BAST ENGLISH Free language learning resources.
© Samuel Haldane 2005-2006
BAST Home English Common Errors Grammar Summary Pronunciation Problem Areas Reference Verbmaster
List of Vowel Pronunciations

This website uses symbols to transcribe phonemes (sounds). For an explanation of what these symbols represent, click here: vowels, consonants. The following special symbols are used:
ə Λ ā ē ī ō ū ű œ θ δ š ž č ĵ ŋ
If your browser cannot display any of these characters, you are advised to move to a browser which can, such as Internet Explorer 6.0.
Note: an apostrophe ' is placed before the accented vowel.

This page aims to show all the different pronunciations that are used for any particular spelling. For instance, if you want to know how the letters ough are pronounced in different words, go down this page to the entry for 'Spelling: ough' and you can read the pronunciations of different words with that spelling.

Note: You may not find a spelling under one entry, because it is listed as part of an entry for a spelling with more letters. For instance, you will not find the pronunciation of chalk in the entry for 'Spelling: a' because it is in the entry for 'Spelling: al'.

Entries have this format: A common pronunciation is one that occurs in many words. A rare pronunciation is one that occurs in a small number of words, but enough to make this a consistent group. An exceptional pronunciation is one only one or very few words. Exceptional pronunciations must be learnt indiviually.
Spelling: a
Common pronunciation: /a/: cat /k'at/, wag /w'ag/, marry /m'arī/, sandbank /s'andbank/, quack /kw'ak/, backstabber /b'akstabər/, habitat /h'abitat/
Common pronunciation: /ē/: lame /l'ēm/, razor /r'ēzər/, vapour /v'ēpər/, forsake /fəs'ēk/, able /'ēbl/ (Usual when a is followed by a single consonant-letter then a vowel-letter. Exceptions are taste /t'ēst/, paste /p'ēst/, haste /h'ēst/, which have /ē/ despite having two consonant-letters before the following vowel-letter.)
Common pronunciation: /ə/: alive /əl'aiv/, around /ər'aund/, alfloat /əfl'ōt/, pizza /p'ītsə/, Dora /d'orə/, Isiah /aiz'aiə/ (Reduced pronunciation in unstressed syllables.)
Common pronunciation: varies between /ā/ in southern England, India and some Australian and Caribbean dialects, and /a/ in other dialects: last /l'āst/~/l'ast/, clasp /kl'āsp/~/kl'asp/, mast /m'āsk/~/m'ask/, staff /st'āf/~/st'af/, raft /r'āft/~/r'aft/, pass /p'ās/~/p'as/, chancellor /č'ānsələr/~/č'ansələr/, Sanders /s'āndərz/~/s'andərz/ (Typically before s, f, occasionally before n.)
Rare pronunciation: /o/: wand /w'ond/, wander /w'ondər/, Wally /w'olī/, wasp /w'osp/, swallow /sw'olō/, twaddle /tw'odəl/, quadrant /kw'odrənt/, squad /skw'od/ (Occurs in some but not all words containing wa or qua.)
Rare pronunciation: /e/: many /m'enī/, any /'enī/
Exceptional pronunciations: orange /'orinĵ/~/'orənĵ/
Variants: raven /r'ēvən/ (substantive: bird), /r'avən/ but raven (verb: 'raid, plunder'; archaic, now mainly in adjective ravening)
Variants: tomato /təm'ātō/ (typically British) but /təm'ētō/ (typically North American)
Spelling: -age (ending)
Common pronunciation: /iĵ/ or /əĵ/ (varies among speakers): damage /d'amiĵ/, sausage /s'osiĵ/, carriage /k'ariĵ/, cabbage /k'abiĵ/
Plurals of substantives and 3S non-pasts of verbs add -s to form -ages: damages /d'amiĵiz/, sausage /s'osiĵiz/ Most words in -age are loans from French. A few recent loans imitate French pronunciation more closely with /āž/: massage /mas'āž/ or /m'asāž/, montage /mont'āž/ or /m'ontāž/, arbitrage /arbitr'āž/.
Variants: garage can be /g'ariĵ/ (British, vulgar), /g'arāĵ/ (British, more refined) or /gər'āž/ (typically North American).
Spelling: ai
Common pronunciation: /ē/: rain /r'ēn/, aim /'ēm/, retain /rit'ēn/, plaice /pl'ēs/, laid /l'ēd/, paid /p'ēd/
Exceptional pronunciations: said /s'ed/, plait /pl'at/, naive (also spelt naïve) usually pronounced /nai'īv/, though a few more educated speakers pronounce it /nā'īv/, with no glide between the two vowels.
Spelling: air
Common pronunciation: /ēr/: air /'ēr/, chair /č'ēr/, flair /fl'ēr/, impair /imp'ēr/, repair /rip'ēr/
Spelling: aire
Common pronunciation: /ēr/: aired /'ērd/, debonnaire /debən'ēr/, Claire /kl'ēr/, eclaire /ikl'ēr/, impaired /imp'ērd/, repaired /rip'ērd/
Spelling: al
Common pronunciation: /al/: tally /t'alī/, palace /p'alis/, alcohol /'alkəhol/, rally /r'alī/, malcontent /m'alkəntent/, Albert /'albərt/, Malcolm /m'alkəm/, Sally /s'alī/
Common pronunciation: /əl/ (ending): capital /k'apitəl/, spherical /sf'erikəl/, magical /m'aĵikəl/ (When an adverb is formed from words in -al or -ic, the adverb is usually spelt with -ally, pronounced /lī/: magical + -ly > magically /m'aĵiklī/, tragic + -ly > tragically /tr'aĵiklī/.)
Common pronunciation: /oal/: all /'oal/, call /k'oal/, hall /h'oal/, falling /f'oaliŋ/, tall /t'oal/, smaller /sm'oalər/, alder /'oaldər/, bald /b'oald/, alderman /'oaldərmən/, Caldwell /k'oaldwel/, Haldane /h'oaldēn/, Malvern /m'oalvərn/, Maldon /m'oaldən/ (Some speakers pronounce a few words in al with /ol/, while other speakers pronounce these with /oal/: salt /s'olt/~/s'oalt/, halt /v'olt/~/v'oalt/, Maltese /molt'īz/~/moalt'īz/, falcon /f'olkən/~/f'oalkən/.)
Rare pronunciation: /oa/: talk /t'oak/, walk /w'oak/, chalk /č'oak/, stalk /st'oak/
Rare pronunciation: /ā/: half /h'āf/, calf /k'āf/ calm /k'ām/, balm /b'ām/, palm /p'ām/, qualm /kw'ām/ Falmer /f'āmər/, Chalmers /č'āmərz/
Rare pronunciation: /a/: salmon /s'amən/, Salmond /s'amənd/, Alnwick /'anik/
Spelling: ar
Common pronunciation: /ar/: car /k'ar/, partner /p'artnər/, caviar /k'avar/, barring /b'ariŋ/, tarred /t'ard/ (This pronunciation rarely occurs followed by a vowel-letter, except where a grammatic suffix such as -ed or -ing is attached. In these cases the letter r is usually doubled, as bar /b'ar/ + -ed > barred /b'ard/. See spelling rules for suffix-ed. /ar/ followed by a vowel sound does occur in some proper names of non-English origin, as Tara /t'arə/, O'Mara /ōm'arə/, O'Hara /ōh'arə/, Clara /kl'arə/. These are pronunced exactly like /t'ārə/, /ōm'ārə/, /ōh'ārə/, /kl'ārə/, since /ar/ followed by a vowel sound is pronounced exactly like /ār/.)
Common pronunciation: /ēr/: Mary /m'ērī/, vary /v'ērī/, scary /sk'ērī/, baring /b'ēriŋ/, caring /k'ēriŋ/, sharing /š'ēriŋ/, Pharaoh /f'ērō/, Faroes /f'ērōz/
(This pronunciation is usual when ar is followed by a vowel-letter.)
Rare pronunciation: /or/: war /w'or/, warn /w'orn/, warm /w'orm/, swarm /sw'orm/, quarter /kw'ortər/ (Usual in words containing war or quar).
Rare pronunciation: /er/: nary /n'erī/, necessarily /nesəs'erilī/, primarily /praim'erilī/ (There are some words in which some speakers use a 'full' form /e/ while others use a reduced pronunciation /ə/ or omit the vowel entirely: necessary /n'esəserī/~/n'esəsrī/, January /ĵ'anjūerī/~/ĵ'anjūrī/, secondary /s'ekənderī/~/s'ekəndrī/.)
Spelling: are
Common pronunciation: /ēr/: care /k'ēr/, share /š'ēr/, rare /r'ēr/, hectare /h'ektēr/, spare /sp'ēr/
Spelling: au
Common pronunciation: /oa/: pause /p'oaz/, raucous /r'oakəs/, maudlin /m'oadlin/, saunter /s'oantər/, haunch /h'oanč/, Laura /l'oarə/
Rare pronunciation: /o/ (but in some dialects /oa/): fault /f'olt/~/f'oalt/, vault /v'olt/~/v'oalt/, Vauxhall /v'oksoal/~/v'oaksoal/
Rare pronunciation: /ō/: faux /f'ō/, mauve /m'ōv/, Rievault /r'īvō/
Spelling: augh
Common pronunciation: /oa/: fraught /fr'oat/, aught /'oat/, caught /k'oat/, naught /n'oat/, naughty /n'oatī/, haughty /h'oatī/, Waugh /w'oa/, daughter /d'oatər/, slaughter /sl'oatər/, onslaught /'onsloat/, Laughton /l'oatən/
Exceptional pronunciations: laugh /l'af/ or /l'āf/ (so laughed /l'aft/ or /l'āft/, laughing /l'afiŋ/ or /l'āfiŋ/, laughter /l'aftər/ or /l'āftər/)
Spelling: aw
Common pronunciation: /oa/: law /l'oa/, pawn /p'oan/, macaw /mək'oa/, drawing /dr'oaiŋ/, jaws /ĵ'oaz/
Rare pronunciation: /əw/: /əw'ē/, awake /əw'ēk/, awhile /əw'ail/
Spelling: ay
Common pronunciation: /ē/: hay /h'ē/, gainsay /g'ēnsē/, mainstay /m'ēnstē/, replay /r'īplē/, saying /s'ēiŋ/, plays /pl'ēz/, layer /l'ēər/
Rare pronunciation: /ī/: Murray /m'Λrī/, Ramsay /r'amzī/ (Occasionally in unstressed syllables.)
Spelling: e
Common pronunciation: /e/: wed /w'ed/, get /g'et/, kept /k'ept/, sherry /š'erī/, telling /t'eliŋ/
Common pronunciation: /ī/: recede /ris'īd/, precede /pris'īd/, procede /prəs'īd/, Peter /p'ītər/, even /'īvən/, evil /'īvəl/, metre /m'ītər/, ego /'īgō/ (Usual when e is followed by a single consonant-letter then a vowel-letter.)
Common pronunciation: silent: case /k'ēs/, rose /r'ōz/, ribbed /r'ibd/, called /k'oald/, piped /p'īpt/
Common pronunciation: /i/ or /ə/: below /bil'ō/, delight /dil'īt/, wanted /w'ontid/, elect /il'ekt/, matches /m'ačiz/, turret /t'Λrit/, judges /ĵ'Λĵiz/ (Reduced pronunciation in weak syllables: see separate entries for suffixes -ed and -es/-s.)
Exceptional pronunciations: England /'iŋglənd/, English /'iŋgliš/
Spelling: ea
Common pronunciation: /ī/: beat /b'īt/, ease /'īz/, eagle /'īgəl/, sea /s'ī/, steam /st'īm/, queasy /kw'īzī/
Rare pronunciation: /e/: stead /st'ed/, instead /inst'ed/, head /h'ed/, tread /tr'ed/, thread /θr'ed/, dead /d'ed/, dread /dr'ed/, death /d'eθ/, realm /r'elm/, bread /br'ed/, breath /br'eθ/, breadth /br'edθ/, breast /br'est/, pleasure /pl'ezjər/, peasant /p'ezənt/, pleasant /pl'ezənt/, treasure /tr'ezjər/
Exceptional pronunciations: Yeats /j'ēts/
Variants: lead /l'īd/ (verb: 'be ahead') but lead /l'ed/ (substantive: the metal)
Variants: read /r'īd/ (verb, non-past) but read /r'ed/ (same verb, past)
Variants: leap /l'īp/ (verb, non-past) but leapt /l'ept/ (same verb, past)
Variants: dream /dr'īm/ (verb, non-past) but dreamt /dr'emt/ (same verb, past)
Spelling: ear
Common pronunciation: /īr/: ear /'īr/, fear /f'īr/, rearing /r'īriŋ/, gear /g'īr/, weary /w'īrī/, shears /š'īrz/
Rare pronunciation: /ēr/: bear /b'ēr/, wear /w'ēr/
Rare pronunciation: /œr/: earth /'œrθ/, dearth /d'œrθ/, early /'œrlī/, earn /'œrn/, yearn /j'œrn/
Exceptional pronunciations: heart /h'art/
Variants: tear /t'īr/ (water from the eyes) but tear /t'ēr/ (rip)
Variants: year is most commonly pronounced /j'īr/, but some people (including the Queen of England) pronounce it /j'œr/, and a few pronounce it /j'ēr/.
Spelling: eau
Rare pronunciation: /ű/: beauty /b'űtī/, beautiful /b'űtifəl/
Rare pronunciation: /ō/: beau /b'ō/, Beaumont /b'ōmont/, Beaufort /b'ōfərt/
Spelling: -ed (ending: see spelling rules)
Common pronunciation: /id/ or /əd/ (varies among speakers): raided /r'ēdid/, needed /n'īdid/, matted /m'atid/, seated /s'ītid/, wanted /w'ontid/, mended /m'endid/, roasted /r'ōstid/, wilted /w'iltid/, erupted /ir'Λptid/, acted /'aktid/, worded /w'œrdid/ (After /d/ and /t/.)
Common pronunciation: /d/: lulled /l'Λld/, marred /m'ard/, cured /k'űrd/, fudged /f'Λĵd/, pledged /pl'eĵd/, plunged /pl'Λnĵd/, relieved /ril'īvd/, relived /rīl'ivd/, wreathed /r'īδd/, combed /k'ōmd/ (After vowel phonemes and voiced consonant phonemes other than /d/.)
Common pronunciation: /t/: tapped /t'apt/, hacked /h'akt/, guessed /g'est/, miffed /m'ift/, wished /w'išt/, watched /w'očt/, coughed /k'oft/, versed /v'œrst/, ramped /r'ampt/, frisked /fr'iskt/, honked /h'oŋkt/, lapsed /l'apst/ (After voiceless consonant phonemes other than /t/.)
Spelling: ee
Common pronunciation: /ī/: peek /p'īk/, seem /s'īm/, free /fr'ī/, cheese /č'īz/, decree /dikr'ī/
Spelling: eer
Common pronunciation: /īr/: beer /b'īr/, queer /kw'īr/, steer /st'īr/, peer /p'īr/
Exceptional pronunciations: seer /s'īər/
Spelling: eh
Exceptional pronunciations: eh /ē/
Spelling: ei
Common pronunciation: /ī/: seize /s'īz/, conceive /kəns'īv/, deceive /dis'īv/, deceit /dis'īt/
Rare pronunciation: /ē/: feint /f'ēnt/, beige /b'ēž/, veil /v'ēl/
Exceptional pronunciations: seive /s'iv/, sovreign /s'ovrin/~/s'ovrən/ feisty /f'aistī/, Leicester /l'estər/
Spelling: eigh (rarely eig)
Common pronunciation: /ē/: sleigh /sl'ē/, freight /fr'ēt/, Leighton /l'ētən/, eight /'ēt/, weight /w'ēt/, feign /f'ēn/, reign /r'ēn/
Common pronunciation: /ai/: sleight /sl'ait/, height /h'ait/
Exceptional pronunciations: Keighley (town in England) /k'īθlī/
Spelling: eir
Rare pronunciation: /īr/: weir /w'īr/
Rare pronunciation: /ēr/: their /δ'ēr/
Spelling: -en (ending)
Common pronunciation: /ən/: trodden /tr'odən/, broken /br'ōkən/, golden /g'ōldən/, heathen /h'īδən/, written /r'itən/ (Note: Unlike the suffixes -ed and -es, this spelling does not have a pronunciation with the letter e pronounced as /i/ or silent. After vowels, this suffix is -n /n/: known /nōn/, seen /sīn/.)
Spelling: er
Common pronunciation: /œr/: her /h'œr/, term /t'œrm/, verb /v'œrb/, verse /v'œrs/, gherkin /g'œrkin/, sherbet /š'œrbət/
Common pronunciation: /ər/: better /b'etər/, finger /f'iŋgər/, singer /s'iŋər/, ginger /ĵ'inĵər/
Rare pronunciation: /ar/ (in English names; other nationalities may pronounce this as /œr/): Derby /d'arbī/, Hertford /h'artfərd/, Hertfordshire /h'artfərdšər/, Berkshire /b'arkšər/, Berkley /b'arklī/
Spelling: -er (North American), -re (British) (ending)
Common pronunciation: /ər/: center~centre /s'entər/, meter~metre /m'ītər/, miter~mitre /m'aitər/, caliber~calibre /k'alibər/
Spelling: ere
Common pronunciation: /ēr/: there /δ'ēr/, where /w'ēr/, anywhere /'enīwēr/, somewhere /s'Λmwēr/, nowhere /n'ōwēr/
Rare pronunciation: /īr/: here /h'īr/, sere /s'īr/, interfere /intərf'īr/
Rare pronunciation: /œr/: were /w'œr/
Rare pronunciation: /əre/ > /rə/ by vowel reduction: interest /'intərest/ > /'intrəst/, interested /'intərestid/ > /'intrəstid/, interest /'intərestiŋ/ > /'intrəstiŋ/
Variants: werewolf is pronounced /w'ērwulf/ by some speakers and /w'īrwulf/ by others.
Spelling: -es (ending: see spelling rules)
Common pronunciation: /iz/ or /əz/ (varies among speakers): tresses /tr'esiz/, gases /g'asiz/, minces /m'insiz/, verses /v'œrsiz/ raises /r'ēziz/, freezes /fr'īziz/, lenses /l'enziz/, mashes /m'ašiz/, galoshes /gal'ošiz/, massages /mas'āžiz/ or /m'asāžiz/, rouges /r'ūžiz/, matches /m'ačiz/, benches /b'enčiz/, ridges /riĵiz/, changes /č'ēnĵiz/ (After /s/, /z/, /š/, /ž/, /č/, /ĵ/.)
Common pronunciation: /z/: globes /gl'ōbz/, recedes /ris'īdz/, plagues /pl'ēgz/, roves /r'ōvz/, clothes /kl'ōδz/, cures /k'űrz/, poles /p'ōlz/, bores /b'orz/ (After vowel phonemes and voiced consonant phonemes other than /z/, /ž/, /ĵ/.)
Common pronunciation: /s/: tapes /t'ēps/, votes /v'ōts/, likes /l'aiks/, wastes /w'ēsts/, safes /s'ēfs/, (After voiceless consonant phonemes other than /s/, /š/, /č/.)
Spelling: eu
Common pronunciation: /jū/: euphemism /j'ūfəmizəm/, Eustace /j'ūstəs/, Europe /j'ūrəp/
Common pronunciation: /ű/: feud /f'űd/, feudal /f'űdəl/, pneumatic /nűm'atik/, pneumonia /nűm'ōnīə/, deuce /d'űs/ (Many speakers pronounce /ű/ as /jū/. /j/ can palatalise a preceding consonant.)
Spelling: eue
Exceptional pronunciations: queue /k'ű/ (Many speakers pronounce /ű/ as /jū/. /j/ can palatalise a preceding consonant.)
Spelling: eur
Exceptional pronunciations: liqueur /lik'űr/ (Many speakers change /űr/ to /jūr/ to /jor/.)
Spelling: ew
Rare pronunciation: /ű/: new /n'ű/, knew /n'ű/, pew /p'ű/, thew /θ'ű/, mewl /m'űl/, hew /h'ű/, spew /sp'ű/ (Many speakers pronounce /ű/ as /jū/. /j/ can palatalise a preceding consonant.)
Rare pronunciation: /ū/: flew /fl'ū/, shrew /šr'ū/, shrewd /šr'ūd/, grew /gr'ū/, trews /tr'ūz/, Lewis /l'ūis/, Lewes /l'ūis/, Lewisham /l'ūišəm/, Renfrew /r'enfrū/, Carew /kər'ū/
Rare pronunciation: /jū/: sinew /s'injū/,
Exceptional pronunciations: sew /s'ō/ (There is also shew, an archaic spelling of show /š'ō/.)
Spelling: ey
Common pronunciation: /ī/: money /m'Λnī/, honey /h'Λnī/, scaley /sk'ēlī/, Barney /b'arnī/, dopey /d'ōpī/
Rare pronunciation: /ē/: they /δ'ē/, hey /h'ē/
Spelling: eye
Exceptional pronunciations: eye /'ai/
Spelling: i
Common pronunciation: /i/: bill /b'il/, pin /p'in/, stitches /st'ičiz/, tibdit /t'idbit/, frolick /fr'olik/
Common pronunciation: /ai/: ice /'ais/, bike /b'aik/, file /f'ail/, rifle /r'aifəl/, title /t'aitəl/, sunshine /sΛ'nšain/, whining /w'ainiŋ/, airliner /'ērlainər/, bind /b'aind/, hind /h'aind/, mind /m'aind/, kind /k'aind/, rind /r'aind/, wild /w'aild/, child /č'aild/ (Usual when i is followed by a single consonant-letter then a vowel-letter. Also occurs frequently in spelling ind and sometimes ild.)
Common pronunciation: /ī/: ski /sk'ī/, mystique /mist'īk/, bistro /b'īstrō/, pique /p'īk/, ambient /'ambīənt/, Maria /mər'īə/, picosecond /p'īkōsekənd/
Variants: wind /w'aind/ ('tighten by turning') but wind /w'ind/ ('movement of air')
Variants: albino /alb'īnō/ (typically British) but /alb'ainō/ (typically North American)
Spelling: ie
Common pronunciation: /ī/: grief /gr'īf/, seige /s'īĵ/, chief /č'īf/, believe /bil'īv/, relief /ril'īf/, thief /θ'īf/, sortie /s'ortī/
Common pronunciation: /ai/: tie /t'ai/, lie /l'ai/, pie /p'ai/
Spelling: ier
Common pronunciation: /air/: crier /kr'air/, fiery /f'airī/
Common pronunciation: /īr/: pier /p'īr/, tier /t'īr/
Spelling: ieu
Exceptional pronunciations: lieu pronounced differently by different speakers; pronunciations include /lū/, /ljū/, /lű/, and pronouncing it as in French
Variants: lieutenant /left'enənt/ (British) but /lūt'enənt/ (North American)
Spelling: igh (rarely ig)
Common pronunciation: /ai/: sigh /s'ai/, thigh /θ'ai/, high /h'ai/, light /l'ait/, sign /s'ain/, align /əl'ain/
Spelling: ii
Exceptional pronunciations: skiing /sk'īiŋ/
Spelling: -ion (ending: see entries for -sion and -tion below; see also palatalisation)
Spelling: ir
Common pronunciation: /œr/: fir /f'œr/, firm /f'œrm/, girder /g'œrdər/, shirt /š'œrt/, kirk /k'œrk/
Common pronunciation: /air/: Irish /'airiš/, tiring /t'airiŋ/, wiry /w'airī/, iron /'airn/
Spelling: ire
Common pronunciation: /air/: ire /'air/, fire /f'air/, tire /t'air/, wire /w'air/, hire /h'air/, tired /t'aird/, hired /h'aird/
Spelling: o
Common pronunciation: /o/: got /g'ot/, product /pr'odΛkt/, long /l'oŋ/, mocking /m'okiŋ/, John /ĵ'on/, hotpot /h'otpot/, bottom /b'otəm/
Common pronunciation: /ō/: so /s'ō/, go /g'ō/, home /h'ōm/, rove /r'ōv/, clove /kl'ōv/, roll /r'ōl/, fold /f'ōld/, protein /pr'ōtīn/, Jones /ĵ'ōnz/, ogre /'ōgər/ (Usual when o is followed by a single consonant-letter then a vowel-letter.)
Common pronunciation: /ə/: button /b'Λtən/, wanton /w'ontən/, cordon /c'ordən/, produce /prəd'űs/, protect /prət'ekt/ (In unstressed syllables.)
Rare pronunciation: /Λ/: money /m'Λnī/, honey /h'Λnī/, some /s'Λm/, Combermere /k'Λmbərmīr/, love /l'Λv/, dove /d'Λv/, shove /š'Λv/, won /wΛn/, among /əm'Λŋ/, monger /m'Λŋgər/ (Most common before m, n, ng or ve.)
Rare pronunciation: /ū/: do /d'ū/, doer /d'ūər/, doing /d'ūiŋ/, to /t'ū/, two /t'ū/, onto /'ontū/, into /'intū/, unto /Λnt'ū/, who /h'ū/, move /m'ūv/, remove /rim'ūv/, prove /pr'ūv/, approve /əpr'ūv/, behove /bih'ūv/, Frome /fr'ūm/ (Most common where o is the accented vowel, at the end of the word or before ve.)
Exceptional pronunciations: one /w'Λn/, once /w'Λns/, wolf /w'ulf/, iron /'airn/
Variants: project /pr'oĵekt/ (substantive) but project /prəĵ'ekt/ (verb)
Spelling: oa
Common pronunciation: /ō/: coat /k'ōt/, coast /k'ōst/, roasting /r'ōstiŋ/, toaster /t'ōstər/, boatload /b'ōtlōd/
Rare pronunciation: /oa/: broad /broad/, abroad /əbroad/
Exceptional pronunciations: Joanne /ĵō'an/
Spelling: oar
Common pronunciation: /or/: boar /b'or/, roar /r'or/, hoary /h'orī/
Spelling: oe
Rare pronunciation: /ō/: toe /t'ō/, doe /d'ō/, hoe /h'ō/, roe /r'ō/, sloe /sl'ō/, goes /g'ōz/, potatoes /pət'ētōz/, Caroe /kər'ō/
Exceptional pronunciations: does /d'Λz/, shoe /š'ū/
Spelling: oi
Common pronunciation: /oi/: soil /s'oil/, moist /m'oist/, cloister /kl'oistər/, foible /f'oibəl/, loiter /l'oitər/
Spelling: oir
Exceptional pronunciations: choir /kw'air/
Spelling: ol
Common pronunciation: /ol/: olive /'oliv/, hollow /h'olō/, follow /f'olō/, holly /h'olī/, golly /g'olī/, pollen /p'olən/, Polka /p'olkə/
Common pronunciation: /ōl/: old /'ōld/, cold /k'ōld/, rolled /r'ōld/ holy /h'ōlī/
Rare pronunciation: /ō/: folk /f'ōk/, yolk /j'ōk/, Holme /h'ōm/, Holmes /h'ōmz/
Rare pronunciation: /ə/: Malcolm /m'alkəm/, Denholm /d'enəm/
Exceptional pronunciations: wolf /w'ulf/, colonel /k'œrnəl/
Spelling: oo
Common pronunciation: /u/: book /b'uk/, good /g'ud/, shook /š'uk/
Common pronunciation: /ū/: hoot /h'ūt/, moon /m'ūn/, loose /l'ūs/, mongoose /m'oŋgūs/, groove /gr'ūv/
Rare pronunciation: /Λ/: blood /bl'Λd/, flood /fl'Λd/
Spelling: oor
Common pronunciation: /ūr/: moor /m'ūr/, poor /p'ūr/, boor /b'ūr/ (Many speakers pronounce /ūr/ as /or/.)
Common pronunciation: /or/: door /d'or/, floor /fl'or/
Spelling: oore
Exceptional pronunciations: Moore /m'ūr/ (Identical with oor: silent e has no effect on pronunciation. Many speakers pronounce /ūr/ as /or/.)
Spelling: or
Common pronunciation: /or/: or /'or/, for /f'or/, raptor /r'aptor/, condor /k'ondor/, guarantor /garant'or/, mentor /m'entor/, ordain /ord'ēn/, boring /b'oriŋ/, Tory /t'orī/
Common pronunciation: /ər/: vendor /v'endər/, adaptor /ad'aptər/, error /'erər/, pallor /'palər/, tremor /tr'emər/
Common pronunciation: /or/: lorry /l'orī/, porridge /p'oriĵ/, Morris /m'oris/, orange /'orinĵ/
Rare pronunciation: /Λr/: worry /w'Λrī/, worrying /w'Λrīiŋ/ (After w.)
Rare pronunciation: /œr/: word /w'œrd/, work /w'œrk/, world /w'œrld/, worm /w'œrm/, wort /w'œrt/, whorl /w'œrl/, (After w or wh, but be careful: wore and worn are /w'or/ and /w'orn/.)
Spelling: -or (North American), -our (British) (ending)
Common pronunciation: /ər/: colo(u)r /k'Λlər/, armo(u)r /'armər/, hono(u)r /'onər/, rumo(u)r /r'ūmər/, valo(u)r /v'alər/
(This represents Latin substarntives in -or. In the Americas, these are all consistently spelt -or, while in Britain some are spelt -our and others -or, as pallor, tremor above.)
Spelling: ore
Common pronunciation: /or/: ore /'or/, bore /b'or/, chore /č'or/, lore /l'or/, yore /j'or/, pore /p'or/, bored /b'ord/
Rare pronunciation: /əre/: anorexic /anər'eksik/
Spelling: ou
Common pronunciation: /au/: outhouse /'authaus/, mouse /m'aus/, tousle /t'auzəl/, pound /p'aund/
Rare pronunciation: /ū/: you /j'ū/, youth /j'ūθ/, couth /k'ūθ/, uncouth /Λnk'ūθ/, soup /s'ūp/, troupe /tr'ūp/, mousse /m'ūs/
Spelling: oul
Rare pronunciation: /ōl/: mould /m'ōld/, poultry /p'ōltrī/, poultice /p'ōltis/
Rare pronunciation: /u/: could /k'ud/, would /w'ud/, should /š'ud/
Rare pronunciation: /ūl/: Coulomb /k'ūlom/, Coulter /k'ūltər/
Spelling: ough
Rare pronunciation: /oa/: ought /'oat/, bought /b'oat/, brought /br'oat/, fought /f'oat/, thought /θ'oat/, Featherstonehough /f'anšoa/
Rare pronunciation: /Λf/: tough /t'Λf/, rough /r'Λf/, chough /č'Λf/, Clough /kl'Λf/, Loughborough /l'Λfbərə/
Rare pronunciation: /ə/: thorough /θ'Λrə/, borough /b'Λrə/ and names ending with borough/burgh /b'Λrə/, reduced to /brə/ by many speakers, like Edinburgh /'edinbΛrə/~/'edinbrə/
Rare pronunciation: /of/: trough /tr'of/, cough /k'of/, coughed /k'oft/, coughing /k'ofiŋ/
Rare pronunciation: /ō/: dough /d'ō/, though /δ'ō/
Rare pronunciation: /au/: sough /s'au/, plough /pl'au/ (Spelt plow in North America.)
Rare pronunciation: /ū/: through /θr'ū/
Variants: slough /sl'Λf/ (verb: shed skin) but Slough /sl'au/ (town in England)
Variants: Houghton /h'oatən/ or /h'autən/ (surname: both pronunciations exist)
Spelling: our
Common pronunciation: /aur/: our /'aur/, hour /'aur/, sour /s'aur/, scour /sk'aur/, scouring /sk'auriŋ/, flour /fl'aur/, floury /fl'aurī/
Rare pronunciation: /ūr/: tour /t'ūr/, tourist /t'ūrist/, pour /p'ūr/, pouring /p'ūriŋ/, houri /h'ūrī/ (Many speakers pronounce /ūr/ as /or/.)
Rare pronunciation: /or/: four /f'or/, court /k'ort/, course /k'ors/, source /s'ors/ (A small number of speakers would pronounce these with /ūr/.)
Exceptional pronunciations: courage /kΛ'riĵ/
Spelling: ow
Common pronunciation: /au/: ow /'au/, now /n'au/, cow /k'au/, brown /br'aun/
Common pronunciation: /ō/: low /l'ō/, mow /m'ō/, crow /kr'ō/, show /š'ō/, throw /θr'ō/, tow /t'ō/, towing /t'ōiŋ/
Variants: sow /s'au/ (substantive: 'female pig') but sow /s'ō/ (verb: 'put seed into ground')
Variants: row /r'au/ (substantive: 'argument') but row /s'ō/ (verb: 'propel boat with oars')
Variants: bow /b'au/ (verb and substantive: 'bend in submission') but bow /b'ō/ (subantive: 'weapon'), bow /b'ō/ (subantive: 'tied ribbon')
Variants: bows /b'auz/ (substantive: 'front end of ship or boat') but bows /b'ōz/ (plural of bow above)
Spelling: owe
Common pronunciation: /au/: towel /t'aul/, trowel /tr'aul/, Howe /h'au/, Rowell /r'aul/
Spelling: ower
Common pronunciation: /aur/: tower /t'aur/, power /p'aur/, flower /fl'aur/, shower /š'aur/, Gower /g'aur/
Common pronunciation: /ōər/: mower /m'ōər/, rower /r'ōər/, thrower /θr'ōər/, grower /gr'ōər/ (Results from a word ending in /ō/ gaining the suffix -er.)
Variants: lower /l'ōər/ (adjective: 'more low'; verb: 'cause to descend') but lower /l'aur/ (verb: of clouds, 'threaten to rain')
Spelling: oy
Common pronunciation: /oi/: oy /'oi/, boy /b'oi/, toy /t'oi/, boyish /b'oiiš/, toying /t'oiiŋ/, ploy /pl'oi/, enjoy /inĵ'oi/
Spelling: -re (British), -er (North American) (ending)
See entry above for -er (North American), -re (British) (ending)
Spelling: -sion (ending; see also -tion; see also palatalisation)
Common pronunciation: /žən/: erosion /ir'ōžən/, corrosion /kər'ōžən/, confusion /kən'fűžən/, collusion /kəl'ūžən/, intrusion /intr'ūžən/
Common pronunciation: /šən/: passion /p'ašən/, depression /dipr'ešən/, discussion /disk'Λšən/
Rare pronunciation: /šən/ or /žən/ (varies among speakers): version /v'œršən/~/v'œržən/, inversion /inv'œršən/~/inv'œržən/, conversion /kənv'œršən/~/kənv'œržən/
Spelling: -tion (ending; see also -sion; see also palatalisation)
Common pronunciation: /šən/: elation /il'ēšən/, frustration /frΛstr'ēšən/, meditation /medit'ēšən/, creation /krī'ēšən/
Spelling: u
Common pronunciation: /Λ/: putt /p'Λt/, luck /l'Λk/, gull /g'Λl/, mull /m'Λl/, sum /s'Λm/, trust /tr'Λst/, ugly /'Λglī/, button /b'Λtən/, rush /r'Λš/
Common pronunciation: /u/: put /p'ut/, full /f'ul/, bull /b'ul/, push /p'uš/, bush /b'uš/
Common pronunciation: /jū/: use /j'ūs/ (substantive), use /j'ūz/ (verb), universe /j'ūnivœrs/, uranium /jūr'ēnīəm/
Common pronunciation: /ű/: fume /f'űm/, mule /m'űl/, assume /əs'űm/, duke /d'űk/, nude /n'űd/, immune /im'űn/, stupid /st'űpid/, Hulme /h'űm/ (Many speakers pronounce /ű/ as /jū/. /j/ can palatalise a preceding consonant.)
Common pronunciation: /ū/: super /s'ūpər/, plume /pl'ūm/, truth /tr'ūθ/, lucid /l'ūsid/, pollute /pəl'ūt/, flute /fl'ūt/, Yuletide /j'ūltaid/, Lucy /l'ūsī/, Ruth /r'ūθ/
Exceptional pronunciations: bury /b'erī/, busy /b'izī/
Spelling: ue
Common pronunciation: /jū/: value /v'aljū/, statue /st'atjū/
Common pronunciation: /ű/: hue /hű/, fuel /fűl/, deuce /dűs/, issue /'isű/, tissue /t'isű/ (Many speakers pronounce /ű/ as /jū/. /j/ can palatalise a preceding consonant.)
The letter e may have its usual pronunciations when u is silent (in gu) or /w/ (in qu): guest /g'est/, quest /kw'est/, queen /kw'īn/, queer /kw'īr/
Spelling: ugh
Common pronunciation: /ű/: Hugh /h'ű/, Hughes /h'űz/ (Many speakers pronounce /ű/ as /jū/. /j/ can palatalise a preceding consonant.)
Spelling: ui
The letter i may have its usual pronunciations when u is silent (often in gu) or /w/ (in qu): guitar /git'ar/, quit /kw'it/, guide /g'aid/, guile /g'ail/, quite /kw'ait/, build /b'ild/, built /b'ilt/
Rare pronunciation: /ū/: fruit /fr'ūt/, fruity /fr'ūtī/, juice /ĵ'ūs/, juicy /ĵ'ūsī/
Spelling: uir
The spelling ir may have its usual pronunciations when u is silent (in gu) or /w/ (in qu): quirk /kw'œrk/, squirt /skw'œrt/, squirm /skw'œrm/
Rare pronunciation: /űr/: Muir /m'űr/, Muirhead /m'űrhed/
Variants: squirrel /skw'irəl/ (British) but /skw'œrl/ (North American)
Spelling: uire
The spelling ire may have its usual pronunciations when u is silent (in gu) or /w/ (in qu): enquire /iŋkw'air/, require /rikw'air/, squire /skw'air/, Esquire /iskw'air/
Spelling: ur
Common pronunciation: /œr/: urn /'œrn/, burn /b'œrn/, spurn /sp'œrn/, lurch /l'œrč/, turgid /t'œrĵid/, urchin /'œrčin/, fur /f'œr/, purr /p'œr/, purring /p'œriŋ/, blur /bl'œr/, blurred /b'œrd/
Common pronunciation: /Λr/: hurry /h'Λrī/, flurry /fl'Λrī/, turret /t'Λrit/, Murray /m'Λrī/
Spelling: ure (see also palatalisation)
Common pronunciation: /űr/: cure /k'űr/ > /kj'ūr/ > /kj'or/, pure /p'űr/ > /pj'ūr/ > /pj'or/, lure /l'űr/ > /lj'ūr/ > /lj'or/, mature /mət'űr/ > /mətj'ūr/ > /məč'ūr/ > /məč'or/, endure /ind'űr/ > /indj'ūr/ > /inĵ'ūr/ > /inĵ'or/
Common pronunciation: /jər/: tenure /t'enjər/, picture /p'iktjər/ > /p'ikčər/, pressure /p'resjər/ > /pr'ešər/, treasure /tr'ezjər/ > /tr'ežər/, nature /n'ētjər/ > /n'ēčər/ (In unstressed syllables.)
Rare pronunciation: /jūr/: sure /sj'ūr/ > /š'ūr/ > /š'or/, assure /əsj'ūr/ > /əš'ūr/ > /əš'or/, ensure /insj'ūr/ > /inš'ūr/ > /inš'or/, insure /insj'ūr/ > /inš'ūr/ > /inš'or/, Ure /j'ūr/ > /j'or/
(Many speakers change /ű/ to /jū/. Many speakers further change /ūr/ to /or/. /j/ can palatalise a preceding consonant (/sj/ > /š/, /zj/ > /ž/, /tj/ > /č/, /dj/ > /ĵ/). Because the interaction of these changes is quite complicated, the various stages of development are listed here.)
Spelling: y (pronunciations usually similar to i: the spelling y is preferred to i at the ends of words)
Common pronunciation: /i/: cylinder /s'ilindər/, mystic /m'istik/, myth /m'iθ/, tryst /tr'ist/, typical /t'ipikəl/, Dalrymple /dalr'impəl/
Common pronunciation: /ī/: hilly /h'ilī/, lorry /l'orī/, crony /kr'ōnī/, hasty /h'ēstī/, bury /b'erī/, marry /m'arī/ (-y + -es > -ies and -y + -ed > -ied: lorries /l'orīz/ > /l'oriz/, cronies /kr'ōnīz/ > /kr'ōniz/, buries /b'erīz/ > /b'eriz/, married /m'arīd/ > /m'arid/, buried /b'erīd/ > /b'erid/. Most speakers reduce /īz/ to /iz/ and /īd/ to /id/ in these weak final syllables.)
Common pronunciation: /ai/: my /m'ai/, thy /δ'ai/, sky /sk'ai/, try /tr'ai/, fry /fl'ai/, fly /fl'ai/, type /t'aip/, thyme /t'aim/ (-y + -es > -ies: skies /sk'aiz/, tries /tr'aiz/, fries /fl'aiz/, flies /fl'aiz/.)
Spelling: ye
Common pronunciation: /ai/: dye /d'ai/, bye /b'ai/, lye /l'ai/, rye /r'ai/, Skye /sk'ai/
The letter e may have its usual pronunciations when y a consonant /j/: yellow /j'elō/, yeast /j'īst/
Spelling: yr
Rare pronunciation: generally occurs in variants of words in ir used as surnames or deliberately archaic or mock-archaic spellings in literature: Byrd /b'œrd/ (surname, variant of bird), wyrm /w'œrm/ (archaic term for 'serpent', now used as a literary word for 'dragon'; the Old English wyrm developed into the modern word worm /w'œrm/)
Rare pronunciation: /ir/: pyrrhic /p'irik/
Rare pronunciation: /air/: thyroid /θ'airoid/
Exceptional pronunciations: wyrd /w'īrd/ (archaic term for 'fate', which developed into the modern word weird /w'īrd/)
Spelling: yre
Rare pronunciation: /air/: byre /b'air/, tyre /t'air/, pyre /p'air/
Rare pronunciation: /aire/: pyrex /p'aireks/, pyrexic /pair'eksik/

1
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws