There are 26 letters in the English alphabet but there are 44 sounds in the English language. This means that the number of sounds in a word is not always the same as the number of letters. The word 'BAT' has three letters and three sounds but the word 'MATCH' has five letters but still only three sounds.

English does not have a perfectly regular system of spelling. Many words are wrongly pronounced because the spelling suggests a certain pronunciation that is not correct. If you see ‘ : ’ you have to stretch the vowel a bit.

This is just an attempt to help those who have no clue about phonetics.

You are strongly advised to listen to Merriam Webster dictionary online for the perfect pronunciation.

ELEVEN

Incorrect pronunciation : leven

Correct pronunciation : ileven – start with the sound ‘e’

BURY

Incorrect pronunciation : bari

Correct pronunciation : beri

RESUME

Incorrect pronunciation : resum

Correct pronunciation : rezumei

HOUR

Incorrect pronunciation : hour

Correct pronunciation : our – "h" is silent

CIRCUIT

Incorrect pronunciation : sircute

Correct pronunciation : sirkit

CLIMB

Incorrect pronunciation : climb

Correct pronunciation : klaim

VOWEL

Incorrect pronunciation : vovel

Correct pronunciation : vaul

DEBT

Incorrect pronunciation : debt

Correct pronunciation : dett - The "b" is silent.

ARCHITECT

Incorrect pronunciation : architect

Correct pronunciation : a:kitekt

OPPORTUNITY

Incorrect pronunciation : Opporchunity

Correct pronunciation : opportunity

QUESTIONS

Incorrect pronunciation : kwestins

Correct pronunciation : kweschans

OF

Incorrect pronunciation : of

Correct pronunciation : ov

HEIR

Incorrect pronunciation: heir

Correct pronunciation : air - ‘h’ is silent.

TORTOISE

Incorrect pronunciation : tortoise

Correct pronunciation : tortes

TOUR

Incorrect pronunciation : toor

Correct pronunciation : tua

SURE

Incorrect pronunciation : suoor

Correct pronunciation : shua

BRUISE

Incorrect pronunciation : bru:is

Correct pronunciation : bru:z

BUFFET

Incorrect pronunciation : buffet

Correct pronunciation : buffei

BOUQUET

Incorrect pronunciation : boqet

Correct pronunciation : bukei

FILM

Incorrect pronunciation : filim

Correct pronunciation : film.

BAGGAGE

Incorrect pronunciation :‘ bageige’.

Correct pronunciation : ‘bagige’ - ‘a’ is pronounced as ‘a’ in apple

BARGAIN

Incorrect pronunciation : bargain.

Correct pronunciation : ba:gin.

BEAUTITUDE

Incorrect pronunciation : It doesn’t sound like ‘beautiful’.

Correct pronunciation : the ‘au’ is pronounced as ‘a’ in ‘apple’.

BANDIT

Incorrect pronunciation : bundid

Correct pronunciation : ‘a’ is pronounced as ‘a’ in apple like ‘ban’

BEER

Incorrect pronunciation : bi:r

Correct pronunciation : bia

BENEVOLENT

Incorrect pronunciation : benevolent

Correct pronunciation : binevalent

BIKINI

Incorrect pronunciation : bikini

Correct pronunciation : biki:ni

BISCUIT

Incorrect pronunciation : biscut

Correct pronunciation : biskit

BOUTIQUE

Incorrect pronunciation : botikq

Correct pronunciation : bu:ti:k

BAYONET

Incorrect pronunciation : bayonet

Correct pronunciation : beianit

BEATIFY (Beautify is a different word)

Incorrect pronunciation : Not like ‘beautiful’

Correct pronunciation : biatify. ‘a’ is like the ‘a’ in ‘apple’.

BENEFIT

Incorrect pronunciation : benefit

Correct pronunciation : benefit

BALLET

Incorrect pronunciation : ballet

Correct pronunciation : ballei. ‘t’ is silent. ‘a’ is pronounced as ‘a’ in ‘apple’.

BETEL

Incorrect pronunciation : betel

Correct pronunciation : bi:tl

BEVERAGE

Incorrect pronunciation : beve’rage’

Correct pronunciation : beverige

BLASPHEME

Incorrect pronunciation : blasfem

Correct pronunciation : blasfi:m. ‘a’ sounds like ‘a’ in ‘apple’.

BOISTEROUS

Incorrect pronunciation : boischerous

Correct pronunciation : boisteres

BOSOM

Incorrect pronunciation : bosom

Correct pronunciation : bu:sum

BOUGH

Incorrect pronunciation : bah

Correct pronunciation : bau

BOUNDARY

Incorrect pronunciation : boundary

Correct pronunciation : boundri

BRAILLE

Incorrect pronunciation : Braille

Correct pronunciation : ‘e’ is silent. ‘Breil’

BRAVO

Incorrect pronunciation : breivo

Correct pronunciation : Pronounced like ‘bra.’ ‘ bra:vo’

BREADTH

Incorrect pronunciation : breadth

Correct pronunciation : ‘d’ is silent. ‘Breatth’.

BREAKFAST

Incorrect pronunciation : breakfast

Correct pronunciation : brekfast. Not like ‘fa:st’.

BREVITY

Incorrect pronunciation : brevity

Correct pronunciation : brevati. ‘a’ sounds like the ‘a’ in ‘about’.

BRIDEGROOM

Incorrect pronunciation : bridegru:m

Correct pronunciation : bridegrum

BRIDLE

Incorrect pronunciation : bridle

Correct pronunciation : braidl

BRISTLE

Incorrect pronunciation : bristle

Correct pronunciation : brisil

BROCCOLI

Incorrect pronunciation : broccoli

Correct pronunciation : brocali. ‘a’ sounds like the ‘a’ in ‘about’.

BROCHURE

Incorrect pronunciation : brochure

Correct pronunciation : brosha. ‘a’ sounds like the ‘a’ in ‘about’.

BROW

Incorrect pronunciation : bro

Correct pronunciation : brau

BUDGET

Incorrect pronunciation : budget

Correct pronunciation : bugit. ‘d’ is silent.

BUREAU

Incorrect pronunciation : bu:ro or bi:ro

Correct pronunciation : b(i)aro

BURIAL

Incorrect pronunciation : burial

Correct pronunciation : berial

BURLESQUE

Incorrect pronunciation : burlesq

Correct pronunciation : burlsk

BUTCH

Incorrect pronunciation : batch

Correct pronunciation : butch . Pronounce ‘u’ with ‘u’ sound. Like ‘gud’

CACHE – hiding place for food

Incorrect pronunciation : kache

Correct pronunciation : kash. ‘a’ sounds like the ‘a’ in ‘apple’.

CACHET – distinguishing mark

Incorrect pronunciation : kachet

Correct pronunciation : kashei

CAFÉ – place where people drink coffee

Incorrect pronunciation : kafei

Correct pronunciation : kafei – ‘a’ pronounced as the ‘a’ in apple

CAFFEINE - organic compound in tea leaves or coffee beans

Incorrect pronunciation : kafeine

Correct pronunciation : kafi:n – ‘a’ sounds like the ‘a’ in ‘apple’

CALCIUM

Incorrect pronunciation : kalshium

Correct pronunciation : kalsium – ‘s’ not ‘sh’

CALLIGRAPHY - art of beautiful handwriting

Incorrect pronunciation : kaligraphy

Correct pronunciation : Pronounce both ‘a’s as in ‘about’

CALORIE – unit of energy supplied by food

Incorrect pronunciation : kalori

Correct pronunciation : kalari
– First ‘a’ is pronounced like ‘a’ in ‘apple
– Second ‘a’ is pronounced like ‘a’ in ‘about’.

CANAL – channel cut through land for use of boats and ships

Incorrect pronunciation : kanal

Correct pronunciation : kanal
– First ‘a’ is pronounced like ‘a’ in ‘about’
– Second ‘a’ is like ‘a’ in ‘apple’.

CANTONMENT - permanent military station

Incorrect pronunciation : kantonement

Correct pronunciation : kantu:nmant - first ‘a’ is pronounce like ‘apple’

CARCASS - dead body of an animal

Incorrect pronunciation : karkas

Correct pronunciation : ka:kas – second ‘a’ is pronounced like the ‘a’ in ‘about’

CAREER - progress through life

Incorrect pronunciation : carrier

Correct pronunciation : karia(r) - ‘a’ like ‘a’ in ‘about’

CARICATURE

Incorrect pronunciation : karikeichure

Correct pronunciation : karikatua(r)
- First ‘a’ is like the ‘a’ in ‘apple’

CASSETTE

Incorrect pronunciation : kaset - ‘a’ like ‘a’ in ‘apple’

Correct pronunciation : kaset. - ‘a’ like ‘a’ in ‘about’.

CEDAR

Incorrect pronunciation : seder

Correct pronunciation : si:der

CHASM

Incorrect pronunciation : chasam – ‘ch’ like ‘ch’ in ‘church’

Correct pronunciation : kazam
– First ‘a’ like ‘a’ in ‘apple’
– Second ‘a’ is like ‘a’ in ‘about’

CHASIS

Incorrect pronunciation : chasis- ‘ch’ like ‘ch’ in ‘church’

Correct pronunciation : shasi - ‘a’ like ‘a’ in ‘apple’.

CHASTEN

Incorrect pronunciation : chasten

Correct pronunciation : cheisn – ‘t’ is silent.

CHAUFFEUR

Incorrect pronunciation : chafer - ‘ch’ like ‘ch’ in ‘church’

Correct pronunciation : shofer

CHAUVINISM

Incorrect pronunciation : ‘ch’ like ‘ch’ in ‘church’

Correct pronunciation : shovinizam

CHEERIO

Incorrect pronunciation : si:rio

Correct pronunciation : chiario -‘ch’ like ‘ch’ in ‘church’

CHEF

Incorrect pronunciation : ‘ch’ like ‘ch’ in ‘church’

Correct pronunciation : shef

CHOCOLATE

Incorrect pronunciation : chokoleit

Correct pronunciation : choklat - ‘a’ like ‘a’ in ‘about’

CHOIR

Incorrect pronunciation : koir

Correct pronunciation : kwai(r)

CHORE

Incorrect pronunciation : kore

Correct pronunciation : chor - -‘ch’ like ‘ch’ in ‘church’

CHRISTEN

Incorrect pronunciation : kristn

Correct pronunciation : krisn

There are 26 letters in the English alphabet but there are 44 sounds in the English language. This means that the number of sounds in a word is not always the same as the number of letters. The word 'BAT' has three letters and three sounds but the word 'MATCH' has five letters but still only three sounds.

English does not have a perfectly regular system of spelling. Many words are wrongly pronounced because the spelling suggests a certain pronunciation that is not correct. If you see ‘ : ’ you have to stretch the vowel a bit.

This is just an attempt to help those who have no clue about phonetics.

You are strongly advised to listen to Merriam Webster dictionary online for the perfect pronunciation.

Incorrect pronunciation : kristian

Correct pronunciation : krischan

CIPHER

Incorrect pronunciation : saiba(r)

Correct pronunciation : saifa(r)

CIRCUIT

Incorrect pronunciation : sirku:t

Correct pronunciation : sirkit

CLANDESTINE

Incorrect pronunciation : clandestain

Correct pronunciation : klandestin

CLICHÉ

Incorrect pronunciation : kilche

Correct pronunciation : kli:shei

CLIMATE

Incorrect pronunciation : klaimeit

Correct pronunciation : klaimit

COMPASS

Incorrect pronunciation : compass

Correct pronunciation : compass – ‘a’ like ‘a’ in ‘about’

 

COMING SOON…….

MINDYOURENGLISH is going to release an e-book on

‘Words Mispronounced’.