrE *làf AmE *láf '''lāugh
 
-òw '''bòugh
 
-ô '''thôugh
 
-ôw '''fûrlôugh
 
.*slòu - ''England'' '''Slòugh''' = ''swamp'' '''slòugh
 
.*slúff ''skin'' '''sloúgh
 
.*rúff '''roúgh
 
-û - ''throw'' '''threŵ''' = ''preposition'' '''throûgh
 
AmE = '''búrrow''' ''ground'' - BrE *búrrə '''bòrough
 
.*Lúfbrə '''Loúghborough
 
.*Scàrbrə '''Scàrborough
 
.*Míddlzbrə '''Míddlesborough
 
BrE *thúrrə, AmE *thúrrôw '''thòrough
 
-óff '''trôugh
 
-úff '''toúgh
 
-úff '''enoúgh
 
letter '''Ô''' = exclamation '''ôh
 
-f -'''ph
 
'''Rálph
 
'''oòmph
 
'''trîumph
 
'''lýmph
 
'''nýmph
 
'''mŏrph
 
'''glýph
 
AmE -'''r''', BrE silent -'''rrh
 
'''catàrrh
 
'''mÿrrh
 
'''ásh
 
'''básh
 
'''cásh
 
'''dásh
 
'''gásh
 
'''hásh
 
'''flásh
 
'''slásh
 
'''smásh
 
'''rásh
 
'''crásh
 
'''thrásh
 
'''stásh
 
'''qùash
 
'''ẁash
 
'''Bangladésh
 
'''mésh
 
'''frésh
 
'''thrésh
 
'''réddish
 
'''chîldish
 
'''bánish
 
'''Spánish
 
'''vánish
 
''end'' fínish = ''Finland'' Fínnish
 
'''astónish
 
'''gàrnish
 
'''tàrnish
 
'''vàrnish
 
'''Cŏrnish
 
'''bürnish
 
'''fürnish
 
'''púnish
 
'''wísh
 
'''fíftyish
 
''person'' '''Ẁalsh
 
-sh - ''person'' '''Wélch''' = ''Wales'' '''Wélsh
 
'''cósh
 
'''dósh
 
'''nósh
 
'''whoòsh
 
'''pósh
 
'''tósh
 
'''bùsh
 
'''lúsh
 
'''blúsh
 
'''flúsh
 
'''plúsh
 
'''pùsh
 
'''rúsh
 
'''thrúsh
 
mostly unvoiced -'''th
 
'''déath
 
'''hêath
 
'''bréath
 
'''wrêath
 
'''ôath
 
'''pāth
 
-drət + unvoiced '''th''' - '''húndredth
 
'''shibbóleth
 
voiced '''th''' - '''wíth
 
'''héalth
 
'''stéalth
 
'''wéalth
 
'''plínth
 
'''nînth
 
'''bôth
 
'''dòth
 
'''lôth
 
'''slôth
 
'''ëarth
 
'''dëarth
 
'''heàrth
 
'''bïrth
 
'''gïrth
 
'''héncefŏrth
 
'''Fïrth of Fŏrth
 
'''gô fŏrth
 
'''nŏrth
 
'''wörth
 
''4th'' '''fŏurth
 
''noun'' '''th''' unvoiced, ''verb'' '''th''' voiced '''mòuth
 
'''ou''' as schwa, '''th''' unvoiced -'''mouth
 
-məth '''Bŏurnemouth
 
-məth '''Pŏrtsmouth
 
-məth '''Plýmouth
 
'''síxth
 
voiced '''th''' - ''casual'' '''blîthe''' = ''persons'' '''Blŷthe''' = '''Blŷth
 
voiced '''th''' - ''persons'' '''Smŷthe''' = '''Smŷth
 
[[schwa]]: BrE '''er''' = AmE '''uh
 
===I===
-'''î''' or -'''ì
 
'''Dubaî
 
'''h''' sounded '''Shanghaî
 
'''Ábu Dhàbì
 
'''rábbî
 
'''álibî
 
'''Sàùdì
 
likewise other plurals of -'''us''' - '''nûclêî
 
'''Hawàìì
 
'''Isrâeli
 
'''Disrâeli
 
.*sémmy  '''sémi
 
''eat'' '''pîe''' =  ''number'' '''pî
 
girls’ names tend to end in -'''i''' or -'''ie''', boys’ in -'''y''' - '''Térrì
 
.*paparatsy - '''paparázzi
 
===J, K===
-zh '''Ràj
 
-zh ''Mahal''  '''Tàj
 
-dj '''hàjj
 
-'''que''' = -'''k
 
''vegetable'' '''lêek''' = ''liquid'' '''lêak
 
'''blêak
 
'''spêak
 
''car'' '''brâke''' = ''pieces'' '''breâk
 
'''strêak
 
'''têak
 
''money, wood'' '''stâke''' = ''meat'' '''steâk
 
''days'' '''wêek''' = ''feeble'' '''wêak
 
'''flák
 
'''ánorák
 
'''háck
 
'''sáck
 
'''déck
 
'''líck
 
'''gímmick
 
'''hŏick
 
'''bríck
 
'''síck
 
'''tíck
 
'''Pàrtick
 
cf. '''Éric''' - '''Pátrick
 
'''Bûíck
 
'''quíck
 
'''wíck
 
.*Wórrick '''Ẁarwick
 
.*Bérrick '''Bérwick
 
'''w''' sounded in '''Lërwick
 
.*Kézzíck '''Késwick
 
.*Smédhík (voiced '''th''' sound) '''Sméthwick
 
cf. '''Bangkók''' - '''cóck
 
'''dóck
 
'''lóck
 
'''wédlock
 
'''flóck
 
'''wårlock
 
.*nóck '''knóck
 
'''sóck
 
'''dúck
 
'''lúck
 
''liquid'' '''lêak''' = ''vegetable'' '''lêek
 
'''mêek
 
'''rêek
 
'''sêek
 
''feeble'' '''wêak''' = ''days'' '''wêek
trék
 
cf. '''sqwåwk''' - -åwk -'''ålk
 
or '''båulk''' -  -åwk '''bålk
 
-åwk '''chålk
 
cf. ''talcum powder'' '''tálc''', '''l''' sounded - -åwk ''speak'' '''tålk
 
-åwk ''bird'' '''stŏrk''' BrE = ''plant, follow'' '''stålk
 
-åwk '''wålk
 
'''whélk
 
.*fôk '''fôlk
 
-fək '''Nŏrfolk
 
-fək '''Súffolk
 
''ox'' '''yôke''' = ''egg'' '''yôlk
 
'''bánk
 
'''sánk
 
'''tánk
 
'''thánk
 
'''dránk
 
''person'' '''Fránk''' = ''honest'' '''fránk
 
'''thínk
 
'''rínk
 
'''drínk
 
'''shrínk
 
'''sínk
 
'''hónk
 
'''plónk
 
'''mònk
 
'''hónky-tónk
 
'''dúnk
 
'''fúnk
 
'''Bángkók
 
'''noòk
 
'''spoôk
 
'''roòk
 
'''broòk
 
'''wók
 
'''pàrk
 
'''jërk
 
'''bersërk
 
'''smïrk
 
'''shïrk
 
'''kïrk
 
'''quïrk
 
'''wörk
 
'''lürk
 
'''Türk
 
'''āsk
 
'''bāsk
 
'''flāsk
 
'''tāsk
 
'''désk
 
''record'' '''dísc''' = ''computer'' '''dísk
 
'''whísk
 
'''óbelisk
 
'''rísk
 
'''ásterisk
 
'''dúsk
 
'''músk
 
'''túsk
 
'''åuk
 
'''squåwk
 
===L===
'''lógical
 
'''mýthical
 
'''puritánical
 
'''histórical
 
'''hystérical
 
'''thê'''- '''theátrical


'''mûsical
Páramour, enámoured, flîghty, 
:Épisôdes, antípodês,
       
:Ácquiésce, and óbsequies.


'''práctical
Plêase dôn't mònkey wíth the gêyser,


'''scéptical
Dôn't pêel 'tâters wíth mŷ râzor,


'''mýstical
:Rāther sây ín áccents pûre:
       
:Nâture, státure ánd matûre.


'''nåutical
Pîous, ímpìous, límb, clîmb, glúmly,


'''quízzical
Worsted (wùsted), wörsted, crúmbly, dúmbly,
 
:Cónquer, cónquest, vàse, phâse, fán,
       
:Ẁan, sedán and àrtisan.
The TH (*têe-âitch) wíll sůrely troúble you


'''fôcal
Mŏre than R, CH ŏr W (*àh, cêe-âitch ŏr doúble-û)


'''lôcal
:Sây thén thêse phonétic géms:
       
:Thómas, thŷme, Therêsa, Thames (*Témz).


'''vôcal
Thómpson, Chátham, Wåltham, Stréatham,


''interfere'' '''méddle''' = ''coin'' '''médal
Thére are mŏre but Î forgét 'em -
       
:Wâit! Î've gót ít: Ánthony,
       
:Lîghten yŏur anxîety.


''sell'' '''péddle''' = ''bicycle'' '''pédal
Thê archâíc wörd ålbêít


rhyming with '''cándle''', '''hándle''' - '''scándal
Does nót rhŷme wíth èight - yoû sêe ít;  
 
:Wíth and fŏrthwith, òne hás vŏice,  
rhyming with above '''sándal
 
'''concêal
 
'''repêal
 
'''squêal
 
'''vêal
 
'''revêal
 
'''lêgal
 
'''illêgal
 
'''rêgal
 
'''Bengål
 
.*commërshal '''commërcial
 
'''denîal
 
'''mênial
 
.*pàrshal '''pàrtial
 
'''ânal
 
AmE '''bânal''' - BrE '''banàl
 
'''canál
 
'''phenómenal
 
'''diágonal
 
'''hexágonal
 
-shənəl -'''tional
 
'''nátional
 
'''rátional
 
'''nôtional
 
'''hôle''' rhymes with '''gôal
 
'''shôal
 
cf. ''main, headteacher'' '''prínciple''' - ''basic, credo'' '''príncipal
 
'''quadriláteral
 
'''âmóral
 
'''immóral
 
-zəl '''apprâisal
 
cf. '''véssel''' - '''hássle''' rhymes with '''vással
 
'''ántênâtal
 
'''pôstnâtal
 
''quality'' '''méttle''' = ''iron'' '''métal
 
.*péttle '''pétal
 
AmE '''inståll''' - BrE '''instål
 
-zhəl '''cásual
 
-kchəl '''áctual
 
'''evéntual
 
''belly-button'' '''nâvel''' = ''ship'' '''nâval
 
cf. '''êvil''' - *medêvəl or '''medìêval
 
*Mŷcle '''Mîchael
 
'''Ráphâél
 
a common mistake is to write 'Isreal' - '''Ísrâel
 
= ''capable'' '''âble''', cf. '''tâble, stâble''' - ''person'' '''Âbel
 
cf. '''bábble''' - '''Bâbel
 
'''lâbel
 
'''Mâbel
 
''noun'' '''rébel
 
''verb'' '''rebél
 
'''excél
 
'''módel
 
'''yôdel
 
'''êel
 
'''fêel
 
'''pêel
 
'''fálafel
 
''air'' '''ãerial''' = ''person'' '''Ãriel
 
'''Mûriel
 
cf. '''lôcal, vôcal''' - '''yokel
 
cf. '''përsonal''' - '''personnél
 
'''repél
 
'''compél
 
'''dispél
 
'''expél
 
'''appárel
 
'''cóckerel
 
'''bárrel
 
'''mínstrel
 
'''wâstrel
 
'''êasel
 
'''wêasel
 
words in -'''éstle''' rhyme with '''véssel
 
'''hô'''- '''hotél
 
cf. '''módel''' - '''mô'''- '''motél
 
'''cartél
 
-'''ûle''' rhymes with -'''ûel
 
''two'' '''dûal''' = ''fight'' '''dûel
 
'''fûel
 
'''crûel
 
'''grûel
 
''navy'' '''nâval''' = ''stomach'' '''nâvel
 
'''Ravél
 
'''unrável
 
'''trável
 
cf. '''drízzle''' - '''drível
 
'''swível
 
'''hóvel
 
'''shòvel
 
'''nóvel
 
'''bòwel
 
'''tròwel
 
'''tòwel
 
'''vòwel
 
'''píxel
 
'''TÉFL
 
'''fâil
 
'''avâil
 
'''prevâil
 
'''vèil
 
AmE '''fulfíll''', BrE '''fulfíl
 
'''níl
 
'''fŏil
 
'''êvil
 
'''dévil
 
'''Brazíl
 
'''åll
 
'''båll
 
'''cåll
 
'''fåll
 
'''tåll
 
'''wåll
 
'''béll
 
'''déll
 
'''féll
 
'''héll
 
'''nútshell
 
'''péll-méll
 
'''séll
 
'''téll
 
'''quéll
 
'''wéll
 
'''fíll
 
'''píll
 
'''tíll
 
'''quíll
 
'''dóll
 
cf. ''parrot'' '''póll''', ''elect'' '''pôll
 
''part'' '''rôle''' = ''along'' '''rôll
 
'''drôll
 
'''strôll
 
'''tôll
 
'''bùll
 
'''cúll
 
'''dúll
 
but the suffix is -'''fùl - '''fùll
 
''city'' '''Húll''' = ''boat'' '''húll
 
'''lúll
 
''island'' '''Múll''' = ''over'' '''múll'''
 
''and void'' '''núll
 
'''anúll
 
'''pùll
 
'''hê’ll
 
'''shê’ll
 
'''wê’ll
 
'''Î’ll
 
'''ít’ll
 
'''yoû’ll''' or '''yoù’ll''' or '''yŏu’ll
 
'''thèy’ll
 
'''prôtocol
 
'''álcohol
 
'''coôl
 
'''foôl
 
.*skoôl '''schoôl
 
'''poôl
 
'''spoôl
 
'''toôl
 
'''woòl
 
AmE '''enróll''', BrE '''enrôl
 
'''patrôl
 
'''pétrol
 
cf. '''rôll''' - '''contrôl
 
'''párasól
 
-təl '''pístol
 
'''gïrl
 
'''whïrl
 
'''twïrl
 
'''whŏrl
 
'''fürl
 
'''Gåul
 
'''måul
 
'''Påul
 
'''Såul '''cáterwåul
 
cf. ''word'' '''fùll''' ''suffix'' -'''fùl
 
'''hôpeful
 
'''cãreful
 
'''beaûtiful
 
'''dûtiful
 
''noun'' '''spoônful
 
'''wònderful
 
'''stréssful
 
'''àrtful
 
'''jŏyful
 
''bird'' '''fòwl''' = ''bad'' '''fòul
 
'''ghoûl
 
''only'' '''sôle''' = ''Korea'' '''Seôul''' = ''spirit'' '''sôul
 
'''åwl
 
'''båwl
 
'''cråwl
 
''all meanings'' '''bôwl
 
''bird'' '''fòwl
 
'''hòwl
 
'''y''' as schwa - '''Síbyl
 
'''y''' as schwa - '''Béryl
 
===M===
'''glêam
 
'''rêam
 
'''drêam
 
''appear'' '''sêem''' = ''thread, coal'' '''sêam
 
'''stêam
 
'''scrêam
 
'''drêam
 
'''strêam
 
'''hám
 
BrE '''h''' silent, '''a''' as schwa, -əm; AmE -'''hám
 
'''h''' silent, '''g''' not sounded separately '''Búckingham
 
'''h''' silent, '''g''' not sounded separately '''Bïrmingham
 
-nəm '''Twíckenham
 
-nəm '''Chéltenham
 
.*Tótnəm '''Tóttenham
 
.*Méppəm '''Méopham
 
-səm '''Tópsham
 
-təm '''Stréatham
 
-təm '''Chátham
 
-təm '''Éltham
 
-təm '''Wåltham
 
unvoiced '''th''' sound '''Bôtham
 
unvoiced '''th''' sound '''Gótham
 
.*Rûtəm '''Wrotham
 
'''Wést Hám
 
'''môdém
 
'''dêem
 
''group'' '''têam''' = ''pour'' '''têem
 
'''hém
 
'''ahém
 
'''Béthlehém
 
sounding like -um '''thêorem
 
'''stém
 
-ám '''dîaphragm
 
.*flém '''phlégm
 
-îm '''páradigm
 
'''rhýthm
 
'''âim
 
'''mâim
 
'''dím
 
'''dénim''' rhymes with '''Blénheim
 
'''whím
 
'''Kím
 
'''skím
 
'''dénim
 
'''mínim
 
BrE and AmE -àm '''bàlm
 
BrE and AmE -àm '''càlm
 
BrE and AmE -àm '''quàlm
 
'''tálcum''' rhymes with *Málcum '''Málcolm
 
''dwell'' '''hôme''' = ''oak, islet'' '''hôlm
 
'''frêedom
 
'''bŏredom
 
'''kíngdom
 
'''slàlom
 
'''Tóm
 
'''árm
 
'''fàrm
 
'''hàrm
 
cf. '''wörm, wårn''' - '''wårm
 
pák- '''páchydërm
 
j- '''gërm
 
'''spërm
 
'''tërm
 
'''fïrm
 
'''fŏrm
 
'''nŏrm
 
cf. ''heat'' '''wårm''' - ''animal'' '''wörm
 
'''ŏrgasm
 
.*kázəm '''chásm
 
-zəm '''spásm
 
-ízəm; never stressed -'''ísm
 
'''âthêísm
 
'''Bùddhism
 
'''existéntialism
 
shôv- '''chauvinism
 
'''térrorism
 
'''mîcrocosm
 
'''tálcum
 
'''memorándum
 
'''referéndum
 
'''glúm
 
'''húm
 
'''válium
 
'''thállium
 
'''gerânium
 
'''aquãrium
 
'''delírium
 
'''drúm
 
'''húmdrúm
 
'''conúndrum
 
'''gymnâsium
 
'''fŏrum
 
-kyûm - '''vácûum
 
-ûəm '''contínûum
 
'''gým
 
''name'' -'''ným
 
syû- '''pseûdonym
 
'''hómonym
 
'''sýnonym
 
'''ántonym
 
'''Î’m
 
===N===
'''bán
 
'''ürban
 
'''türban
 
'''cán
 
'''Gŏrdon''' rhymes with '''Jŏrdan
 
-tion '''crustâcean
 
'''lôtion''' rhymes with '''ôcean
 
'''dêan
 
'''clêan
 
'''mêan
 
-ìən '''epicûrêan
 
'''fán
 
'''Ìan
 
-íshən -'''ícian
 
'''technícian
 
'''patrícian
 
.*Óstrâlìən in rapid speech ends like '''míllion''' etc., -lyən -
'''Austrâlian
 
-íshən ''abstract'' -'''ítion'''  = ''person'' -'''ícian
 
'''logícian
 
'''patrícian
 
'''politícian
 
'''mathematícian
 
'''reptílian
 
'''civílian
 
'''Brazílian
 
'''Gíllian
 
'''nonagenãrian
 
'''quinquagenãrian
 
'''septuagenãrian
 
'''sexagenãrian
 
'''octogenãrian
 
'''lîbrãrian
 
'''sectãrian
 
'''vegetãrian
 
'''libertãrian
 
no words end in *-erian
 
'''histŏrian
 
from -'''sia''' + '''n''', = -'''sion''', mostly -zh- -'''sian
 
-zh- '''Âsian
 
-zh- '''Caucâsian
 
-zh- '''Frêsian
 
AmE -izh-, BrE -ízì- '''Parísian
 
-shən = -'''tion''' -'''tian
 
'''Dalmâtian
 
'''nâtion''' rhymes with '''Crôâtian
 
'''Alsâtian
 
'''Títian
 
-bîzh- '''Azerbaijàn
 
'''mán
 
.*Îləv-Mán '''Îsle of Mán
 
mostly -mən -'''man
 
'''pâcemán
 
'''polìceman
 
'''hénchman
 
'''Omàn
 
'''Sûpermán
 
'''gásmán
 
'''ómbùdsman
 
'''Cóngressman
 
'''bátman
 
'''Bátmán
 
'''táxmán
 
'''Nŷman
 
-ən '''[[Kofi Annan|Kôfi Ànnan]]'''
 
'''môan
 
''alone'' '''lône''' = ''lend'' '''lôan
 
'''grôan
 
''god'' '''Pán''' = ''food'' '''pán
 
'''tán
 
'''Tîtan
 
'''Spàrtan
 
'''tàrtan
 
can be stressed in any word depending on speaker -'''stān 
 
usually second syllable stressed '''Uzbékistan
 
'''Tajíkistan
 
'''Afghánistan
 
'''Manháttan
 
'''ván
 
'''ẁan
 
Tŷ- '''Taiwàn
 
'''ón''' =''French'' '''en
 
''letter'' '''én
 
'''dén
 
'''wîden
 
cf. '''Lòndon''', both -dən - '''Cámden
 
'''shêen
 
'''splêen
 
cf. '''gángrêne''' - '''grêen
 
'''sêen
 
'''fén
 
'''hén
 
dh- '''thén
 
'''léngthen
 
'''stréngthen
 
'''âlien
 
'''tâken
 
'''wêaken
 
'''brôken
 
'''tôken
 
'''wôken
 
'''dàrken
 
'''heàrken
 
'''póllen
 
'''swôllen
 
'''mén
 
-mən in most words -'''men
 
'''Yémen
 
'''spŏrtsmen
 
'''spécimen
 
'''chíldren
 
'''bréthren
 
'''wörsen
 
'''léssen
 
'''delicatéssen
 
'''bêaten
 
.*sóffən '''sóften
 
.*fāssən '''fāsten
 
.*hâyssən '''hâsten
 
.*líssən '''lísten
 
.*glíssən '''glísten
 
''bird'' '''bíttërn ≈ ''bite'' bítten
 
'''íll-gótten
 
'''héaven
 
'''hâven
 
'''êven
 
'''eléven
 
'''séven
 
'''òven
 
'''còven
 
or prû- '''prôven
 
'''wôven
 
'''Ôwen
 
'''óxen
 
'''yén
 
'''Zén
 
-n -'''gn
 
'''campâign
 
'''vèin''' rhymes with '''dèign
 
''would''  '''fâin''' = ''pretend'' '''fèign
 
''wet'' '''râin'''  = ''monarch'' '''rèign
 
.*sóvrin '''sóvereign
 
-lîne '''malîgn
 
-nîne '''benîgn
 
''mathematics'' '''sîne''' = ''signal'' '''sîgn
 
-zîne '''desîgn
 
-zîne '''resîgn
 
-sîne '''énsîgn
 
-pyûne '''impûgn
 
''pub'' '''ínn''' = ''out'' '''ín
 
'''Câin
 
'''disdâin
 
'''gâin
 
.*əgén; some regularise it to '''agâin''' - '''again
 
'''slâin
 
'''explâin
 
'''mâin
 
cf. '''germâne''' ''relevant'' = '''Germâine''' ''person'' - '''remâin
 
'''brâin
 
'''Bahrâin
 
'''trâin
 
'''retâin
 
''person'' '''Bríton'''  = ''country'' '''Brítain
 
-tín '''cáptain
 
'''dín
 
'''skèin
 
[[Elmer Bernstein|''Elmer'' '''Bërnstêin''']]
 
[[Leonard Bernstein|''Leonard'' '''Bërnsteîn''']]
 
'''thín
 
'''detërmine''' rhymes with '''vërmin
 
'''pín
 
'''sín
 
'''bâsin
 
'''tín
 
-m -'''mn
 
''condemn''  '''dám''' = ''water''  '''dámn
 
'''condémn
 
'''sólemn
 
'''cólumn
 
'''åutumn
 
''man'' '''hím''' = ''church''  '''hýmn
 
''out'' '''ín''' = ''pub'' '''ínn
 
'''ón
 
mostly schwa, as are '''Cámden''', '''Màrsden''', '''Hámpden'', '''Hámpton''' -'''on
 
'''càrbon
 
''university, clothing'' '''dón
 
'''Héndon
 
'''Lòndon
 
'''cŏrdon
 
cf. '''gàrden''' – '''Gŏrdon
 
'''curmúdgeon
 
'''pígeon
 
-njən '''dúngeon
 
-jən '''sürgeon
 
-jən '''stürgeon
 
-nchən '''trúncheon
 
'''bandôneon
 
'''Lêón
 
.*kəmêlêən; AmE -mê-; in fast speech -lyən, like '''míllion, Austrâlian''' - '''chamaêlêon
 
'''Napôleon
 
'''nêón
 
'''péntagon
 
'''bándwagon
 
'''àrgón
 
BrE *pólygən, AmE '''pólygón
 
'''îón
 
-yən -'''ion
 
most words spelt thus in Spanish are -'''tion''' in English -'''cion
 
-sh- '''suspícion
 
'''Asunción
 
-sh- '''côërcion
 
'''rêgion
 
'''lêgion
 
'''relígion
 
'''fáshion
 
cf. '''percússion''', also -sh- - '''cùshion
 
'''vermílion
 
'''gálleon''' rhymes with '''stállion
 
'''bíllion
 
'''míllion
 
'''tríllion
 
'''búllion
 
'''ònion
 
'''ûnion
 
'''Orîon
 
'''centûrion
 
-zhən after vowels; -shən after consonants, including after another '''s''' and, in BrE, after another '''r''': -'''sion
 
'''lêsion
 
'''vísion
 
'''télevision
 
'''revísion
 
'''scánsion
 
'''expánsion
 
-'''éntion''' -énshən = -'''énsion
 
'''comprehénsion
 
'''pénsion
 
'''suspénsion
 
'''ténsion
 
'''preténsion
 
'''exténsion
 
'''avërsion
 
'''dîvërsion
 
'''convërsion
 
'''excürsion
 
'''dîgréssion
 
'''séssion
 
'''míssion
 
ím- '''emíssion
 
əm- '''omíssion
 
-sh- '''percússion
 
'''fûsion
 
'''delûsion
 
'''illûsion
 
'''intrûsion
 
mostly -shən –'''tion
 
'''inundâtion
 
'''foundâtion
 
'''creâtion
 
'''renunciâtion
 
'''pronunciâtion
 
'''installátion
 
'''constellátion
 
'''nâtion
 
'''rátion
 
vî- '''vibrâtion
 
mî- '''migrâtion
 
-kshən -'''ction
 
'''áction
 
'''afféction
 
'''conféction
 
BrE can be -'''éxion''' - '''refléction
 
'''colléction
 
BrE can be -'''éxion''' - '''connéction
 
'''eréction
 
'''diréction
 
'''contradíction
 
.*sángktchən '''sánction
 
.*úngktchən '''únction
 
.*fúngktchən '''fúnction
 
.*júngktchən '''júnction
 
.*cəmpúngkshən '''compúnction
 
'''complêtion
 
'''discrétion
 
'''definítion
 
'''preposítion
 
'''proposítion
 
'''opposítion
 
'''competítion
 
'''frûítion
 
= -'''énsion''', -énshən -'''éntion
 
'''méntion
 
'''deténtion
 
'''inténtion
 
'''atténtion
 
'''prevéntion
 
'''absŏrption
 
'''erúption
 
'''abŏrtion
 
'''contŏrtion
 
'''contribûtion
 
'''distribûtion
 
'''pollûtion
 
'''solûtion'''
 
-'''éxion''' is, except for '''compléxion''', BrE only: other words end in -'''éction''' - '''éxion'''
 
so AmE, BrE '''refléction''' = BrE only '''refléxion'''
 
cf. '''conféction''' - *compléction '''compléxion'''
 
cf. '''convíction''' - '''crucifíxion'''
 
'''nŷlón'''
 
'''dêmon
 
'''lémon
 
'''Sólomon
 
'''Lébanon
 
'''cánnon
 
'''Shánnon
 
'''moôn
 
'''buffoôn
 
'''balloôn
 
'''lampoôn
 
'''harpoôn
 
cf. '''càrton''' - '''cartoôn
 
'''upón
 
''person''  '''Bárron''' = ''lord'' '''báron
 
''person'' '''Sháron
 
''person'' AmE '''Sharôn''', BtE '''Sharón
 
'''sáffron
 
'''eléctrón
 
'''neûtrón
 
sh- '''chévrón
 
''boy'' '''sòn
 
'''bîson
 
'''Áshton
 
'''Élton
 
'''Lýttelton
 
'''prôtón
 
'''càrton
 
'''Nŏrton
 
''east'' '''êastern''' BrE = ''person'' '''Êaston
 
''west'' '''wéstern''' BrE = ''person'' '''Wéston
 
cf. '''Féatherstone''', etc. '''Ålston
 
'''Màrston
 
'''Rŏyston
 
'''bútton
 
'''mútton
 
'''Sútton
 
'''wòn
 
cf. '''Jáckson, Híckson''', etc. '''Díxon
 
'''Níxon
 
'''Ríxon
 
'''bàrn
 
'''dàrn
 
'''ëarn
 
'''lëarn
 
cf. '''wårm''', '''wörm''': ''wear'' '''wŏrn''' = ''person'' '''Wårne''' =  ''warning'' '''wårn
 
'''yàrn
 
''direction'' '''türn'''  = ''bird'' '''tërn
 
'''lántern
 
'''stërn
 
'''astërn
 
''persons'' '''Pátten''' = '''Pátton''' = BrE ''arrange'' '''páttern
 
'''bŏrn
 
'''cŏrn
 
cf. ''wriggly'' '''wörm''' - ''warning'' '''wårn''' = ''wear'' '''wŏrn
 
'''ürn
 
'''bürn
 
'''chürn
 
''round'' '''türn
 
'''fún
 
'''gún
 
'''nòun
 
''shine'' '''sún
 
'''Whítsun
 
'''dåwn
 
'''påwn
 
'''spåwn
 
'''pråwn
 
'''heŵn
 
.*sône ''seed'' '''sewn
 
'''gòwn
 
'''blôwn
 
'''môwn
 
'''renòwn
 
.*nôan '''knôwn
 
'''bròwn
 
'''cròwn
 
'''grôwn
 
'''tòwn
 
===O===
mostly '''ô'''; never -ó -'''o
 
'''placêbô
 
usually *ənkô - '''& cô''', '''and cô
 
'''stúccô
 
'''flaméncô
 
-û '''do
 
'''vídêo
 
'''Montevidèo
 
'''Lêo
 
'''Clìo''' = '''Clêo
 
'''Galilèo
 
'''gô
 
'''lumbâgo
 
'''dóggô
 
'''vërtigo
 
'''Djángo
 
'''lôgô
 
'''Tôgo
 
'''mácho
 
.*sŷko '''psŷcho
 
.*Tŷko '''Tŷcho
 
-shô '''braggadôcio
 
'''portfôlio
 
'''pôlio
 
-ss- '''impresàrio
 
-shô '''râtio
 
-shô '''Horâtio
 
'''nô
 
'''taboô
 
'''gôo
 
'''ígloô
 
'''Wåterloô
 
'''shampoô
 
'''kangaroô
 
'''woô
 
.*Búrə - it means Míddlesbrough, which doesn’t have the '''ò''' - ends in schwa - '''Bòro
 
'''prô
 
cf. '''bûreau''' - '''pólitburo
 
'''sô
 
'''Plâto
 
AmE '''tomâto''' BrE '''tomàto
 
'''potâto
 
f- '''phôto
 
'''Plûto
 
''at'' '''to''' = ''also, many'' '''toô''' = ''2'' '''tŵo
 
'''émbrỳo
 
===P===
'''cáp
 
'''gáp
 
'''snáp
 
'''táp
 
'''stép
 
'''híp
 
'''friéndship
 
'''kíngship
 
'''crāftsmanship
 
'''shôwmanship
 
'''wörship
 
'''kíp
 
'''skíp
 
'''líp
 
'''clíp
 
'''flíp
 
'''slíp
 
'''whíp
 
'''gríp
 
'''tríp
 
'''stríp
 
'''whélp
 
'''kélp
 
'''cámp
 
'''dámp
 
'''lámp
 
'''rámp
 
'''crámp
 
'''trámp
 
'''hémp
 
'''ímp
 
'''skímp
 
'''límp
 
'''pímp
 
'''wímp
 
'''búmp
 
'''dúmp
 
'''thúmp
 
'''júmp
 
'''lúmp
 
'''slúmp
 
'''frúmp
 
'''trúmp
 
'''devélop
 
cf. ''noun'' '''énvelôpe''' - ''verb'' '''envélop
 
'''flóp
 
'''póp
 
'''sóp
 
'''désktóp
 
'''láptóp
 
'''hoôp
 
'''droôp
 
'''troôp
 
'''loôp
 
'''sloôp
 
'''stoôp
 
'''càrp
 
'''hàrp
 
'''wårp
 
'''bürp
 
'''slürp
 
'''clāsp
 
'''rāsp
 
'''grāsp
 
'''crísp
 
'''wísp
 
'''cúsp
 
'''úp
 
'''cùp
 
''bird'' '''coô''' = ''overthrow'' '''coûp
 
.*rêcoôp '''recoûp
 
.*groôp '''groûp
 
'''gåwp
 
===Q, R===
'''Iràq
 
where unstressed, schwa -'''ar
 
'''bazàar
 
'''bàr
 
'''càr
 
'''râdàr
 
'''cálendar
 
'''êar
 
cf. ''drink'' '''bêer''' - ''naked'' '''bãre''' = ''animal, tolerate'' '''béãr
 
cf. ''risk'' '''dãre''' - ''animal'' '''dêer''' = ''beloved, expensive'' '''dêar
 
'''fêar
 
'''gêar
 
''there'' '''hêre''' = ''ear'' '''hêar
 
''look'' '''lêer''' = ''person'' '''Lêar
 
'''clêar
 
'''unclêar
 
.*nûclêə(r) '''nûclear
 
'''smêar
 
'''yêar''' or '''yëar
 
cf. '''búgger''' - '''béggar
 
though contemporaries pronounced it ending in schwa - '''[[Edward Elgar|Élgàr]]
 
sh- '''sùgar
 
'''buŷer, flŷer''' and '''trîer''' rhyme with '''lîar
 
'''brîar
 
'''jàr
 
'''símilar
 
'''píllar
 
'''cáterpillar
 
'''cóllar
 
'''hóller''' rhymes with '''dóllar
 
sk- '''schólar
 
'''môlar
 
'''múscular
 
'''régular
 
'''júgular
 
'''grámmar
 
-z- '''quâsàr
 
'''púlsàr
 
'''Qátàr
 
'''néctar
 
'''scímitàr
 
'''sítàr
 
''change'' '''ålter''' = ''church'' '''åltar
 
'''mŏrtar
 
'''stàr
 
schwa:  AmE  '''uh'''  = BrE '''er
 
mostly schwa; stressed -'''ër''' in some words;  some AmE -'''er''' words are -'''re''' in BrE. -'''er
 
'''câber
 
silent '''b''': *clîmer '''clîmber
 
'''tímber
 
'''encúmber
 
'''cûcumber
 
'''lúmber
 
silent '''b''': *plúmmer '''plúmber
 
'''cáncer
 
'''dāncer
 
'''cîder
 
'''glîder
 
'''spîder
 
''person'' '''Rŷder''' = ''ride'', ''logic'' '''rîder
 
'''insîder
 
''bold'' '''bôlder''' = ''rock'' '''bôulder
 
'''shôulder
 
'''propagánda''' rhymes with BrE '''gánder
 
'''Lê'''- '''Leánder
 
'''mê'''- '''meánder
 
cf. '''sqùalor''' - '''sqùander
 
'''ẁander
 
'''wònder
 
'''yónder
 
'''enginêer
 
'''pîonêer
 
iléc- '''electionêer
 
cf. ''wither'' '''sêar''', one diphthong, one syllable - *sêeər, two syllables ''see'' '''sêer
 
'''voluntêer
 
'''defër
 
'''confër
 
'''refër
 
'''prefër
 
'''óffer
 
'''próffer
 
'''cónifer
 
'''pílfer
 
hard '''g''' - '''làger
 
-j- '''mánager
 
cf. '''béggar''' - '''dágger
 
'''bígger
 
'''lógger
 
'''blógger
 
.*Nizhãir '''Nigér
 
hard '''g''' - '''tîger
 
hard '''g''' pronounced separately: áng-ger '''ánger
 
.*dânjer '''dânger
 
'''g''' not pronounced separately from -'''ng'''-; ''aeroplane'' '''hángar''' = ''coat'' '''hánger
 
.*mânjer '''mânger
 
.*strânjer '''strânger
 
.*jínjer '''gínger
 
hard '''g''' sounded separately: líng-ger '''línger
 
no '''g''' sound '''sínger
 
no '''g''' sound '''wínger
 
hard '''g''' sounded separately *mòng-ger -'''mònger
 
'''físhmònger
 
'''warmonger
 
hard '''g''' sounded separately: *stróng-ger - '''strónger
 
'''àrcher
 
'''màrcher
 
'''cátcher
 
'''decîpher
 
'''gôpher
 
or '''cîpher''' - '''cŷpher
 
usually voiced '''th''' and schwa -'''ther
 
'''bâther
 
'''féather
 
'''héather
 
'''léather
 
''climate'' '''wéather
 
''BrE far'' '''fàrther''' = ''AmE as well as BrE dad'' '''fàther
 
cf. AmE '''fàther''' - AmE '''láther''' - '''lāther
 
'''bláther
 
cf. AmE '''fàther''' - AmE '''ráther''' - '''rāther
 
unvoiced '''th''' - '''êther
 
'''togéther
 
''if'' '''whéther
 
'''téther
 
for most speakers ''where'' '''whíther''' = ''decay'' '''wíther
 
'''òther
 
'''bóther
 
'''smòther
 
'''mòther
 
one word '''anòther
 
'''bròther
 
'''fàrther
 
'''fürther
 
'''idéntifîer
 
'''supplîer
 
'''ëarlier
 
''person'' '''Crŷer''' = ''cry, town'' '''crîer
 
'''pìêr
 
silent French '''r''' - '''dóssièr
 
''cry'' '''têar''' = ''level'' '''tìêr
 
'''jôker
 
'''hoòker
 
'''snoôker
 
'''pôker
 
'''bàrker
 
'''wörker
 
'''hándler
 
'''tóddler
 
'''jâiler
 
'''tåller
 
'''dóllar''' rhymes with '''hóller
 
'''rôller
 
'''stámmer
 
''baseball'' '''hômer''' = ''person'' '''Hômer
 
'''wårmer
 
'''fŏrmer
 
'''góner
 
'''lôner
 
'''kêeper
 
'''léper
 
.*loôzer '''loser
 
'''câter
 
'''lâter
 
'''wåter
 
cf. '''áctor''' - k- '''cháracter
 
'''detër
 
cf. BrE '''mêtre''', AmE '''mêter''' distance, rhythm - '''parámeter
 
'''perímeter
 
'''thermómeter
 
'''Pêter
 
'''trúmpeter
 
.*dåwter '''dåughter
 
'''āfter''' rhymes with '''lāughter
 
.*slåwter '''slåughter
 
'''wâiter
 
''church'' '''åltar''' = ''change'' '''ålter
 
'''fålter
 
Wålter
 
'''shélter
 
'''helter-skélter
 
'''wélter
 
'''promôter
 
'''hélicopter
 
'''stàrter
 
'''disāster
 
'''Chéster
 
'''Mánchester
 
'''Dŏrchester
 
or -'''or''': '''protéster
 
'''gángster
 
'''yoúngster
 
'''blíster
 
'''síster
 
'''hípster
 
'''bátter
 
'''fátter
 
'''hátter
 
'''mátter
 
'''pátter
 
'''bétter
 
'''bítter
 
'''lítter
 
'''hótter
 
'''tótter
 
'''bútter
 
'''stútter
 
'''commûter
 
'''compûter
 
.*lácker '''lácquer
 
'''avër
 
'''hâver
 
'''brâver
 
'''quâver
 
'''wâver
 
'''fêver
 
'''whichéver
 
AmE '''léver''' - BrE '''lêver
 
'''cléver
 
'''whenéver
 
.*hû-éver '''whoéver
 
'''wheréver
 
.*wót-éver '''whatéver
 
'''hòwéver
 
'''fîver
 
'''líver
 
'''ríver
 
''arrow, shake'' '''quíver
 
'''ôver
 
'''còver
 
'''Dôver
 
'''hóver
 
'''lòver
 
'''plòver
 
''art'' '''dråw''' ≈ ''desk'' '''dråwer
 
'''bòwer
 
'''flòwer
 
'''glòwer
 
'''pòwer
 
'''tòwer
 
cf. '''lãir''' - *lãyə '''lâyer
 
.*plâyə(r) '''plâyer
 
.*prãir '''prãyer
 
.*fŏyây '''fŏyèr
 
'''låwyer''' rhymes with '''emplŏyer
 
'''buŷer
 
.*lŏyer låwyer
 
'''thére''' *thãir rhymes with '''ãir
 
'''hãir
 
'''despãir
 
'''fïr
 
-vwàr '''réservoir
 
'''tâpìr
 
'''stïr
 
'''bestïr
 
mostly schwa, as also -'''er''', -'''our''': -'''or
 
'''ráncor
 
'''córridŏr
 
'''cóndŏr
 
'''fŏr
 
'''abhŏr
 
'''ultêrior
 
'''antêrior
 
'''postêrior
 
ánk- '''ánchor
 
cf. '''sqùander''' - '''sqùalor
 
''person'' '''Tâylor''' = ''clothes'' '''tâilor
 
'''pállor
 
'''chāncellor
 
'''trémor
 
'''gòvernor
 
'''dŏor
 
'''pŏor
 
'''térror
 
'''hórror
 
'''spónsor
 
''téar'' '''tŏre''' = ''crag'' '''tŏr
 
'''álligâtor
 
'''flagellâtor
 
'''órator
 
'''colláborator
 
'''narrâtor
 
'''spectâtor
 
'''áctor
 
'''léctor
 
'''[[Selécter]]''' ''band'' = '''seléctor
 
'''colléctor
 
'''protéctor
 
'''véctor
 
'''dóctor
 
'''proprîetor
 
'''trâitor
 
'''méntŏr
 
'''protéster''' is much more common than '''protéstor
 
'''invéstor
 
'''resístor
 
'''transístor
 
'''impóstor
 
'''whïrr
 
'''Cŏrr
 
'''fürr
 
'''pürr
 
'''occür
 
'''incür
 
'''concür
 
.*gránjə '''grándeur
 
'on- '''entreprenëur
 
'''rapportëur
 
'''frottëur
 
'''longuëur
 
'''voyëur
 
'''für
 
AmE '''súlfur''' BrE '''súlphur
 
'''demür
 
'''fêmur
 
'''lêmur
 
'''mürmur
 
when unstressed, schwa in BrE, -'''r''' in AmE; spelt -'''or''' in AmE: BrE -'''our
 
''we'' '''òur''' = ''time'' '''hòur
 
'''doûr
 
BrE *hàrbə; AmE -'''or''' - '''hàrbour
 
'''scòur
 
''preposition'' '''fŏr''' = ''4'' '''fŏur
 
cf. ''petal'' '''flòwer''' - ''dough'' '''flòur
 
BrE *cúlə; AmE -'''or''' - '''còlour
 
BrE *glámə; AmE -'''or''' - '''glámour
 
BrE *hûmə; AmE -'''or''' - '''hûmour
 
BrE *ónə; AmE -'''or''' - '''hónour
 
'''sòur
 
''téar'' '''tŏre''' = ''hill'' '''tŏr''' = ''travel'' for some speakers '''toûr
 
'''nón séquitur
 
-ə(r) -'''yr
 
'''zéphyr
 
'''màrtyr
 
===S===
.*áz '''ás
 
.*(h)w(é)əráz '''whereás
 
.*ház '''hás
 
.*Cánzus '''Kánsas
 
-såw '''Årkansås
 
.*wóz '''ẁas
 
AmE *ërbs '''hërbs
 
'''thê'''- '''theátrics
 
-x '''athlétics
 
-x '''gymnástics
 
-x '''logístics
 
'''Nétherlands
 
-dz '''fŏrwards
 
words from Greek, etc: -êz -'''ês
 
'''Ándês
 
'''antípodês
 
'''côdes
 
-íz '''édges
 
-íz '''lódges
 
-íz '''Hódges
 
''hew'' '''heŵs''' = ''person'' '''Hûghes
 
'''lúllabîes
 
-íz '''râbíes
 
.*síəríz '''sêríes
 
-íz AmE '''wörríes''', BrE  '''wòrríes
 
'''Lós''' = '''lóss''' ''lose''; -íz '''Lós Ángeles
 
''distance'' '''mîles''' = ''person'' '''Mîles
 
[[minimal pair]]: cf. '''shékels''' - '''sháckles
 
-z '''Hërculês
 
-nz '''Bàrnes
 
'''Jóhn Mâynard Kèynes
 
'''Mílton Kêynes
 
.*dúzz '''dòes
 
.*gôze '''gôes
 
'''hêroes
 
.*tôze '''tôes
 
-tôze '''potâtoes
 
plural of -'''sís''' in Greek-derived words (see [[English irregular nouns]]) -'''sês
 
'''parénthesês
 
cf. '''prîces''' *prîsíz - *crŷsêez '''crîsês
 
.*loôziz '''loses
 
'''glāsses
 
-zíz '''hòuses
 
-ssíz '''spòuses
 
'''Sócratês
 
'''hêaves
 
''leave, leaf'' '''lêaves
 
''have-nots'' '''háves
 
'''shâves
 
'''wâves
 
''thief'' '''thìêves
 
'''Îves
 
'''gíves
 
-k- '''àrchîves
 
''plural noun'' '''lîves
 
''singular verb'' '''líves
 
''knife'' '''knîves
 
'''arrîves
 
'''môtíves
 
''wife'' '''wîves
 
''calf'' '''càlves
 
''valve'' '''válves
 
''elf'' '''élves
 
''delve'' '''délves
 
''shelf'' '''shélves
 
''self'' '''sélves
 
one word, as with following: *òursélvz '''oursélves
 
.*yŏrsélvz '''yoursélves
 
.*dhəmsélvz '''themsélves
 
.*wùlvz '''wolves'''
 
cf. '''dòves''' - '''drôves
 
''hoof'' '''hoôves
 
''scarf'' '''scàrves
 
.*yéss '''yés
 
'''hoôves''' rhymes with '''roôfs
 
-gz '''dógs
 
'''parîahs
 
''big'' '''sîze''' = ''sigh'' '''sîghs
 
-āffs '''lāughs
 
-óffs '''cóughs
 
.*íz '''ís
 
.*híz '''hís
 
plurals, no apostrophes, -íz '''Bangladéshis
 
-íz '''Bengålis
 
-íz '''Nepålis
 
-íz '''Isrâelis
 
-iz ''semifinals'' '''sémis
 
-əss '''pênis
 
-íz '''Sùnnis
 
-nŏy '''Íllinois
 
-íss '''Páris
 
'''Hórace''' and '''Mórris''' = BrE '''Maurice''' rhyme with '''Bóris''' and '''Dóris
 
'''Hárris
 
'''térrace''' rhymes with '''Férris
 
rhyming with '''Hórace''', BrE '''Maurice''' = '''Mórris
 
'''Nórris
 
'''thêsis
 
Greek-derived words in -'''sís''', *síss, have -'''sês''', *sêez, to mark their plurals (see [[English Irregular Nouns]]) '''sýnthesis
 
'''némesis
 
-íss '''Dâvis
 
-íss '''Mâvis
 
-íss '''Trávis
 
'''Élvis
 
'''pélvis
 
-íss '''áxis
 
'''léxis
 
.*nóx '''knócks
 
'''loòks
 
'''spoôks
 
-z '''sélls
 
-z '''húms
 
words from Greek: -óss -'''ós
 
.*kâyós '''châos
 
''insect'' '''lòuse''' = ''nation'' '''Làos
 
-dôz '''tornâdos'''
 
-pss '''hélps
 
'''schnápps
 
''heart'' '''cŏre''' = ''army'' '''cŏrps
 
-z '''stàrs
 
'''lîars, trîers''' and '''buŷers''' rhyme with '''plîers
 
'''bôres''', BrE '''påuse''', and '''påws''' rhyme with '''dŏors
 
mostly -íss -'''ess
 
.*áxéss '''áccéss
 
'''góddéss
 
'''cãreless
 
'''ûseless
 
'''hápless
 
'''hélpless
 
'''t''' can be silent in '''lístless
 
'''t''' can be silent in '''réstless
 
'''méss
 
'''goòdness
 
'''lîonéss
 
cf. '''clêan''' - '''cléanliness
 
'''clúmsiness
 
'''nāstiness
 
'''shŷness
 
'''dréss
 
'''áctress
 
'''stréss
 
'''headmístress
 
cf. '''áccess''' *áxéss - '''asséss
 
silent '''u''' - '''guéss
 
'''kíss
 
'''míss
 
'''lóss
 
'''grôss
 
'''cúss
 
-tss '''cáts
 
'''Kêats
 
'''Yâtes''' = '''Yeâts
 
''it is'' '''ít’s''' = ''of it'' '''íts
 
mostly -əss -'''us
 
-ss '''bús
 
'''ábacus
 
'''fôcus
 
-oôz '''Híndûs
 
-kəss '''Bácchus
 
'''Sibèlius
 
'''Dêlius
 
'''Jûlius
 
j-; cf. ''adjective'' '''ingênious''' - ''noun'' '''gênius
 
'''ignorâmus
 
j- '''gênus
 
-yoôz '''ménûs
 
for adjectives = -'''us''' mostly for nouns: -əss –'''ous
 
'''cåucus''' rhymes with '''råucous
 
-dəss - only found in the following five words -'''dous
 
'''treméndous
 
'''stûpendous
 
'''horréndous
 
jép- '''jéopardous
 
'''házardous
 
-jəss '''outrâgeous
 
-jəss '''gŏrgeous
 
'''simultâneous
 
'''pugnâcious
 
-êsh- '''spêcious
 
-ésh- '''précious
 
-ísh- '''vícious
 
'''uncónscious
 
'''relígious''' rhymes with '''sacrilegious
 
cf. ''noun'' '''gênius''' - ''adjective'' '''ingênious
 
'''pîous
 
'''censŏrious
 
kyù- '''cùrious
 
-ísh- '''fictítious
 
'''óbvious
 
'''prêvious
 
.*ánkshus '''ánxious
 
'''jéalous
 
'''zéalous
 
'''màrvellous
 
'''ridículous
 
'''fâmous
 
ínfə- '''ínfamous
 
'''ánimus''' cf. '''ûnánimous
 
cf. '''vërtigo''', hard '''g''' - '''g''' as '''j''' in '''vertíginous
 
'''glûtinous
 
'''glúttonous
 
'''scábrous
 
'''wòndrous
 
'''slānderous
 
'''thúnderous
 
'''mürderous
 
'''nûmerous
 
from BrE -our (AmE -or) - -'''orous
 
'''rígorous
 
'''vígorous
 
'''glámorous
 
'''hûmorous
 
díz- '''disàstrous
 
'''mónstrous
 
'''vácûous
 
'''fátûous
 
'''nërvous
 
.*Bélla-Roôse '''Belarûs
 
cf. '''prósperous''' - '''phósphorus
 
'''rhêsus
 
'''cénsus
 
'''consénsus
 
'''sánctus
 
'''ríctus
 
-z '''jåws
 
irregular: *séz '''says
 
regular: *stâze '''stâys
 
-âze '''sîdeways
 
never used to form plurals: either a singular possessive or an abbreviation of '''ís''' - ''''s
 
w-, plural '''ònes''' = possessive '''òne’s
 
or *híz '''hê’s
 
or *shíz '''shê’s
 
'''chíldren’s
 
''of it'' '''íts''' = ''it is'' '''ít’s
 
===T===
'''át
 
'''cát
 
'''bêat
 
'''hêat
 
'''chêat
 
'''plêat
 
'''nêat
 
'''fát
 
voiced '''th''' - '''thát
 
'''slát
 
''ash'' '''grâte''' = ''big'' '''greât
 
'''swéat
 
'''bôat
 
'''côat
 
'''flôat
 
'''glôat
 
'''môat
 
'''Crôát
 
'''thrôat
 
.*dét '''débt
 
.*dòut '''dòubt
 
''touch'' '''afféct
 
''emotion'' '''áffect
 
''result'' í- '''efféct
 
''adjective'' '''përfect
 
''verb'' '''perféct
 
''thing'' '''óbject
 
''disagree'' '''objéct
 
''matter'' '''súbject
 
''cruel'' '''subjéct
 
''verb'' '''rejéct
 
''noun'' '''rêjéct
 
'''colléct
 
'''connéct
 
'''áspect
 
'''respéct
 
.*éxtradîte '''éxtradîct
 
''person'' '''áddict
 
''verb'' '''addíct
 
'''êdict
 
.*indîte '''indîct
 
'''vërdict
 
''person'' '''cónvict
 
''verb'' '''convíct
 
mostly -ít (-ət in Australasian English), but some have French -ây -'''et
 
BrE '''Hërbert''' rhymes with '''shërbet
 
'''t''' sounded ''hit'' '''búffet
 
.*bùffây ''food'' '''bùffèt
 
.*crôshây '''crôchet
 
'''rátchet
 
'''crótchet
 
'''thícket
 
'''pícket
 
'''crícket
 
'''wícket
 
'''màrket
 
-lây '''chálèt
 
cf. -'''létte''' - *boòklít; these words are -lət in Australasian English - '''boòklet
 
'''píglet
 
.*bállây '''bállèt
 
'''mállet
 
'''ẁallet
 
'''bíllet
 
'''tríplet
 
AmE all stressed on medial '''û''': -'''ûplet'''; BrE medial '''u''' as schwa - '''qùadruplet, quíntuplet, séxtuplet, séptuplet, óctuplet
 
'''stàrlet
 
'''Jánet
 
'''plánet
 
'''gánnet
 
'''cŏrnet
 
'''límpet
 
-rây '''bérèt
 
'''å''' - '''quartét
 
'''bánquet
 
-kây '''crôquèt
 
-kây '''sóbriquèt
 
BrE *pàhkây, AmE *parkây '''pàrquèt
 
.*boô-kây '''bouquèt
 
'''déft
 
'''héft
 
'''léft
 
'''beréft
 
'''míffed''' rhymes with '''ríft
 
'''dríft
 
'''shríft
 
'''lóft
 
.*yót '''yacht
 
mostly silent '''gh''' -'''ght
 
'''èight
 
'''heîght
 
'''frèight
 
'''wèight
 
'''fîght
 
'''lîght
 
'''delîght
 
'''plîght
 
cf. '''sleîght-of-hánd''' - ''little'' '''slîght
 
'''nîght
 
'''rîght
 
'''frîght
 
'''tîght
 
''person'' '''Wrîght''' = ''correct, left'' '''rîght'''  = maker -'''wrîght
 
.*plâywrîte '''plâywrîght
 
'''cópyrîght
 
''should''  '''ŏught''' = ''any'' '''åught
 
'''cåught
 
'''drāft''' = '''drāught
 
'''fråught
 
''any'' '''åught''' = ''should'' '''ŏught
 
'''bŏught
 
'''fŏught
 
'''nŏught
 
'''brŏught
 
'''dròught
 
'''wrŏught
 
'''ít
 
-'''ate''' rhymes with -'''âit
 
''breath'' '''bâte''' = ''catch'' '''bâit
 
''door'' '''gâte''' = ''walk'' '''gâit
 
''heavy'' '''wèight''' = ''linger'' '''wâit
 
'''awâit
 
'''bít
 
'''inhábit
 
'''prohíbit
 
'''déficit
 
'''còunterfeít
 
'''fŏrfeít
 
'''sürfeít
 
'''Fáhrenheît
 
'''befít
 
'''fít
 
'''hít
 
'''kít
 
'''lít
 
'''admít
 
'''commít
 
'''ômít
 
'''vómit
 
'''sít
 
-kít '''cïrcuit
 
-skít '''bíscuit
 
'''cóndûít
 
'''quít
 
-roôt '''recrûit
 
.*froòt '''frûit
 
cf. '''soòt''' - *sût or *syût '''sûit
 
'''Jésûít
 
-syoôt '''pursûit
 
'''quít
 
'''wít
 
'''dímwit
 
'''outwít
 
'''côbålt
 
'''hålt
 
'''målt
 
'''bélt
 
K- '''Célt
 
n- '''knélt
 
'''félt
 
'''jílt
 
'''kílt
 
'''sílt
 
'''tílt
 
.*bílt '''buílt
 
'''wílt
 
'''fåult
 
'''cúlt
 
only word ending in -'''mt''' (cf. '''prómpt''') - '''dréamt
 
'''ánt
 
''AmE cannot'' '''cán’t''' = ''philosopher'' '''Kánt''' = ''words'' '''cánt
 
'''signíficant
 
'''descéndant
 
'''deféndant
 
''adjective'' '''depéndent''' = ''person'' '''depéndant
 
BrE *pànshàn, AmE '''pénchant
 
'''trénchant
 
'''clâimant
 
'''dŏrmant
 
'''còvenant
 
cf. '''próminent''' - '''dóminant
 
'''rámpant
 
'''árrant
 
'''érrant
 
''now'' cúrrent = ''eat'' cúrrant
 
'''pléasant
 
'''incéssant
 
'''blâtant
 
'''hésitant
 
'''contéstant
 
'''resístant
 
'''rélevant
 
'''sërvant
 
'''ẁant
 
''send'' '''sént''' =  ''money'' '''cént
 
.*áxent '''áccent
 
'''dêcent
 
'''rêcent
 
'''magníficent
 
'''ascént
 
'''dént
 
'''précedent
 
'''antecêdent
 
áxi- '''áccident
 
óxi- '''óccident
 
'''résident
 
'''président
 
''person'' '''depéndant''' = ''adjective'' '''depéndent
 
'''indepéndent
 
j- ''man'' (abbreviation of '''géntleman''') '''gént
 
'''stríngent
 
'''púngent
 
hard '''G'''-  ''Belgium'' '''Ghént
 
'''obêdient
 
''Christian'' '''Lént''' = ''lend'' '''lént
 
'''éxcellent
 
'''repéllent
 
'''fråudulent
 
cf. ''mean'' '''méant''' - ''suffix'' -'''ment
 
'''engâgement
 
'''mánagement
 
'''séttlement
 
AmE´'''ádvertîsement''', BrE -tíssm- '''advërtísement
 
'''âilment
 
'''gòvernment
 
'''pâyment
 
'''përmanent
 
cf. '''dóminant''' - '''próminent
 
'''përtinent
 
'''oppônent
 
'''pãrent
 
'''appárent
 
'''transpárent
 
'''dífferent
 
'''inhérent
 
'''cohêrent
 
'''réverent
 
'''irréverent
 
''eat'' '''cúrrant''' = ''now'' '''cúrrent
 
''money'' '''cént''' = ''send'' '''sént
 
'''tént
 
'''cómpetent
 
'''inadvërtent
 
'''consístent
 
'''persístent
 
'''nón-exístent
 
'''vént
 
'''fërvent
 
'''línt
 
'''flínt
 
'''glínt
 
'''mínt
 
'''pînt
 
'''frònt
 
'''dåunt
 
'''gåunt
 
'''håunt
 
''verb'' '''discòunt
 
''noun'' '''díscount
 
vîc- '''vîscount
 
'''blúnt
 
'''rúnt
 
'''stúnt
 
'''gót
 
.*éscàr-gô '''escargôt
 
'''Màrgo''' = '''Màrgôt
 
'''hót
 
'''lót
 
''no'' '''nót''' = ''tie'' '''knót
 
'''boôt
 
'''hoôt
 
'''foòt
 
'''loôt
 
'''roôt
 
'''soòt
 
'''pót
 
'''rót
 
'''árrow''' rhymes with '''tárôt
 
''gold'' ''cárat'' = ''eat'' '''cárrot
 
'''párrot
 
'''tót
 
'''ápt
 
'''léapt
 
'''accépt
 
'''excépt
 
'''képt
 
'''slépt
 
'''wépt
 
'''prê-émpt
 
'''unkémpt
 
'''exémpt
 
''noun'' '''éxcërpt
 
íx- ''verb'' '''excërpt
 
'''àrt
 
'''pàrt
 
'''depàrt
 
'''impàrt
 
'''wårt
 
'''dïrt
 
'''flïrt
 
'''fŏrt
 
'''shŏrt
 
'''repŏrt
 
''noun'' '''ímport
 
''verb'' '''impŏrt
 
'''sŏrt
 
''verb'' '''consŏrt
 
cf. '''cóncert''' - ''noun'' '''cónsŏrt
 
''person'' '''Kürt''' = ''terse'' '''cürt
 
'''hürt
 
'''êast
 
'''bêast
 
'''fêast
 
'''lêast
 
'''bréast
 
'''yêast
 
'''fāst
 
'''lāst
 
'''māst
 
'''vāst
 
'''stréssed''' rhymes with -'''est
 
'''bést
 
'''íncést
 
.*hŷíst '''hîghest
 
.*drŷíst '''drîest
 
'''priêst
 
'''jést
 
'''lést
 
'''nést
 
'''vést
 
'''wést
 
'''lôwest
 
'''ángst
 
'''râcist
 
.*fáshist '''fáscist
 
'''líst
 
sôshə- '''sôcialist
 
'''týpist
 
'''gríst
 
K- '''Chrîst
 
-k- '''Gílchríst
 
'''insíst
 
'''consíst
 
'''persíst
 
'''exíst
 
'''whîlst
 
'''cóst
 
''dusty'' '''dúst''' = ''archaic do'' '''dòst
 
'''hôst
 
'''ghôst
 
'''lóst
 
'''fŏremôst
 
'''úppermôst
 
'''òutermôst
 
'''pôst
 
'''fïrst
 
'''thïrst
 
'''wörst
 
'''cürsed''' rhymes with '''bürst
 
'''hürst
 
'''búst
 
'''lôcust
 
'''lúst
 
'''trúst
 
'''cýst
 
'''ánalýst
 
'''cátalýst
 
more common in family names like '''Péttitt''' and '''Sénnett''' (= '''sénate''' ''house'') than in ordinary words: -'''tt
 
'''ẁatt
 
''head'' '''bútt
 
'''Àrgonaut
 
cóz- '''cósmonaut
 
'''ástronaut
 
'''júggernaut
 
''however'' '''bút
 
'''cút
 
'''jút
 
'''glút
 
'''slút
 
'''nút
 
'''òut
 
'''gòut
 
'''clòut
 
'''pòut
 
'''tòut
 
.*impùt '''ínput
 
'''rút
 
'''neŵt
 
'''nòwt
 
'''séxed''' rhymes with '''néxt
 
'''téxt
 
'''cān’t
 
'''shān’t
 
'''hádn’t
 
'''nêedn’t
 
'''dídn’t
 
.*cùdənt '''coùldn’t
 
.*shùdənt '''shoùldn’t
 
.*wùdənt '''woùldn’t
 
'''àren’t
 
'''dãren’t
 
'''wëren’t
 
'''háven’t
 
'''âin’t
 
'''dôn’t
 
''habit'' '''wônt''' = ''will'' '''wôn’t
 
.*házzənt '''hásn’t
 
.*wózzənt '''ẁasn’t
 
.*dúzzənt '''dòesn’t
 
.*ízzənt '''ísn’t
 
.*åwtənt '''ŏughtn’t
 
.*mússənt '''mústn’t
 
.*mîtənt '''mìghtn’t
 
===U, V, W===
.*táblô '''tábleau
 
.*byoôrô '''bûreau
 
.*troôssô '''troûsseau
 
.*pláttô '''pláteau
 
silent '''u''' in '''Guinea'''; -ssòw '''Guínea Bíssàù'''
 
''illness'' '''flû
 
.*êemyoô '''êmû
 
'''cáriboû
 
'''gùrû
 
-óff '''Gorbachev
 
-nyéff '''Brézhnev
 
along with many other such Slavonic names, -'''ov''' as -óff (such words were once spelt -off) '''Chékhov
 
'''guffåw
 
'''jåw
 
'''låw
 
'''clåw
 
''animal'' '''påw
 
'''dråw
 
''see, wood'' '''såw
 
''little'' '''feŵ''' = ''relief'' '''pheŵ
 
'''Jeŵ
 
'''neŵ
 
''therefore'' '''sô''' =  ''needle'' '''sew
 
'''dreŵ
 
''me'' '''yoû'''  = ''sheep''  '''eŵe''' = ''tree''  '''yeŵ
 
''London'' '''Bôw''' = ''ribbon'' '''bôw
 
''incline'' '''bòw
 
'''còw
 
(some say -'''òw''') '''Móscôw
 
'''Dòw
 
'''wíndôw
 
'''hòw
 
'''lôw
 
'''belôw
 
'''flôw
 
'''allòw
 
-'''llôw
 
'''fállow
 
'''ẁallow
 
'''sẁallow
 
'''béllow
 
'''féllow
 
'''méllow
 
'''yéllow
 
'''bíllow
 
'''píllow
 
'''fóllow
 
'''hóllow
 
'''môw
 
'''nòw
 
''negative'' '''nô''' = ''knowledge'' '''knôw
 
''line'' '''rôw
 
''argue'' '''ròw
 
'''grôw
 
'''thrôw
 
'''pròw
 
'''árrôw
 
'''bárrôw
 
'''fárrôw
 
'''hárrôw
 
'''nárrôw
 
'''spárrôw
 
''needle'' '''sew''' = ''seeds'' '''sôw
 
''pig'' '''sòw
 
''foot'' '''tôe''' = ''pull'' '''tôw
 
'''stôw
 
'''bestôw
 
'''vòw
 
===X===
''data'' '''fácts''' = ''machine'' '''fáx
 
''hasn’t'' '''lácks''' = ''careless'' '''láx
 
'''côax
 
'''hôax
 
'''wáx
 
''dúst'' '''flécks'''  = ''cord'' '''fléx
 
'''rêflex
 
'''cïrcumflex
 
'''véx
 
'''fíx
 
'''míx
 
'''síx
 
''high'' '''jínks''' = ''curse'' '''jínx
 
'''mínx
 
'''quíncunx
 
'''lýnx
 
'''phárynx
 
'''óx
 
'''bóx
 
''person'' '''Cóx''' = ''boat'' '''cóx
 
'''páradóx
 
'''ŏrthodóx
 
'''flúmmox
 
'''dêtox
 
''plural'' -lôz '''tábleaux
 
''plural'' -rôz '''bûreaux
 
'''flúx
 
'''crúx
 
===Y===
after a consonant, mostly -'''ỳ'''
 
as a suffix, may be pronounced -dỳ in days of the week such as '''Mònday''' - '''dây
 
'''bïrthday
 
'''hóliday
 
'''Frîday
 
'''wêekday
 
'''wörkday
 
'''Mònday
 
'''Súnday
 
'''todây
 
'''yésterday
 
'''Sáturday
 
''doom'' '''doômsday''' = ''Book'' '''Domesday
 
'''Wédnesday
 
'''Tûesday
 
'''Thürsday
 
'''Mâyday
 
'''hèyday
 
''elf'' '''fèy''' = ''person'' '''Fây
 
'''gây
 
'''hây
 
'''clây
 
'''delây
 
'''plây
 
'''displây
 
''verb'' '''mây''' = ''month'' '''Mây
 
'''sây
 
.*Línzy '''Líndsay
 
'''daresây
 
'''hêarsay
 
'''stây
 
cf. place names in -'''aî''' - *Páragwŷ '''Páraguaŷ
 
.*Yûrəgwŷ '''Ûruguaŷ
 
''weight'' '''wèigh''' = ''how'' '''wây
 
'''awày
 
verb is two words '''breâkaway
 
verb is two words '''rúnaway
 
verb is two words '''gétaway
 
'''Gålway
 
''cricket, farewell'' '''bŷe''' = ''2'' '''bî'''- = ''preposition'' '''bŷ
 
'''bâby
 
'''cábbie''' and words in -'''ábby''' rhyme with '''Gáby
 
'''lúllabŷ
 
''abbot'' '''ábbey''' = ''persons'' '''Àbbey''' = '''Ábby
 
'''shábby
 
'''flábby
 
'''tábby
 
'''lóbby
 
'''Dígby
 
'''rúgby
 
'''Dólby
 
'''lâybŷ
 
''sight'' '''sêe''' = -'''sỳ''' = -'''cỳ
 
'''Mâcy
 
'''râcy
 
cf. '''hypócrisy''' - '''thêócracy'''
 
cf. '''hypócrisy''' - '''demócracy'''
 
.*byurócracy '''bureaucracy
 
'''áccuracy
 
cf. ''verb'' '''próphesŷ''' - ''noun'' '''próphecỳ
 
'''nŏrmalcy
 
'''fáncy
 
'''chāncy
 
'''nécrománcy
 
''person'' '''Náncy
 
''France'' '''Nàncy
 
'''discrépancy
 
'''téndency
 
'''cúrrency
 
'''constítuency
 
'''shâdy
 
'''lâdy
 
'''trágedy
 
'''cómedy
 
'''përfidy
 
'''súbsidy
 
''persons'' '''Àbbey''' = '''Ábby''' = ''abbot'' '''ábbey
 
'''obèy
 
''person'' '''Fây''' = ''whimsy'' '''fèy
 
'''Hárringây''' = '''Háringèy'''
 
'''thèy
 
'''whèy
 
'''kêy
 
cf. '''lúcky''', '''tácky''' - '''láckêy
 
'''hóckey
 
'''dónkêy
 
'''mònkêy
 
'''lèy
 
állêy
 
'''válley
 
'''trólley
 
'''fólly''' rhymes with '''vólley
 
'''jóckêy
 
'''dónkêy
 
'''mònkêy
 
''cart''  '''drây''' =  ''nest, cart'' '''drèy
 
'''Jéffrêy
 
'''ósprêy''' or '''ósprèy
 
cf. '''invèigh''' - '''convèy
 
'''purvèy
 
'''Hàrvêy
 
-zy '''Jërsêy
 
'''íffy
 
'''jíffy
 
'''stúffy
 
'''símplifŷ
 
'''mágnifŷ
 
'''vérifŷ
 
'''goôfy
 
'''dódgy
 
'''pódgy
 
-jy '''strátegy
 
'''fóggy
 
-njỳ -'''ngy
 
-jy '''mângy
 
-jy '''díngy
 
-ləjỳ -'''logy
 
jêó- '''geólogy
 
sôsh- '''sociólogy
 
-jy '''astrólogỳ
 
-jy '''énergy
 
-jy '''sýnergy
 
-jy '''líturgy
 
.*díng-y '''dínghy
 
.*dôwy '''dôughy
 
jó- '''geógraphy
 
cf. '''catástrophê''', '''apóstrophê''' - '''trôphy
 
'''átrophy
 
voiced '''th''', cf. '''thîgh''', unvoiced, same vowel sound: '''thŷ
 
'''telépathy
 
'''sýmpathy
 
'''lêaky
 
'''tácky
 
cf. '''jóckey''' - '''lúcky
 
'''plúcky
 
'''pôky
 
'''âbly
 
'''próbably
 
'''regréttably
 
nó- '''knóbbly
 
'''fêebly
 
'''vísibly
 
'''respónsibly
 
''dumb'' *dúmly '''dúmbly
 
''crumble'' '''crúmbly
 
'''nôbly
 
cf. '''bâsically''' - '''públicly
 
'''admíttedly
 
'''lîkely
 
two '''l'''s pronounced - '''sôlely
 
'''delíberately
 
'''complêtely
 
'''prîmãrily
 
'''necessãrily
 
'''temporãrily
 
'''militãrily
 
'''momentãrily
 
-z- '''êasily
 
'''quíckly
 
cf,'''állêy''' - '''állŷ
 
cf. '''públicly''' - '''económically
 
'''tópically
 
'''bâsically
 
'''mûsically
 
'''illêgally
 
'''víscerally
 
'''incidéntally
 
'''tôtally
 
''mostly female'' '''Bíllie''' = ''either'' '''Bílly
 
two '''l'''’s pronounced '''shrílly
 
'''sílly
 
[[minimal pair]]: '''vólley''' rhymes with '''fólly
 
two '''l'''’s pronounced '''whôlly
 
two '''l'''’s pronounced '''coôlly
 
two '''l'''’s pronounced '''dúlly
 
'''fùlly
 
'''replŷ
 
'''ëarly
 
'''dêarly
 
'''nêarly
 
'''pëarly
 
'''cléverly
 
'''fãirly
 
'''bürly
 
'''vígorously
 
AmE evidéntly BrE évidently
 
'''áptly
 
'''trûly
 
'''Âmy
 
'''astrónomy
 
'''gá'''- '''gastrónomy
 
'''autónomy
 
cf. '''epítomê''' - '''hysteréctomy
 
.*énny '''any
 
.*ménny '''many
 
'''zâny
 
'''prógeny
 
'''shîny
 
'''Plíny
 
cf. ''tin'' '''tínny''' - ''small'' '''tîny
 
'''whîny
 
'''Jénnie''' = '''Jénny
 
'''Kénny
 
'''Lénnie''' = '''Lénny
 
'''Pénny''' = '''pénny
 
'''Jóhnnie''' = '''Jóhnny
 
'''Dónny
 
'''fúnny
 
'''súnny
 
BrE '''o''' as schwa, AmE -'''môny
 
BrE *hígémony (hard '''g'''), AmE *héjəmôny '''hegemony
 
'''îrony
 
'''pôny
 
'''Tôny
 
'''misógyny
 
'''bŏy
 
'''jŏy
 
'''tŏy
 
'''álloy
 
'''annŏy
 
'''háppy                                                                           
 
AmE, when stressed syllable does not come immediately before it, -'''ãry''' or -éry, cf. -'''ery'''; BrE '''a''' as AmE or as schwa or silent; see also -'''ory''' - -'''ary
      
      
'''Cãry
:Òne hás nót, yoû mâke yŏur chŏice.


'''Gáry
Shoes (=shoôs), gôes, dòes. Nòw fïrst sây: fínger;
Thén sây: sínger, gínger, línger.
       
:Rêal, zêal, mauve (*môv), gåuze and gâuge,
       
:Márríage, fôlìage, mìràge, âge,


-shəry '''judíciary
Hêro, héron, quêry, véry,


'''vocábulary
Párry, tárry, fûry, bury,
     
:Dòst, lóst, pôst, and dòth, clóth, lôth,
       
:Jób, Jôb, blóssom, bosom (*bùzm), ôath.
Fåugh, oppúgnant, kêen oppûgners,


'''canãry
Bòwing, bôwing, bánjo-tûners


'''gránary
:Hôlm yoû knôw, but nôes, canoes (*canoôz),


''paper'' '''stâtionery''' = ''stop''  '''stâtionary'''
:Pûisnê (*poôny), trûísm, ûse (*yoûss), to ûse (*yoûz)?


'''díctionary
Thôugh the dífference sêems líttle,


.*lîbry, *lîbəry - though some pronounce both '''r'''s: '''lîbrary'''
Wê sây áctual, but víctual,


'''nécessary
Sêat, swéat, châste, càste, Lêigh, èight, heîght,
       
:Pùt, nút, gránite, ánd unîte.


'''líterary
:Rêefer dòes nót rhŷme wíth déafer,


'''suppleméntary
Féoffer dòes, and zéphyr, héifer.     
       
:Dúll bùll Géoffrey, Geŏrge ate (*ét) lâte,
       
:Hínt, pînt, sénate, but sedâte.


'''documéntary
Gáelic, Árabic, pacífic, —''Scottish; or regular Gâelic if Irish


BrE *Jányəry, AmE *Jányûãry, '''Jánuary
Scîence, cónscience, scientífic;
       
:Toûr, but òur, doûr, súccour, fŏur,  


BrE *Fébry, *Fébyəry, AmE *Fébyûãry, though some pronounce both '''r'''s - '''Fébruary
:Gás, alás, and Àrkansås.


'''vãry
Sây manoeûvre, yacht (*yót) and vómit,


'''wãry
Néxt omít, whích díffers fróm ít


'''crŷ
:Bôna fîdê, álibî


'''gímmickry''' rhymes with '''mímicry
:Gŷrate, dòwry ánd awrŷ.
   
Sêa, idêa, guínea, ãrêa,


'''drŷ
Psàlm, Marìa, bút malãria.


'''tåwdry
:Yoûth, sòuth, soúthern, cléanse and clêan,


mostly '''e''' as schwa: can sound like -'''ry''' in BrE: -'''ery
:Dóctrine, türpentine, marìne.


'''físhery
Compãre âlien wíth Itálian,


'''fîery
Dándelîon wíth battálion,


'''bâkery
:Rálly wíth állŷ; yeâ, yê,
 
:Eŷe, Î, ây, aŷe, whèy, kêy, quaỳ! ''—ây mê, archaic expression of sadness, ây = èh


'''coòkery
Sây avër, but éver, fêver,


sh- '''chicânery
Neîther, léisure, skèin, recêiver.     
:Néver guéss - ít ís nót sâfe,
     
:Wê sây càlves, válves, hālf, but Râlf.


''stop''  '''stâtionary''' = ''paper'' '''stâtionery
Stàrry, gránary, canãry,


'''conféctionery
Crévice, but devîce, and éyrie,
       
:Fâce, but préface, thén grimâce,


míz- '''mísery
:Phlégm, phlegmátic, áss, glāss, bâss.


'''cürsory''' rhymes with '''nürsery
Báss, làrge, tàrget, gín, gíve, vërging,


'''cémetery
Ŏught, òust, jòust, and scòur, but scoürging;


'''quêry
:Êar, but ëarn; and ére and téar


'''véry
:Do (*doô=) nót rhŷme wíth hêre but héir.       
Mînd thê Ô of óff and óften


'''brâvery
Whích mây bê pronòunced as ŏrphan, ''—scarcely heard nowadays
       
:Wíth the sòund of såw and såuce;


'''recòvery
:Ålsô sóft, lóst, clóth and cróss.


'''discòvery
Pùdding, púddle, pùtting. Pútting?


'''quêry
Yés: at gôlf ít rhŷmes wíth shútting.


'''frŷ
:Réspîte, spîte, consént, resént.
       
:Lîable, but Pàrliament.


'''bélfry
Séven ís rîght, but sô ís êven,


'''ángry
Hŷphen, roúghen, néphew, Stêphen,     
       
:Mònkey, dónkey, clerk (=Clàrk) and jërk,
       
:Ásp, grāsp, ẁasp, demèsne, cŏrk, wörk.


'''húngry
 of válour, vápid vâpour,


'''mímicry''' rhymes with '''gímmickry
S of neŵs (-z) (compãre neŵspâper (-ss-)),
       
:G of gíbbet (j-), gíbbon, gíst (j-),
       
:Î of ántichrîst and gríst,


'''gŏry
Díffer like divërse and dîvers,


'''glŏry
Rívers, strîvers, shívers, fîvers.


'''compúlsory
:Ònce, but nónce, tôll, dóll, but rôll,


'''nürsery''' rhymes with '''cürsory
:Pólish, Pôlish, póll and pôll.  
 
'''Tŏry
Pronúnciation - thínk of Psŷchê! -
 
usually pronounced -trỳ in BrE, '''ŏ''' pronounced in AmE: -'''tory
Ís a pâling, stòut and spîky.  
 
       
'''oblígatory
:Wôn't ít mâke yoû lose (=loôs) yŏur wíts
 
       
'''óratory
:Wrîting grôats and sâying 'gríts'? —''no longer
 
AmE '''láboratŏry, BrE '''labóratory
 
'''satisfáctory
 
'''réctory
 
'''diréctory
 
'''trajéctory
 
'''dŏrmitory
 
'''stŏry
 
'''hístory
 
'''prŷ
 
'''Bárry
 
''person'' '''Cárrie''' = ''fetch'' '''cárry
 
'''Hárry
 
'''márry
 
''earth'' '''burỳ''' = ''fruit'' '''bérry
 
AmE -'''bérry''', BrE -brêe '''bláckberry
 
'''blûeberry
 
AmE rázb-, BrE ràzb- '''rāspberry
 
'''stråwberry
 
'''lórry
 
'''sórry
 
AmE '''wörry''', BrE '''wòrry
 
'''cúrry
 
'''fürry
 
'''húrry
 
'''trŷ
 
'''påltry
 
'''pléasantry
 
'''péasantry
 
'''bígotry
 
'''áncestry
 
'''sóphistry
 
ké- '''chémistry
 
''fruit'' '''bérrỳ''' = ''earth'' '''bury
 
'''Dûry
 
'''Drûry
 
'''lúxury
 
mostly = -'''cỳ''' -'''sỳ
 
-zêe '''êasy
 
-sêe '''grêasy
 
-zêe '''quêasy
 
like '''demócracy, thêócracy''' all -ssy '''idiosýncrasy
 
-sêe '''écstasy
 
-zêe '''chêesy
 
cf. ''noun'' '''próphecỳ''' -sêe - ''verb'' '''próphesŷ
 
-sêe '''héresy'''
 
'''demócracy''' and '''thêócracy''' rhyme with '''hypócrisy
 
'''léprosy
 
-sêe '''émbassy
 
-sêe '''fússy
 
'''dízzy''' rhymes with *bízzy '''busy
 
-sêe '''jéalousy
 
-zêe '''Sûzy''' = '''Sûsie''' = '''Sûzie''' = '''Sûsy
 
-rity '''entîrety
 
'''cíty
 
'''felícity
 
'''stupídity
 
'''reálity
 
cf. '''spécialty''' - '''speciálity
 
'''mentálity
 
'''facílity
 
'''relîabílity
 
'''flexibílity
 
'''celébrity
 
'''iníquity
 
'''antíquity
 
'''fêalty
 
cf. '''speciálity''' - '''spécialty
 
'''lŏyalty
 
'''rŏyalty
 
'''crûelty
 
silent '''h''' - '''hónesty
 
'''thïrsty
 
'''Kïrsty
 
''goodbye, cricket'' '''bŷe''' = ''preposition'' '''bŷ''' = ''money'' '''buŷ
 
'''nâvy
 
'''wâvy
 
'''bévy
 
cf. '''lévêe, Lêvî''' - '''Lêvy
 
'''îvy
 
'''prívy
 
'''ánchovy
 
'''scürvy
 
'''sávvy
 
'''cívvy
 
'''skívvy
 
'''deŵy
 
'''wáxy
 
'''fóxy
 
'''slêazy
 
'''dâzy
 
'''hâzy
 
'''lâzy
 
'''crâzy
 
'''whêezy
 
'''dízzy
 
===Z===
'''bíz'''
 
'''whízz''' or '''whíz'''
 
'''quíz'''
 
'''Óz'''
 
'''jázz'''
 
'''razzmatázz'''
 
'''pizzázz'''
 
'''fízz'''
 
'''búzz'''
 
'''fúzz'''
 
'''zzzz'''
 
==Double letters==
The following alphabetical table shows examples of how letters can be doubled in English.
 
Double letters before suffixes are used to preserve short vowel sounds as in flípped (not *flîped), rebélled (not *rebêled) and pégged (not pêged, which would probably in any case be pronounced pêjed).  Compare scrâped, past of scrâpe, and scrápped, from scráp. In the case of t, doubling it after an unstressed vowel and before a suffix seems unnecessary, but in some cases it doubles before -ed: either tàrgeted or tàrgetted.
 
The sign # indicates a double letter that is rare in that position; capital-letter words indicate that the double letter in this position is only found in names. An asterisk (*) indicates a respelling to show pronunciation and an equals sign (=) introduces a [[homophone]].
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!letter
!initial
!medial
!final
!final + silent e
|-
|a
|àardvark #<ref>'''àardvark''' and '''Transvàal''' are from '''[[Afrikaans|Afrikàans]]''', itself a further example.</ref>
|Transvàal #
|bàa #
|
|-
|b
|
|ríbbon
|ébb #
|Crábbe
|-
|c
|
|sóccer (*sócker), accépt (*əxépt)
|
|
|-
|d
|
|hídden
|ádd
|
|-
|e
|êel
|bêen
|sêe
|
|-
|f
|
|éffort
|clíff
|Clíffe
|-
|g
|
|aggréssion
|égg #
|Légge (= lég)
|-
|h
|
|hítchhike # (accidental)
|
|
|-
|i
|
|skìíng #
|Hawàìi #
|
|-
|j
|
|
|hàjj # (also spelt hàdj)
|
|-
|k
|
|púkka #<ref> Also accidental in '''boòkkeeper''', with a pause to indicate both k’s are pronounced.</ref>
|
|
|-
|l
|llàma #
|fílling
|wéll
|bélle
|-
|m
|
|súmmer
|Crámm
|grámme
|-
|n
|
|dínner
|ínn # ''pub''
|Ánne (= Ánn)
|-
|o
|oôze, oòmph #
|foôd, foòt, flòod, [[British English|BrE]] doŏr
|toô
|Loôe (= loô)
|-
|p
|
|flípped
|
|
|-
|q
|
|Sadìqqi #
|
|
|-
|r
|
|érror
|pürr
|
|-
|s
|
|méssy
|lóss
|crevásse
|-
|t
|
|bétter
|ẁatt
|couchétte -sh-
|-
|u
|
|vácuum # (*vákyoôm)
|
|
|-
|v
|
|flívver #
|
|
|-
|w
|
|
|
|
|-
|x
|
|[[Exxon|Éxxon]] ™ #
|[[Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans|Bób B. Sóxx]] #
|
|-
|y
|
|[[Omar Khayyam|Khayyàm]] #
|
|
|-
|z
|
|fízzy
|búzz
|
|}
 
==Table of accents==
These accents are intended to show the pronunciation while retaining the spelling: they are not part of the language. Those on '''i''' and '''y''' show the same sound; similarly with '''u''', '''oo''' and '''w'''.  Accented vowels are stressed ('''ỳ''' is normally unstressed, as in '''háppy''').  '''ā''', not in the table, means that the sound is '''à''' in British English and '''á''' in American.
{|class="wikitable"
|rowspan=2|
|colspan=3 align=center|'''Front vowels
|colspan=5 align=center|'''Back vowels
|-
!e
!i       
!y<ref>When not accented, it is usually the semi-consonant of '''yoû''' and '''yés'''.</ref>
!a
!o
!u
!oo
!w<ref>When not accented, it is usually the semi-consonant of '''wê''' and '''wíll'''.</ref>
|-
|width=36%|The typical short sound:
|width=8%|pét
|width=8%|pít
|width=8%|crýpt
|width=8%|cát
|width=8%|dóg<ref>In American English this short British sound is replaced by the longer '''à''' in most positions, and by '''ŏ''' before '''r'''.</ref>
|width=8%|nút
|width=8%|
|width=8%|
|-
|The typical long sound, corresponding to the names of the letters A, E, I, O and U:
|sêe
|nîce
|mŷ
|nâme
|nôse
|tûne
|toô
|neŵ
|-
|The 'third' sound ('''ẁ'''- and '''qù'''- indicate the ó sound of the following '''a''', '''ẁad''' rhyming with '''qùad'''; '''òu''' and '''òw''' are diphthongs sounding like '''àù''' in '''àùtobahn''': '''nòw''' has this '''sòund'''):
|èight
|machìne
|quaỳ ''water'' = keỳ (kêy) ''lock''
|àre
|òther
|fùll, qùantity
|foòt
|ẁant<ref>Grave accents on '''w''' and on a '''u''' following a '''q''' indicate the sound of the following '''a''': '''à''' in American English, but in British the extra sound '''ó''' as in the British pronunciation of '''hót'''.</ref>
|-
|The '''ër''' sound, as in '''ër, Î dôn’t thínk sô''':
|përson
|bïrd
|mÿrtle
|
|wörd
|pürr
|
|
|-
|The '''ŏr''' sound, as in '''thís ŏr thát''' (also used for '''cŏin''' and '''jŏy'''):
|
|
|
|såw
|mŏre
|(for some BrE speakers) sůre
|
|
|-
|The '''ãir''' sound, as in '''frésh ãir''':
|(thére)
|
|
|stãre
|
|
|
|
|-
|Irregular (with respelling):
|sęw (ô)
|merįngue (á)
|
|becąuse (ó)
|wǫman (ù)
|bųsiness (í)
|
|
|}
===Example sentences===
''Words without accents have the [[schwa]] sound, a neutral grunt.''
 
''The usual short sound:''
 
The gínger cát was jéalous of the bláck cát: howéver, the tábby was a véry dífferent mátter - the stúff of réveries, ín fáct.
 
''The usual long sound:''
 
Sây mŷ nâme thrêe tîmes with stŷle and Î’ll gô and fînd a tûne to plây for yoû.
 
''The third sound:''


Christìna Grèy shoùld lòve her mòther and fàther (and dòes).
Ìt's a dàrk abýss ŏr túnnel


''The ‘ër’ sound:''
Streŵn wíth stônes lîke rôwlock, gúnwale,


But fïrst, Mÿrtle, fürther dïrty, ïrksome and distürbing wörk for the nürses.
:Íslington, and Îsle of Wîght,  
       
:Hòusewîfe, vërdíct and indîct.  


''The ‘ŏr’ sound (sůre here is with [[British English|British]] pronunciation = Shåw):''
Dôn't yoû thínk sô, rêader, ràther,


Sůre yoû ŏught to cråwl ón åll fŏurs, m’lŏrd?
Sâying làther, bâther, fàther?     
       
:Fînally, whích rhŷmes wíth enoúgh,
       
:Thôugh, throûgh, bòugh, cóugh, hóugh, sòugh, toúgh??  


''Irregular, with respelling:''
Hiccoúgh hás the sòund of súp.


Many women? Any woman! (pronounced: *Ménny *wímmin? *Énny *wùman!)
Mŷ advîce ís: GÍVE ÍT ÚP!


==Notes==
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]]

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Use in English
Alphabetical word list
Retroalphabetical list  
Common misspellings  

English is notorious for its many varied, inconsistent and irregular spellings. This can be seen at its most extravagant in the field of proper nouns—for example, simply adding an 'h' to 'Maria' to make it rhyme with 'pariah', or calling oneself 'Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh' while pronouncing it 'Chumley Fanshaw'. An example of a common misspelling is 'disasterous' for 'disastrous', retaining the 'e' of 'disaster'. Many words do not turn out to have the pronunciation they appear to have: 'do' and 'to' do not rhyme with 'go' and 'no', while 'seismic', instead of being 'seezmic' or 'sayzmic', or even 'sayizmic', is in fact 'size-mic'. The above grid (reproduced and explained below) provides links to three lists and a cluster of articles devoted to these things.

To show pronunciation, these articles use correct spellings with added accent marks, instead of relying on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). In some cases incorrect respellings are placed next to the correct ones, signalled by a preceding asterisk, like thís *thíss. The accent marks show pronunciation, thús. A table of these accents (which are not part of the language[1]) can be found below; there is also an IPA key at English phonemes. Where there is more than one accent, the first is stressed, and the same is true after a hyphen, so in the respelling of Tchaikóvsky, *Chŷ-kóffskỳ, it is 'kóff' that has the main stress. (Another way of showing new stress is with a bar: Tchaî|kóvsky.) A sentence from the preceding paragraph can thus be rewritten as follows: "An example of a common misspelling is *disāsterous for disāstrous, retaining the E of disāster." Respelling may be used to exemplify an incorrect spelling, or show a correct pronunciation, or a bit of both. Unlike the IPA, where there can only be one version per pronunciation, as there must be an unambiguous one-to-one correspondence, there can be many respellings: if *disāsterous for disāstrous is a common mistake, we can also represent the pronunciation as *dizāstrus or *dizāstrous or *dizāstrəss (with 'ə', a special character – the only one used – for schwa); or we can contrast British English *dizàstrus with American *dizástrus.

Particular attention is given to homophones, words with the same pronunciation but different meanings. English is rich in homophones, many of which are also homonyms, having also the same spelling, as, for example, cán able, tin (the italicised words suggest meanings, in this case two); while homographs are words with the same spelling whose meanings are distinguished by different pronunciations.

Also of special note are words that many writers incorrectly divide. ôver and dûe, for example, combine to form overdûe, without a space in the middle. Such examples are included with ‘one word’ alongside them: alongsîde one word.

An equals sign = is placed between homophones (in some cases the approximately equals sign ≈ is more appropriate). Homographs and other similar-looking words are included after 'cf.' (Latin conferre, 'compare').

Some words from other languages, in most cases French, may sometimes appear in English with accents from those languages. Here, such spellings are shown using bold italics: touchè may be written with a French accent: touché *tooshây.

The apostrophe is an important part of spelling and so it is treated as a letter, with its own place at the end of the alphabet.

Fragments of words are in bold when correctly spelt: Ukrâine has -âine, not -âne.

Words in italics are used to suggest meanings (e.g. sêa water = sêe vision, where the equals sign denotes identical pronunciation). Words beginning with an initial capital may have no word in italics following: these are names of people, either personal or family, and/or commercial or place names. Such words are included because they often contrast with the spellings of homophones: a bank clerk might be named Clàrk or Clàrke, but probably not 'Clerk' (though BrE clerk = Clàrk/Clàrke). Unusual spellings can be explained by regular ones: Cloúgh = Clúff. An American called Maurìce Mŏrris could just as well be called Mórris Maurice ("Morris Morris") in Britain, where Maurice = Mórris (although it would be putting the conventional surname before the conventional given name).

Links to letter articles and lists

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Use in English
Alphabetical word list
Retroalphabetical list  
Common misspellings  

In the navigation table above (reproduced at the top of each article in the cluster) the cells in each row link as follows:

  • Top row: articles on each letter and its use in English. There are similar articles on GH, the apostrophe and the hyphen.
  • Second row: alphabetical lists of of commonly misspelt and/or mispronounced words, alongside more regular words they may be confused with (words beginning with an apostrophe are here). Some incorrect spellings are also listed, signalled by an asterisk: *dispánd disbánd means that the word is 'disband'. (The bottom row is devoted entirely to misspellings and typos.)
  • Third row: retroalphabetical lists, arranged alphabetically according to the final letter of the word and continuing backwards through it:
In the retroalphabetical lists the headword is on the right. In this way, suffixes and other word endings can be seen grouped together, just as prefixes can be seen in normal alphabetical order. So, instead of ádd båll coúsin, we have réplicA fláB plástiC; and so for mûsiC, see under -C, for mûsicaL, see under -L, for pàrticlE, see under -E, and so on.
Some suffixes are included separately; their pronunciation may or may not apply to following words ("always -ãrian" means there is no other pronunciation of -ãrian).
Throughout, the apostrophe is treated as the last letter, after Z. (Words ending in an apostrophe are also here.)
For clarity, italic association words are to the left of the example word:
woman mâid = make mâde
Some incorrect spellings are listed retroalphabetically, in which case the misspelling goes on the right, just as in the alphabetical list:
wêasel *wêasal
  • Bottom row: common misspellings including typos (blue-linked for checking purposes), followed by the correct versions.

Two main varieties are distinguished: British English (BrE), that of the UK and much of the Commonwealth (see also Commonwealth English), and American English (AmE), that of the USA and Canada (without the cåught = cót merger that has occurred in some parts of North America).

Unlike dictionaries, the lists include personal and place names for their own sake and for contrast.

Table of accents

These accents are intended to show the pronunciation while retaining the spelling: they are not part of the language. Those on i and y show the same sound; similarly with u, oo and w. Accented vowels are stressed (ỳ is normally unstressed, as in háppy). ā, not in the table, means that the sound is à in standard British and Commonwealth pronunciations but á in American and other British and Commonwealth speech.

Front vowels Back vowels
e i y[2] a o u oo w[3]
The typical short sound, never occurring at the end of a word (acute accent) pét pít crýpt cát dóg[4] nút
The typical long sound, corresponding to the names of the letters A, E, I, O and U (circumflex accent) sêe nîce mŷ nâme nôse rûle toô neŵ
Sounds shown with the grave accent (ẁ- and qù- indicate the BrE ó sound of the following a, ẁad rhyming with qùad; òu and òw are diphthongs sounding like àù in àùtobahn: nòw has this sòund) èight (= â) machìne (= ê) quaỳ water = kêỳ lock
(= ê) 		àre òther, blòod
(= ú) 		fùll (= oò), qùantity (= w) foòt (= ù) ẁant (= wó)[5]
The ër sound (umlaut accent) përson bïrd mÿrtle (ëarth) wörd pürr
The åw/ŏr sound (ring accent)[6] (cŏin) (jŏy) åll mŏre (for some BrE speakers) sůre
The ãir sound (tilde accent) (thére) (ãir = Ãyr) stãre
Irregular (respelling needed) sew (= sô) meringue (*məráng) because (*bikóz) woman (*wùmən), women (*wímən) business (*bízníss)

Example sentences

These sentences show how the accents may be used, for example, when teaching pronunciation. Words without accents are monosyllables with the schwa sound, a neutral grunt.

The usual short sound, acute accent:

The gínger cát was jéalous of the bláck cát: howéver, the tábby was a véry dífferent mátter - the stúff of réveries, ín fáct.

The usual long sound, circumflex accent:

Sây mŷ nâme thrêe tîmes with stŷle and Î’ll gô and fînd a tûne to plây for yoû.

The third sound, grave accent:

Christìna Grèy shoùld (and dòes?) lòve her mòther and fàther.

The ër sound, umlaut:

But fïrst, Mÿrtle, fürther dïrty, ïrksome and distürbing wörk for the nürses.

The ŏr sound (sůre here is with British pronunciation = Shåw), the ring, or half-ring:

Sůre yoû ŏught to cråwl ón åll fŏurs, m’lŏrd?

Irregular, without accent, instead with respelling:

Many women? Any woman! (pronounced: *Ménny wímmin? Énny wùman!)

Double letters

The following alphabetical table shows examples of how letters can be doubled in English.

Double consonant letters before suffixes are used (as often elsewhere) to preserve short vowel sounds, as in flípped (not *flîped), rebélled (not *rebêled) and pégged (not *pêged, which if regular would in any case be pronounced *pêjed). Compare scrâped, past of scrâpe, and scrápped, from scráp. In the case of t, doubling it after an unstressed vowel and before a suffix may seem unnecessary, but in some cases it can be doubled before -ed: either tàrgeted or tàrgetted (but always commítted).

The sign # indicates a double letter that is rare in that position; capital-letter words indicate that the double letter in this position is only found in names. An asterisk (*) indicates a respelling to show pronunciation, and an equals sign (=) introduces a homophone.

letter initial medial final final + silent e
A àardvark #[7] bazàar # bàa #
B ríbbon ébb # Crábbe (= cráb)
C sóccer (*sócker), accépt (*əxépt)
D hídden ádd
E êel bêen sêe
F Ffoùlkes éffort óff Clíffe (= clíff)
G aggréssion (-g-), exággerate (-j-) égg # Légge (= lég)
H hítchhike # (accidental)
I skìíng # Hawàìi #
J hàjj # (also spelt hàdj)
K púkka; boòkkeeper (accidental)[8] #
L llàma[9] # fílling wéll bélle beauty (= béll ring)
M súmmer Crámm (= crám) grámme (= grám)
N dínner ínn # pub Ánne (= Ánn)
O oôze, oòmph # foôd, foòt, flòod, doŏr toô Loôe (= loô)
P flípped stéppe Asia # (= stép foot)
Q Sadìqqi #
R érror pürr
S méssy lóss crevásse
T bétter ẁatt couchétte -sh-
U vácuum # (*vákyoôm)
V révved #
W Lawwell # (accidental)
X Éxxon ™ # Bób B. Sóxx #
Y Khayyàm #
Z fízzy búzz

Names of the letters

The names of the letters of the alphabet are rarely written out in English (a simple capital being the normal usage: "with a C, not a K") so that, unlike in many other languages, most of their spellings have a rather unofficial status. But they can be shown as follows, using real words where possible:

A: â (the indefinite article, when stressed), èh? what?

B: bê exist, bêe sting

C: occasionally cêe; sêe look, sêa ship

D: Dêe River, surname

E: ê as in êmail, ê-mail

F: éff as in the euphemism éff óff

G: gêe up, exclamation *jêe

H: âitch as in drópping your âitches

I: Î me, eŷe vision

J: jây bird

K: Kây person

L: él elevated railway (AmE)

M: ém dash

N: én dash

O: ôwe debt, ôh! exclamation

P: pêa pod, pêe urine, p pence (BrE)

Q: queûe line, cûe ball, prompt

R: àre be, BrE àh exclamation

S: occasionally éss

T: têa drink, têe golf, tì do-re-mi

U: yoû me, eŵe sheep

V: Vêe Bobby

W: "doúble you" (*dúblyu; cf. vácûum, which actually does have a doúble Û)

X: éx- past

Y: whŷ reason (voiced w, as in BrE)

Z: BrE zéd, AmE zêe

The Chaos

by Gerard Nolst Trenité

This poem on pronunciation irregularities was first published in 1920. Accent marks, respellings and editorial comments have been added to reflect current British English pronunciation. The unadorned poem, with an introduction, can be found here.


The Châós (*câyóss)


Dêarest crêature ín creâtion

Stúdying English (*Ínglish) pronunciâtion,

Î wíll têach yoû ín mŷ vërse
Sòunds lîke cŏrpse, cŏrps (*cŏr), hŏrse and wörse.

Î wíll kêep yoû, Sûsy, busy (*bízzy),

Mâke yŏur héad wíth hêat grôw dízzy;

Têar ín eŷe, yŏur dréss yŏu'll téar;
Quêer, fãir sêer (*sêe-er), hêar mŷ prãyer.

Prây, consôle yŏur lòving pôet,

Mâke mŷ côat loòk neŵ, dêar, sew (=sô) ít!

Júst compãre heàrt, hêar and hëard,
Dîes and dîet (*dîət), lŏrd and wörd.

Swŏrd (*sŏrd) and swård, retâin and Brítain

[Mînd the látter hòw ít's wrítten].

Mâde hás nót the sòund of báde,
Sây–said (*séd), pây–pâid, lâid but pláid.

Nòw Î sůrely wíll nót plâgue yoû

Wíth súch wörds as vâgue and âgûe,

Bút bê cãreful hòw yoû spêak,
Sây: gúsh, bùsh, steâk, strêak, breâk, blêak,

Prêvious, précious, fûchsia (*feŵsha), vîa,

Récipê, pîpe, stúdding-sâil, choîr (=quîre);

Wôven, óven, hòw and lôw,
Scrípt, recêipt (*rissêet), shoe (=shoô), pôem, tôe.

Sây, expécting fråud and tríckerỳ:

Dåughter (*dåwter), làughter (*làfter) ánd Terpsíchorê (*Terpsíckery),

Brànch, rànch, mêasles, tópsails, aîsles (*îles),
Míssîles, símilês, revîles.

Whôlly (=hôly), hólly, sígnal, sîgning (*sîning),

Sâme, exámining, but mîning,

Schólar (*scóllar), vícar, and cigàr,
Sôlar, mîca, wår and fàr.

From "desîre": desîrable - ádmirable from "admîre",

Lúmber, plúmber, biêr, but brîer,

Tópsham, broûgham (*breŵəm), renòwn, but knôwn,
Knówledge, dòne, lône, góne, nòne, tône,

Òne (=wòn), anémonê, Balmóral,

Kítchen, lîchen (=lîken), låundry, laurel (lórrel).

Gërtrude, Gërman (J-), wínd and wînd,
Beau (=Bô), kînd, kíndred, queûe, mankînd,

Tŏrtoise (*tŏrtus), türquŏise, chámois-léather (*shámwà-),

Rêading, Réading, hêathen, héather.

Thís phonétic lábyrínth
Gíves móss, grôss, broòk, brôoch, nînth, plínth.

Háve yoû éver yét endéavoured

To (=toô)[10] pronòunce revêred and sévered,

Dêmon, lémon, ghoûl, fòul, sôul,
Pêter, pétrol and patrôl?

Bíllet dòes nót énd lîke bállèt (*bállây);

Boûquèt, ẁallet, mállet, chálèt.

Blòod and flòod are nót lîke foôd,
Nŏr ís môuld lîke shoùld and woùld (=woòd).

Bánquet ís nót nêarly pàrquèt,

Whích exáctly rhŷmes wíth khàkì. —not usually nowadays

Díscòunt, vîscòunt (*vîcòunt), lôad and brŏad,
Towård, to fŏrward, to (=toô) rewård,

Rícochèted and crôchèting, crôquèt?

Rîght! Yŏur pronunciâtion's OK.[11]

Ròunded, woûnded, griêve and síeve,
Friénd and fiênd, alîve and líve.

Ís yŏur R corréct ín hîgher?

Kêats assërts ít rhŷmes Thalîa.

Hûgh, but húg, and hoòd, but hoôt,
Buŏyant, mínute, bút minûte.

Sây abscíssion wíth precísion,

Nòw: posítion ánd transítion;

Woùld ít tálly wíth mŷ rhŷme
Íf Î méntioned páradîgm?

Twòpence, thréepence, têase are êasy,

But cêase, crêase, grêase and grêasy?

Cŏrnice, nîce, valìse, revîse,
Râbíes, but lúllabîes.

Óf súch púzzling wörds as nåuseous,

Rhŷming wéll wíth cåutious, tŏrtious,

Yoû'll envélop lísts, Î hôpe,
Ín a línen énvelôpe.

Woùld yoû lîke some mŏre? Yoû'll háve ít!

Áffidâvit, Dâvid, dávit.

To (=toô) abjûre, to përjure. Shèik
Dòes nót sòund lîke Czéch but âche.

Líberty, lîbrary, hêave and héaven,

Râchel, lóch, moustàche, eléven.

Wê sây hállôwed, bút allòwed,
Pêople, léopard, tôwed but vòwed.

Màrk the dífference, moreôver,

Betwêen mover (*moôver), plòver, Dôver.

Lêaches, brêeches, wîse, precîse,
Chálíce, bút polìce and lîce,

Cámel, cònstable, únstâble,

Prínciple, discîple, lâbel.

Pétal, pênal, and canál,
Wâit, surmîse, pláit, prómíse, pál,

Sûit, suìte, rûín. Cïrcuít, cónduít

Rhŷme wíth "shïrk ít" and "beyónd ít". —still?

Bút ít ís nót hàrd to téll
Whŷ ít's påll, måll, but Páll Máll.

Múscle, múscular, gâol (=jâil), îron,

Tímber, clîmber, búllion, lîon,

Wörm and stŏrm, chaise (*shézz), châós, chãir,
Sénator, spectâtor, mãyor,

Îvy, prívy, fâmous; clámour

Hás thê Â of dráchm and hámmer.

Pùssy, hússy ánd posséss,
Désert, but desërt, addréss.

Gôlf, wolf (=Woòlf), còuntenance, lieuténants

Hŏist ín lieû of flágs léft pénnants.

Coùrier, cŏurtier, tomb (*toôm), bómb, cômb,
Còw, but Cowper (=Coôper), sòme and hôme.

"Sôlder, sôldier! Blòod ís thícker",

Quôth hê, "than liqueûr ŏr líquor",

Mâking, ít ís sád but trûe,
Ín bravàdo, múch ado (*adoô).

Strânger dòes nót rhŷme wíth ánger,

Neîther dòes devòur wíth clángour. —neither does anger: *áng-gə

Pîlot, pívot, gåunt, but āunt,
Fónt, frònt, wônt, wånt, gránd and grānt.

Àrsenic, specífic, scênic,

Rélic, rhétoric, hygìênic.

Goòseberry, goôse, and clôse, but clôse,
Páradise, rîse, rôse, and dôse.

Sây invèigh, nèigh, but invêigle,

Mâke the látter rhŷme wíth êagle.

Mînd! Mêándering but mêan,
Válentîne and mágazìne.

Ánd Î bét yoû, dêar, a pénny,

Yoû sây máni-(fôld) lîke many (*ménny),

Whích ís wróng. Sây râpier, pìêr,
Tîer (òne who tîes), but tìêr.

Àrch, archângel; prây, dòes ërring

Rhŷme wíth hérring ŏr wíth stïrring?

Príson, bîson, tréasure trôve,
Trêason, hóver, còver, côve,

Persevêrance, séverance. Ríbald

Rhŷmes (but pîebåld dòesn't) wíth níbbled.

Phâeton, paêan, gnát, ghåt, gnåw,
Liên, psŷchic, shóne, bône, pshåw.

Dôn't bê dòwn, mŷ ôwn, but roúgh ít,

Ánd distínguish bùffèt, búffet;

Broôd, stoòd, roôf, roòk, schoôl, woòl, boôn,
Worcester (*Wùster), Boleýn, to (=toô) impûgn.

Sây ín sòunds corréct and stërling

Hëarse, hêar, heàrken, yêar and yëarling —yëar and yêarling are about as likely

Êvil, dévil, mézzotínt,

Mînd the Z (zéd)! (A géntle hínt.)

Nòw yoû nêed nót pây atténtion

To (=toô) súch sòunds as Î dôn't méntion,

Sòunds lîke pŏres, påuse, pŏurs and påws,
Rhŷming wíth the prônòun yŏurs;

Nŏr are próper nâmes inclûded,

Thôugh Î óften hëard, as yoû díd,

Fúnny rhŷmes to ûnicŏrn,
Yés, yoû knôw them, Våughan and Stråchan —nowadays regularised to *Strákhən

Nô, mŷ mâiden, cŏy and còmely,

Î dôn't ẁant to spêak of Chòlmondeley (*Chúmley).

Nô. Yét Froûde compãred wíth pròud
Ís nô bétter thán McLeod (*McClòud).

But mînd trívial and vîal,

Trîpod, mênial, denîal,

Trôll and trólley, réalm and rêam,
Schédule, míschief, schísm, and schême.

Àrgil, gíll, Argŷll, gíll. Sůrely

Mây bê mâde to rhŷme wíth Råleigh,

Bút yŏu're nót suppôsed to sây
Pìquèt rhŷmes wíth sóbriquèt.

Hád thís ínvalid inválid

Wörthless dócuments? Hòw pállid,

Hòw uncoûth hê, còuchant, loòked,
Whén for Pŏrtsmouth Î had boòked!

Zeûs, Thêbes, Thales, Aphrodîtê,

Páramour, enámoured, flîghty,

Épisôdes, antípodês,
Ácquiésce, and óbsequies.

Plêase dôn't mònkey wíth the gêyser,

Dôn't pêel 'tâters wíth mŷ râzor,

Rāther sây ín áccents pûre:
Nâture, státure ánd matûre.

Pîous, ímpìous, límb, clîmb, glúmly,

Worsted (wùsted), wörsted, crúmbly, dúmbly,

Cónquer, cónquest, vàse, phâse, fán,
Ẁan, sedán and àrtisan.

The TH (*têe-âitch) wíll sůrely troúble you

Mŏre than R, CH ŏr W (*àh, cêe-âitch ŏr doúble-û)

Sây thén thêse phonétic géms:
Thómas, thŷme, Therêsa, Thames (*Témz).

Thómpson, Chátham, Wåltham, Stréatham,

Thére are mŏre but Î forgét 'em -

Wâit! Î've gót ít: Ánthony,
Lîghten yŏur anxîety.

Thê archâíc wörd ålbêít

Does nót rhŷme wíth èight - yoû sêe ít;

Wíth and fŏrthwith, òne hás vŏice,
Òne hás nót, yoû mâke yŏur chŏice.

Shoes (=shoôs), gôes, dòes. Nòw fïrst sây: fínger;

Thén sây: sínger, gínger, línger.

Rêal, zêal, mauve (*môv), gåuze and gâuge,
Márríage, fôlìage, mìràge, âge,

Hêro, héron, quêry, véry,

Párry, tárry, fûry, bury,

Dòst, lóst, pôst, and dòth, clóth, lôth,
Jób, Jôb, blóssom, bosom (*bùzm), ôath.

Fåugh, oppúgnant, kêen oppûgners,

Bòwing, bôwing, bánjo-tûners

Hôlm yoû knôw, but nôes, canoes (*canoôz),
Pûisnê (*poôny), trûísm, ûse (*yoûss), to ûse (*yoûz)?

Thôugh the dífference sêems líttle,

Wê sây áctual, but víctual,

Sêat, swéat, châste, càste, Lêigh, èight, heîght,

Pùt, nút, gránite, ánd unîte.
Rêefer dòes nót rhŷme wíth déafer,

Féoffer dòes, and zéphyr, héifer.

Dúll bùll Géoffrey, Geŏrge ate (*ét) lâte,
Hínt, pînt, sénate, but sedâte.

Gáelic, Árabic, pacífic, —Scottish; or regular Gâelic if Irish

Scîence, cónscience, scientífic;

Toûr, but òur, doûr, súccour, fŏur,
Gás, alás, and Àrkansås.

Sây manoeûvre, yacht (*yót) and vómit,

Néxt omít, whích díffers fróm ít

Bôna fîdê, álibî
Gŷrate, dòwry ánd awrŷ.

Sêa, idêa, guínea, ãrêa,

Psàlm, Marìa, bút malãria.

Yoûth, sòuth, soúthern, cléanse and clêan,
Dóctrine, türpentine, marìne.

Compãre âlien wíth Itálian,

Dándelîon wíth battálion,

Rálly wíth állŷ; yeâ, yê,
Eŷe, Î, ây, aŷe, whèy, kêy, quaỳ! —ây mê, archaic expression of sadness, ây = èh

Sây avër, but éver, fêver,

Neîther, léisure, skèin, recêiver.

Néver guéss - ít ís nót sâfe,
Wê sây càlves, válves, hālf, but Râlf.

Stàrry, gránary, canãry,

Crévice, but devîce, and éyrie,

Fâce, but préface, thén grimâce,
Phlégm, phlegmátic, áss, glāss, bâss.

Báss, làrge, tàrget, gín, gíve, vërging,

Ŏught, òust, jòust, and scòur, but scoürging;

Êar, but ëarn; and ére and téar
Do (*doô=) nót rhŷme wíth hêre but héir.

Mînd thê Ô of óff and óften

Whích mây bê pronòunced as ŏrphan, —scarcely heard nowadays

Wíth the sòund of såw and såuce;
Ålsô sóft, lóst, clóth and cróss.

Pùdding, púddle, pùtting. Pútting?

Yés: at gôlf ít rhŷmes wíth shútting.

Réspîte, spîte, consént, resént.
Lîable, but Pàrliament.

Séven ís rîght, but sô ís êven,

Hŷphen, roúghen, néphew, Stêphen,

Mònkey, dónkey, clerk (=Clàrk) and jërk,
Ásp, grāsp, ẁasp, demèsne, cŏrk, wörk.

 of válour, vápid vâpour,

S of neŵs (-z) (compãre neŵspâper (-ss-)),

G of gíbbet (j-), gíbbon, gíst (j-),
Î of ántichrîst and gríst,

Díffer like divërse and dîvers,

Rívers, strîvers, shívers, fîvers.

Ònce, but nónce, tôll, dóll, but rôll,
Pólish, Pôlish, póll and pôll.

Pronúnciation - thínk of Psŷchê! -

Ís a pâling, stòut and spîky.

Wôn't ít mâke yoû lose (=loôs) yŏur wíts
Wrîting grôats and sâying 'gríts'? —no longer

Ìt's a dàrk abýss ŏr túnnel

Streŵn wíth stônes lîke rôwlock, gúnwale,

Íslington, and Îsle of Wîght,
Hòusewîfe, vërdíct and indîct.

Dôn't yoû thínk sô, rêader, ràther,

Sâying làther, bâther, fàther?

Fînally, whích rhŷmes wíth enoúgh,
Thôugh, throûgh, bòugh, cóugh, hóugh, sòugh, toúgh??

Hiccoúgh hás the sòund of súp.

Mŷ advîce ís: GÍVE ÍT ÚP!

Notes

  1. ↑ A few different accents, mostly from French, sometimes crop up in English, however; see French words in English.
  2. ↑ When not accented, y is usually the semi-consonant of yoû and yés.
  3. ↑ When not accented, w is usually the semi-consonant of wê and wíll.
  4. ↑ In American English this short British sound is replaced by the longer à in most positions, and by ŏ before r.
  5. ↑ Grave accents on w and on a u following a q indicate the sound of the following a: à in American English, but in British the extra sound ó as in the British pronunciation of hót.
  6. ↑ å and ŏ show the same sound: ideally the o too would have a ring over it, but this symbol is not available, so ŏ is used instead.
  7. ↑ àardvark and Transvàal are from Afrikàans, itself a further example.
  8. ↑ With a pause to indicate both k’s are pronounced.
  9. ↑ Also representing a Welsh sound in place names like Llandudno (-dídno) and Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwrndrobllllantysiliogogogóch.
  10. ↑ Strong form of to, not normal in a verb's infinitive, necessitated by the metre.
  11. ↑ The pronunciation required by the metre is "ôkay", though the K is normally the stressed syllable: okây.
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