How to Pronounce English Alphabets - Part I: Consonants (B C D F)

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Introduction

This article is based on the information collected by me from books, online and offline dictionaries, and web sites. It may help you in pronunciation of English words. The spelling and pronunciation of English words is very complicated. English language contains 26 Alphabets (6 vowels & 20 consonants) but more than 40 different sounds. About half of the sounds are made by the vowels. There are six vowels - a, e, i, o, u and y (‘y’ is both vowel and consonant). These six vowels and their combinations are used to make about 20 or so sounds. And 20 consonants and their combinations make remaining 20 sounds. Many times combination of vowel changes the sound of consonants. Due to this, many words are difficult to spell and pronounce.

By: Rattanji

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Instructions

Text Size: +
Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Tips & Warnings:

  • Alphabet C is mostly affected by combinations. Make a list of specific combinations and remember them.
  • Best way to learn pronunciation is to listen news broadcasts, lectures, presentations. Reading good books also helps.
  • Alphabet G onwards in my next article.
  • Consulted: WordWeb5 Dictionary, Wikipedia, Ask.com, Oxford Dictionary. yourdictionary.com, say-it-in-english.com
  • I have tried my level best to present what I read in dictionaries, books etc. There may be mistakes here and there. If you are doubtful consult books.
Step1
Simple Pronunciation of Individual Consonants:
B (bee), C (see), D (dee), F (ef), G (jee), H (eych), J (jey), K (key)
L (el), M (em), N (en), P (pee), Q (kyoo), R (aar), S (es), T (tee),
V (vee), W (`dubul`yoo), X (eks), Y (wi), Z (zee)
Step2
Alphabet B Alphabet B:
(a) ‘b’ has same sound wherever it occurs in a word -- Able, Absurd, Bat, Job, Scuba.
(b) ‘bb’ has same sound as ‘b’ wherever it occurs in a word – Babbitt, Flabby, Robber, Scrabble, Throbbing.

(However there are some exceptions.)
Step3
Alphabet B (continued):
If ‘b’ is followed by ‘t’, it is silent in these words – Debt, Debtor, Doubt, Doubted, Doubter, Doubtful, Doubtfully, Doubting, Doubtless, Indebted, Redoubtable, Redoubtably, Subtle, Subtly, Thumbtack, Undoubtedly, Unsubtle.
(Only these silent words, with ‘bt’, were found in the dictionary)
Step4
Alphabet B (continued):
If ‘b’ is preceded by ‘m’ at the end of a word:
(a) It is silent in these words – A-bomb, Aplomb, Atom bomb, Benumb, bomb, Breadcrumb, Carpet-bomb, Catacomb, Climb, Cockscomb, Comb, Coulomb, Coxcomb, Crumb, Currycomb, Dithyramb, Dive-bomb, Doorjamb, Dumb, Entomb, Firebomb, Forelimb, H-bomb, Hecatomb, Honeycomb, Hydrogen bomb, Iamb, Jamb, Lamb, Letter bomb, Limb, Neutron bomb, Numb, Petrol bomb, Plumb, Succumb, Thumb, Time bomb, Tomb, Womb.
(b) It has soft ‘b’ sound in these words -- Rhomb, Rhumb.
(c) It has ‘b’ sound in these words – Corymb, Recumb.
(Only these words, with ‘mb’ at the end of a word, were found in the dictionary)
(d) ‘b’ is also silent in these words: Bomber, Climber, Comber, Dumber, Plumber.
Step5
Alphabet C Alphabet C:
If ‘c’ is followed by a consonant it has ‘k’ sound -- Aircrew, Close, Describe, Eject, Tractor.
Step6
Alphabet C (continued):
(a) If ‘c’ is followed by vowel ‘a’, it has ‘k’ sound -- Arcade, Became, Cat, Decamp, Encase. (Exception is Caesar)
(b) If ‘cc’ is followed by vowel ‘a’, it has ‘k’ sound – Buccal, Desiccant, Occasion, Peccary, Staccato
Step7
Alphabet C (continued):
(a) If ‘c’ is followed by vowel ‘o’, it has ‘k’ sound -- Abscond, Balcony, Beacon, Coach, Raincoat.
(b) If ‘cc’ is followed by vowel ‘o’, it has ‘k’ sound – Accord, Broccoli, Piccolo, Raccoon, Tobacco
Step8
Alphabet C (continued):
(a) If ‘c’ is followed by vowel ‘u’, it has ‘k’ sound -- Cut, Document, Excuse, Focus, Lacuna.
(b) If ‘cc’ is followed by vowel ‘u’, it has ‘k’ sound – Hiccup, Occupy, Occur, Succulent, Succumb.
Step9
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘c’ is at the end of a word, it has ‘k’ sound -- Acidic, Acrylic, Aerobic, Cyclic, Public.
Step10
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘c’ is followed by ‘k’, it has ‘k’ sound -- Black, Beckon, Knuckles, Socket, Mimicking.
Step11
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘c’ is followed by vowel ‘e’, it has ‘c’ or soft ‘s’ sound -- Cancel, Cell, Concern, Decedent, Iceman.
Step12
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘cc’ is followed by vowel ‘e’, it has mostly ‘ks’ sound -- Accept, Accent, Access, Haecceity, Succeed.
Step13
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘c’ is followed by vowel ‘i’, it has ‘c’ or soft ‘s’ sound -- Acidity, Cite, Decide, Decimal, Excited.
Step14
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘cc’ is followed by vowel ‘i’, it has mostly ‘ks’ sound -- Accident, Cappuccino, Occident, Flaccid, Vaccine.
Step15
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘c’ is followed by vowel ‘y’, it has ‘c’ or soft ‘s’ sound -- Bicycle, Cyprus, Cyst, Fancy, Policy.
Step16
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘cc’ is followed by vowel ‘y’, it has mostly ‘ks’ sound – Coccygeal, Coccyx, Coccyges.
Step17
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘c’ is preceded by ‘s’, it has mostly ‘sk’ sound – Abscond, Biscuit, Discord, Miscount, Muscatel.
Step18
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘c’ is followed by ‘h’:
(a) It has mostly ‘ch’ sound -- Apache, Bench, Chain, Church, Each.
(There are many such words in the dictionary)
(b) It has ‘k’ sound in some words -- Architect, Bronchial, Chord, Epoch, School, Chaos, Choir, Chemistry, Christmas, Monarch, Technical.
(c) It has ‘sh’ sound in some words – Chef, Chauffeur, Champagne, Parachute.
(d) ‘ch’ is silent in Yacht.
(There are some such words in the dictionary)
Step19
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘c’ is followed by ‘ia’, it has mostly ‘sh’ sound – Associate, Crucially, Emaciated, Facial, Facially, Glacially, Musician, Racial, Social, Specialize, Specially, Uncial.
(There are some such words in the dictionary)
Step20
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘c’ is followed by ‘ea’, it has ‘sh’ sound in these words & their derivatives -- Ocean, Oceans, Oceanic.
(Only these words, with ‘sh’ sound, were found in the dictionary)
Step21
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘c’ is preceded by ‘s’ and followed by ‘e’, it is mostly silent – Ascended, Ascender, Ascent, Ascend, Crescent, Descent, Obscene, Scene, Scenery, Scenic, Scent, Scepter, Viscera. (combo ‘sce’ has ‘s’ sound)
Step22
Alphabet C (continued):
If ‘c’ is preceded by s and followed by ‘i’, it is mostly silent – Disciple, Fascinate, Immiscible, Miscible, Nescient, Oscillate, Rescind, Sciatic, Science, Scimitar, Scimitar, Scion, Scissor, Viscidity. (combo ‘sci’ has ‘s’ sound)
Step23
Alphabet C (continued):
‘c’ is silent in these words ending with ‘scle’ -- Corpuscle, Crepuscle, Muscle.
(Only these words were found in the dictionary)
Step24
Alphabet D Alphabet D:
(a) ‘d’ has the same sound wherever it occurs in a word -- Airdrop, Bold, Doll, Pleader, Remedial.
(b) ‘dd’ has same sound wherever it occurs in a word – Add, Bladder, Cuddly, Shoddy, Twiddle.
However there are exceptions)
Step25
Alphabet D (continued)
‘d’ is silent in these words -- Bridge, Budget, Handkerchief, Midget,
Wednesday. (In ‘sandwich’ spoken by some people)
(Only these words were found in the dictionary)
Step26
Alphabet F Alphabet F:
(a) ‘f’ has same sound wherever it occurs in a word – Airfield, Beautiful, Defense, Fulfill, Misfire, Windfall.
(b) ‘ff’ has same sound wherever it occurs in a word – Buffalo, Coffee, Huff, Scaffold, Tiffin
(c) ‘ph’ and ‘gh’ also sound ‘f’ in some words which will be dealt in ‘P’ and ‘G’ alphabets.

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eHow Article: How to Pronounce English Alphabets - Part I: Consonants (B C D F)

Article By: Rattanji

Rattanji

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Category: Education

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