English is not Phonetic

English is not Phonetic


Contents:

Glossary of Pronunciation Terms

Word Stress in English

Understanding Syllables

Rules of Word Stress in English

Sentence Stress in English

Linking in English

o Understanding Vowels & Consonants for Linking

o Linking Consonant to Vowel

Linking Vowel to Vowel

English Phonetic Spelling

Phonemic Chart

Contractions

Homophones List ~ Contractions

What Are Homophones?

Common Homophones List

Pairs

o Minimal Pairs /b/ and /v

o Minimal Pairs /l/ and /r/

o Minimal Pairs /əʊ/ and /ɔ:/

Alphabet Sounds

Tongue-Twisters

Always remember that English is not "phonetic". That means that we do not always say a word the same way that we spell it.

Some words can have the same spelling but different pronunciation, for example:

• I like to read [ri:d].

• I have read [red] that book.

Some words have different spelling but the same pronunciation, for example:

• I have read [red] that book.

• My favourite colour is red [red].

Learn the 52 Sounds of English

The English language may have 26 letters of the alphabet, but it has double that number of sounds: 52. Knowing and recognizing the 52 sounds will help to give you good pronunciation. Of course, everybody knows that good pronunciation helps our speaking. But do you know that good pronunciation also helps our listening?