English Jade: Learn Advanced /b/ Spelling and Pronunciation
In this lesson, we will continue to practice the pronunciation and spelling of the /b/ sound in English. We will also learn silent ‘b’ words and consonant blends including ‘b’. Before we begin, here’s a quick summary on how to articulate /b/:
Articulating /b/
/b/ is stop consonant: the flow of air is stopped and then released to make a sound
the place of articulation is the lips: purse the lips and then release the pressure
/b/ is a voiced consonant: the vocal cords vibrate (no puff of air is released like it is for /p/)
the /b/ (voiced) and /p/ (voiceless) consonants are usually learnt as a pair
/b/ and /p/ are pronounced with the same part of the lips
Practice /b/ Words and Phrases: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording
In this lesson, we will practice the pronunciation and spelling of the /b/ sound in English. As I’m sure you’ll be pleased to hear, /b/ is quite an easy consonant to learn because there isn’t much variation in the spellings.
If Spanish is your native language, also take care not to pronounce /b/ as a /v/ sound. This error occurs because in standard Spanish the letters ‘b’ and ‘v’ sound alike.
Practice /b/ Words and Phrases: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording
In this lesson, we will continue learning the pronunciation and spelling of the /p/ sound in English. In addition, you will learn advanced spelling patterns of words spelt with the letter ‘p’. You will also learn words with silent ‘p’, in which no /p/ sound is pronounced.
Practice Advanced ‘p’ Spelling and Pronunciation: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording:
phobia: phobia of spiders
trophy: he won the trophy
pneumatic: pneumatic drill
psychic: psychic perception (ESP)
pterodactyl: terrifying pterodactyl attack
Get the full lesson notes and recordings by becoming a subscriber to English Jade. CLICK HERE.
In this lesson, we will learn the pronunciation and spelling of the /p/ sound in English. /p/ is a what’s known as a plosive consonant, which means that this sound is made by blocking the flow of air and then releasing it in a puff of air: /p/ is for puff.
Of all the consonants in English, /p/ is the peskiest because it doesn’t get on well with microphones. If a /p/ sound is made too close to a microphone, the recorded sound pops. When making a /p/ sound, the lips release air with a burst, which causes disruption in the air, and in turn, affects the microphone. Fingers crossed, I can get through this lesson without recording any annoying p-pops!
Here’s what you need to know about making a /p/ sound:
/p/ is a plosive consonant: air is stopped and then released
the place of articulation is the lips: purse the lips and then release the pressure
/p/ is a voiceless consonant: the vocal cords don’t vibrate
the /p/ (voiceless) and /b/ (voiced) consonants are usually learnt as a pair
/p/ is a widespread sound that is present in many of the world’s languages
There is no /p/ in Arabic, therefore Arabic native speakers often have difficulty articulating this sound, replacing it with /b/.
So far, so good. You may be thinking that learning /p/ is going to be easy. Learning /p/ is easy – but only up to a point.
As you know already, a puff of air is released when making a /p/ sound: /p/ = plosive.
In linguistics, this puff of air is called aspiration.
Here’s where learning /p/ gets tricky. /p/ is not aspirated equally in all positions of a word. Observe the following examples (bold text shows aspirated /p/):
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Mom and Pop, may I have some apple pie and whipped cream, pretty please?
You need sensitive ears to hear the difference between aspirated and unaspirated /p/ in the examples. Don’t worry if you can’t hear the difference between the two types of /p/ right now – just keep listening because practice makes perfect.
The Rules of Aspirating /p/
Aspirated and unaspirated /p/ sound slightly different, but even so they are still classed as the same consonant
/p/ is always aspirated at the beginning of a word: Peter, puff, plosive
/p/ is aspirated at the beginning of a stressed syllable: support, approve, apply
/p/ is unaspirated in <sp> words: spit, sport, spoon
/p/ is unaspirated in <spr> words: spray, sprint, spring
/p/ is unaspirated at the end of a word (it still sounds like a /p/ but there is no forceful puff of air): cop, map, mop
What I have just explained is likely to be linguistics overload for most of you. If you want to keep things simple, just don’t exaggerate the /p/ sound at the end of words. For example, don’t say coP, maP, moP.
Practice /p/ Words and Phrases: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording
In this lesson, we will learn the pronunciation and spelling of the /k/ sound in English in words that have unusual spellings. This lesson is Part Four of Four on /k/.
In the previous lessons on /k/ you learnt:
/k/ is the most diverse consonant in terms of spelling patterns
/k/ is often spelt with the letter ‘c’
a letter /k/ in a word’s spelling is always pronounced /k/
Many of the example words in this lesson are foreign loan words.
Practice Unusual /k/ Words: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording
Iraq: In Iraq, women are clad in burqas and nicabs
qwerty: thirty dirty qwerty keyboards
quick: ask a squid a quick question
quiche: quiche recipe
equinox: spring equinox
Get the full lesson notes and recordings by becoming a subscriber to English Jade. CLICK HERE.
In this lesson, we will learn the pronunciation and spelling of the /k/ sound in English when it is spelt with the letter ‘k’. This lesson is Part Three of Four on the /k/ sound.
Let’s refresh how to make a /k/ sound…
Articulating the /k/ Sound
/k/ and /g/ are articulated in the same place.
/k/ is an unvoiced consonant: you hear the sound of air being released.
/k/ is a stop consonant: the flow of air is temporarily blocked before it is released.
/k/ is a velar consonant, which means the sound is made by making contact with the soft palate (the roof of the mouth towards the back).
Now let’s warm up the /k/ sound…
k = /kə kə kə/
kit kat = /ˈkɪt.kæt ˈkɪt.kæt ˈkɪt.kæt /
tick-tock = /ˌtɪk ˈtɒk ˌtɪk ˈtɒk ˌtɪk ˈtɒk/
Practice /k/ Spelt ‘k’: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording:
kick: kick the bucket
kin: kith and kin are all invited
knickknack: granny’s knickknacks
outlook: the outlook is bleak
Get the full lesson notes and recordings by becoming a subscriber to English Jade. CLICK HERE.
In this lesson, we will continue learning the pronunciation and spelling of the /k/ sound in English when it is spelt with the letter ‘c’. This time we are focusing on consonant clusters, which occur when more than one consonant is pronounced in succession, such as when <scr> in a word’s spelling is pronounced /scr/. This lesson is Part Two of Four on the /k/ sound.
We will learn the following spelling and pronunciation patterns in this lesson:
consonant cluster <scu> is usually pronounced with the /ʌ/ vowel:
scum scuff scurry sculpt scuffle
consonant cluster <cl> is pronounced /kl/:
clap clasp clown clock clean
consonant cluster <cr> is pronounced /kr/:
crown crow cream create cry
consonant cluster /ct/ is pronounced /kt/
act direct fact object elect
in <lc> medial words, the /l/ and /k/ are in separate syllables:
falcon alcove welcome alcohol volcano
in <rc> medial words, the /r/ and /k/ are in separate syllables:
Note: /r/ is not pronounced in Standard British English
circuit circus Arctic narcotic arcade
Practice /k/ Spelt ‘c’: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording:
scuff: skidding scuffs your shoes
clean: clean clogs
cream: the cream of the crop
insect: infested with infectious insects
Get the full lesson notes and recordings by becoming a subscriber to English Jade. CLICK HERE.
In this lesson, we will begin learning the pronunciation and spelling of the /k/ sound in English. Learning /k/ is going to take us a while, as it has the most spelling patterns of all the consonants. This lesson is Part One of Four and will focus on words spelt with a letter ‘c’ that are pronounced as /k/.
The Madness of English
As you know from following these English Jade lessons, English is not a phonetic language. This means that the way we spell words often doesn’t match the way we pronounce them. In English Jade, I teach you the spelling and pronunciation hacks to help you to make sense of the English language. Without these rules, you will inevitably make a lot of mistakes.
To pronounce words correctly in English, you need to know IPA.
An IPA transcription shows you the correct pronunciation of a word, whereas English spelling often doesn’t.
To read words correctly in English, you also need to know the spelling patterns of words.
Some of the symbols in the IPA are unique, which means they don’t have letters that represent them in the English alphabet, e.g. /ʃ/ is a unique sound/symbol.
The letters in the English alphabet are not all represented by a symbol in the IPA.
The last point is particularly important when it comes to learning the /k/ sound. This is because there is no symbol in the shape of a letter ‘c’ in the IPA. When you see a letter ‘c’ in a word’s spelling, this often (but not always) represents a /k/ sound in the IPA:
The rules of pronouncing <c> as /k/
Most words ending with <c> have the <-ic> suffix:
tragic traffic sceptic erotic clinic
Some abbreviated words end with <c>:
doc sec pic mac spec
<c> before /əl/ at the end of nouns and verbs = /kəl/:
circle cycle uncle tentacle spectacle
the <-icle> suffix:
particle cubicle vehicle icicle article
the letter <c> usually comes before the letters <a> , <o> or <u>
cab cane case cave cargo
con code cork combat cowboy
cut cube cuff cushion custard
the letter <c> before <ur> represents the /ɜː/vowel:
curb curve curtain curse curfew
Practice /k/: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording
cosmic: cosmiccomics
toxic: toxic relationship
antagonistic: antagonistic agnostic
sec: wait a sec
miracle: a miracle cure
Get the full lesson notes and recordings by becoming a subscriber to English Jade. CLICK HERE.
In this lesson, we will learn the pronunciation and spelling of the /ŋ/ sound in English. This phoneme is not represented by a letter in the English alphabet. Therefore, it is necessary to memorise the /ŋ/ sound along with its unique symbol when learning IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet). The way I remember the /ŋ/ sound symbol is by imagining the shape of an elephant’s trunk:
The rules of pronouncing /ŋ/
/ŋ/ is spelt <ng> at the end of a word
king lung bring strong wrong
/ŋ/ is spelt <n> before a <k>
bank hunk skunk junk punk
a letter <n> before <g> or <k> becomes /ŋ/
finger ginger fungus drunken bunker
the –ing suffix in gerunds and present participles includes an /ŋ/ sound:
playing running laughing writing shouting
the /ŋ/ sound never begins a word in English
How to Pronounce /ŋ/
/ŋ/ is a nasal consonant, meaning that the sound comes out through the nose. To make this sound, you put the back of your tongue against the velar (the soft tissue at the back of the throat). The position is slightly further back and higher up than for /g/ and /k/. When the back of the tongue is in this position, it blocks air from passing out the mouth. This then makes the /ŋ/ sound come out through your nose.
/ŋ/ is a voiced consonant: you feel vibrations in the throat
/ŋ/ is a nasal consonant: you feel buzzing in your nose
Practice Soft /g/: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording
bang: bang the drum
gong: the gong‘s gone wrong
king: English king
kangaroo: kangaroos and dingoes
slang: Cockney rhyming slang
Get the full lesson notes and recordings by becoming a subscriber to English Jade. CLICK HERE.
In this lesson, we will learn the pronunciation and spelling of soft <g> words. These are words that are spelt with a letter ‘g’ but pronounced with a /dʒ/ sound.
Let me break this down for you because it can be confusing.
The /dʒ/ sound is in my name, ‘Jade Joddle’ /dʒeɪd dʒɒd.əl/. As you can see from the example of my name, the /dʒ/ sound is most commonly spelt with a letter ‘j’ in English.
However, the /dʒ/ sound is also spelt with a letter ‘g’ in some words. When this occurs, it is called a soft <g>. Here are some examples:
general /ˈdʒen.ər.əl/
giant /ˈdʒaɪ.ənt/
gym /dʒɪm/
age /eɪdʒ/
digit /ˈdɪdʒ.ɪt/
manage /ˈmæn.ɪdʒ/
Non-native speakers of English often mispronounce words with the letter ‘g’ in them because they don’t know the soft <g> and hard <g> rules of pronunciation. Here are two pronunciation rules for you to know:
When <g> meets a, o, or u, its sound is usually hard.
When <g> meets e, i, or y, its sound is usually soft.
However, as is usual with English pronunciation, there are plenty of exceptions to these rules. But don’t worry because I’m going to teach you the main ones!
Practice Soft ‘g’: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording
In this lesson, we will continue learning the pronunciation and spelling patterns of words with a /g/ sound. This topic is also known as the pronunciation of hard <g>. Learn Hard /g/ Part One.
We will learn and practice the following rules for hard <g>:
The /g/ sound spelt as <gu>
guilt guitar guy
The /g/ sound spelt as <gue>
guest guess catalogue
The /g/ sound spelt as <gh> in foreign loan words.
ghost ghetto dinghy
The /g/ + /z/ spelt as <x>
exist exam exit
Practice Hard /g/: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording
Do you push yourself hard to develop your English or speaking skills? While it is good to have ambition when it comes to improving your English skills, it’s important to take care that you’re not diffusing your energy. In this podcast episode of English Jade, I provide an example of a diffused approach to learning English, and teach you how to avoid making this common mistake. Follow my advice to progress without stress.
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Letter ‘s’ Pronounced as /z/: Practice your Pronunciation
In this lesson, we will learn words with a /z/ sound that are spelt with the letter ‘s’. This lesson is Part Two of Two lessons on the /z/ sound. Listen to Part One.
Here’s a surprising fact: /z/ spelt as ‘s’ is the most common spelling for the /z/ sound.
Before we begin, let’s compare /z/ and /s/. The two sounds are similar because:
/z/ and /s/ are both sibilant sounds(hissing sounds)
What is the difference between the two sounds?
/z/ is a voiced consonant (you hear vibrations coming from the throat)
/s/ is an unvoiced consonant (you hear the sound of air being forced out)
There is also a difference in the manner of articulation between /z/ and /s/. When I pronounce a /z/ sound, the tip of my tongue is down behind my front teeth. In contrast, when I pronounce a /s/ sound, the tip of my tongue points up behind the front teeth, leaving a small gap for air to pass through.
Note on the audio: if you listen closely to the audio examples in this lesson, you will hear that a /z/ at the end of a word sometimes doesn’t like a pure /z/ sound because a small lispy or aspirated sound of air passing out can be heard. This is due to a fault in my pronunciation, as in natural speech, my tongue does not hold the /z/ position long enough. Ideally, there should be no sound of air passing out.
Practice /z/ Spelt with ‘s’: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording
Note: the /z/ sounds are in bold in the examples below…
as: as red as a rose
has: has he got his ham sandwiches
those: whose beads are those
wise: as wise as a wizard
diagnose: doctors diagnose diseases
Get the full lesson notes and recordings by becoming a subscriber to English Jade. CLICK HERE.
In today’s lesson, we will learn and practice the /z/ phoneme. The IPA symbol for /z/ is the same as the letter ‘z’ in the English alphabet. That’s helpful for us as we don’t need to learn a new symbol. However, here’s where things get confusing… The commonest spelling of the /z/ sound in English is with the letter ‘s’. What?!
The /z/ phoneme is the common pronunciation of many plurals spelt with an ‘-s’:
dogs, guns, kids, and legs.
The /z/ phoneme is also in many common words spelt with a letter ‘s’:
because, as, has, his, and was.
But note: a letter ‘s’ never represents a /z/ sound at the beginning of a word. Think of zebra, zip, zoo and zero. All those /z/ words begin with a letter ‘z’. That’s easy for us to understand as it makes sense.
One last interesting fact is that the letter ‘z’ is the least common letter in the English alphabet. When /z/ is spelt with the letter ‘z’, it happens in words we don’t use very often (low-frequency words). However, /z/ is still a relatively common sound in spoken English, despite the fact the letter ‘z’ is rare. That’s because as we have already learnt, /z/ is often spelt with the letter ‘s’.
Practice /z/: Some Examples from the Lesson Recording
zinc: eggs contain zinc
Amazon: Amazon’s Jeff Bezo’s has zillions of dollars
lazy: a dozen lazy wizards
razor: disposable razor
Get the full lesson notes and recordings by becoming a subscriber to English Jade. CLICK HERE.
Being a slow learner results in frustration when it comes to developing one’s fluency or accent. However, there is also an advantage to being a slow learner, which I share with you in today’s podcast motivation lesson of English Jade.
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