English spellings: Difference between revisions

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'''English''' is famous, even notorious, for its varied '''spellings'''. This is a selection of commonly misspelt and/or mispronounced words, alongside regular ones for contrast. For example, *disāsterous is a common misspelling of '''disāstrous''', with the e echoing that of '''disāster''' (the asterisk indicates an incorrect spelling, the accents stress and pronunciation: see [[English phonemes]]; where there is more than one accent, the first is stressed).
'''[[English language|English]]''' is notorious for its many varied, inconsistent and irregular '''[[spelling]]s'''. This can be seen at its most extravagant in the field of [[English noun#Types of nouns|proper noun]]s—for example, simply adding  an 'h' to 'Maria' to make it rhyme with 'pariah', or calling oneself 'Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh' while pronouncing it 'Chumley Fanshaw'. An example of a common [[misspelling]] is 'disasterous' for 'disastrous', retaining the 'e' of 'disaster'.  Many words do not turn out to have the pronunciation they appear to have: 'do' and 'to' do not rhyme with 'go' and 'no', while 'seismic', instead of being 'seezmic' or 'sayzmic', or even 'sayizmic', is in fact 'size-mic'. The above grid (reproduced and explained below) provides links to three lists and a '''[[A (letter)|cluster of articles]]''' devoted to these things.  


Particular attention is given to homophones, words with the same pronunciation.  English is rich in homophones; it also has many homonyms, words with the same spelling and pronunciation, and homographs, words with the same spelling but different pronunciation.  All three can be found here. In the following alphabetical list, the most common word is placed first in the entry, except in cases where the rarer word has the more regular spelling.  
To show pronunciation, these articles use correct spellings with added [[Accent (pronunciation)|accent]] marks, instead of relying on the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]] (IPA). In some cases incorrect respellings are placed next to the correct ones, signalled by a preceding asterisk, like '''thís''' *thíss.  The accent marks show pronunciation, '''thús'''. A table of these accents (which are not part of the language<ref>A few different accents, mostly from French, sometimes crop up in English, however; see [[French words in English]].</ref>) can be found below; there is also an [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]  key at [[English phonemes]]. Where there is more than one accent, the first is [[stress (linguistics)|stressed]], and the same is true after a hyphen, so in the respelling  of '''Tchaikóvsky''', *Chŷ-kóffskỳ, it is 'kóff' that has the main stress. (Another way of showing new stress is with a bar: '''Tchaî'''|'''kóvsky'''.) A sentence from the preceding paragraph can thus be rewritten as follows: "An example of a common misspelling is *disāsterous for '''disāstrous''', retaining the '''E''' of '''disāster'''." Respelling may be used to exemplify an incorrect spelling, or show a correct pronunciation, or a bit of both. Unlike the [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]], where there can only be one version per pronunciation, as there must be an unambiguous one-to-one correspondence, there can be many respellings: if *disāsterous for '''disāstrous''' is a common mistake, we can also represent the pronunciation as *dizāstrus or *dizāstrous or *dizāstrəss (with 'ə', a special character &ndash; the only one used &ndash; for [[schwa]]); or we can contrast [[British English]] *dizàstrus with [[American English|American]] *dizástrus.
 
Particular attention is given to [[homophones]], words with the same pronunciation but different meanings.  English is rich in homophones, many of which are also homonyms, having also the same spelling, as, for example, '''cán''' ''able, tin'' (the italicised words suggest meanings, in this case two); while homographs are words with the same spelling whose meanings are distinguished by different pronunciations.


Also of special note are words that many writers incorrectly divide.  '''ôver''' and '''dûe''', for example, combine to form '''overdûe''', without a space in the middle.  Such examples are included with ‘one word’ alongside them: '''alongsîde''' one word.   
Also of special note are words that many writers incorrectly divide.  '''ôver''' and '''dûe''', for example, combine to form '''overdûe''', without a space in the middle.  Such examples are included with ‘one word’ alongside them: '''alongsîde''' one word.   


The equals sign = is placed between homophones (in some cases the approximately equals sign ≈ is more appropriate). Homographs and other similar words are included after 'cf.' (from Latin ''conferre'', 'compare').  
An equals sign = is placed between homophones (in some cases the approximately equals sign ≈ is more appropriate). Homographs and other similar-looking words are included after 'cf.' (Latin ''conferre'', 'compare').  


The apostrophe is regarded as important enough in spelling to have its own place at the end of the alphabet. An asterisk is placed before incorrect respellings, thus: *thuss.  Words in ''italics'' are used to suggest meanings, in the case of similar words. The word ''person'' (or ''persons'' after more than one) implies either a personal or family name.  Such words are included because they often contrast with the spellings of homophones, for example a bank '''clerk''' might be named '''Clàrk''' or '''Clàrke''', but most probably not 'Clerk' (which is pronounced identically in [[British English|BrE]]).  It may, of course, also be a commercial or place name, as this is a matter regarding individuals: the fact that one is more likely to meet a person, most probably male, called '''Maurice Mórris''' than one called '''Mórris Maurice''', both words and hence both names being pronounced the same in BrE ('''Maurìce''' in [[American English|AmE]]), is about as relevant as the fact that one is unlikely to meet a person called either.
Some words from other languages, in most cases French, may sometimes appear in English with accents from those languages. Here, such spellings are shown using bold italics: '''touchè''' may be written with a French accent: '''''touché''''' *tooshây.


{{TOC-right}}
The [[apostrophe]] is an important part of spelling and so it is treated as a letter, with its own place at the end of the alphabet. 


==Alphabetical list==
Fragments of words are in bold when correctly spelt: '''Ukrâine''' has -'''âine''', not -âne.
===A===
 ''letter'' = èh? ''what?'' (names of letters are usually written as capitals in text)


a ''article'' *ə: schwa.  It can be a strong form â, like the name of the letter Â, but this can sound pompous, especially in private; it can however be used for emphasis, meaning ône, as for example of a tennis player trailing 4-6 2-0: At lêast hê lêads ín â sét.
Words in ''italics'' are used to suggest meanings (e.g. '''sêa''' ''water'' = '''sêe''' ''vision'', where the equals sign denotes identical pronunciation).  Words beginning with an initial capital may have no word in italics following: these are names of people, either personal or family, and/or commercial or  place names.  Such words are included because they often contrast with the spellings of homophones:  a bank clerk might be named '''Clàrk''' or '''Clàrke''', but probably not 'Clerk' (though  [[British English|BrE]] '''clerk''' = '''Clàrk'''/'''Clàrke'''). Unusual spellings can be explained by regular ones: '''Cloúgh''' = '''Clúff'''. An American called '''Maurìce Mŏrris''' could just as well be called '''Mórris Maurice''' ("Morris Morris") in Britain, where '''Maurice''' = '''Mórris''' (although it would be putting the conventional surname before the conventional given name).


àaah sentiment ≈ àaargh disgust more a´s may be added, ≈ àh response
==Links to letter articles and lists==
{{:English_spellings/Catalogs/Masterlist}}
In the navigation table above (reproduced at the top of each article in the [[CZ:Article structure|cluster]]) the cells in each row link as follows:


àardvark
*Top row: '''''articles''''' on each letter and its use in English. There are similar articles on [[GH]], the [[apostrophe]] and the [[hyphen]].


Ãaron - also Ãron or Áron and now some say Áaron = Árran ''Isle''  
*Second row: '''''alphabetical''''' lists of of commonly misspelt and/or mispronounced words, alongside more regular words they may be confused with (words beginning with an apostrophe are [[English spellings/Catalogs/Apostrophe|here]]). Some incorrect spellings are also listed, signalled by an asterisk: *dispánd '''disbánd''' means that the word is 'disband'. (The ''bottom row'' is devoted entirely to misspellings and typos.)
   
   
àh ''response'' ≈ àaah ''sentiment'' ≈ àaargh ''disgust'' (in the latter cases more a´s may be added)
*Third row: '''''retroalphabetical''''' lists, arranged alphabetically according to the final letter of the word and continuing backwards through it: 
::In the retroalphabetical lists the headword is on the right. In this way, suffixes and other word endings can be seen grouped together, just as prefixes can be seen in normal alphabetical order.  So, instead of '''ádd båll coúsin''', we have '''réplicA fláB plástiC'''; and so for '''mûsiC''', see under -'''C''', for '''mûsicaL''', see under -'''L''', for '''pàrticlE''', see under -'''E''', and so on.


abándoned - not -nned
::Some  suffixes are included separately; their pronunciation may or may not apply to following words ("always -'''ãrian'''" means there is no other pronunciation of -'''ãrian''').


Abbàs
::Throughout, the apostrophe is treated as the last letter, after '''Z'''.  (Words ending in an apostrophe are [[English spellings/Catalogs/Apostrophe#Final and medial|also here]].)


ábdomen
::For clarity, italic association words are to the left of the example word:
:::''woman'' '''mâid''' = ''make'' '''mâde'''


abdóminal
::Some incorrect spellings are listed retroalphabetically, in which case the misspelling goes on the right, just as in the alphabetical list:
:::'''wêasel''' *wêasal


Aberdêen
*Bottom row: '''''common misspellings''''' including '''''typos''''' (blue-linked for checking purposes), followed by the correct versions.


Aberýstwýth
Two main varieties are distinguished: [[British English]] (BrE), that of the [[United Kingdom|UK]] and much of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] (see also [[Commonwealth English]]), and [[American English]] (AmE), that of the [[United States of America|USA]] and [[Canada]] (without the [[caught-cot merger|'''cåught''' = '''cót''']] merger that has occurred in some parts of North America).


aberrâtion
Unlike dictionaries, the lists include personal and place names for their own sake and for contrast.


abét
==Table of accents==
These accents are intended to show the pronunciation while retaining the spelling: they are not part of the language. Those on '''i''' and '''y''' show the same sound; similarly with '''u''', '''oo''' and '''w'''.  Accented vowels are stressed ('''ỳ''' is normally unstressed, as in '''háppy''').  '''ā''', not in the table, means that the sound is '''à''' in standard British and Commonwealth pronunciations but '''á''' in American and other British and Commonwealth speech.
{|class="wikitable"
|rowspan=2|
|colspan=3 align=center|'''Front vowels
|colspan=5 align=center|'''Back vowels
|-
!e
!i       
!y<ref>When not accented, '''y''' is usually the semi-consonant of '''yoû''' and '''yés'''.</ref>
!a
!o
!u
!oo
!w<ref>When not accented, '''w''' is usually the semi-consonant of '''wê''' and '''wíll'''.</ref>
|-
|width=36%|The typical short sound, never occurring at the end of a word (acute accent)
|width=8%|'''pét
|width=8%|'''pít
|width=8%|'''crýpt
|width=8%|'''cát
|width=8%|'''dóg'''<ref>In American English this short British sound is replaced by the longer '''à''' in most positions, and by '''ŏ''' before '''r'''.</ref>
|width=8%|'''nút
|width=8%|
|width=8%|
|-
|The typical long sound, corresponding to the names of the letters A, E, I, O and U (circumflex accent)
|'''sêe
|'''nîce
|'''mŷ
|'''nâme
|'''nôse
|'''rûle
|'''toô
|'''neŵ
|-
|Sounds shown with the grave accent ('''ẁ'''- and '''qù'''- indicate the [[British English|BrE]] '''ó''' sound of the following '''a''', '''ẁad''' rhyming with '''qùad'''; '''òu''' and '''òw''' are diphthongs sounding like '''àù''' in '''àùtobahn''': '''nòw''' has this '''sòund''')
|'''èight''' (= â)
|'''machìne''' (= ê)
|'''quaỳ''' ''water'' = '''kêỳ''' ''lock'' <br>(= ê)
|'''àre
|'''òther''', '''blòod''' <br>(= ú)
|'''fùll''' (= oò), '''qùantity''' (= w)
|'''foòt''' (= ù)
|'''ẁant''' (= wó)<ref>Grave accents on '''w''' and on a '''u''' following a '''q''' indicate the sound of the following '''a''': '''à''' in American English, but in British the extra sound '''ó''' as in the British pronunciation of '''hót'''.</ref>
|-
|The '''ër''' sound (umlaut accent)
|'''përson
|'''bïrd
|'''mÿrtle
|('''ëarth''')
|'''wörd
|'''pürr
|
|
|-
|The '''åw'''/'''ŏr''' sound (ring accent)<ref>'''å''' and '''ŏ''' show the same sound: ideally the '''o''' too would have a ring over it, but this symbol is not available, so '''ŏ''' is used instead.</ref>
|
|('''cŏin''')
|('''jŏy''')
|'''åll'''
|'''mŏre
|(for some BrE speakers) '''sůre
|
|
|-
|The '''ãir''' sound (tilde accent)
|('''thére''')
|('''ãir''' =
|'''Ãyr''')
|'''stãre
|
|
|
|
|-
|Irregular (respelling needed)
|'''sew''' (= '''sô''')
|'''meringue''' (*məráng)
|
|'''because''' (*bikóz)
|'''woman''' (*wùmən), '''women''' (*wímən)
|'''business''' (*bízníss)
|
|
|}


abhŏr
===Example sentences===
These sentences show how the accents may be used, for example, when teaching pronunciation. Words without accents are monosyllables with the [[schwa]] sound, a neutral grunt.


abhórrent
''The usual short sound, acute accent:''


âble ''capable'' = Âbel ''person''  
'''The gínger cát was jéalous of the bláck cát: howéver, the tábby was a véry dífferent mátter - the stúff of réveries, ín fáct.


abòut *əbòut
''The usual long sound, circumflex accent:''


ábscess
'''Sây mŷ nâme thrêe tîmes with stŷle and Î’ll gô and fînd a tûne to plây for yoû.


ábsèil cf. sâil
''The third sound, grave accent:''


ábsence
'''Christìna Grèy shoùld (and dòes?) lòve her mòther and fàther.


abstâin
''The '''ër''' sound, umlaut:''


absténtion
'''But fïrst, Mÿrtle, fürther dïrty, ïrksome and distürbing wörk for the nürses.


ábstinence
''The '''ŏr''' sound ('''sůre''' here is with [[British English|British]] pronunciation = '''Shåw'''), the ring, or half-ring:''


abýsmal -zməl
'''Sůre yoû ŏught to cråwl ón åll fŏurs, m’lŏrd?


abýss
''Irregular, without accent, instead with respelling:''


ácadême
'''Many women? Any woman!''' (pronounced: *Ménny wímmin? Énny wùman!)


acádemy
==Double letters==
The following alphabetical table shows examples of how letters can be doubled in English.


académic
Double consonant letters before suffixes are used (as often elsewhere) to preserve short vowel sounds, as in '''flípped''' (not *flîped), '''rebélled''' (not *rebêled) and '''pégged''' (not *pêged, which if regular would in any case be pronounced *pêjed).  Compare '''scrâped''', past of '''scrâpe''', and '''scrápped''', from '''scráp'''. In the case of '''t''', doubling it after an unstressed vowel and before a suffix may seem unnecessary, but in some cases it can be doubled before -'''ed''': either '''tàrgeted''' or '''tàrgetted''' (but always '''commítted''').


accélerate ax-, cf. excél, éxcellent
The sign # indicates a double letter that is rare in that position; capital-letter words indicate that the double letter in this position is only found in names. An asterisk (*) indicates a respelling to show pronunciation, and an equals sign (=) introduces a [[homophone]].
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!letter
!initial
!medial
!final
!final + silent e
|-
|'''A
|'''àardvark''' #<ref>'''àardvark''' and '''Transvàal''' are from '''[[Afrikaans|Afrikàans]]''', itself a further example.</ref>
|'''bazàar''' #
|'''bàa''' #
|
|-
|'''B
|
|'''ríbbon
|'''ébb''' #
|'''Crábbe''' (= '''cráb''')
|-
|'''C
|
|'''sóccer''' (*sócker), '''accépt''' (*əxépt)
|
|
|-
|'''D
|
|'''hídden
|'''ádd
|
|-
|'''E
|'''êel
|'''bêen
|'''sêe
|
|-
|'''F
|'''Ffoùlkes'''
|'''éffort
|'''óff'''
|'''Clíffe''' (= '''clíff''')
|-
|'''G
|
|'''aggréssion''' (-'''g'''-), '''exággerate''' (-j-)
|'''égg''' #
|'''Légge''' (= '''lég''')
|-
|'''H
|
|'''hítchhike''' # (accidental)
|
|
|-
|'''I
|
|'''skìíng''' #
|'''Hawàìi''' #
|
|-
|'''J
|
|
|'''hàjj''' # (also spelt '''hàdj''')
|
|-
|'''K
|
|'''púkka'''; '''boòkkeeper''' (accidental)<ref>With a pause to indicate both '''k'''’s are pronounced.</ref> #
|
|
|-
|'''L
|'''llàma'''<ref>Also representing a [[Welsh language|Welsh]] sound in place names like '''Llandudno''' (-dídno) and '''Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwrndrobllllantysiliogogogóch'''.</ref> #
|'''fílling
|'''wéll'''
|'''bélle''' ''beauty'' (= '''béll''' ''ring'')


áccent áx-
|-
|'''M
|
|'''súmmer
|'''Crámm''' (= '''crám''')
|'''grámme''' (= '''grám''')
|-
|'''N
|
|'''dínner
|'''ínn''' # ''pub''
|'''Ánne''' (= '''Ánn''')
|-
|'''O
|'''oôze, oòmph''' #
|'''foôd, foòt, flòod, doŏr'''
|'''toô
|'''Loôe''' (= '''loô''')
|-
|'''P
|
|'''flípped
|
|'''stéppe''' ''Asia'' # (= '''stép''' ''foot'')
|-
|'''Q
|
|'''Sadìqqi''' #
|
|
|-
|'''R
|
|'''érror
|'''pürr
|
|-
|'''S
|
|'''méssy
|'''lóss
|'''crevásse
|-
|'''T
|
|'''bétter
|'''ẁatt
|'''couchétte''' -sh-
|-
|'''U
|
|'''vácuum''' # (*vákyoôm)
|
|
|-
|'''V
|
|'''révved''' #
|
|
|-
|'''W
|
|'''Lawwell''' # (accidental)
|
|
|-
|'''X
|
|'''[[Exxon|Éxxon]]''' ™ #
|'''[[Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans|Bób B. Sóxx]]''' #
|
|-
|'''Y
|
|'''[[Omar Khayyam|Khayyàm]]''' #
|
|
|-
|'''Z
|
|'''fízzy
|'''búzz
|
|}


accéntuate -x-
==Names of the letters==
The names of the letters of the alphabet are rarely written out in English (a simple capital being the normal usage: "with a C, not a K") so that, unlike in many other languages, most of their spellings have a rather unofficial status. But they can be shown as follows, using real words where possible:


accépt ''receive'' cf. excépt ''exception''
'''A''': '''â''' (the indefinite article, when stressed), '''èh?''' ''what?


áccess *áxéss, cf. áxis, áxês
'''B''': '''bê''' ''exist'', '''bêe''' ''sting


áccident áx-
'''C''': occasionally '''cêe'''; '''sêe''' ''look'', '''sêa''' ''ship


accidéntally áx-
'''D''': [[River Dee|'''Dêe''' ''River]], ''surname''


áccolade
'''E''': '''ê''' as in '''êmail''', '''ê-mail


accómmodate - two c’s and two m’s
'''F''': '''éff''' as in the euphemism '''éff óff


accòmpany
'''G''': '''gêe''' ''up, exclamation'' *jêe


accòmplíce ''person''
'''H''': '''âitch''' as in '''drópping your âitches


accòmplísh ''achieve''
'''I''': '''Î''' ''me'', '''eŷe''' ''vision


Accrà
'''J''': '''jây''' ''bird


accrûe cf. acróss
'''K''': '''Kây''' ''person


acërbic
'''L''': '''él''' ''elevated railway'' ([[American English|AmE]])


âche *âke
'''M''': '''ém''' ''dash


achìêve
'''N''': '''én''' ''dash


ácmê
'''O''': '''ôwe''' ''debt'', '''ôh!''' ''exclamation


acquiésce *aquìéss, cf. quiéscent *kwìéssent, quîet *kwîət
'''P''': '''pêa''' ''pod'', '''pêe''' ''urine'', '''p''' ''pence'' ([[British English|BrE]])


acquîre *aquîre
'''Q''': '''queûe''' ''line'', '''cûe''' ''ball'', ''prompt


acquít
'''R''': '''àre''' ''be'', BrE '''àh''' ''exclamation


âcreage *âkerage
'''S''': occasionally '''éss


acróss cf. accrûe
'''T''': '''têa''' ''drink'', '''têe''' ''golf'', '''tì''' ''do-re-mi


áctual *ákchəl
'''U''': '''yoû''' ''me'', '''eŵe''' ''sheep


ácûmen cf. áccurate
'''V''': '''[[Bobby Vee|Vêe]]''' ''Bobby''


ácupuncture
'''W''': "'''doúble you'''" (*dúblyu; cf. '''vácûum''', which actually does have a '''doúble Û''')


ádage
'''X''': '''éx-''' ''past


adàgio -jô
'''Y''': '''whŷ''' ''reason'' (voiced '''w''', as in BrE)


ádd ''more'' = ád ''advertisement''  
'''Z''': BrE '''zéd''', AmE '''zêe


Áddis Ábaba
==''The Chaos''==
by Gerard Nolst Trenité


ádditive
This poem on pronunciation irregularities was first published in 1920. Accent marks, respellings and editorial comments have been added to reflect current [[British English]] pronunciation. The unadorned poem, with an introduction, can be found [http://ncf.idallen.com/english.html here].


addíctive


addréss BrE = a dréss; AmE áddress
'''The Châós''' (*câyóss)


adhêre (d and h pronounced separately)


adhêsive (d and h pronounced separately)
Dêarest crêature ín creâtion


ád hóc
Stúdying English (*Ínglish) pronunciâtion,


ádjective cf. ejécted
:Î wíll têach yoû ín mŷ vërse


adjöurn
:Sòunds lîke cŏrpse, cŏrps (*cŏr), hŏrse and wörse.


adjúst *ajúst
Î wíll kêep yoû, Sûsy, busy (*bízzy),


ád nåusêám
Mâke yŏur héad wíth hêat grôw dízzy;


adôbê
:Têar ín eŷe, yŏur dréss yŏu'll téar;


adrénalín can be -íne
:Quêer, fãir sêer (*sêe-er), hêar mŷ prãyer.


advānce
Prây, consôle yŏur lòving pôet,


ádvent
Mâke mŷ côat loòk neŵ, dêar, sew (=sô) ít!   
:Júst compãre heàrt, hêar and hëard,


advénture
:Dîes and dîet (*dîət), lŏrd and wörd.


ádversary -vəsrỳ or advërsary
Swŏrd (*sŏrd) and swård, retâin and Brítain


ádvërt
[Mînd the látter hòw ít's wrítten].


ádvertise never -îze
:Mâde hás nót the sòund of báde,


advërtísement BrE;  AmE ádvertîsement
:Sây–said (*séd), pây–pâid, lâid but pláid.
Nòw Î sůrely wíll nót plâgue yoû


advîce noun -ss
Wíth súch wörds as vâgue and âgûe,


advîse verb pronounced but never spelt -îze
:Bút bê cãreful hòw yoû spêak,


advîser = advîsor (alternatives)
:Sây: gúsh, bùsh, steâk, strêak, breâk, blêak,


Aêgêan *Êjêən
Prêvious, précious, fûchsia (*feŵsha), vîa,   
 
Récipê, pîpe, stúdding-sâil, choîr (=quîre);


ãerial air = Ãriel person
:Wôven, óven, hòw and lôw,


ãerie bird = ãiry light and = variant spellings of bird: ãerie = éyrie = éyry
:Scrípt, recêipt (*rissêet), shoe (=shoô), pôem, tôe.
Sây, expécting fråud and tríckerỳ:  


ãeroplane BrE;  AmE ãirplane
Dåughter (*dåwter), làughter (*làfter) ánd Terpsíchorê (*Terpsíckery),


Aêschylus BrE; AmE Êschylus *Êeskiləss
:Brànch, rànch, mêasles, tópsails, aîsles (*îles),


aêsthétics AmE ê-
:Míssîles, símilês, revîles.
Whôlly (=hôly), hólly, sígnal, sîgning (*sîning),


afféct ''alter'' cf. efféct ''result'' í-
Sâme, exámining, but mîning,
:Schólar (*scóllar), vícar, and cigàr,


áffect ''emotion''
:Sôlar, mîca, wår and fàr.


afféctive ''emotional'' cf. efféctive ''resultant''
From "desîre": desîrable - ádmirable from "admîre",


áffidâvit
Lúmber, plúmber, biêr, but brîer,
:Tópsham, broûgham (*breŵəm), renòwn, but knôwn,


affrònt cf. effròntery
:Knówledge, dòne, lône, góne, nòne, tône,


Afghánistān - either stressed
Òne (=wòn), anémonê, Balmóral,
Kítchen, lîchen (=lîken), låundry, laurel (lórrel).


aficionàdo
:Gërtrude, Gërman (J-), wínd and wînd,


afrâid
:Beau (=Bô), kînd, kíndred, queûe, mankînd,   
Tŏrtoise (*tŏrtus), türquŏise, chámois-léather (*shámwà-),


África
Rêading, Réading, hêathen, héather.


Afrikàans -ànce
:Thís phonétic lábyrínth


Afrikàner
:Gíves móss, grôss, broòk, brôoch, nînth, plínth.


āfter
Háve yoû éver yét endéavoured


āfterwards
To (=toô)<ref>Strong form of '''to''', not normal in a verb's infinitive, necessitated by the metre.</ref> pronòunce revêred and sévered,


again é, but AmE and some BrE, regular: agâin
:Dêmon, lémon, ghoûl, fòul, sôul,  


against é, but AmE and some BrE, regular: agâinst
:Pêter, pétrol and patrôl?


agâpe ''gaping''
Bíllet dòes nót énd lîke bállèt (*bállây);


ágapê ''eros''
Boûquèt, ẁallet, mállet, chálèt.       
:Blòod and flòod are nót lîke foôd,
       
:Nŏr ís môuld lîke shoùld and woùld (=woòd).


âge cf. édge: Francophones beware
Bánquet ís nót nêarly pàrquèt,


âgeing *âging, *âjing
Whích exáctly rhŷmes wíth khàkì. ''—not usually nowadays''
       
:Díscòunt, vîscòunt (*vîcòunt), lôad and brŏad,
       
:Towård, to fŏrward, to (=toô) rewård,  


âgeist
Rícochèted and crôchèting, crôquèt?


agô
Rîght! Yŏur pronunciâtion's OK.<ref>The pronunciation required by the metre is "ôkay", though the '''K''' is normally the stressed syllable: '''okây'''.</ref>


ágriculture
:Ròunded, woûnded, griêve and síeve,
:Friénd and fiênd, alîve and líve.


âid ''help'' = âide ''assistant''; Âids or ÂIDS ''disease'' = âids, âides ''plurals''
Ís yŏur R corréct ín hîgher?


Âids or ÂIDS ''disease'' = âids, âides ''plurals''
Kêats assërts ít rhŷmes Thalîa.
ãir ''breathe'' = Ãyr ''Scotland'' = ére ''before'' = é’er ''ever'' = héir ''estate''


ãiry ''light'' = all four spellings of éyrie = éyry = ãerie = ãery ''bird'', cf. êerie ''strange''
:Hûgh, but húg, and hoòd, but hoôt,
       
:Buŏyant, mínute, bút minûte.  


alîgn = a lîne, cf. állŷ ''friend'', állêy ''way''
Sây abscíssion wíth precísion,  


aîsle ''church'' = îsle ''island''
Nòw: posítion ánd transítion;


Ajáccio *Azháxio
:Woùld ít tálly wíth mŷ rhŷme
       
:Íf Î méntioned páradîgm?


Àjax ''Amsterdam'' *Àyáx
Twòpence, thréepence, têase are êasy,


Âjax ''person''
But cêase, crêase, grêase and grêasy?
 
:Cŏrnice, nîce, valìse, revîse,


Ál person cf. åll total
:Râbíes, but lúllabîes.  


Alabáma - one m, cf. Montána, Louisiána
Óf súch púzzling wörds as nåuseous,  


Álan = Àllen = Àllan
Rhŷming wéll wíth cåutious, tŏrtious,


alás
:Yoû'll envélop lísts, Î hôpe,
       
:Ín a línen énvelôpe.


Ålbany cf. Álbânia
Woùld yoû lîke some mŏre? Yoû'll háve ít!


Álbert
Áffidâvit, Dâvid, dávit.


Albuquërquê *Albəkïrky
:To (=toô) abjûre, to përjure. Shèik
:Dòes nót sòund lîke Czéch but âche.   
Líberty, lîbrary, hêave and héaven,


Åldwých
Râchel, lóch, moustàche, eléven.


âle ''beer'' = âil ''ailing''
:Wê sây hállôwed, bút allòwed,


Álfred
:Pêople, léopard, tôwed but vòwed.


álgaê *áljê or *álgy
Màrk the dífference, moreôver,


álgorithm rhymes with rhýthm
Betwêen mover (*moôver), plòver, Dôver.


Áli ''person'' = álley ''walk'' - except Muhámmad Àlì ''boxer''
:Lêaches, brêeches, wîse, precîse,


âlias *âlius
:Chálíce, bút polìce and lîce,


Álíce
Cámel, cònstable, únstâble,


alîgn = a lîne, cf. állŷ
Prínciple, discîple, lâbel.  
   
:Pétal, pênal, and canál,


Álistair = Álastair
:Wâit, surmîse, pláit, prómíse, pál,


âlias
Sûit, suìte, rûín. Cïrcuít, cónduít


álibî
Rhŷme wíth "shïrk ít" and "beyónd ít". —''still?''


âlien
:Bút ít ís nót hàrd to téll


alienâtion
:Whŷ ít's påll, måll, but Páll Máll.


alîgned *allîned, cf. állied
Múscle, múscular, gâol (=jâil), îron,  


alîve
Tímber, clîmber, búllion, lîon,


åll ''every'' = åwl ''tool'', cf. Ál ''person''
:Wörm and stŏrm, chaise (*shézz), châós, chãir,  


Alládin
:Sénator, spectâtor, mãyor,


allegâtions *allogations
Îvy, prívy, fâmous; clámour


allége cf. lédge, etc.
Hás thê Â of dráchm and hámmer.  


alléged *aléjd
:Pùssy, hússy ánd posséss,


allégedly *aléjidly
:Désert, but desërt, addréss.


allelûia or allelûja or allelûya
Gôlf, wolf (=Woòlf), còuntenance, lieuténants
Hŏist ín lieû of flágs léft pénnants.


állêy ''path'' = Áli ''person'', cf. állŷ
:Coùrier, cŏurtier, tomb (*toôm), bómb, cômb,  


álligâtor
:Còw, but Cowper (=Coôper), sòme and hôme.


allót ''assign'' = a lót ''much''
"Sôlder, sôldier!  Blòod ís thícker",


åll-òut ''total'' before noun needs hyphen
Quôth hê, "than liqueûr ŏr líquor",   
:Mâking, ít ís sád but trûe,


allòwed ''permitted'' = alòud ''heard''
:Ín bravàdo, múch ado (*adoô).


álloy
Strânger dòes nót rhŷme wíth ánger,


állŷ ''friend'' cf. állêy, alîgn
Neîther dòes devòur wíth clángour. —''neither does anger: *áng-gə''
:Pîlot, pívot, gåunt, but āunt,
:Fónt, frònt, wônt, wånt, gránd and grānt.


állŷ ''noun''
Àrsenic, specífic, scênic,


allŷ ''verb'', cf. Álì ''person''
Rélic, rhétoric, hygìênic.  
:Goòseberry, goôse, and clôse, but clôse,


ålmanac
:Páradise, rîse, rôse, and dôse.
Sây invèigh, nèigh, but invêigle,


ålmost
Mâke the látter rhŷme wíth êagle.


àlms ''gift'' = BrE àrms ''body, weapons''
:Mînd! Mêándering but mêan,  


alóngside one word
:Válentîne and mágazìne.


alòud ''audible'' = allòwed ''allow''
Ánd Î bét yoû, dêar, a pénny,


alréady ''before'' = åll réady ''ready''
Yoû sây máni-(fôld) lîke many (*ménny),


alrîght = åll rîght - same meaning, probably by analogy with alréady
:Whích ís wróng.  Sây râpier, pìêr,  


Alsâtian
:Tîer (òne who tîes), but tìêr.


ålso
Àrch, archângel; prây, dòes ërring


ålter ''change'' = åltar ''church''
Rhŷme wíth hérring ŏr wíth stïrring?   
:Príson, bîson, tréasure trôve,


altërnate ''adjective''
:Trêason, hóver, còver, côve,


ålternâte ''verb''
Persevêrance, séverance.  Ríbald


altërnative
Rhŷmes (but pîebåld dòesn't) wíth níbbled.
       
:Phâeton, paêan, gnát, ghåt, gnåw,
       
:Liên, psŷchic, shóne, bône, pshåw.
Dôn't bê dòwn, mŷ ôwn, but roúgh ít,


althôugh *åldhô
Ánd distínguish bùffèt, búffet;   
 
   
alumínium BrE; AmE alûminum
:Broôd, stoòd, roôf, roòk, schoôl, woòl, boôn,  
 
alvêolar
 
ålways
 
ám ''be''
 
âm ''ante meridian'' *â-ém
 
ámateur *ámətə; AmE can be amateûr
 
ambássador cf. émbassy
 
ámbergrìs BrE; AmE ámbergrís - s pronounced
 
ambítious *ámbíshəss
 
amén BrE à, AmE â
 
aménd cf. comménd
 
aménds ''make'' = eménds ''alters''
 
âmìable cf. âim
 
ámícable
 
amòng
 
amòunt
 
an *ən: version of a before a consonant
 
anáchronism -nákr-
 
ánalŷse
 
análysês ''plural'' *ənáləssêez
 
análysis ''singular'' *ənáləssís
 
ánalýst
 
ánarchy *ánəkỳ
 
áncestor
 
ánchor -nk-
 
ánchovy -ntsh-
 
âncient
 
and *ənd, sometimes ánd for emphasis = &
 
andántè
 
Ándês
 
Andêan
 
Andórra AmE -ŏrr-, cf. Pandŏra
 
Ándreŵ
 
anémonê cf. an énemy
 
ângel *ânjəl, cf. ángle
 
ánger BrE *áng-gə
 
ángry *áng-gry
 
ángst
 
ánimus cf. ûnánimous
 
Ánkara
 
ánnals cf. ánalyst
 
annéx verb
 
ánnex or ánnexe ''noun''
 
annîhilate *annîyílâte
 
anómaly
 
ánonýmity
 
anónymous
anòther one word
 
ānswer - w silent: BrE *ànsə, AmE *ánsr
 
Antàrctica first c can be silent
 
ántê- before = ántì-
 
Ánthony (usual) = Ántony Mark, -tə-
 
ántì- against = ántê-; AmE ántî-
 
ántidote
 
Antìgua -gə
 
antirrhînum *antirŷnum
 
antisémitism
 
anxîety *angzîety
 
ánxious *ánkshəss
 
any ''thing'' é-, cf. Ánnie ''person''
 
anybody *énnybódy, one word
 
any mŏre two words
 
anyone *énnywún, one word
 
anyway ''despite'' one word, cf. where wây is a noun: any wây yoû loòk at ít
 
apâce ''fast'' = a pâce ''step''
 
apàrtheîd -tîte
 
apéritìf - either stressed
 
aphêlion *áfêlian
 
apìêce ''each'' one word = a pìêce ''part''
 
apócalypse
 
apólogîse ''verb''
 
apólogíes ''plural noun''
 
apóstasy
 
apóstrophê
 
appål - AmE can be appåll
 
appålling
 
apparátchik
 
ápparâtus BrE - either stressed (to children apparatus can sound plural, ‘apperators’); AmE apparátus
 
appárel
 
appárent
 
appêar
 
appêasement
 
appêaser
 
applåuse
 
approval -prû-
 
approve -prû-
 
âpricot
 
à priŏrî two words
 
àpriŏrísm one word
 
apropôs *ápropô
 
Aquãrius
 
Árab ''adjective, person''
 
Arâbian ''adjective''
 
Árabic ''language''
 
àrc ''circle'' = Àrk ''Noah''
 
archâíc *àrkâyíc
 
archeólogy àrk-
 
archipélago àrk-
 
àrchive *àrkîve
 
ãrêa ''space'' *ãrêə, cf. ària, êra
 
Argentìna Àrj-
 
àrgil ''clay'' - soft g
 
Argŷll ''Scotland'' = Argŷle ''Plymouth'' - hard g
 
àrgue
 
àrgument
 
ària ''opera'' cf. ãrea
 
árid
 
Ãries -ríz
 
árístocrat BrE á stressed, AmE í stressed
 
aristocrátic
 
Àrkansas BrE -såw, AmE -sà
 
arrést
 
arrhythmic
 
àrsenal *àrssnəl
 
arrhýthmic
 
àrtefact
 
artêsian ''well'' *àrtêzhən
 
artifícial -shəl
 
artisán ''art'' *àrtizán
 
àrtist ''art''
 
artìste ''stage''
 
ascént ''climb'' = assént ''agree''
 
ascertâin
 
ÁSEAN or Ásean ''association'' *ássián, cf. Âsian Asia, *Âzhan
 
Âsia *Âsha or *Âzha
 
askānce
 
as oppôsed to ázəpôzt-
ásphalt
 
áspirin -spr-, cf. aspîring
 
assássin four s’s
 
assént agree = ascént climb
 
ássét
 
assûme -syûme
 
assûre AmE -shûre, BrE –shůre
 
ásterisk
 
Ásterix
 
ásthma *ássma
 
asúnder
 
asŷlum
 
âte AmE; BrE *ét
 
âthêíst cf. aesthétic
 
atrôcious -shəss
 
atrócity
 
áttaboy one word
 
attáchè -áshè
 
attörney
 
Åuckland
 
auctionêer åuk-
 
augúst ''revered''
 
Åugust ''month''
 
āunt ''uncle'' AmE = ánt ''insect''
 
au fâit *ô-fây
 
au fónd *ô-fón, French nasal -ón
 
au pãir ôp-
 
åural ''ear'' = ŏral ''voice''
 
åuspices
 
Aussie ''Australasian'' = Óssy = Óssie ''persons''
 
Austen ''Jane'' = Austin ''car, Texas'' Ó-
 
Austrâlia Ó-
 
Austria Ó-
 
åutarchy ''sovereignty'' = åutarky ''self-sufficiency''
 
authóritative
 
authórity
 
àùtobàhn
 
åutomobìle
 
åutumn silent n, -m
 
autúmnal not silent n
 
ávalānche
 
ávant gàrde (gàrde = guàrd)
 
avocàdo
 
avoirdupŏis *ávədə-pŏiz
 
åwe
 
awêigh ''anchors'' = awây ''go''
 
åwful
 
åwkward *åwquəd
 
åwl ''tool'' = åll ''total''
 
ÂWOL
 
awrŷ
 
áxe ''chop'' BrE; AmE áx
 
áxes plural -íz
 
áxis spin -íss
 
áxês plural -êz, cf. áccess
 
áxle ''car'' = Áxel ''person''
 
Áxminster
 
aŷe ''yes'' = eŷe ''see'' = Î ''me''
 
Ãyr ''Scotland'' = ãir ''breathe''
 
Ãyrshire
 
ázure -zh-
 
===B===
B = bê ''is'', bêe ''insect''
 
bàa ''sheep'' BrE = bàr ''drink, chocolate, soap''
 
baboôn
 
Bàch ''music'' = bách ''Welsh''
 
báchelor ''unmarried'' = Bátchelor ''person''
 
báckbiting one word
 
báckhand ''tennis''
 
back-hánded ''ambiguous''
 
bácklash one word
 
backyàrd one word
 
bád ''evil'' = báde ''asked''
 
Baghdád BrE; AmE Bághdad Bágd-
 
bâil ''law, cricket'' = bâle ''hay, parachute''
 
bâilie ''magistrate'' = Bâiley ''person''
 
bâit ''hook'' = bâte ''fury, restrain''
 
bâize ''cloth'' = bâys ''bay''
 
Bàli ''island'' = BrE bàrley ''beer''
 
Bålkans cf. bálcony
 
båll ''game'' = båwl ''shout''
 
ballerìna cf. pizzerìa
 
bállèt *bállây, cf. bállot
 
bàlm -àm
 
bàlmy ''sea'' = BrE bàrmy ''daft''
 
Båltimore
 
báluster cf. bánister
 
banàl BrE; AmE bânal
 
banálity


banāna
:Worcester (*Wùster), Boleýn, to (=toô) impûgn. 
Sây ín sòunds corréct and stërling


bánd ''music'' = bánned ''ban''
Hëarse, hêar, heàrken, yêar and yëarling ''—yëar and yêarling are about as likely''


bándwagon one word
Êvil, dévil, mézzotínt,


Bangkók cf. Háncóck - both -ngk-
:Mînd the Z (zéd)!  (A géntle hínt.)


bánish
Nòw yoû nêed nót pây atténtion


Bàrbara
To (=toô) súch sòunds as Î dôn't méntion,
:Sòunds lîke pŏres, påuse, pŏurs and påws,
       
:Rhŷming wíth the prônòun yŏurs;


barbãrian
Nŏr are próper nâmes inclûded,


barbáric
Thôugh Î óften hëard, as yoû díd,     
:Fúnny rhŷmes to ûnicŏrn,
       
:Yés, yoû knôw them, Våughan and Stråchan —''nowadays regularised to *Strákhən


bàrbecûe *bàrbeqûe
Nô, mŷ mâiden, cŏy and còmely,
   
   
barcarólle or -óle
Î dôn't ẁant to spêak of Chòlmondeley (*Chúmley).  
 
       
bàrd ''poet, bacon'' = bàrred ''bar''
:Nô. Yét Froûde compãred wíth pròud
 
bãre ''naked'' = béãr ''animal, tolerate''
 
bãrely
 
bàrgaín *bàrgin
 
bàrley
 
bàr mítzvah
 
bàrnacle
 
báron ''nobleman'' = bárren ''bare'' = Bárron ''person''
 
baróque BrE *bərók, AmE *barôke
 
bárrage -àzh BrE, AmE *bəràzh
 
bárrier
 
bàrtender
 
bâse ''basic'' = bâss ''treble'', cf. báss ''fish'' = Báss ''person''
 
bâses ''base'' -ssíz = bâsses ''music''
 
bâsês ''basis'' -ssêez
bâsic -ss-
 
bâsin -ss-
 
bâsis -ssíss
 
bāsk ''sun'' = Bāsque ''people''
 
bāsketball one word
 
báss ''fish'' = Báss ''person''
 
bâss ''treble'' = bâse ''basic''
 
bassoôn -ssoô-
 
bâste ''pour, sew'' = bâsed ''base''
 
batállion cf. báttle
 
bâte ''anger, breath'' = bâit ''lure''
 
bāth = Bāth ''city'' cf. bâthe ''swim'', final e signifying voiced th
 
bátón - one t, cf. Pátton, Hátton etc.
 
báttlefield one word
 
Báx ''person'' = bácks ''back''
 
bazàar *bəzàr, cf. bizàrre, í
 
Bà’ath ''party'' BrE = bāth ''water''
 
bê ''is'' = bêe ''insect''
 
bêach ''sand'' = bêech ''tree''
 
bêad ''string'' = Bêde ''person''
 
bêan ''eat'' = bêen ''was''
 
béãr ''tolerate, animal'' = bãre naked, cf. bêer drink, hêar hearing
 
bêat win, hit, rhythm = bêet sugar
 
bêater ''beat'' BrE = ''bêta'' Greek
 
bêátify saint cf. Sêáttle and beaûtify beauty
 
Bêatríce, Bêatrix a as schwa: Bêə-
 
beau ''boyfriend'' = Bô ''[[Bo Diddley|Diddley]]''
 
beaûty *byûty
 
because ó
 
Béchèt *Béshây
 
bêe ''insect'' = bê ''is''
 
bêetle ''insect'' = Bêatle ''[[The Beatles|Beatles]]'', cf. bêat ''rhythm''
 
bêech ''tree'' = beâch ''sand''
 
bêen ''was'' = bêan ''eat''
 
bêer ''drink'' = bìêr ''coffin''
 
bêet ''sugar'' = bêat ''hit''
 
Bèethôven *Bâitovən
 
behêmoth
 
Bèijíng - j not zh sound
 
bêíng cf. Bíng
 
Beirût *Bây-roôt
 
Belarûs - one would expect this post-Soviet word (once literally rendered as ‘White Russia’) to regularise to ‘Bélarus’, with the u as schwa, but this hasn’t happened; the most common alternative is still Belarùs
 
Bélfāst
 
Bélgium *Béljəm
 
belîe cf. relŷ, belŷing, lîe
 
belìêve
 
béllicôse
 
bellígerent -j-
 
béllow ''shout, bellows'' cf. belôw ''under''
 
Bénaud *Bénnô
 
bénefit
 
benévolent
 
bérèt *bérrây
 
bërk ''insult'' = Bürke ''person''
 
Bërkelêy ''California'' cf. Bàrclaỳ ''person'' = BrE Berkeley ''person''
 
Bërkshîre AmE; BrE *Bàkshə, as with bàrk ''dog, tree'' Bàrking ''town''
 
Berlín
 
bérry ''fruit'' = bury ''ground'' = Bury ''town''
 
bërth ''ship'' = bïrth ''born
 
bêta BrE; AmE bèta
 
Bétjeman *Bétcheman
 
bewíldered BrE *biwíldəd, AmE *bêwíldərd
 
bezìque *bəzêek
 
Bhùtto (the [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]] has taken to saying *Boôto)
 
bî- ''two'' = bŷ ''preposition'' = bŷ- ''extra'' = bŷe ''cricket, goodbye'' = buŷ ''sell'' = bî ''bisexual''
 
bîas
 
bîased *bŷəst
 
bìdet *bêedây
 
bìêr corpse = bêer drink
 
bígot
 
Bíllie female = Bílly male = bílly goat
 
bîô-
 
biógraphy
 
biólogy
 
Bïrmingham *Bïrmingəm, g not sounded separately
 
bïrthplace one word
 
bíscuit *bísket, cf. bāsket
 
bîson cf. bâsin
 
bîte ''food'' = bŷte ''computer'' = bîght ''loop''
 
bizàrre *bízàr, cf. bazàar *bəzàr
 
bláckmail
 
blānch ''white'' = Blānche ''person''
 
blancmange *bləmónzh
 
blãre ''noise'' = Blãir ''person''
 
bléssed *blést; but mostly as attributive adj: a *bléssíd thíng
 
blóc ''grouping'' = blóck ''prevent, wood, building''
 
blónd ''male person, male and female adjective'' = blónde ''female person''
 
blòodstained one word
 
blòodthirsty one word
 
blûe ''colour'' = bleŵ ''blow''
 
blürred cf. cûred
 
bŏard ''wooden, directors'' = bŏred ''boring'', cf. brŏad ''wide''
 
bôast
 
bôat
 
Boàteng Bwà-
 
Bôeing ''person'' = bôwing ''music''
 
Boer *Bùer
 
bôgey ''golf, ghost'' = bôgie ''trolley, truck'' = Bôgey ''Bogart
 
bôld brave = bôwled bowl
 
Bóllywood
bôlt metal = Bôlt = Bôult persons
Bólton city, person = Bôulton person
bómb *bóm
Bombây
bómbing *bómming
bôna fîdê
bonhomìê *bónə-mêe
boôgie-woôgie
boòkkeeper one word: extended k sound as if two
boôst
boôze drink = boôs boo
Bŏrdeaux *Bŏrdô, cf. Bardôt, *Bardô
bŏre boring, carried bŏar ''animal'' = bŏor rude =
bŏred boring = bŏard wooden, directors
bŏredom *bŏrdum
Bŏrgia *Bŏrjə
bŏrn birth = bŏrne wind = bŏurn stream
bòrough town BrE -rə, AmE = búrrow earth
bosom *bùzəm
bôth
boûgainvillea *bûgənvília
bòugh tree = bòw low, ship
bôulder rock = bôlder bold
Boulogne *Bəlŏin
böurbon
bŏurgeois bŏrzhwà
bourgeoisìê bŏrzhwà-zêe
bŏurne stream = bŏrn birth = bŏrne carried
Bŏurnemouth *Bŏrnməth
bòw low, ship = bòugh tree
bôw knot
bòwel
bòwer tree = bàuer euchre
bôwl all meanings
bóxing sport = Bóxing Day
búffalo animal = Búffalo America
 
brâin head cf. Brîan person
brâinwash one word
Brasília - s
Brazíl - z
bréad food = bréd breed
breâk smash, interval = brâke car
breâkaway adjective cf. breâk awây verb
breâkdown noun cf. breâk dòwn verb
breâkthroûgh noun *brâkethrû; cf. breâk throûgh verb
bréakfast
bréath noun unvoiced th, brêathe verb voiced th, cf. mòuth, same noun-verb distinction in pronunciation, but invariable spelling
bréathtaking one word
bréd breed = bréad food
brêed animal cf. bréad food
bréthren -dhrən
Brîan = Brŷan cf. brâin, O’Brîen
brìêf
brîght -ît
Brísbane *Brízbən
Brítain country -tən; = Bríton citizen, Brítten, Brítton, Bríttain persons
Bríttany France ≈ Brítney person
brôach subject = broôch wear
brŏad cf. bŏard
bróccolì *bróckəlêy
Brómwich *Brómmidge
Bróntê
brôoch pin BrE = brôach speak; AmE broôch
broôm sweep = brûme mist
bróthel unvoiced th
bròther voiced th
Bròúgh *Brúff
broûgham carriage = broôm sweep - or gha as schwa, broôəm
broûhàhà
Brûges = Brûgge *Brûzh
 
brûise ''contusion'' *brûze = breŵs ''beer''
 
Bruneî
 
Brunél
 
Brússels
 
Bucharést Bùka-
 
Budapést Bùda-
 
Bùddha -ùdə
 
Bùddhist -ùdi-
 
Buénos Aîres ''Argentina'' –ríz or Ãires *Ãríz, cf. Ãries ''Ram''
 
bùffèt ''eat'' *bùffây
 
búffet ''hit'', t sounded
 
buffoôn -ffoô-
 
buíld *bíld
 
buílding *bílding
 
Bulgãria
 
bùll
 
bùlletin
búllshit one word
buŏy sea = bŏy child
buŏyant *bŏyant
bürden load = Bürdon person
bûreau *byûrô, plural bûreaux, *bûrôz
bureaucracy *byûrócracy, *beaûrócracy
bürger hamburger = bürgher business = Bërger person
bürgeoning
bürn fire = Bÿrne name
bürqa
búrrow ground = AmE bòrôugh town cf. Búrrôughs person
 
bús ''transport'' = búss ''kiss''
 
búsed ''driven'' or bússed = búst ''bosom, broke''
búses ''plural, verb'' *bússes
búsing -ss-
bùsh
 
 
business *bízniss, cf. bíz, busy-ness ''being busy''
 
businessman one word, bíz-
 
 
 
bússed ''driven'' or búsed = búst ''bosom, broken''
 
busy bíz-
 
busybódy bíz-; one word
 
busy-ness ''busy'' cf. business ''matter'' - both í
 
bútt ''head, joke, buttocks'' = bút ''however''
 
bútterfly
 
buŷ ''sell'' = bŷ ''preposition'' = bŷ- ''incidental'' = bŷe ''cricket'' = bî- ''two'' = bî ''bisexual''
 
bŷe-bye! 
 
bŷ-election
 
bŷ-product
 
Bÿrd ''person'' = bïrd ''fly''
 
 
Bŷzántîne or Býzantîne
 
===C===
C = sêe ''look''
 
cabál cf. câble
 
cáche ''arms'' = cásh ''money''
 
càdre *càder; AmE càdrê
 
cáddie ''golf'' = cáddy ''tea''
 
cáfè (can be written as café)
 
cáfè au lâit (can be written as café au lait) *cáfâyô-lây
 
cáffêine
 
Caîro
 
Caìus ''Cambridge'' = kêys ''lock''; otherwise regularly Caîus, rhyming with Gaîus
 
Calcútta
 
cálendar not spelt -er, cf. còlander
 
Cálgary *Cálgəri
 
Califŏrnia -nyə
 
callígraphy -ll-
 
cállous uncaring = cállus skin ≈ Cállas Maria (or Cállás)
 
càlm -àm, BrE and AmE
 
Câmbridge
 
camêllia or caméllia cf. chamaêleon *camêliən
 
cameráderie
 
cámouflàge -àzh
 
campâign *campâin, cf. champâgne *shám-pâin, and words in -èign, all of which rhyme
 
Cámpbell *Cámble, rhyming with gámble
 
cán able, tin = Cánnes France
 
Cânaan *Câynən - aa as schwa
 
Cánada
 
Canâdian
 
canál
 
cánapè
 
canãry
 
canásta
 
Cánberra -bərə, BrE *Cánborough
 
cáncer ''illness'' = Cáncer ''constellation''
 
cándidate BrE -ət, AmE -âte
 
câne ''stick, sugar'' = Câin ''Abel''
 
cánister - one n
 
cánnabis
 
cánnibal cf. Hánnibal
 
cannót - or cánnot for emphasis, but always one word when nót is modifying cán, cf. ít cán nót ônly…but ålsô…
 
canoe -noô
 
cánon ''church, œuvre, music'' = cánnon ''war''
 
cánt ''cliche'' = Kánt ''philosopher'', AmE cán’t ''impossible''
 
cantàta
 
cánvas ''paint, tent'' = cánvass ''election''
 
cányon cf. ònion, both -yən
 
câpable
 
Câpe Tòwn - two words, *Câpetown
 
capíllary AmE cápillãry
 
cápital ''city'' = Cápitol ''Washington''
 
capítulate
 
Cápricorn
 
càr ''vehicle'' = Càrr = Kàrr ''persons''
 
càr-lôad ''noun''
 
cárat ''gold'' = cárrot ''food''
 
càrcass ''body'' cf. Carácas
 
cãre
 
cãrefree one word
 
carêer ''profession, speed'' BrE = Korêa ''country'', cf. cárrier ''carry''
 
cãrer
 
Cáríbbêan *Cárri-bêeən (some say Cəríbbêən)
 
cáricature cf. cháracter, both k-
 
Carlîsle ''city, person'' = Carlŷle ''person''
 
Carnêgìê hard g
 
caròusal ''carouse'' *cəròuzəl
 
carousél ''round'' *carəssél
 
cárry ''bring'' = Cárrie ''person''
 
càrt horse = kàrt race
 
cartél
 
càrton
 
cartoôn cf. Khartoûm, m only different sound
 
cásh ''money'' = cáche ''weapons''
 
cáshmêre ''wool'' = Kashmìr ''Asia''
 
cassàva
 
cāst ''drama, throw, eye'' = ''cāste'' India
 
Castílian cf. Castìlle
 
cāstle -ssl
 
cásual cf. cåusal
 
cásualty
 
Cátalan
 
Catalônia - ‘Catalunya’ is Catalan
catàrrh *catàr, cf. Qátàr
catástrophê
catastróphic
cátchphrase one word 
Câte - although Kâte is the traditional abbreviation of Cátherine, Kátharine, etc.
câter
cáterpillar
cáttle cows cf. kéttle boil
cåucus rhymes with råucous
cåught catch BrE = cŏurt tennis
cauliflòur *cóllyflower
cåuse reason -z = BrE Cŏrrs persons, cf. cŏurse -ss, cf. because *bicóz, ’cós because *cóz
cause celébre cause célèbre *côz-celébrə
cavalìêr
cávêát
cêase stop *sêess, cf. sêize hold
cêasefîre
cêde yield = sêed plant
cèilidh *kâlêy
cêiling floor = sêaling shutting
centrífugal s-
célebrâte
celébrity
célibate
céll prison, biology = séll money
céllar wine = séller sales
céllo ch-
Céltic or céltic civilisation K-, cf. Céltic, S- football club
cémetery *sémətry, not -ary
cénsor censorship = sénsor feel ≈ cénsure blame
cént money = sént send = scént perfume
céntral s-
céntre s-, AmE cénter
centrífugal
centrípetal
céntrist s-
cêreal cornflakes = sêrial series
cérebral s-; AmE cerêbral
Ceres planet *Sírêez, cf. Sírius star, seríes string
céremony s-
cërvical s- or cervîcal
cesãrian cf. Caêsar, both s-
césspit one word
césspool one word
ch- mostly tch-; ch- where stated
chà tea - or chàr as other meanings
chà chà
Chádian *Cháddian
chãir sit = Chér person
chaise lóngue *shézz-lóng
chágrin sh-; AmE *shəgrìn
chamaêleon k-; AmE -mêl-, cf. camêlia, only ending sounds different
châmber tsh-, cf. Châmbers person
chámois *shámwà
champâgne *shámpâin, cf. campâign *cámpâin (no capital c for the drink)
chandelìêr sh-
Chandrasèkhar
chánnel rhymes with pánel
châós *kâyóss
chápel church = Cháppell person
cháperône sh-
chárabanc *shárabang, cf. shebáng
charàde sh-; AmE charâde
cháracter k
charivàri sh-
chàrlatan sh-
Chàrlotte Sh-
chásm *kázzəm
chássis *shássy
châste virgin = châsed chase
Chátham -təm
chauffëur *shôfër
chauvinist shô-
chêap cost = chêep bird  both tsh-
chêapskâte one word
chêat tsh-
Chéchnya Tsh-
chéckpoint one word
chêetah tsh-
chéf sh-, cf. chìêf, ch sound
chéque money tsh-; BrE = chéck verify, Czéch nationality
Cherokêe Tsh-
chérry-píck tsh-
chévron sh-
cheŵ tsh-; cf. words beginning tû-
chèz *shây
chìc sh-
Chicàgo Shí-, à in both BrE and AmE
chíck
chìêf tsh-, cf. chéf, sh-
chihuàhua *tshiwàwa
chîld singular tsh-
chîldbïrth one word
chíldren plural tsh-
Chílê country tsh-, = chílì or chíllì bean = chílly cold
Chílêan Tsh-
chimêra kí-
chímney tsh-
chívalry sh-
chívy or chívvy tsh-
chlamýdia kl-
Chlôê *Klôwie
chlóroform kl-
chóc chocolate tsh- = chóck wedge
chóck-a-blóck
choîr singers = quîre paper
choléstorol k-
choôse select = cheŵs chew
chŏrd music = cŏrd rope, vocal
chŏrus k-
Chrîst Kr-
chrísten *kríssen
Chrístian *Kríshtchən, or *Krístchen cf. crýstal
Chrístmas *Kríssməss
Chrístopher *Krístəfə
chrôme kr-
chrónic kr-
chrysánthemum kríz-
chûte fall sh-; = shoôt gun
chútzpah *hùtspə, cf. Hótspur
ci- s-
Cícely person = Sícily Italy
cîder
cigàr
cínema
cínnamon
cïrcle
cïrcuit *sërkit
circûítous s-
cïrcumcîse sër-
circumcísion s-; -zhən
cïrcumstance s-
císsy weak = Císsy person = síssy weak
cîte quote = sîght see = sîte place
Cítroen ™ car = cítron lemon
cíty s-
cívil s-
civílian s-; one l
clándestîne; some say clandéstíne
Clãir = Clãire = Clãre
clámour - AmE clámor
clánger normal ng sound, rhyming with hánger, cf. ánger, áng-ger, dânger, -njer
Clápham London = cláp ’em clap them
cláptrap one word
clāssroom one word
clåuse words = clåws claw = Clåus Santa
claustrophôbia clós-
clêan
cléanliness
cléanse -nz
clërgy
cléric
clërk AmE; BrE = Clàrk = Clàrke persons
clìchè *clêeshây
clîmb up = clîme weather
clìque *clêek, cf. clíck
clóckwörk one word
clôse shut = clôze test
clôse near, cul-de-sac *clôce
clóth unvoiced th
clôthe voiced th
clôthes voiced th
côach transport, trainer
côalésce
cŏarse rough = cŏurse sport, eduation
côal mine = Côle person
côalman coal = Côleman person
cŏarse crude = cŏurse route, study
côast cf. cóst
côastguard one word
côax
cóbra or côbra
cóchineal
Côckburn = Côburn persons
cóck-up
côconut or côcoanut
cocoôn
côdêine
côdicil
coêlacanth sêel-, AmE cêlacanth
coërce
CofÊ Church of England *sêeyəvêe
cóffee *cóffy
cógnac *cónyák
Côhen *Côwen, rhymes with Ôwen
côíncidence no hyphen
côhêre
còlander cf. cálendar
Côle person = côal burn
Cólin
collápse
Cóllins
collóssal
collûde
Colôgne ''Germany'' = colôgne ''perfume'' *kəlôan
 
Colòmbia ''country'' = Colúmbia ''British'', company; or ó
 
Colòmbo
 
côlon
 
cölonel ''army'' = BrE kërnel ''nut''
 
colônial
 
colonnâde
 
cólonise
 
cólony
Coloràdo in both BrE and AmE
colorâtion or colourâtion cú-
cóloratùra
còlour tint cf. cóllar neck
Colúmbus
cólumn *cóllum
cólumnist *cólumist - though some pronounce the n
côma cf. cómma
cômb hair -m, cf. còme here
cómbat
cómbatant or combátant
cómedy
còmeúppance ó; one word
còmfortable -ft-
cómfortably-óff
cómma punctuate, cf. côma unconscious
cómment
commërcial
commít
commíttee
commûnal
cómmune noun
commûne verb
cómmunism
commûnity
còmpany
compãre contrast cf. cómpére compère host
cómparable or compárable
compárative
compárison
compàrtment
cómpensâte
compensâtion
cómpére - compère show, cf. compãre contrast
complâint complain
cómplement together = cómpliment praise
cómplex AmE compléx
compléxion not -ct-
complîant comply
cómpromîse pronounced but never written -ize, cf. prómise *prómíss
cómrâde AmE cómráde, cf. Cónrád
concêde
concentrâte cf. consént
cóncrete
concatenâtion - e, not i
concentrâte cf. consént
cóncept
concéptual
concërtô *cənshërto, *cənshérto
concörd
Cóncord
condîgn -dîne
cóndom
cóndŏr
condûcíve
cóndûít or -dwít - BrE was *cóndit or *cúndit, but now regularised
conféss
conféssion -féshən
cónfidant person -dónt
cónfident adjective -dənt
Confûcian -shən
confûsion -zhən
cónger hard g
cóngeries soft g
connéct
Connécticut *Cənétikət
connéction BrE can be connéxion
connîve
connoissëur - -oi- as schwa: *connəssür
cónquer win = cónker nut
cónquest cf. quést
cónscious
consénsus cf. cénsus
consént cf. concentrâte
consërvative
conservâtion
consigliérê *consíl-yãry
cónsôle noun
consôle comfort
consólidate
cónsŏrt noun cf. cóncert, e as schwa
consŏrt verb
conspírator
conspîre
constábulary
constítuency
consûme -syû-
contémptible
cóntext
contéxtual
contínûùm -nyû-
cóntrary opposed
contrãry awkward
cóntribûte or contríbûte
contribûtion
contríbutor
contrôl
contradíct
contríbute
cóntribûtion
cóntrovërsy or contróversy - controvërsial?
coòk kitchen = Coòk = Coòke persons
Coômbs = Coômbes *Coûmz
cooperâtion côwóp-, cf. cŏrporation
coóperative côwóp-
Copenhâgen Cô-; or -hàgen
cóp-òut
cóps police = cópse wood
cópyrîght *cópywrîte: it’s a rîght about writing
córal
cŏr ànglâis *cŏ-rónglây
cŏrd vocal, string = chŏrd music
cŏrdon
cŏre apple = cŏrps army
cŏrnerstône one word
corôna
córonary
córoner
cŏrps army = cŏre apple, cf. following
cŏrpse
corràl
córrugate AmE cörrugate
cóst cf. côast
Cósta Rìca
cóttage -íj
còuch
còuchant
couchétte cûsh-
cóugh *cóff
còuncil committee = còunsel advice
còuncillor
còunt
còunty cf. coúntry
còunterfeít
còunter-productive hyphenated
coúntry cf. còunty, còunt, which begin with the còw sound
coûp d’état = coô bird
coúple
coúrage - AmE can be cöurage
courâgeous
cŏurse route, study = cŏarse crude, -ss, cf. cåuse, -z, cürse, -s
cŏurt tennis, monarch, woo - BrE = cåught catch
cöurteous
cöurtesy politeness cf. cürtsey bow
coúsin *cúzzen
còver
côvert cf. ovërt
còvet -ít
còws animals = Còwes Isle of Wight; cf. kowtòw
Coŵper = Coôper, or Còwper
cŏyôtê AmE *kîôat
cráckpot noun one word
crêak noise = crêek water
crêam
crêâte
crêâtion -êâshən
crêature -ch-
créche *crésh, cf. crásh
crêdence
credéntials
crédibílity
crêed
crêek water = crêak noise
créme crème
créme de menthe - crème de menthe *crémdə-mónt
Crêôle
crêosote
crèpe crèpe
crescéndos -sh-
créscent *crézzənt
crévíce
crevásse
creŵ ship = Creŵe town
creŵ-cut
Crîchton *Crŷtən
crîme
Crîmêa -êə
Crôát *Crôwát
Croâtia *Crôwâshə
cróc crocodile = cróck pot, old
crôchet knit *crôshây, cf. crótchet
crócodîle
croissant *kwússón, French nasal -ón
crône
crôny
cróss-examinâtion
cròtch genitals = crútch support
crótchet irritable, music regular pronunciation, cf. crôchèt *crôshây
crûcible
crûcifíxion
crûise -ûz
crúx
crýpt
crýstal - t sounded, cf. whístle, grístle, silent t
cùckoô
cûe snooker, theatre = queûe line
cuisìne *quizêen, cf. cóusin *cúzzən
cúl-de-sác
cúlprit
cúm with = còme here
cúpboard rhymes with Húbbard
curaçào *curassòw
cûrate person
curâte museum
cürb stop, street = kërb street
cûre-åll noun, adjective
cûrious
cúrrant eat = cúrrent now, flow
currículum vìtaê
cürse cf. cŏurse
cürt blunt = Kürt person
cürtsey bow cf. cöurtesy politeness
cùshion cf. percússion, both -shən
cústard
cústody BrE *cústardy
cút-prîce
cy- s-
cýclamen s-
cŷcle s-
cýclical s-
cŷclist s-
cýgnet swan = sígnet ring
cýlinder
cýmbal drums = sýmbol sign
cŷpher or cîpher, cf. decîpher
cŷpress tree = Cŷprus country s-
cýst s-
cýnic s-
cýnicism
Czàr or Tsàr *Zàr
Czéch nationality = chéck verify = BrE chéque cash 
D = Dêe person
Dail parliament = Dŏyle person
dâily
daîquíri
dãiry milk cf. dîary day
Dàlek
Dalziél *Dêe-él
dám river = dámn hell
dámage
dânger -jer, cf. clánger, hánger, no j sound
Dániel *Dányəl
Dânish
Dáphnê *Dáffney
dãresây is one word in Î dãresay meaning ‘probably’
dàrtbŏard one word
dāstardly cf. bāstard
dâtabâse AmE dátabâse one word
dåughter *dåwter
Dâvìês -z AmE; BrE = Dâvis
dávit
dâys day = dâze dazzle
de *də (de lûxe or de lúxe) or dè (dè fácto), not a word in its own right
déad cf. dêed
déadline one word
déadlock one word
dêal
déalt
dêar loved, expensive = dêer animal
dëarth
debàcle
débris débris BrE *débrêe or dâybree; AmE *dəbrêe
débt *dét; silent b
dèbut début *dâybyû - or dé-
dèbuted débuted *dâybyûd - or dé-
décade years cf. decâyed decay - though some do rhyme them
Decémber
dêcent
decídûous -yû
déckchair one word
declássè déclassé *dây-clássây
décimate
decîpher cf. cŷpher or cîpher
Déclan
dêed cf. déad
dêer animal = dêar friend, expensive
dè fácto two words, *dây-fácto
defámatory
defâme
defër cf. díffer
déficit
définitely
defûse problem dê-, -z, cf. diffûse, dí-
degénerate
dèign condescend = Dâne Denmark
deipnósphist
déjà vu *dèzhà-vû
delây
deletêrious
Délhi India = déli delicatessen
delínêâte
delínquent
delîght -ît
Dêlius cf. Sibèlius
delíver
 
 
cöurtesy ''politeness'' cf. cürtsey ''bow''
 
coúsin *cúzzen
 
còver
 
côvert cf. ovërt
 
còvet -ít
 
còws ''animals'' = Còwes ''Isle of Wight''; cf. kowtòw
 
Coŵper = Coôper, or Còwper
 
cŏyôtê AmE *kîôat
 
cráckpot ''noun'' one word
 
crêak ''noise'' = crêek ''water''
 
crêam
 
crêâte
 
crêâtion -êâshən
crêature -ch-
créche *crésh, cf. crásh
crêdence
credéntials
crédibílity
crêed
crêek water = crêak noise
créme crème
créme de menthe - crème de menthe *crémdə-mónt
Crêôle
crêosote
crèpe crèpe
crescéndos -sh-
créscent *crézzənt
crévíce
crevásse
creŵ ship = Creŵe town
creŵ-cut
Crîchton *Crŷtən
crîme
Crîmêa -êə
Crôát *Crôwát
Croâtia *Crôwâshə
cróc crocodile = cróck pot, old
crôchet knit *crôshây, cf. crótchet
crócodîle
croissant *kwússón, French nasal -ón
crône
crôny
cróss-examinâtion
cròtch genitals = crútch support
crótchet irritable, music regular pronunciation, cf. crôchèt *crôshây
crûcible
crûcifíxion
crûise -ûz
crúx
crýpt
crýstal - t sounded, cf. whístle, grístle, silent t
cùckoô
cûe snooker, theatre = queûe line
cuisìne *quizêen, cf. cóusin *cúzzən
cúl-de-sác
cúlprit
cúm with = còme here
cúpboard rhymes with Húbbard
curaçào *curassòw
cûrate person
curâte museum
cürb stop, street = kërb street
cûre-åll noun, adjective
cûrious
cúrrant eat = cúrrent now, flow
currículum vìtaê
cürse cf. cŏurse
cürt blunt = Kürt person
cürtsey bow cf. cöurtesy politeness
cùshion cf. percússion, both -shən
cústard
cústody BrE *cústardy
cút-prîce
cy- s-
cýclamen s-
cŷcle s-
cýclical s-
cŷclist s-
cýgnet swan = sígnet ring
cýlinder
cýmbal drums = sýmbol sign
cŷpher or cîpher, cf. decîpher
cŷpress tree = Cŷprus country s-
cýst s-
cýnic s-
cýnicism
Czàr or Tsàr *Zàr
Czéch nationality = chéck verify = BrE chéque cash
 
===D===
D = Dêe ''person''
 
Dail ''parliament'' = Dŏyle ''person''
 
dâily
 
daîquíri
 
dãiry ''milk'' cf. dîary ''day''
 
Dàlek
 
Dalziél *Dêe-él
 
dám ''river'' = dámn ''hell''
 
dámage
 
dânger -jer, cf. clánger, hánger, no j sound
 
Dániel *Dányəl
 
Dânish
 
Dáphnê *Dáffney
 
dãresây is one word in '''Î dãresay''' meaning ‘probably’
 
dàrtbŏard one word
 
dāstardly cf. bāstard
 
dâtabâse BrE; AmE dátabâse one word
 
dåughter *dåwter
 
Dâvìês -z AmE; BrE = Dâvis
 
dávit
 
dâze ''dazzle'' = dâys ''day''
 
de *də (de lûxe or de lúxe) or dè (dè fácto), not a word in its own right
 
déad cf. dêed
 
déadline one word
 
déadlock one word
 
dêal
 
déalt
 
dêar ''loved, expensive'' = dêer ''animal''
 
dëarth
 
debàcle
 
débris can be written with the French accent: débris; BrE *débrêe or dâybree; AmE *dəbrêe
 
débt *dét; silent b
 
dèbut début *dâybyû - or dé-
 
dèbuted débuted *dâybyûd - or dé-
 
décade ''years'' cf. decâyed ''decay'' - though some do rhyme them
 
Decémber
 
dêcent
 
decídûous -yû
 
déckchair one word
 
declássè can be written as in French déclassé *dây-clássây
 
décimate
 
decîpher cf. cŷpher or cîpher
 
Déclan
dêed cf. déad
dêer animal = dêar friend, expensive
dè fácto two words, *dây-fácto
defámatory
defâme
defër cf. díffer
déficit
définitely
defûse problem dê-, -z, cf. diffûse, dí-
degénerate
dèign condescend = Dâne Denmark
deipnósphist
déjà vu *dèzhà-vû
delây
deletêrious
Délhi India = déli delicatessen
delínêâte
delínquent
delîght -ît
Dêlius cf. Sibèlius
delíver
déluge -yû-
delûsion cf. illûsion
de lûxe or de lúxe
démagogue -góg
demānd
démo
demócracy cf. hypócrisy
democrátic
demür
demûre
dénguê fêver
dénier weight, coin *dényə, cf. denîer deny
Dénis = Dénnis
Denìse -êez
denŷ
depéndant person = depéndent adjective
dërby race = Dërby England AmE; BrE = Dàrby person
de riguëur *dərigër - hard g
desálinate
descént down = dissént disagree
descrîbe dís-
désert sand 
desërt leave = dessërt meal
désiccate - very commonly misspelt: -ss- would be expected after é, cf. párallel
despãir
désperate cf. dísparate, séparate
desperâtion
despícable
dessërt meal -zërt = desërt leave
dessërts just -zërts
détail noun
detâil verb
detër
detêriorate
detërmíne
detérrent
detrîtus
dévastate
devastâtion
devélop rhymes with envélop verb, cf. énvelôpe noun
devîce -ss, cf. divîde
devîse -z, cf. divîde
devôte
devotêe
devòut
deŵ morning = dûe owed, cf. do act *dû
déxtrous or déxterous
diabêtes *dîəbêtêez or -tíz
diabétic
diaérisis *dî-érisis, AmE diérisis
dîálýsis
dîamond
dîáphanous
dîaphragm -ám
diarrhoêa BrE *dîre-rêar; AmE diarrhêa
dîary cf. dãiry
diáspora
dictâte cf. díktát
dîcy dodgy cf. Dícky, Díckie persons
dîe death = dŷe colour
dîehard one word
dìêsel
dîet *dîət
díffer cf. defër
diffûse various -ss, give out -z
dígit
díktát cf. dictâte
dilémma
dilettántê
dímwit one word
dínghy boat - no g sound, only ng sound
díngy dark *dínjy 
dînosåur
dîocese *dîəsíss
diphthêria
díphthong
diplôma
díplomat
dîre cf. dêar
dírham
disassôciate - -sass-
disarrây
disāstrous -zā-, no e, cf. disāster; mürderous, cantánkerous, etc.
dísc record, circular = dísk computer
discòver
discrêet careful = discrête separate
discrétion -éshən
discriminâtory
díscus
discúss
disequilíbrium
disgúst revulsion ≈ discússed talked
disingénuous - -uou-
Dísney *Díznì
dispátch or despátch
dispénsable
disséction
dissént disagree = descént down
dissymétric dîssý-
dístribûte or distríbûte -yû-
divîne cf. Devìne
divîsive cf. divîde, dêvious, devîse
Djángo Reînhardt - unlike in French
do *dû cf. dûe cause, time = deŵ morning *dyû
doable *dûwable
Dócherty or Dóherty same pronunciation: Celtic ch sound, same as Arabic kh as in Khàn
dôcîle AmE *dóssle
dòes do *dúz, cf. dôes female deer
dóg-êat-dóg
dógged verb *dógd: this próblem dógged us
dógged attributive adjective *dóggíd: a dógged pursûer
dôe animal = dôh music, exclamation
dòes *dúz, cf. fãir do’s, *doôz
dôle money = Dôle person
dóll model
dóllar
domâin territory = demèsne estate, domâine vineyard
dón clothes = Dón person
dòne do = dún colour = Dúnn person = Dònne poet
dóner kebab = Dónner person
dônor give
doômsday doom = Domesday Book
dŏorstép one word
dŏrmant
dóssièr silent French r - or e regularised to schwa
dotcóm or dot.cóm - but one dot is surely enough
doúble rhymes with búbble
doûble entendre - -en- as ón, twice
dòubt *dòut, cf. dòughty
dôugh bake, money = dôe deer
dôughnút *dônut
dòughty
Doúglas *Dúgləss
doûr serious, one syllable ≈ doer do, two
dòve bird
dôve dive - AmE for dîved
dòvish
dòwnfall one word
downhíll one word
dòwry
dôze
dôzed doze
dòzen 12
dracônian
drāft AmE all meanings, BrE outline, money, group, US conscription = drāught
dràgon
dràma
drāught BrE cold, net, liquids, game, horse = drāft, cf. dròught *dròwt
dråw design ≈ dråwer pull
dråwback noun one word
dreŵ draw = Dreŵ person
dríll
drîly or drŷly
drível
drízzle
drómedary
droôp down = drûpe fruit
dròught *dròut, cf. drāught = drāft
drúnkenness -nn-
Drûze
dûal two = dûel fight, cf. jeŵel stone
dúchess cf. Dútch
dûe owed = deŵ morning, cf. do act *dû
dúmb-bell
dún colour = Dúnn person = dòne do, cf. dón clothes = Dón person
Dúncan rhymes with drúnken
Dundêe
dûne sand
Dúrham *Dúrrəm
dûring j-
dúst dirt = dòst archaic do
dústbin one word
duúmvirate ûú
dûvèt *doôvây
Dvŏrak Dvořák *Dəvåwzhàk
dŷe colour = dîe dead
dŷeing dye = dŷing dîe
dynámic
dŷnamísm
dŷnamîte
dýs- bad = dís- negative
dýsentery
dysfúnctional
dysléxic
 
===E===
Ê
êar cf. ërr
ëarl
Ëarl Grây tea cf. colour BrE grèy, AmE grây
ëarly
ëarn money = ürn bury = ërne eagle
ëarnest serious = Ërnest person, cf. Thê Impŏrtance of Bêing Ëarnest
ëarth
Eâster
eâstern east BrE = Êaston person
êasy-gôing
êaten eat = Êton school
êaves roof cf. êve before
êavesdróp one word
eccéntric exé-
échelon ésh-
eclãir éclair *í-clãir
eclát éclat *è-clá
 
éctoplasm
económical
ecónomy
ecólogy
êcosystem
écstasy éxt-
ecstátic éxt-
Écuador *Équador
éczema *éxma
éddy pool = Éddie = Éddy persons
êdict
édit
êerie strange as in Lâke Êrie, cf. ãiry light = éyrie - and variant spellings - bird
efféct result í- or ə-: when schwa = afféct cause
effervésce -véss
efficácity
effícient -shənt
éffort -or- as schwa
effròntery cf. affrònt
Èid
èight 8 = AmE âte eat, BrE *ét
eîther neither AmE êither voiced th, cf. êther sky, unvoiced th
élbôw
eléction
eléctoral
elegîac
Eléktra
élement
eleméntary
elévenses
Élgàr - though it seems contemporary pronunciation was *Èlgə
éligible cf. illégible
elícit obtain = illícit illegal
elìte íl-
elìtist
Elízabeth Queen = Elísabeth
Éltham -təm
elûsive elude = illûsive illusory
élsewhere one word
émanate
embárrass cf. embrâce
émbassy cf. ambássador
embézzle
émblem
embódiment
embrâce cf. embárrass
embrŏidery
eménds alters = aménds make, cf. imménse huge
emërge
émigrate cf. ímmigrâte
émigrè émigré
éminence grìse *éminónss-grêez
éminent
emôtion
emphysêma
émulate
en French = ón English - en occurs in the following expressions taken from French: en attendant *onətóndón, en blóc, en clãir, en fáce, en famìlle *onfamì, en fête *onfét, en másse, en pássant *onpásson, en plein *onplán, en póste, en prìse, en rappŏrt, en roûte, en suìte *onswêet
encéphalitis ens-
encore ón-
énclave
encúmber cf. incúmbent
endéavour
endógenous cf. indíginous
endûre cf. ínjure
énergy - g as j
energétic - g as j
enfant terrìble *ónfóntérêebl
enfŏrce require = ín fŏrce applicable
engâge
engagé *ongázhây
éngine -jín
England Íng-glənd
English Íng-glísh
ennuì *ón-wê
enŏrmous
enoúgh *inúff
en pássant *ompássom - last syllable nasalised
enquîre, enquîry or inquîre, inquîry; AmE ínquiry = enquiry
ensemble *onsómble
ensûe -syû
ensůre certain = insůre insurance; BrE *inshåw, AmE *inshûre
énter
entîre *íntŷre, cf. MácIntyre etc.
entîrety *entîrity
entouràge *óntùràzh
éntrance enter
entrānce beguile
entrèe entrée *óntrây
entrepôt *óntrəpô
entreprenëur ón-; AmE -neûr
enúnciate
envélop verb
énvelôpe noun
envîronment - nm
environméntalist - nm
epicûrêan
épitāph
êqual
eqùality
equâte
équitable
ër hesitation = BrE ërr error
êra AmE éra time = BrE érror mistake; cf. ãrea, ària
erádicate cf. írrigate
ére before = ãir oxygen = héir estate
ërne eagle = ëarn money = ürn pot
ërr AmE érr cf. êar
érror
eschêat - s and ch pronounced separately: rhymes with chêat
escheŵ - s and ch pronounced separately
ÉTA Basque = Étta person
ét ál
etc. = ét cétera - the pronunciation ‘ixetra’ is frowned upon
éthnocéntric one word
ethnógraphy
êthŷl
Êton school = êaten eat = Êton = Êaton persons
eû- well = yoû pronoun
Eûcharist Yûkə-
eûchre *yûker
Eûgêne = yoû, Jêan
eûlogy
eùro currency = Eùro football
Eùrope *Yùrəp
Europêan
euthanâsia -âzìyə
eváporate
êve before cf. êaves roof
êven cf. Évan
evént
Évelyn usually female
Êvelyn usually male
éveryday adjective éveryday lîfe; wê gét úp évery dây
êvil cf. dévil
eŵe sheep = yoû me = yeŵ tree
éx lover = éx- past
exácerbate
exággerate
excél
éxcellent
excépt exception = accépt receive
exclâim
exécutive cf. éxecute
éxercise
exhíbit
exhibítion
exhílarating silent h, cf. hilãrious
éxîle
éxiting exit cf. excîting excite, both one t
exónerâte
éxŏrcise or = éxercise
expátriate -ət, cf. pâtriot, also ət
expêrience
expériment
expertìse -têez, cf. other words ending in -ise, mostly -îze
expôse
exposé *expôzây - either stressed
extól or extôl
éxtra *xtra
extrávagant
extravagánza
extrêmist
extraŏrdinary - the first a often is not heard: *extrŏrdinary
eŷe see = Î am = aŷe yes
eŷesîght one word, *îsîte
eŷeẁash one word, *îwósh
éyrie bird has variant spellings éyry, ãérie and ãéry = ãiry light; cf. Lâke Êrie = êerie weird
 
===F===
F *éff
fábulous *fábyələss
façàde *fəsàd
facêtious *fəsêeshəss
fáction *fácshən, cf. fáshion
Fáhrenheît
fãir justice, pretty, fun- = fãre
fãiry cf. férry
fait accomplì *fét-əcomplì
fåll-òut noun
Fålstaff
fålcon
Fålklands
fámily *fámly
fámíne
fàraway adjective before noun, one word, cf. ít’s toô fàr awây
fàrcical
fãre travel, food = fãir
farewéll
Fãroe Islands = phãroah Egypt
fàr-rêaching
Fàrquhar *Fàrker
fàrther further BrE and some AmE = fàther dad
fáscist *fáshist, cf. râcist
fáshion  *fáshən, *fátion, cf. fáction
fāst
fāsten *fāssən
Fátah Palestine = BrE fátter fat
fâtal
fatálity
fáthéad as if two words
fátwà
fåucet tap = Fåwcett person
fåulty fault = Fåwlty Towers
fåun goat-god = fåwn
fåuna
faux *fô
faux-pas *fô-pà
fåwn grovel, colour, deer = fåun
fâvourite -vr-; AmE fâvorite
fáx machine = fácts truths
Fây = Fâye persons = fèy whimsy
fâze confuse = phâse period
fêat achievement = fêet foot
Fébruary
fêed verb cf. féd past, foôd noun
fèign pretend = fâin willing
fèint sham, write = fâint unconscious
feîsty
Fêlix
fêmur
fermént chemical, excite cf. fomént water, disorder
férry cf. fãiry *féəry
fète garden, celebrate fête = fâte destiny
fétid cf. fèted = fâted
feûd argument cf. leŵd, foôd
fèy whimsy = Fây = Fâye persons
feŵ many = pheŵ relief
fìat decree = Fìat ® car
fìêrce
fîery cf. fîre, wîry, feîsty
fífth *fíth
fíg-lêaf
fígurehead *fíggerhéd, one word
fîle nail, paper = phîal liquid
fílet or fíllet - BrE t sounded, AmE *filây
fíll up = Phíl Philip
fíllip boost = Phílip person
fín fish = Fínn Finland
fînal
finàlê
fîne all meanings
fínger *fíng-gər
fínish stop = Fínnish Finland
fïr tree = für animal
fîreworks noun one word
físcal finance -ss-, cf. phýsícal body, -zí-
físsure break = físher fish, Físher person
fláccid *fláxid
flagellâtion
flãir ability = flãre fire
flák cf. bláck
flãre fire = flãir ability
flåutist
flák abuse = Fláck person
flåw error = BrE flŏor ground
flêa insect = flêe escape
Fléming
flíck-knife
flîer or flŷer
flípside one word
flôe ice = flôw water
flòod
flòur bake = flòwer plant
floúrish
flŏra
flôw water = flôe ice, cf. flåw error
flòwer plant = flòur bake
flû influenza = flûe chimney
flûgelhorn
flúmmoxed *flúməxt
fôcus, fôcused and fôcusing are preferable to fôcussed and fôcussing as they do not remind one of cússed and cússing
foêtus AmE fêtus
fôlìage has three syllables, cf. cárriage, márriage, each two
fomént water, disorder cf. fermént chemical, excite
foòt
foôd eat cf. feûd quarrel fyoô-
foôl
foôlscap
foòtnôte one word
fŏr preposition usually schwa; stressed = fŏur 4, fŏre front
fóray AmE = Fåurè Fauré
forbád or forbâde
forbíd
fŏre front = fŏur number
fŏrecast
fŏrecastle -səl: sailors traditionally say *fôksəl
fŏrehéad traditionally *fórrid, cf. hórrid, but now normally spelling pronunciation
fóreign *fórrən
fórest -íst = Fórrest person = Fórest Nottingham, person
fŏrewörd book cf. fŏrward back
fŏrmally formal BrE = fŏrmerly before
fŏrmer cf. fàrmer
fŏrmidable or formídable
fŏrtè
fŏrth forward = fŏurth four
forthcòming one word
fŏrtnight *fŏrtnîte
fŏrty cf. fŏur, fŏurteen
fŏrward forwards cf. rewård prize, fŏrewörd introduction
fòul bad = fòwl birds
fòund find, establish
fŏur number = fŏre front = fŏr preposition
fŏyèr *fŏyây
frácàs *frácà
frâmework one word
fránc currency = fránk honest = Fránk person
Frānces usually female
Frāncís usually male
fråught
frêak
frêe - as a suffix meaning ‘without’ it must be hyphenated: débt-frêe *dét-frêe
frêer *frêeər
frêest *frêeíst
frêeze cold = frìêze wall
Frêmantle
frêquent adjective
frequént verb
fréshwåter adjective cf. thére ís nô frésh wåter
frîed
friénd
frìêze wall, cloth = frêeze
frîght *frîte
frîghtened *frîtənd
frólic
frònt
fròwzy
frûit *frûte
frŷ
FTSE *foòtsìê
fûchsia *fyoôsha
fùll
fundaméntalist
für animal = fïr tree
fürlôugh *fürlôw
fürnace -níss
fürnish
furŏrê or as AmE fûrŏr
fürther
===G===
G = gêe ''up''
 
gádfly one word
 
Gâelic ''Irish''
 
Gáelic ''Scottish'' = Gállic ''French''
 
gáffe cf. gúff
 
gág
 
gâge is an AmE alternative to gâuge
 
gâit ''walk'' = gâte ''garden''
 
Galápagos - identical Spanish accent may be written
 
gâle ''storm'' = Gâil = Gâle ''persons'' = Gâel Gaelic
 
Gålle ''Sri Lanka'' = Gåul ''France''
 
gállop ''horse'' = Gállup ''poll''
 
gámble ''money'' = gámbol ''frisky''
gánder
Gándhi *Gándy, cf. cándy and gh- words
gâol BrE old alternative spelling of, and pronounced, jâil
gárage hard g; BrE -àzh, AmE *guəràzh
Gáry hard G, cf. Gérry = Jérry; cf. Hárry, Cãry, Gáby
gàrdener garden = Gàrdiner = Gàrdner persons
gàrgoyle
gàrner gather = Gàrner person; BrE = Ghàna country
gáses noun = gásses verb
gâte open = gâit walk
gâuge *gâij, AmE can be gâge; cf. grêengage
gåuze
gécko
gêese hard g: plural of goôse
Geîger còunter hard G
gèisha hard g
gél *jél, cf. jélly
Géminî Jé-
gêne genetics = Jêan girl = Gêne Eugene; gênes = jêans trousers
genealógical jê-
géneral *jénral
genéric j-
gênes genetics = jêans trousers, cf. Jêan person - pronounced *Zhà with nasalised à if French
genétics
gênìê j-
gênìî j-
génitâlia j-
gênius j-
genre *zhónrə
gentêel j-, cf. Géntîle
géntle j-
gênus j-
Géoff = Jéff
Géoffrey = Jéffrey
geográphic jêə-
geógraphy jóg- in rapid speech, cf. gêólogy
Geŏrge Jŏr-
Gërman J-
germâne relevant = Germâine, Jermâin, etc. persons
gërminate j-
Gérry = Jérry cf. Gáry, hard G
gétaway adjective and noun one word, cf. verb gét awây
gêyser water = BrE gêezer man, AmE geŷser
gh- = g-
Ghàna Africa = BrE gàrner gather
Ghanâian cf. Gándhi
ghāstly
ghåt or ghåut
ghërkin
ghétto
ghôst
gíbbet j-
gíbbon hard g
Gídêon hard G, *Gídêyən
gíg hard g cf. jíg
Gílbert hard G
gíll fish hard g, as also in McGíll person
gíll liquid = Jíll = Gíll = Gíl persons
gín *jín
giráffe j-
glâcial
glácier or glâcier
glâde
Gládys
glámorise
glámorous
glámour
glêam
glêan
Glóucester *Glóster
glûtinous
glútton
Glŷndebŏurne
gnàrled *nàrld
gnásh teeth = Násh person
gnát mosquito = Nát person
gnåw chew = BrE nor neither
gnócchì *nyócky
gnôme garden = Nôme Alaska
gô-ahéad noun, adjective hyphenated
gôad
gôalless - sustained l sound
gôat cf. côat
góbbledygoòk
gŏitre AmE gŏiter
gôlf cf. gúlf
Gomórrah rhymes with BrE Andórra
góner fatal
gonna going to two schwas: *gənə
goodsélf one word
goôgle verb no capital
goôgly
goòseberry *gùzbry
goôse *goôss
Gorbachev -chóff
gorílla ape = guerílla warfare
gŏurmet *gŏrmây
gòvern
gòvernment first n silent in rapid speech
Grâeme *Grâyəm = Grâham most common spelling = Grâhame Kenneth
graffìti
grámmar
grammátical grə-
grámophone ‘grammar phone’ has been seen
grándad or gránddad - dd can be extended d sound; as name, G-
gránddaughter *grándåwter
grándchîld
grándeûr *grándûre
Grànd Prìx *gràm-prì
gráphic cf. tráffic
grâte cheese, fire, annoy = grêat important
grâteful
grâve serious, burial
gràve accent
grâvy
grây is AmE for grèy
grâze sheep = grèys grey, cf. gràss
greât big = grâte cheese, fireplace, irritate
grêase oil = Grêece Greek
grêen colour = Grêen, Grêene persons
Gréenwich *Grénnídge
grêet
Grêig composer
Gréig English = Grég
Grenâda cf. Granàda
grenâde
grèy AmE grây = Grèy = Grây persons
grèyhòund one word
grìêf
gríll food, interrogate = grílle lattice
grimâce AmE grímace
grísly horrible = grízzly bear
grôan pain = grôwn up
grŏin body = grŏyne wood
gròundswell one word
grôwn-úp noun hyphenated
grûel
gu- followed by vowel, hard g, silent u, unless stated otherwise
Guàm *Gwàm
guarantêe gá-, cf. ẁarranty
guàrd *gàrd = gàrde in ávant gàrde
Guatemàla Gwà-
guerílla war = gorílla animal
guéss
guést visit = guéssed guess
gúff cf. gáffe
guîde
guíld society = gíld lily
guílt guilty = gílt gild
gúlf cf. gôlf
gúng-hô
gúnwale = gúnnell
Guínêa country = guínêa money
guíllotìne - either stressed
gúng-hô hyphenated
guŷ
gým gymnasium = Jím person
gynaecólogist hard g-: *gŷnəcólojist, AmE -nec-
gyrâte *jîrâte
gŷroscope j-
 
===H===
H âitch
 
hà
 
ha hà ''laughter''
 
hà-hà ''fence''
 
hâbeas cŏrpus
 
háckneyed *hácknid
 
haemoglôbin - haê-
 
haemophília - haê-
 
haémorrhage *hémmoridge, *hémerage
 
haémorrhoid
 
haemostâsis
 
Hâgue ''person, Netherlands'' = Hâig = Hâigh ''persons''
 
hâil ''stones, greeting'' = hâle ''hearty''
 
hãir ''head'' = hãre ''animal''
 
Hâiti *Hâtey, cf. hâte
 
hàjj or hàdj
 
hālf *hàf; AmE *háf
 
hâlfpenny *hâypəny
 
håll building = håul pull, rob, cf. Hál person
 
hallelûjah - j as y: *hallelûya
 
hállôw cf. hallô
 
hålt
 
hālve half AmE ≈ háve own, though hálve tends to be longer
 
hámlet -lít, cf. hám ómelette
 
hámster *hámpster, cf. hámper, Hámpstead
 
hándbag can be *hámbag
 
hándkerchìêf *hánkerchêaf
 
hándle ''touch, door'' = Hándel, Hándl ''persons''
 
hándout ''noun'' one word
 
hándover ''noun'' one word
 
hándwrítten one word
 
hángar ''plane'' = hánger ''clothes''
 
Hanŏi
 
Hánover has one n in English, two in German
 
Haràrê
 
haráss AmE; BrE *hárras, cf. Hárrís person
 
hàrem or hãrem
 
hàrk cf. heàrken
 
hàrpsichord -kŏrd
 
hássle cf. hústle, *hússle
 
hâsten *hâyssən
 
hâte ''love'' = Hâight ''Ashbury''
 
hâtred -íd cf. pûtríd
 
hautëur *ôat-ër
 
háve can sound like *háff when emphasised before an unvoiced consonant: I *háff to sêe hím
 
háve-nóts ''haves''
 
Hawàiì
 
Håwes
 
håwk
 
håwthorn ''plant'' = Håwthorne ''person''
 
hây ''farm'' = hèy ''exclamation''
 
Haŷdn cf. Hâydon = Hâyden
 
hâ’p’orth
 
héad cf. hêed
 
héalth
 
Hêar, hêar! ''agree''
 
hëard ''hear'' = hërd ''animals'', cf. hàrd ''soft''
 
heàrken cf. hàrk
 
hêarsay
 
hëarse
 
heàrt ''beat'' = hàrt ''deer'' = Hàrt ''person''
 
heàrtfélt one word
 
heàrth
 
hêath
 
hêathen -dhən
 
héather rhymes with wéather -dh-
hêave
héaven
héavy
héavywèight boxing *hévviwâit, one word, cf. héavy wèight literal
hêed cf. héad
hêe hêe laugh cf. hê him
hêel foot = hêal cure
hegémony - hard g or j
Heîdelberg
héifer cow = Héffer person
heîght *hîte
heîghten high = Huŷton place
hèinous
Heînz *Hŷnts: in the 1950s, with memories of the second world war still fresh, the company of this name pronounced itself Hînes *Hŷnze
héir heiress = ãir breathe, etc.
hélicopter cf. hêlium
héllhole one word
hellô or hallô or hullô
hém but not many other words begin this way, haém- being more common
hémidemisémiquaver
hémisphêre
hërd animals = hëard hear, cf. hàrd soft
hêre there = hêar sound
Héreford
héretic
herétical
hêro
héron
hérôín drug = hérôíne hero cf. méscalíne
heteroséxual cf. métro, rétro
heŵ wood = hûe colour = Hûgh = Hûw persons
hèydây one word
he’s he is = hís belonging to him - but can be hê’s *hêez
hîâtus *hîgh-èight-us
híccúp can be spelt híccoúgh
hídden
hídeous *hídìəss
hîdeòut
hîeràrchy *hîeràrky
hîgh height = hî hello
hîghbròw one word, *hîbròw
hilãrious
Hílary = Híllary
hînd
hínder
híndrance -drənss
híppocratic cf. hypocrítical
hîre rent ≈ hîgher high
hís he *hízz, cf. híss snake, hê’s or he’s
históric
hítchhîke second h aspirated
hŏar frost = whŏre prostitute = Hŏare person
Hîte person = heîght high
hŏard store = hŏrde gang
hŏarse voice = hŏrse animal
hôax
hóbnób one word
hóck as in ín hóck, cf. ád hóc
hôe garden cf. hô hô laughter
hôld hand = hôled golf
hôle gap = whôle complete
hóliday vacation = Hólliday person = Hóliday Billie
hólly cf. hôly
Hóllywoòd
Hôlmes person = hômes living or Hólmes, with l pronounced or hinted at
hôly sacred ≈ whôlly completely, which has the two l’s pronounced
Hólyhéad
Hôlyroôd
hómage - unlike French, one m
homêopáthic AmE; BrE homoêo-
homêópathy AmE; BrE homoêó-
hômewörk one word
hómicide
homógeneous -jenəss or hômôgêneous rhyming with gênius
hómoným 
hômo sápiens
homoséxual - hó-
Hóng Kóng *Honkóng
hône
hónest *ónnist
honoràrium ón-
hónorary ón-
honorífic ón-
hónour *ónner, AmE hónor
hónourable ón-, AmE hónorable
hoòdwink
hoòk
hoòkah pipe *hùkə = BrE hoòker prostitute, rugby
hoôver carpet is from Hoôver person
hôping hope cf. hópping hop
Hórace rhymes with Bóris, Dóris, Nórris and Mórris
hŏrde gang = hŏard store
horrífic
hórror
hŏrs d’oëuvre ŏr-dërvrə
hŏrse animal = hŏarse croak
hóspice -íss
hóspital
hóspitalised
hôst
hóstage
hóthead as if two words
hóthòuse as if two words
hóugh leg = hóck pawn
hòur time = òur us
hôuse noun -s, verb -z
Hoûston *Hoôston
howéver one word
hòwl wolf cf. òwl bird
hûbris
 
hûe ''colour'' = Hûgh ''person'' = hêw ''cut'' = Hûw ''Welshman''
 
Hûghes ''person'' = heŵs ''hew''
 
hullabaloô
 
hûman
 
hûmor AmE; BrE hûmour
 
hûmorist
 
hûmorous ''humour'' = hûmerus ''bone''
 
húndred
 
Húngary ''country'' - three syllables ≈ húngry
 
hunger - two syllables
 
hústle *hússle, cf. hássle
 
hýmn ''church'' = hím ''he''
 
hŷper- ''very''
 
hypercrítical ''critical''
 
hypócrisy cf. hýpocríte, demócracy, hippocrátic
 
hypocrítical ''hypocrite''
 
hystêria
 
hystérical
 
===I===
Î ''letter, me'' = eŷe ''sight'' = aŷe ''yes''
 
Ìan ''person'' cf. îron, silent r
 
îceberg one word
 
Îceland -lənd
 
Icelándic
 
îcon
 
idêa *îdêə, cf. monosyllables pêa, têa, a not sounded separately
 
ídeogram
 
idêólogy - î or í
 
idiosýncrasy
 
îdle lazy = îdol god = AmE îdyll idyllic
 
Idomenèo
 
ídyll BrE; AmE îdyll = îdle = îdol
ígnorance
ignŏre
íleum intestine = ílium bone
illegálity
illícit illegal = elícit get
íll-thŏught-òut
illûsive illusory = elûsive elude
ímage -íj
imaginâtion
imágíne
imàm
imbróglio *imbrólyo
immêdìately
imménse cf. eménd
ímmigrate cf. émigrate
ímpact noun, affect
impáct fix, wedge
impâle
impàla
ímpasse
impêach
impéccable
impêrial
impéril
ímpetus
impŏrtance
ímpotence
impresàrio one s
ímpress noun
impréss verb
improprîety
ímprovîse
improvisâtion BrE -əvî-, AmE -óví-
ímpudent -yû-
impûte ascribe cf. ínput put in *ímpùt
ín abséntia
inadvërtent
íncense smoke
incénse anger
inchôâte ínk-
íncident
incidéntal
incidéntally
incrédible
incúmbent cf. encúmber
indepéndent cf. depéndent, depéndant
ín-dépth adjective
Índian - can be spelt without a capital when referring to American indians
Indiána
indîct *indîte
indígenous
indispénsable
índustry
indústrial
inévitable
infállible
ínfamous cf. fâmous
infátuâtion
inflámmatory -mm-
ín frònt of three words
inhérit
inítial *iníshəl
inítiative *iníshətíve
ínjure cf. endûre
ínland adjective
inlánd adverb
ínn pub = ín preposition
inóculate
ínpùt put in *ímpùt, cf. impûte ascribe
inquîre, inquîry or enquîre, enquîry; AmE ínquiry = enquiry
ínroads
insâtiable
insístent
ín sítu
insoûciance
inståll some AmE instål
instålment AmE instållment
instéad
insůre insurance = ensůre verify; BrE *inshåw, AmE *inshûr
insürgent cf. sürge
intáct one word
intégral
íntegrate
intélligent
interáction
interfêre
interfêrence
interlócutor
intërnal
internátional -áshnəl, cf. nâtion
internêcîne
intërpret
ínterview
intestînal or intéstinal
íntimate adjective -ət
íntimâte verb
ínto *íntû or *íntə: one word - but ón to is still two
íntricacy
íntrìgue noun *íntrêeg
intrìgue verb *ín-trêeg
introspéction
inválid valid
ínvalid ill
ínventory *ínvəntry, cf. ínfantry
in-yer-fâce
îón electron cf. îron metal, *îən, silent r
Îôna
îPód ® showing a trend towards internal capitalisation also seen in EastÉnders
Irān cf. îron metal, silent r
Irânian or Irànian
Irāq -k
Irāqi -kì
irâte î-
Îreland BrE Îələnd, cf. îsland *îlənd
Irênê or silent final e
iridéscent *írridéssant
îron metal BrE *îyən, cf. îón electron, Ìan person, Iràn country
irónic
îrony *îrənỳ
irresístible
irréverent
irrévocable
írrigate cf. erádicate
Îsaac *Îzək
îsland  *îlənd, cf. Îreland
Íslám Íz-
Islámic
Îslay *Îlə
îsle island *île = aîsle theatre
Îsle of Wîght *Île of Whîte
îsobar -ss-, cf. Ísobel = Ísabel, -z-
Ísrâel *Ísreâl
Isrâeli
íssue *íshû or íssyû
Istanbùl or to please the Turks Istánbul cf. old spelling in Graham Greene’s novel title Stamboul Train
ísthmus
íts belonging to it = ít’s it is - ít’s for íts is probably the most common mistake of all
Îvan
Îvor
îvory
îvy plant = Îvy person
 
===J===
J = jây bird
Jáckie either sex = Jácqui female
Jâin religion = Jâne person
jalópy
jámb door = jám bread, cf. lámb, also -m
Jánet
Jânus
Japán
jéalous *jélləss
Jêan person = gêne genetics, cf. Jâne person
jêans trousers = gênes genetics
jéll shape = gél hair
jélly
jéopardy *jéppardy, cf. léopard, also silent o
Jéricho -kô
Jerôme
Jérry = Gérry
Jéssê = Jéssìê
Jêsus -z-
Jésûít -z-
jéttison
jétty
Jeŵ cf. Jûdaism
jeŵel stone cf. dûel fight = dûal two
jeŵeller *jûəler
jihád
jínx bad luck = jínks high jinks
Jô Josephine = Jôe Joseph
Jôêy Joseph = jôey animal
Jôan
Jôánna
Jôánne
jób work
Jôb person
jöurnal
jöurney
Jûdâísm AmE *Jûdêísm
júdgement or júdgment soft g
jûice fruit *jûce, cf. deûce two, equal
Jûlie
Julŷ
júmpstart one word
jùnta or ú or h-
jûry justice = Jeŵry Jew, cf. Dûry person, Neŵry town
Jûvenal
jûvenîle
===K===
K = Kây person
Kàbul - some say Kabùl
Kafkaésque *Káfkə-ésk: there may be a glottal stop before é
kamikàzê
kapùt unlike German kaputt
karaôkê *kariôkêy, *cárry-ôkie
Káren ancient
Kàrin modern
kàrma
Kashmìr Asia = cashmêre wool
Kathmandû Kátm-
Kátz person = cáts cat
kebáb
kêen interested, sharp = Kêane = Kêene persons
Kêighley *Kêithley
Kêith
kërb street = cürb lessen, street
kërnel centre = colonel army
kérosêne or kérosìne
késtrel
kétchup
kéttle water cf. cáttle farm
kêỳ door = quaỳ port
kêyboard one word
Kèynsham
Khachatûrian *Kachachûrian
khàkì - either stressed
Khmér Kəm-
Kìév *Kìyéff
kìlo
kílomêtre or kilómetre; AmE -er
kînd
kíndred -dríd
kíngly
Kíngsley cf. Mackínley
Kirkûdbright *Kəkûbry
kítsch *kítch
Kleîn = Clîne
knâve cad, cards = nâve church
knêad dough = nêed necessary = knêed knee
knêejerk one word, n-
knêel down = Nêil, etc. persons
kneŵ know = neŵ fresh
kníck-knáck cf. Níck
knîght chess, Sir *nîte = Knîght person = nîght dark
knít wool = nít creature, fool
knóck *nóck, cf. noòk
knót tie = nót no
knôw acquaint = nô negative
knôw-hòw knowledge hyphenated = nôhòw anyhow
knôw-nothing adjective one word
knówledge *nólij
knôwn cf. nòne
knôws know = nôse face
Knóx person = knócks knock, n-
koòky eccentric = coòkie cake
Koràn = Quràn = Qur’àn
Korêa peninsula = BrE carêer job, fast
Kósovô -ss- - although Kosovans say ‘Kóssôvə’
kòwtòw
Kürt person = cürt abrupt
Kuwâit
Kÿrgyzstān
===L===
L = él ''railway''
 
labŏrious
 
lâbour BrE; AmE -or, cf. Lâbor Pàrty Australia, etc.
 
lâbourer BrE; AmE -or-
 
lábyrinth
 
lackadâisical
 
lácklustre ''adjective'' one word
 
lácquer *lácker
 
láddies ''boys''
 
lâdies ''women''
 
làger ''beer'' hard g, cf. soft g in làrger bigger
 
lâid ''egg, table, trap'' *lâyed
 
lâin down = lâne traffic
lãir hideout ≈ lâyer covering: both are two syllables, but lâir is normally shorter
lâissèz-fãire silent z: *lây-sây-fãir
lámb -m
lambást or lambâste
lamént
lámentable or laméntable
lâne road = lâin lie = Lâne, Lâine persons
lánguorous -uorou-: -ərə-
Làos nation = lòuse bug
lápdog one word
lápse negative = láps lap
largésse or AmE largéss
làrva insect BrE = làva volcano
lâser -z-; rhymes with râzor
lasso *lássoô
Làs Vègas - many BrE speakers say *Lós Vègas probably because they would normally read Las with the á sound, the AmE Làs sounds to them like Lós, and by analogy with Lós Ángeles
lâter
làttè
látter
låud praise = BrE lŏrd master
låudanum
lāughter rhymes with āfter
laureate *lóriat
laurel *lórrel
làva volcano BrE = làrva insect
lávish cf. slâvish
låw legal = BrE lŏre folk: *lŏ, cf. lôw *ləù: Francophones beware
Lawrence Ló- or Laurence w more common
låwyer *lŏyer
lây table, egg, snooker as a verb in its own right, or as past of lîe; = lâze lazy
lâybŷ
lâyer covering ≈ lãir hideout: both are two syllables, but lâyer is normally longer
lâze lazy = lâys table
lâzy
lêa grass = lêe shelter = Lêe = Lêigh persons
lêach percolate = leêch worm, sail
lêast cf. lést
lêaves leave, leaf
lêad first, guide
léad metal = léd took, past of lêad, cf. réad, past of rêad
lêader lead = lìêder songs
lêak liquid = lêek vegetable
lêague *lêeg
léant lean = lént lend = Lént season
léapt leap
lëarn past: lëarned or lëarnt
lëarned as attributive adj: a *lëarníd mán
lêast less cf. lést in case
Lébanon -ənən; AmE -ón
léd guided = léad metal
lée shelter = Lêe = Lêigh = Lêa persons = lêa grass
lêes dregs cf. lêase contract, unvoiced s
leêch worm, sail = lêach percolate
Lêeds city = lêads lead
lêek vegetable = lêak liquid
lêer look = Lêar person
léft hand, leave
léftie politics = léfty hand
légacy
lêgal
législâtor
législatûre
Léicester city = Léster person
Léinster
leisure BrE léisure *lézher; AmE lêisure *lêzher; BrE rhyming with méasure, pléasure and tréasure
leîtmotìf
Lénnox
léns *lénze, plural lénses
lént lend = Lént season = léant lean
Lêô
Léominster *Lémstə
Léonard *Lénnəd = Lénnard
léopard animal = Léppard person *lépəd, cf. Léonard, jéopardy, also silent o
lêotàrd *lêətàd
léper *lépə, rhyming with pépper
Lêroy
Lésley female = Léslie male 
Lesotho *Lesûtû
léss more
léssen less = lésson school
lést in case cf. lêast less
lêthal
léts let = lét’s let us
léttuce *léttis
Levánt
lévee dam = lévy tax
lêver AmE léver
lêverage AmE léverage cf. béverage in both
Lêvi
Lévis cf. Lêavis
lévy tax = lévee dam
leŵd cf. feûd
Leŵis Scotland, person *Loôwis = Leŵes England
liâison lì-
lîable three syllables
lîar
lîbel two syllables
líberal
libertãrian
líberty
líbido
Lìbra
lîbrary
lîbrãrian
Líbya
lîcence BrE or lîcense AmE; can be verb in BrE
lîcensêe *lîcencee
lîchen plant = lîken compare
lîe down, untrue cf. lŷing, lây
lìên *lêən
lìêder songs = lêader lead
lieuténant AmE lût-, BrE léft- or lût-
lîfestyle one word
lîfetime one word
lígament
lîght *lîte - but ‘lite’ can be seen commercially
lîghtning flash *lîtning ≈ lîghtening lighten
lîkelihood
lîkely
lîke-mînded
lîlac
Lilóngwè
líly-lívered
límb *lím, cf. clîmb up = clîme climate
lîme cf. Lŷme Rêgis
límô
limousìne *limmazêen
línchpín cf. lýnch
Líncoln *Língkən
Líndsay = Líndsey *Línzy
línêage *línêíj, cf. lîne
lingerie BrE *lánzhery, AmE *lànjerèy, è stressed
lîon animal = Lŷon person, cf. Lỳon France
líp-rêad
líquefy cf. líquid  líquidate
liqueûr chocolate *licûre
líquor whisky *líkker
Lîsa - usually
Lísbon *Lízbən
líst column, sway = Líszt Franz
lísten *líssen
lístless *lístlíss
lîte - humorous or commercial spelling of lîght
líterary
líturgy
líve verb
lîve adjective cf. lîfe noun
líves verb
lîves life plural of lîfe
Líz
Lìza – usually
Ljubljàna´*Lyùblyàna
llàma animal = làma Buddhism
Llanélli - Welsh names beginning in Ll- are pronounced in English as if they began Thl-: *Thlanéthly - except for
Llŏyd - L sound only
lôan lend = lône alone
lôath unwilling unvoiced th; its variant lôth is preferable, to avoid confusion with following, which is sometimes used incorrectly instead
lôathe hate voiced th, *lôadh
lôathsome voiced th, no middle e
lóch Scottish ch like Arabic kh, phonetic symbol (, cf. lóck; Irish ones are lóugh, same pronunciation
lóckjaw one word
lôgo
Lòndon
lône only = lôan money
longévity -njé-
lónger long hard g sounded separately
longëur bore g not sounded separately
Lóngfellow
loô toilet = Loû person = lieû in
loòkalike noun one word
loôse insecure *lûce, cf. lose lost = loôs loo *lûze - loôse for lose is perhaps the second most common mistake after ít’s for íts
loôt spoils = lûte music
lŏre folk BrE = låw rule
lórry transport = Laurie person
lose lost *lûze = loôs toilets, cf. loôse insecure *lûce
loser unlucky *lûzer, cf. loôser more insecure
loses lû-, cf. lósses
lôth disinclined variant of lôath, and preferable, as it is further from lôathe hate
loûche -sh
Loûìs silent s, or (particularly in St. Loûis) = Leŵís
Louìse
Louisiána Lûì-; one n
lòve cf. lôathe
lôw cf. låw
lûchre *lûker, AmE lûcher
lúggage
lúllabŷ
lúmbar back = lúmber wood
lûte music = loôt spoils
lúvvie actor cf. lòve, lòvey-dòvey
Lúxemboürg
lŷing from lîe
lýmph
lýnch = Lýnch person, cf. línchpin
lýnx animal = línks link
Lỳón France cf. lîon animal
lŷre harp = lîar cheat
 
===M===
M = ém print
macádam road comes from McÁdam person: names begin Mac- or Mc- with or without a following capital
macarôni cf. original Italian ‘macheroni’
MacGrégor or McGrégor
machétê *məshétty
machìne -sh-
machísmo mátch- or mətch-
mácho mátch-
Mácintyre = MácKintyre (c of ‘Mac’ is always hard, even before a vowel)
Macleod or MacLeod or McLeod *Məclòud
mádeleine cake = Mádeleine Paris, person
mâde-up adjective before noun
mádman or -mán; one word
Madràs
mâelstrom
màêstro *mŷstro
máfia AmE màfia
magazìne
Mågdalen Oxford = Mågdalene Cambridge both silent g= måudlin sentimental
Mágdalene Mary *Mágdəlín
magistêrial cf. májesty
mágnâte power
mágnet magnetic
mâid servant = mâde make
mâil letters = mâle female
mâin principle = Mâine America = mâne horse
mâinstream one word
mâize crop = mâze labyrinth
Majŏrca *Məyŏrcə
majórity
malãria
Malâysia cf. Âsia etc.
Málcolm person *Málcum, cf. tálcum powder
mâle man = mâil post
måll shopping = måul violence; Páll Máll is an exception
mállêable
målt
Målta
Mámmon
mán male = Mánn = Mánne persons = Mán Manchester
mánakin bird cf. máníkin dwarf, model = mánnequin dummy
Mánchester cf. Chéster
mânger cf. mánager
mâne horse = mâin principal = Mâine State
mándarin
mándatory
mandolíne
mâne lion = mâin important = Mâine state
mângy -jy
mánhandle
mâniácal
máníkin or mánníkin dwarf, model = mánnequin dummy, cf. mánakin bird
mán-mâde
mánna heaven BrE = mánor house = mánner way
mánnequin dummy = máníkin dwarf, model, cf. mánakin bird
manoeûvre BrE or manœûvre; AmE maneûver
many *ménny, cf. pénny
Màori *Mòwry, cf. Lòwry
mãre horse = mãyor councillor
margarìne màrj-
Màrgot -gô
Marìa but: Bláck Marîa
marìne
máriner sailor = Márriner person
máritîme
Màrlboro ™ cigarette -bərə = Màrlborough person
Mårlborough town *Måwlbərə
Màrs Martian = màrs mar
Marsèille *Marssây
Mãry cf. márry
màrten animal = màrtin bird = Màrtin person
màrtyr -tər
māsk face = māsque ball
Massachûsetts
mássacre -ker
mássacring
mássàge -àzh AmE *məssàzh
massëuse  -ëz; AmE -ûz
māsterstroke one word
matêrial unlike in French
mátinèe *mátinây: matinée, accent can be written in BrE but not in AmE
mátress
mâtrix
måudlin sentimental = Mågdalen Oxford = Mågdalene Cambridge
måul lion = måll shops
Maurice person BrE = Mórrís name; AmE Maurìce; see -óris in Retroalphabetical Word List
mauve colour *môav, cf. move û movement
mây perhaps = Mây month, person
mâybe perhaps only meaning ‘perhaps’ is it one word, cf. mây bê verbs: mâybe it’s trûe; ít mây bê trûe
mâyhém
mãyor councillor = mãre horse, cf. Mâyer person, mâjor
McEnroe *Máckenroe
McIlroy *Máckilroy
McGóugh *MəGóff
McKénzie = MacKénzie = Mackénzie Mək-
mêaly-mòuthed
mêan intend, generous = mìên face
méant mean cf. -ment suffix
mêantime one word
méasure *mézher
mêat flesh = mêet up = mête appropriate
mêatball one word
médal medallion = méddle interfere
mêdia
mêdial
médical
médicine - the first i may be silent
medìêval or mediaêval *medì-êvəl or *medêvəl
Mediterrânean cf. ‘terra’, Latin for ‘earth’, so it is not *Meditterânean
mêet encounter = mêat eat = mête suitable, out
megalomâniac
melanchôlia -nk-
mélancholy -nk-
Mélbourne *Mélbən, cf Mílburn, BrE *Mílbən
méltdown noun one word
meménto remember cf. môment, moméntous time
mémoir *mémwà (no final -e unlike in French original)
ménace rhymes with Dénnis and ténnis (-əss or -íss)
ménû
Ménzies Robert
Menzies Campbell *Míngiz
Méopham *Méppəm
mêre
meringue *məráng
mesméric
mésmerise
Méssrs Mister r as er, cf. mésser mess
Mésurier John le = méasurer measure
métal metallic = méttle quality
metamŏrphôsis - either stressed
meteorólogy mê-
mête suitable, out = mêet encounter, mêat animal
mêter measure = mêtre distance, rhythm BrE; all three meanings in AmE are mêter
mêthane
methínks one word
méthod
methódical
mètièr métier *mâytiay
meŵs street, cat = mûse think, inspiration
mézzanine méz- or méts-
mézzo *métso
mì doh-re-mi = mê I
Mîámì
miaòw
mîca
Mîchael *Mŷcle, rhyming with cŷcle
mîcrô-ŏrganism hyphenated
míd does not require hyphen
middây
mídnight *mídnîte
mìên face = mêan intend, ungenerous
míffed rhymes with ríft etc.
mîght perhaps, power = mîte small, arachnid
mìgraine
mîke microphone = Mîke Michael
Milán Italy í, cf. Mìlán person
mîles mile = Mîles person
mílitary
milítia *milíshə
millénnium
minarét
mînd brain, care = mîned mines
mîndset noun one word
mîne me, bomb, coal
mînefield one word
mîner coal = mînor small, young, major
minestrônê
míni small = Mínnie person
míniature *mínitcher
mínímum
mínistry cf. mónastery
mínkê *mínky
mînus
mínuscule
mínute time *mínít
mînûte tiny
minûtiae *minûshî
mîre
mís- not hyphenated
miscellâneous -səl-
miscéllany -sél-
míschíef
míschíevous
misconcéption
mislêad
misléd
misógynist
misquôte
míss aim = Míss female = mís- wrong
míssal prayers = AmE míssile hit, cf. BrE pronunciation míssîle
misshâpen *míss-shâpen
Mississíppì
Missoûrì *Mizoôry; some AmE speakers say *Mízoôrə
misspéll
místral wind cf. místrîal trial
misûse
mîte small, arachnid = mîght perhaps, power
mnemónic nem-
môbîle move
Môbìle Alabama
módel *móddle, cf. môtél
Mohámmed or Muhámmad *Məhámid
mŏisten *mŏissən
Mojàvê *Məhàvì
môld shape = môuld mouldy
mólecule
molécular
móllycoddled one word
Mólotov -f
Mólineûx *Móllyneŵ
môment cf. meménto
moméntous cf. meménto
mónarch BrE -nək, AmE -nàrk
mónestery *mónistry, cf. mínistry
mònetary
mòney
mónicker name = móniker name; BrE = Mónica person
mònk
Montána BrE and AmE, cf. AmE banána but BrE banàna, with the usual BrE pronunciation of this ending; also Alabáma and Louisiána are both BrE and AmE
mònth *múnth cf. mòunt *máùnt
Montgómery = Montgómerie
Montreål -ê-
moôn 
mŏor land = mŏre plus = Mŏore = Mŏre names
moôt mention cf. mûte silent
môped mope
môpéd bike
móral virtuous
morāle confidence
mŏrès (-âyz)
mŏrning early = mŏurning death
mŏron
Mórris person BrE = Maurice person: see -óris in Retroalphabetical Word List
mŏrtgage *mŏrgij
mŏrtíce or mŏrtíse
mosâíc pattern = Mosâíc Jewish *môzâíc
Móscôw - some AmE speakers say Móscòw
mósque *mósk, cf. músk, màsk
mosquìto -skêeto
môte eye = môat castle
móthball one word
motìf pattern mô-, cf. môtive reason
moûe pout = moô cow
môuld mouldy = môld shape
mòuntaínous -tínəs
mŏurn dead = mŏrn morning
Mòusehole Cornwall *Mòuzəl
moûsse chocolate = moôse animal, cf. mòuse rodent
moustāche BrE *məstàsh; AmE mústache, *mústásh
mòuth noun th unvoiced, verb th voiced, cf. bréath noun th unvoiced, brêathe verb th voiced
mòuthpiece one word
move û
Môzart *Môatsart
Mr abbreviation of míster, full form rarely used
Mrs *míssíz; abbreviation of míssis or míssus, full form rarely used; = mísses mistakes, girls
mûesli *meŵzly
Mûïr name *meŵer, cf. mŏre, etc.
Mujahedìn
múltiplŷ verb
múltiplỳ adverb
múm quiet, mother = AmE mòm mother
múmmy body, mother = AmE mòmmy mother
Mûnich -ík
Múrraỳ = Mòray firth = Múrry, cf. húrry
mürky
múscle body = mússel shellfish
Múscovite
mústáche is AmE for moustàche
mûse think, inspiration = meŵs street, cat
musêum mûz-
mûsic current = mûsick archaic
Mùslim or Móslem, -z-
múslin
mústn’t *mússənt
mûte silent cf. moôt mention
mŷ
mŷnah bird BrE = mînor lesser = mîner mines
mŷre
mýriad
mÿrtle
mýstery *mistry
mystìque *mistêek, cf. mistâke
mýth
myxomatôsis
 
===N===
N = én print
naìve naïve innocent nàì- *nŷêve, cf. nâve church
naìvity *nà-ìvity - or naïveté, *nî-yeevitây
nâked -íd
Náncy person = Nàncy France
Nâomi
narcissístic
nárrative
narrâtor
NÁSA space = BrE Násser person
nâscent
Násh person = gnásh teeth
nāstiness
nāsty
Nâthan
nátional *náshnəl, cf. nâtion
nâtionwîde one word
nátural *nátchrəl
nåught nothing *nåwt = nŏught zero: thèy wíll stóp at nåught; hòw many nŏughts dòes a quadríllion hàve?
nåughty *nåwty
nåusea BrE *nåuzìa, AmE *nåusha
nåuseous -shəss
nâval navy = nâvel
nâve church = knâve cad, cf. naïve or naìve innocent
nâvel stomach = nâval
nây no = nèigh horse = nè né man = nèe née woman
Nàzi -tsì
Nàzísm *Nàtsízm; not *Nàtsìyízm
neánderthal - nê-
nécessary
nêe- = knêe; see also nì-
nêed require = knêad dough = knêed knee
negôtiate
negotiâtions
nèigh horse = nây no = nè né man = nèe née woman
nèighbour *nâber, rhymes with  lâbour, sâbre, tâbor, câber and Fâber
Nêil = Nêill = Nêal = Nêale = Knêale persons = knêel down, cf. níl zero
neîther AmE nêither
némesis
nêô-
neólogism nê-
nét catch = nétt deductions
neûter
néver mînd is two words
Neŵ Ŏrleans
neŵbŏrn adjective, noun one word
newfángled one word
neŵ-fòund
Neŵfoundland BrE *Neŵfəndlənd
neŵly new = Neŵley person
neŵspaper -eŵss-; one word
neŵswörthy one word
Ngaîo *Nŷô Màrsh
Nicarágua -gûa has given way to -gwə
nîce good cf. Nìce France, NYSE New York
nìche *nêesh
níck steal = Níck person = kníck-nack
Nîgel *Nîjəl
Nîger delta *Nîjə, cf. Nîgel
Nigér country *Nízhãiə, French style
Nigêria Nîj-
nîgh *nŷ
nîght dark *nîte; = kníght Sir, chess
nîghtmãre
nìhílíst - h can be as y
níl - one l
nìrvàna
nít creature, fool = knít wool
nítpick one word
nítwit one word
neŵborn one word
néxt doôr two words
nô negative cf. nº number
nób rich = knób handle
Nôbél prize - either stressed
nôble birth, elevated
noblésse
nóctürne cf. türn
nô-gô ãrea
noir BrE *nwà, AmE *nwàr
nóm de plûme *nómdəplûme
nón- not not a word in its own right except in persôna nón gràtis
nónchalant nónsh-
nòne zero = nún God, cf. knôwn knew, nô-one nobody
nònesuch
nonplússed no hyphen
nónsense
nonsénsical
nón séquitùr - or nôn; or -tə
noòk cf. knóck *nóck
noôn midday = Noône person
noôse cf. nòus
nô-òne nobody - the hyphen seems the happy medium: one also sees nôòne - too redolent of noôn and Noône above - and nô òne, but the hyphenless version is best used only where òne is not a person but a quantifier: nô òne síngle fáctor
Nŏrfolk -fək
Nórwich rhymes with pórridge or Ípswich
nŏrthern voiced th, unlike nŏrth
nôse face = knôws know
nôsey or nôsy
nôtewörthy one word
nòthing
nôtice -íss
nôticeable
notorîety
notŏrious
nŏught zero *nåwt = nåught nothing
noúrish
nòus cf. noôse, hòuse
noûveau rìche *nûvô-rêesh
Nôva Scôtia *Nôvə Scôshə
nóvelist
novélla
nôwhere one word, cf. nô plâce
nth *énth
nûisance nyûss-
númb -m
númber 123
númber numb *númmer
nûmerous
nún God = nòne nought
nútcase one word
nutrítion nû-
nyctophôbia
nýmph *nímf
===O===
Ô letter = ôh exclamation
ŏar boat = ŏr alternative = ŏre metal
oâsis *ôwâyssís
obêdience
obèisance
obèy
oblìque -lêek
obscêne
obscénity
obsêquious
óbsolête
obsoléscence
óbstacle
occâsionally
occür
occürred (cf. cûred), occúrrence, occürring - two r’s
ôcean *ôtion, *ôshən
óchê *ócky, cf. hóckey
ôchre *ôker; AmE -er
óctagon
óctopus
ôdious
ôdium
ôdorous
 
Oêdipus AmE Ê-
 
oêstrogen AmE ê-
 
öeuvre *ëvra
 
óf *óv
 
offénce BrE; AmE offénse
 
offénsive
 
óffspring one word
 
óften *óffen; though some pronounce the t
 
ÔK or ôkây
 
Ôklahôma
 
ôld normal = ôlde ''jocular, old-fashioned'' = Ôld ''person''
 
ôld-fáshioned
 
Olýmpic
 
ómelette *ómlit, cf. hámlet
 
omérta
 
omnípotent
 
òne ''single'' = wòn ''game''
 
òne-óff
 
ònes plural = òne´s possessive *wúnz
òneself one word, wú-
óngôing one word
ònion *únyon, cf. Cányon
onlîne connected one word
ónlooker one word
Ontãrio
ón to *óntû or *óntə: two words, but ínto is one
ónyx or ônyx
oòps
óperate
ophthalmólogist ph
opínion
opportûnity *óppərtyûnity
oppréss
oppûgn -ûne
optimístic
ópt-òut noun hyphenated
ŏr instead = ŏre metal = ŏar boat
ŏral voice = åural ear
órange *óringe
oráng-utan
orâte
órator
ŏrchestrate ŏrk-
ŏrchid *ŏrkid, cf. ŏrchard, ch sound
ŏrdnance weapons cf. ŏrdinance decree
ŏrient
órifíce AmE ŏrifíce
Orîon
.*ŏrtha- no words begin like this
ŏrthodox
ósprêy or ósprèy
òtherwise one word
Ouagadoûgou *Wágadûgu
ouìja-bŏard wì-
ŏught *åwt
òur us = hòur time
òut
outdo *òutdoô, one word
òutlåw one word
òutrîght one word
outsîde one word
ôva ovum = BrE ôver top, finish
òven
ôver
overbürdened one word
overcòme one word
overdûe one word
ôverload one word
overlôaded one word
overnîght *ôver-nîte, one word
overrâte rate ≈ overâte or *overét overeat
overreáct *ôverêáct, one word
overrîde one word
overrûle one word
overshádow one word
overthrôw one word
ovërt ô-
ôwe debt = ôh exclamation = Ô letter
óxbow
Óxford -əd
O’Brîen cf. Brîan
 
===P===
P = p ''pence'' = pêa ''eat'' = pêe ''urine''
 
pâce ''speed''
 
pàcè ''peace'' *pàchè
 
páchydërm *pákidërm
 
pácifist cf. pássive
 
paêan
 
paediatrícian
 
paêdophile
 
pâge
 
págeant ea as schwa, *pájənt
 
pâid ''pay'' *pâyed, *pâde, cf. regularly formed plâyed, swâyed, etc.
 
pâin ''hurt'' = pâne ''window''
 
pâinstâking
 
pãir ''two'' = péãr ''fruit'' = pãre ''nails''
 
Pākistān but not Pàkistán
 
pálatal ''palate''
 
palâtial ''palace'' -shəl
 
pâle ''pallid'' = pâil ''bucket''
 
Pálestîne
 
Palestínian
 
påll cf. Páll Máll, måll
 
pállet ''mattress'' = pálette ''paint''
 
Pámela
 
panáche *pənásh
 
Pánamà
 
páncake *pángcake
 
Pàncho AmE; BrE Páncho
 
pánda ''animal'' BrE = pánder ''serve''
 
pandemônium
 
pánel cf. chánnel
 
panoràma
 
paparázzi pápərátsy
 
pâper-thín
 
páprika BrE; AmE paprìka
 
papŷrus
 
parábola


párachute -shû-
:Ís nô bétter thán McLeod (*McClòud).


páradigm -îm
But mînd trívial and vîal,  
Páraguay -gwî
párallel *párralel, cf. désiccate
páralyse
parálysis
paralýtic
paral
parámeter
pãre cut = pãir two = péãr fruit
pãrent
parîah
Parísian -ízì-
pàrliament *pàrləmənt
párrot bird = Párrott person
partisán -z- AmE pàrtisan -zən
pàrse -z
partícipate
pássè passé
pāssed pass = pāst time, tense
pássion *páshən
pássive cf. pácifist
pāsteurise from Pastëur; cf. pāsture field
pastìche -ìsh
pāstime
pāst ít old
pátè pâté
pâtent
pàth
pathétic
pathológical á
pathólogy
pâthós
pâtience virtue, cards ≈ pâtients hospital
pátois *pátwà cf. fátwà
pâtriàrch -k
pátriot or â
patriótic - á or â
patrôl cf. pétrol
pátronise condescend
pâtronise patron
påuse stop = påws animal
pâyback noun one word
pây-óff noun
pêa vegetable = pêe urine = P letter = p pence
pêal bell = pêel fruit = Pêel person
pêak summit = pêek cheat = pìque annoyance
péãr fruit = pãir two = pãre cut cf. Pêter Pêars
Pêarce person = Pìêrce person, pìêrce hole, cf. Pìêrs, -z person = pìêrs pier
pëarl stone = pürl knit, liquid
pêase pudding -z: = pêas pea
pêat bog = Pête Peter
peccadíllo
pédal foot = péddle sell
pédestal
pédigree
pédlar or péddler seller
pêe urine = pêa vegetable = p pence = P letter
pêek cheat = pêak summit = pìque annoyance
pêer look, lord = pìêr jetty
pêeved
pejórative cf. përjury
péll-méll cf. Páll Máll
pén write = Pénn person
péncil
Penélopê
penicíllin
península noun = BrE penínsular adjective
Pennsylvânia
péntagon
pêony *pêənỳ
pêople pêep-, cf. stêeple
Pêpys Samuel = pêeps looks
për normally weak, but when strong = pürr cat
per cént two words
percéntage one word
përfect adjective
perféct verb
përjury cf. pejórative
permíssion
permít ''verb


përmit ''noun
Trîpod, mênial, denîal,
       
:Trôll and trólley, réalm and rêam,
       
:Schédule, míschief, schísm, and schême.
Àrgil, gíll, Argŷll, gíll. Sůrely


përpetrate not perper-
Mây bê mâde to rhŷme wíth Råleigh,
       
:Bút yŏu're nót suppôsed to sây


për sè *persây, cf. sây
:Pìquèt rhŷmes wíth sóbriquèt.  


përson
Hád thís ínvalid inválid


persôna
Wörthless dócuments? Hòw pállid,
       
:Hòw uncoûth hê, còuchant, loòked,
       
:Whén for Pŏrtsmouth Î had boòked!
   
   
personálity
Zeûs, Thêbes, Thales, Aphrodîtê,  
 
persôna nón gràtis
 
personnél ''staff'' *personéll, cf. përsonal ''private''
 
persuâde -swâde
 
Perû
 
pervërse
 
përvërt
 
pervërted
 
péssimistic can be péz-
 
pétrol ''oil'' = pétrel ''bird'', cf. patrôl
 
Pëugeôt ™ -zhô
 
ph- f-
 
phâeton
 
phálanx
phãraoh Egypt -rô; = Fãroe Islands
pharmacôpoêia AmE pharmacôpêia rhyming with cornucôpia
phàrming chemicals = fàrming farm
phâse period = fâze puzzle
phenómena plural
phenómenon singular
pheŵ relief = feŵ many
Phílip person = fíllip stimulus
Philìppe
phîal liquid = fîle papers, nails
phíshing email = físhing water
physiógnomy *fízzy-ónomy
phlégm
Phnóm Pénh *Pənóm Pén
Phoêbê *Fêeby, AmE Phêbê
Phoênix Arizona *Fêenix = phoênix or phœnix ashes
phôney or phôny; phôneys or phônies
phôtograph
photógrapher
photógraphy
phrâse -âze
phýsical -zí-, cf. físcal, -ss-
pî number π = pîe food
pìanist
piáno
píc picture = píck other meanings
Piccadílly - cc, ll
pídgin language = pígeon bird
pìêr jetty = pêer look, lord cf. Pêter Pêars, péar
pìêrce cut = Pìêrce, Pêarce persons
piérrot *pyérrô
pígeonhole one word
píllage -íj
pîlot plane = Pîlate Pontius
pîneápple -eá-
pínnacle
pînt cf. línt, mínt
pîonêer
pìque annoy = pêak summit = pêek look
Pîscês *Pŷsêez
pìste cf. píssed
píttance
píty
pívot
pìzza *pìtsa
pizzerìa *pìtsarìa, *pizzarìa, cf. ballerìna
pizzicàto píts-
plácard
plâce where = plâice fish
plâgiarise
pláid
pláit hair cf. plâte food
plâne air, tree, tool, surface = plâin straightforward
plánet cf. gánnet
plástic - some BrE speakers say plàstic
pláteau flat *pláttô, cf. Plâto philosopher
plátinum
plátypus
plâyboy one word 
plâywright
pléasure -ézher
plîght *plîte
plòver
plúm fruit, exact = plúmb depths, plumber
plŷ
Plýmouth -məth
pm post meridian = PM Prime Minister *pê-ém
pneumátic neû-
pŏignant *pŏinyant
Polàris
Pôle Poland = pôle wood = pôll election
polìce *plêece, cf. plêase *plêeze
pólish shine
Pôlish Poland
políticking
pólitics
pôker cards, fire
pôlka dance
pôll vote = pôle wood = Pôle Poland, cf. tôll, knóll
póll parrot
pólythene *póllithêen
polyéthylene -éthílêen
polyphónic
polýphony
pómegranate cf. gránite
poôl swim = Poôle place, person
pŏor impecunious, unfortunate = pŏre skin, examine = pŏur liquid (some say poôr)
pópulace noun = pópulous adjective
pŏring examining = pŏuring out
pŏrous
pornográphic
pornógraphy
Pŏrsche car = Pŏrtia person
Port-au-Prínce *Portoprínce
Pŏrtugal, Portuguêse Pŏrch-
Poseîdon
posëur pseud cf. pôser puzzle
póssê
posséss *pozéss
pôst letter = pôst- after, which must be hyphenated
postpône pôsp-
potâtoes cf. tornâdos, both -ôz
Potômac
poùffe
práctíce AmE, BrE noun = práctíse BrE verb: in view of the pronunciation (not
-îse/-îze) the American custom of using only the -íce spelling would seem the more sensible
Pràgue *Pràhg
prây prayer = prèy victim
prãyer *prãir, cf. plâyer
precêde before prí-, cf. procêed start *prəsêed
précedent before préss-, cf. président head, préz-
précious *préshəss
prècìs précis *prâycêe
prècìs’d past *prâycêed
precîse *precîce
prê-dâte
prédator
prêdecessor AmE pré-
prê-émpt hyphenated
prê-éminent hyphenated
préferable cf. prefër
prélude
prémìêr government, league, -er as schwa; AmE premìêr = premìêre
prémìére performance cf. thére; AmE premìêre = premìêr
prémíse
preóccupied - prê-
prepãre
présent gift, now préz-
presént give príz-
prestìge -êezh
prestígious -íjəss
preténce
preténd
preténsion 
preténtious
pretty -í-
prevâil
prévalent
prêvious
prèy victim = prây prayer
prîce cost = prîce = Prŷce persons
prìma dónna *prê-madónna
prìma fâcìê
prínces = prínce’s = prínces’ male cf. príncéss female - either stressed
príncipal main = prínciple reason
principálity
prîor before, priory = Prîor, Prŷor persons
prívacy AmE prîvacy
prívilege
prîze present = prîse apart
prô- in favour
procêdure
procêed cf. precêde
procreâte
proféss
prófit money = próphet prophecy
prodûce verb
pródûce noun
pródúct
prodúctive
proféssional
prôgram computer, AmE
prôgramme BrE not computer
prôgress noun, BrE AmE prógress; verb progréss
próject activity - some say prôject
projéct stick out
prôle
prolóng one word
prómenàde AmE -âde
prómise -íss
prônòun
pronunciâtion ú: cf. pronòunce
proôf cf. prove *proôve
propagánda
própagate
próper
próphecỳ noun
próphesŷ verb
próphet religion = prófit gain
propônent
prôs pro = prôse verse
próspect future
prospéct gold
prôtêan
protéct
protéctor
prôtegè male protegé *prôtezhây
protegèe female protegée *prôtezhây
prôtest noun
protést verb
prótestant
protéster or, less often, protéstor, cf. invéstor
prove *proôve, cf. proôf
prôven or *proôvən
próvenance
Provence *Provónce
Provençal *Provón-sàl
próvince
províncial -shl
provocâtion
provócative
provôke
pròwess
pròwl
prŷ
ps- s-
psàlm *sàm
pseûd
pseûdo-intelléctual
psilocŷbin
psst - p pronounced, any number of s’s
psŷch *sîke
psŷchê *sîky
psychîatrist
psychólogist cf. sýcophánt
psychólogy
psychométric
psŷchopáth
psychopáthic
psychópathy
pterodáctyl térə-
públicly cf. bâsically
púcker lips BrE = púkka real
pùdding
púddle
pûerile
pùll push cf. poôl water
pùllover clothing cf. pùll ôver car
púmíce
púnish
pûny yû
pûre yû
pürl knit, liquid  = pëarl stone
pürr
pús yellow cf. pùss cat
pùsh
pùt place cf. pútt golf
pûtrid cf. hâtred, both -íd
pùtsch cf. pùsh
pùtting put
pútting putt
púzzle
pýgmy
pyjàmas AmE pajámas
pŷre
Pýrrhic
 
===Q===
Q = queûe up = cûe prompt
Qátàr or *Cátter, cf. catàrrh
qát drug or khát or kát; = cát animal
quáck
qùad
quadriplégic
quágmire or qùagmire
quàlm -àm
quángo
qùantity
quàrk
qùarrel
quartét å
quårtz mineral = quårts liquid
qùash
quaỳ harbour = kêỳ lock
quêasy -zêe, rhymes with êasy and slêazy, not with grêasy -sêe
Quebécker
quéll
quêry
quéstion *quéshchən
queûe line = cûe theatre, billiards
quìche *kêesh
quíd prô quô
quiéscent *kwìéssent
quîet silent two syllables, e as schwa: *kwîət
quít stop
quîte moderate one syllable
Quìto *Kêeto
quíz
quŏits
Quràn = Qur’àn = Koràn
QWËRTY
===R===
R = àre be
rábbî
raccoôn or racoôn
râcehorse one word
râcism cf. fáscism *fáshism
ráck frame, stretch = wráck pain
rácket corruption, noise = rácquet sport
râdàr
râdìî
râdius
râid
râin water = rèign monarch = rèin horse
râise up = râze ground
râisin -zən
râison d’étre  raison d´être
Ráleigh person = rálly meeting, though officially Sir Wålter Råleigh rhymes with Råwley
Rálph mostly, but some are Râlph, *Râfe
rámpâge noun
rampâge verb
Rámsey Isle of Man = Rámsay MacDonald
ráncour *rángkə; AmE ráncor *rángkər
Rangoôn *Ráng-gûne
ránkle cf. wrínkle
ránsom money = Ránsome person
rappróchement *rápróshmó
rápt entranced = wrápped parcel
rāspberry -spb-
Rastafãrian
râtio *râyshôw
rátion -sh-
rátional -sh-
rationâle -sh-
ráttlesnake one word
råucous rhymes with cåucus
rây light = Rây = Râe = Wrây persons
râzor rhymes with lâser
rê concerning = rê- again prefix - in more common words, rê- sounds like rí-: compare revêal and rêdêal
rêad writing = rêed plant = Rêed = Rêid = Rêad persons
réad past, past participle = réd colour; cf. lêad present, léd past, past participle
Réading town = Rédding person, cf. rêading read
Reâgan Ronald cf. Rêgan Lear, Mégan
reáct - rê-
rêal genuine = rêel rotate
Reál Madríd  *Rèy-ál Mədríd
reálpolitìk
rêalty
rêálity
réalm
rêam
rébel noun *rébble, cf. pébble
rebél verb
réccê *récky
recêde back *rísêed ≈ resêed plant, rê-
recêipt money -cêet, cf. concêit, decêit
recêive
rêcent lately cf. resént disapprove *rizént
rêcess
récipê food
recíprocal
réckon
récognise - g can be silent
recónnaíssance *recónissənss
récrêâtion fun, sport
rê-crêâtion forensics
recrûit redundant i
recür
recürred, recúrrence, recúrrent, recúrring - two r’s
réd colour = réad book
rédolent
Rêes = Rhỳs = Rêece = Rêese
refléct
refléction BrE can be refléxion
rêflex
rêed water = rêad book = Rêed = Rêad = Rêid persons
rêek smell  = wrêak havoc
rêel round = rêal genuine
rê-énergise - rê- hyphenated before é
rê-éntry - rê- hyphenated before é
refër
réference
refŏrm
refûse no -z
réfuse rubbish -s
Rég *Rédge, rhyming with hédge
Rêgan Lear cf.Reâgan Ronald, Mégan
regìme *râizhìme
régister
rehëarse
Rêid person = rêad write = rêed water = Rêed person
rèign monarch = râin wet = rèin horse
rêígnîte
rêímbürse
rêínfŏrce cf. enfŏrce
rêíterate - not -tt-
rêjéct noun
rejéct verb
rejûvenate
relêase cf. rêalîse
rélevant
relìêf
relìêve
rêlíve
relŷ
remémber
remémbrance
reminíscent -ssent
Rénault ™ *Rénô
rendezvous *róndâyvoô
renège or renègue *rənâyg
Rêno
renòunce
renunciâtion ú
repéllent
rêpercússions
repétitive
rêplay noun
replây verb
replŷ
represént
represéntative
reprîsal
reprìse
repúblic
réputable
repûte
resëarch AmE rêsëarch
resémble *rizémble
resént *rizént cf. rê-sént re-send, rêcent lately
réservoir *rézəvwàr
rêshuffle noun
reshúffle verb
resîgn leave *rizîne, cf. rê-sîgn return *rê-sîne
resignâtion g sounded
resíst -zí-
resístance -zí-
resôlve *rízólve
resŏurce AmE rêsource
réspiratory
réspîte AmE réspíte
respónsible *respónsable
réstaurant *réstrónt
resúlt *rizúlt
resûme again *ríz-yoôm
résumè CV - may be written résumé to distinguish from resûme
resurréction réz-
resúscitate
retàrd verb
rêtard person
rétch vomit = wrétch poor
rethínk
rétina
reveillê *reválly
rével cf. revêal
revêre
réverence
revieŵ newspaper = revûe show
revísit
revôke cf. irrévocable
rewård
Réynolds
rhápsody -ədy
rhêa bird = Rhêa Saturn
rhétoric
rhetórical
rhodedéndron rô-
rhŷme
rhýthm *rídhəm
rhýthmic *rídhmic
ríbald *ríbbled, *ríbəld
ríbbon -bən
Ríchard BrE *Ríchəd
rídicule
ridículous *ridíkyələss
rîght side, correct = wrîte read = rîte ritual = wrîght artesan = Wrîght person
Rîley = Reîlly
rîme frost also alternative, more regular, spelling of rhŷme
ríng round, noise = wríng neck
rísquè risqué *rískè
rîte ritual = wrîte read = rîght side, correct = wrîght artesan
ríven
ríver
Rìyadh - the only word with dh as the voiced sound of th in thís, and the only word with iy
rôad street = rôde ride
rôam wander = Rôme city
rób steal = Rób Robert
róbber
róbbery
róbin bird = Róbin = Róbyn persons
rôe fish = rôw line, in a, cf. ròw
Rôland cf. Rónald
rôle model rôle = rôll bread, rolling, call
roôfs roof *roôves, cf. hoôves hoof
roôm
Rôosevelt first syllable rhyming with rôse
roôt plant = BrE roûte journey
rôse flower, rise = rôws boat, line
rôsè rosé wine
rôse-tínted
rôte learning = wrôte write
rótten
roûè roué
roúgh violent = rúff cards, neck, bird, fish
ròughage *rúffage, *rúffij
ròund
ròut victory
roûte journey BrE = roôt plant; AmE ròute = ròut victory
rôw boat, line = rôe fish
ròw argument
rúbble wreck cf. AmE rûble BrE roûble money
rûbric
rúcksack
Ruîslip *Rŷslip
rúmpus
rúnaway person cf. rún awây action
rúng ladder, ring = wrúng wring
Rûpert
rústle noise = Rússell person
Rŵánda Rûá-
===S===
S *éss
 
sáccharine sácə-
 
sáchet ''bag'' = sáshay ''walk''
 
sácrament
 
sâcred
 
sacrilegious -íjəss, from sácrilege, cf. relígious, which rhymes
 
Sagittãrius Sáj-
 
said *séd
 
sâke ''for''
 
sàkè ''Japan''
 
Saskátchewan
 
said *séd, cf. pâid, lâid etc.
 
Sàìd ''Port, person'' = Sàêed ''person''
 
sâle ''sell'' = Sâle ''England'' = sâil ''boat''
 
Sålisbury *Sålzbry
 
sálivate
 
salîva
 
sálmon *sámmon
 
Sálomè~
 
sálon
 
Samôa
 
Sámùel -myùl
 
sanctimônious
 
sándal rhymes with cándle
 
Sandinístas
 
sang-froid *sàm-frwà
 
San Josè San José *Sán Hô-zè
 
Sánskrit cf. scrîbe
 
Sàra usually
 
Sãrah usually
 
sátellite - l is doubled, but not t
 
Sâtan
 
sátín
 
sátîre cf. sátyr
 
Sátürn
 
sátyr *sátter
 
Sàùdì
 
sàùerkràùt *sòurcròut
 
sàùna
 
såw ''see, wood, saying'' = BrE sŏre ''pain'' = BrE
 
sŏar ''up''
 
sáx ''saxophone'' = Sáchs ''person''
 
says *séz
 
sáy-sô ''noun'' one word
 
scándal *scándle, rhyming with cándle
 
scàr
 
scárab
 
scãre
 
scãrce
 
scàrf ''neck'' = Scàrfe ''person''
 
scàrlet colour = Scàrlett person
 
scêne ''vista'' = sêen ''see''
 
scént ''smell'' = cént ''money'', sént ''send''
 
scéptic AmE sképtic
schàdenfreude *shàdənfrŏyd
schédule BrE shé-, AmE ské-
schêma *skêemə
schemàta *skêem-àtə
schême *skêem
schérzo *skãirtso
schizophrênia skítsəfrìnia
schizophrénic skítsəfrénnic
schnítzel shn-
schtùm sht-
schoôl *skoôl
schoôlboy, schoôlgirl each one word
schoôner skoô-
schwà sh-
sciática sî-
scientífic sîən-
scíssors - ss as z
scóne cf. góne, dòne, cône
scöreboard one word
Scót Scotland = Scótt person
scòur
scöurge
scráp
scrâpe
scrâped
scrápped
scrêam
scrêen
scríbble
scúll oar = skúll head
scŷthe
sêa water = sêe vision
sêal shut, animal
sêaling = cêiling floor
sêam thread, coal = sêem appear
Seån person = Shåun = BrE shŏrn shear
Sêáttle cf. bêátify
secêde cf. procêed, precêde, succêed, supersêde
secónd BrE military
sécond other meanings
sectãrian
sedán cf. Sudàn
sédentary cf. said, *séd
sêed plant = cêde yield
sêem appear = sêam coal, thread
sêer *sêe-er
segregâtion
seîsmic sîz-
seismólogist sîz-
sêize grab *sêez = sêes see, cf. cêase stop, sîze big, síeve filter
sélf-évident
séll buy = céll prison, biology
séll-bŷ dâte - I once saw ‘sell buy date’
sémblance cf. resemble
sêmen sperm = sêaman sailor = sêamen sailors
sénsor feel = cénsor censorship
séntence
Seôul Korea = sôle only, shoe = sôul spirit
séparate adjective, séparâte verb not -per-, cf. a in pãir, désperate
séptic infected cf. scéptic = AmE sképtic doubter
sépulchre *sépulker
sërf peasant = sürf sea
sergeant *sàrjent = Sergeant = Sàrgent persons
sêrial TV = cêreal breakfast
sêries *sêríz
sêrious cf. Sýria, Sírius
sërve cf. sürvèy noun, *sërvây; survèy verb
sërvíce *sërvíss, cf. sürface, -físs, only one sound diferent
sétback noun one word
séver cut
sevêre tough
sew thread = sô thus = sôw seed, cf. sòw pig
seŵer pipe
sewer sew
séxìêst -ìyíst most
séxíst sexism
sextét
Shâkespêare - variant spellings omitted one or both silent e’s in William Shakespeare’s time but this is the norm now; cf. shâke and spêar
shâky
shâman
shãreholder one word
shêar cut = shêer absolute
shèikh Arabia - kh sound, or = shâke rattle
Shêila
shéllfish cf. sélfish
shenánigans
shépherd *shépperd = Shépherd = Shéphard = Shépheard persons
shh any number of h’s
Shìa ≈ BrE shêer
shibbóleth
Shìîte - no apostrophe or hyphen
shoe foot = shoô away
shoô-in noun one word; *shoe-ín
shoôt bang = chûte fall
shôre sea BrE = Shåw person and often sûre certain
shŏrn shear BrE = Shåun, Seån persons
shŏrtcoming one word
shŏrtlist finalists cf. shŏrt líst
Shostakôvich
shoùld *shoòd, cf. shôulder, hoòd
shôwcase one word, cf. bàsket câse
Shreŵsbury *Shroôzbry or, more commonly, *Shrôzbry
shŷ
shŷlỳ
Siàn *Shàn
Sîbêria
síbyllîne - y as schwa
sìêge cf. sêize
síeve *sív, cf. sêize
sîgh breath = Cŷ person
sîghed sigh = sîde beside
sîght see = sîte place = cîte quote
sîgn signal = sîne mathematics
sígnature
Sìkh religion = sêek find
símilê cf. símilar, smîle
simultâneous
Sînaî or *Sînêî
síng song = Síngh person
sínger - síng + -er, cf. síngeing
síngeing singe -jing, cf. sínging sing - hard g
Singapŏre
sîphon or sŷphon
sïr - but Sir before a man’s name is not stressed and has the schwa sound: *Sə
Jóhn Fålstaff
sîting site
sítting sit
sîze cf. sêize
sîzeable or sîzable
skì snow, cf. skŷ above
skìêr ski
skîer sky
skìíng
skîve
skuldúggery
skúll head = scúll oar
skŷscrâper one word
slág cf. Glénda Slágg
slây kill = slèigh snow
slêaze cf. plêase, which rhymes, and grêase, which has the s hissing sound
slêeve, cf. lêave
sleîght-of-hand cf. slâte
sleŵ
slîght little, slur = sleîght-of-hand
slípshod no hyphen
slôth
slòugh swamp *slòu = Slòugh town, cf. slôw fast
sloúgh skin *slúff
slúg
slür
slŷ
slŷlỳ
smållpox one word
smídgen or smídgin cf. pídgin
smôkescreen one word
Smŷth = Smŷthe, voiced th, cf. Smíth = smíth, unvoiced th
snêeze
snóbbery
snoôze
snôwmobìle cf. môbîle
snôwstorm
sŏar up = sŏre hurt
sôber cf. BrE sómbre AmE sómber
sóccer *sócker
sôcial sôsh-
sôcialism
sociólogy sôsh-
sociológical
sóck cf. sóccer
sóften *sóffen
sóftwãre
sôldier *sôljer, cf. cŏrdial, as spelt
sôle only, fish = sôul spirit = Seôul Korea
sólipsism
solitãire patience cf. sólitary alone
sôlo
Sólomon - all o’s
sómbre AmE sómber; cf. sôber
sòme any = súm total
sòmeone *súmwún, one word
sòmersåult cf. súmmer
Sòmerville cf. súmmer
sòmething cf. sòme thíngs
sòmetime former cf. sòme tîme
sòmeẁhat one word
sônàr
sóngwrîter one word
soôn
soòt
sŏre pain = sŏar rise, BrE = såw see
sŏught seek BrE = sŏrt type
sôul spirit = sôle only, fish = Seôul Korea
sòundbite one word
soûpçon *soûpsón
sŏurce origin BrE = såuce seasoning
sòuth unvoiced th, *sòwth
soúthern voiced th, *súdhern
Soúthwark voiced th, *Súdhək
soûvenìr  *sûvenêer
sóvereign *sóvrin
sôw seed = sô therefore = sew cloth, cf. sòw
sòw pig cf. sôw seed
sŏya bean = Såwyer person = såwyer saw
spà town BrE = spàr fight
spây
spâceship one word
spêak cf. spêech
spêcíes *spêeshiz
spécimen
spéctre AmE spécter = Spéctor person
spêech cf. spêak
Spéncer usual = Spénser poet
spíllage -íj
spínach *spínij, *spínnage, cf. spíllage
spôkesperson one word
spótlîght -lîte, one word
spŷ
Srì Lánka
sqùander
sqùalor cf. dóctor, BrE còlour AmE còlor
squêamish
St. *Sənt: abbreviation of Sâint before a name as in St. Màrk; St. Jóhn secular may be *Sínjən
stâbilise
stâble stability, horse
stâgefright *stâjefrîte, one word
stâid old-fashioned = stâyed stay
stâin
stâir up = stâre look
stâke bet, wooden = steâk meat
ståll
stålwart
stànch flow
stàr sky, film = Stàrr person
stãre look = stãir climb
stãring stare
stàrring star
stâtionary motionless = stâtionery paper
stâtist
statístics
státistícian -shn
ståunch support
stây
stâyed stay = stâid old-fashioned
steâk meat = stâke bet, wooden, cf. strêak line
stêal thieve = stêel metal
stéalth
sténch
stép walk = stéppe plain
Stêphens = Stêvens -v-
stérilise
stërling currency = Stïrling Scotland
steŵard
Steŵart person = Stûart person: one is more likely to meet a Stûart Steŵart than the reverse
stíck
stîfle
stíll
stíng
stíngy -njy
stínk
stítch
St. Jóhn in most cases *Sənt-Jón, in a few *Sínjən
stôny
stópôver noun, adjective
stŏre shop = Stŏrr person
stŏrey BrE floor = stŏry tale, AmE floor
stŏry-télling
Stŏrmont
strâight direct = strâit narrow
straightfŏrward adjective one word
Stranràer
stràta AmE strâta = BrE strâighter
stratêgic
strátegy
stràtum AmE strâtum
 
strénuous
 
Stréatham -təm
 
strýchnìne *strícknêen
 
Stûart ''person'' = Steŵart ''person'' - the Scottish royals were Stûarts but Stûart is more common as a given name, Steŵart more as a family name
 
stúcco
stûdent
stúdy
stûpid
stŷ pig = stŷ or stŷe eye
stŷle mode = stîle field
stŷmie cf. slîmy
Stýx river = stícks stick
suàve swà-
súb jûdicê
súbjugate
submarìne
submáriner
submít
subŏrn
subpoêna AmE -pê-
subsîdence
súbsídy
substántial -shəl
súbtle *súttle, cf. súpple
succêed -x-
succéss -x-
súccour help = súcker fool
succúmb -úm
Sudān cf. sedán
sûe law = Sûe Susan = Sioûx American; cf. diminutives Sûsie, Sûzy, etc. = Sioûxsie Banshees; words beginning soô- and soû- also have this sound
suède material = swâyed sway
Sûez *Soôwíz
suffîce
Súffolk -fək
sùgar shù-
sûit wear, cards *sût - or *syût (more common in inflected versions such as unsûitable), cf. soòt black
suìte rooms, music = swêet confection
súlphur AmE súlfur
súm arithmetic = sòme others
súmmary summarise = súmmery summer
sún star = sòn offspring
súnglasses one word
súnny sun = sònny son
súndae ice-cream = Súnday day
Sùnni Muslim cf. súnny weather - some AmE speakers say Sûnni *Soôny
sûper-rích is a good example of the usefulness of the hyphen: compare an apparent ‘supérrich’
supercílious
supersêde cf. precêde, intercêde
súpper
súpple *súpəl, cf. súbtle, *sútəl
súpplement -pləmənt
supplŷ provide
súpplỳ supple
suppréss -pp-
sûre AmE *shûre; BrE sůre rhyming with Shåw
sûrety AmE *shûre, BrE *shůrety
sürf sea = sërf peasant
sürface -físs, cf. sërvíce, only one sound different
Surinám or -náme
surmòunt
súrrogacy
sürplíce clergy ≈ sürplus extra
surprîse -rpr-; not -ize
survèillance -ll-
sürvèy noun
survèy verb
Sûsan -z-, cf. Suzánne, etc.
suscéptible
suspénse AmE and BrE; but see retroalphabetical list for -ence and -ense
sustâin
sústenance
svélte
sẁallow throat, bird
sẁamp
sẁan bird = Sẁann person
Sẁansea *Swónzy
swårthy
sẁastika
sẁat fly = swót exam
swâth or swâthe
swéar
swéat perspire
swêet eat = suìte music, hotel
swêetheàrt
sweêt-talk verb hyphenated
swŏrd blade *sŏrd, cf. swård turf, swŏre, swŏrn swear, w pronounced in all three
swót exam = sẁat fly
sý- apart from the variant spelling of sîphon, sŷphon, and Sŷracûse
sybarític cf. síbyllîne
sýcamore
.*sych- no words begin like this
sýcophánt
Sýdney Australia, person = Sídney person
sýllable
sýllabus
sýlph
sýmbol sign = cýmbal percussion
sýmmetry
symmétrical
sýmptom cf. Símpson
sýnagogue -góg
sýnch synchronisation = sínk lower, wash
sýndrome
synécdochê -kê
sýnod
syrínge
sýrup
sýstem
 
===T===
T = têa ''drink''
 
tábleau *táblô, plural tábleaux, *táblôze
 
tâilor ''clothes'' = Tâylor ''person''
 
tâle ~''story'' = tâil ''animal''
 
Táliban or Táleban
 
Taîwàn
 
tålk -åk; more examples in retroalphabetical list
 
Tállíín -íí- as í
 
tálon
 
Tánzanìa
 
taoìseach *têeshək
 
táriff *tárrif
 
tárôt rhymes with árrôw
tāsk cf. túsk
Tâte = Tâit
tattoô
tåut firm = tåught teach
Tbilìsi *Təblêezy - neither spelt nor pronounced ‘Tibilisi’
Tchaikóvsky redundant T: *Chŷkóffsky
têa drink = têe golf = tì do-re-mi
têam game = têem pour
téãr paper
têar cry
têase provoke = têas tea
têenager one word
teetôtaller AmE teetôtaler
Tehràn - é or è; or Teheràn
Tél Avìv
télephône
teléphony
télevísion -ízhn
télly
ténant *ténnent
téndency
ténor sound = ténner money
tërn bird = türn round
Terpsíchore rhymes with híckory
Terpsichŏrean Tërpsik-
térrorism
testósterone
téther - no a
th- respelt as dh- where voiced
Thaî nationality = tîe knot, score
Thaîland *Tŷlənd
Thames *Témz
than - only thán at dictation speed
thát dh-; as a demonstrative it has the á sound, but when a conjunction or relative pronoun it is normally schwa *dhət: Î dôn’t thínk that thát was the sâme mán that câme befŏre
thåw freeze = BrE Thŏr god
the *dhə: the schwa sound before a following consonant, thê before a following vowel; in other circumstances thê is mannered, as with â for the indefinite article
thêatre - a as schwa: *thêəter; AmE -ter
théir them dh- = thére here = théy’re are: *thãir
Thêodore
thêorem
thêory
thérefore dh-
thêse this -z
thêsês thesis -ssêez
thèy dh-
thìêf
thìêves
thínk
thís dh-
Thómas Tó-
Thómpson, Thómson Tó-
thŏrn rose, letter þ
thòrough exacting *thúrra, cf. throûgh
thòu you *dhòu
thôugh although *dhô
thŏught think *thåwt
thŏught-provôking hyphenated
thréat
thréepence or *thrùpence or *thrúppence
thréshold
threŵ throw
thrôes anguish = thrôws throw
thrône queen = thrôwn throw
throûgh preposition = threw throw = thrû informal American spelling of throûgh; cf. thòrough
throughòut all over one word = threŵ òut throw out, w sounded
thrôw toss
thrôwn throw = thrône king
thúmb -m
thús dh-
thwårt
thŷme herb = tîme clock
tîde sea = tîed tie
tîe knot, level = Thaî nation, cf. tŷing
tìêr rank = têar cry, cf. téar rip
tîer tie
tíff
tîger cf. Nigér *Nizhãir
tîghten tight = tîtan giant = Tîtan Saturn
Tîgris
tíll until, field
tîme hours = thyme herb
tîmetable one word; cf. tîmes tâbles
Tìmor
tínpot adjective
Tintágel -j-
tîre tired, AmE car = tŷre BrE car = Tŷre Lebanon
tîtan giant = tîghten tight = Tîtan Saturn
títillate *títtilate
tîtle
títtle-tattle
tmêsis
to preposition *tə; when stressed, especially before a vowel = toô also, much, tŵo 2
tôad animal = tôwed tow
tôaster toast = Tôcester England
to-do fight = to do do *tədû
tôe foot = tôw pull
tóffee *tóffy
tôga’ed
tôld tell = tôlled toll, cf. åll tôld
tólerance
tôll
tómahawk cf. Tómmy
tomb *toôm
tòn avoirdupois = tònne metric = tún cask
Tónga - g sound optional
tòngue *túng, cf. tóng tongs
toô much = to at, tŵo number
tópple
tópsy-türvy
tŏrment noun = tormént verb
tornâdos cf. potâtoes
tŏrturous torture
tŏrtûous twisting
Tóttenham *Tótnəm
toúch cf. pòuch
toúgh hard = túff rock
Touloûse France ≈ to lose lost
toûr
toûr de fŏrce
Toûr de Frànce
tòusle -zle
tòut
tôw rope = tôe digit
tòwel
tòwer building
tôwer tow
tráffic cf. gráphic
trâil cf. trîal
trâiler cf. tâilor
trâit character = trây flat
trajéctory
tranquíllity AmE -íli
transpárent cf. pãrent
transséxual -ss-
traumátic -åu-
trêat
trêatíse study = trêatíes treaty
tréspass -əss *trésspass
trîal cf. trâil
tríbûne
trîbûnal
trîénnial
trígger-háppy
trîumph
tróglodyte
trombône
troôp army = troûpe stage
troôper army = troûper stage
troúble rhymes with búbble, doúble
tróugh -óff
tròunce
trûe
trûly *trûely
trûth unvoiced -th
trûths -dhz
trŷ
trýst
Tsàr or Czàr *Zàr
tsétsê, tsunàmi - it makes little difference whether or not one attempts to pronounce the initial t
Tûcsón *Tûsón
tûne *cheŵn
Tûnis Chûníss
Tunisia BrE Chû-níziə, AmE Toô-nêezhə
túnnel
türn round = tërn bird
túppence = twopence
Türkêy country = türkêy bird
türmoil
Tutankhàmun
TV *têevêe
tẁaddle
twêezers cf. têaser *têezer
twërp
tŵo 2 *tû = to at = toô also, much
tŷing from tîe
tyránnical
týranny
tŷrant
tŷre car AmE tîre car, tired = Tŷre Lebanon
 
===U===
Û = yoû ''person''
 
UÈFA *yu-wâfə
 
uhúh
 
Uìghur *Wêeger
 
ukelèlê yû-
 
Ukrâine Yû-; -âine, not -âne
umbílical
ún- not hyphenated
úndergròund adjective before noun, one word; otherwise under gròund
underrâted -rr-
understánd one word
undertâke
únder wây two words
undo -û
ÛNICEF YÛ-
únidéntified
ûnîted yû-
unknôwn - silent k, so two n’s sounded
unnôticed - two n’s sounded
úprŏar
ür- original = ër pause
Urânus *Yərânəss: *Yùrənəss is a euphemism
ürban town
urbâne civilised
ürchin
Ürdu
ûríne yû-
urînal yû-
ürn bury = ëarn money = ërne eagle
Ürquhart *Ürkət, Ürcàrt, *Ïrk-heàrt
Ùruguay Yù-
ÛS America *yû-wéss, cf. ús we
ûse noun *yoôss as in ẁhat ís the ûse? verb *yoôz as in ûse mîne
ûsed use *yoôzd as in ûsed cars; habituated *yoôst as in Î’m ûsed to thát and wê ûsed to gô thére
Ûtàh *yû-
Utôpia Yû- cf. eûlogy, also yû-
 
===V===
V = Vêe person
váccine *váxín, cf. tóxin
vácûous *vákyûwəss
vácûum *váckyûme
vâin proud = vâne weather = vèin blood
válue
válve
vápid
vâpour AmE vâpor
vãry cf. véry, é not followed by schwa
vàse BrE *vàz, AmE *vâyss, rhyming with bâse
Våughan = Våughn *Våwn
Vauxhall *Vóxåll
vêer
végetable -jt-
vêhicle - -hi- as schwa: *vìəcle
vèil face = vâle valley
vèin blood = vâin proud = vâne weather
Venêtian -êshən
Venezuèla *Venezwâyla
véngeance cf. vindíctive
Véníce *Vénnis, cf. ténnis
vénison - i can be silent; s can be z
vénûe
Vênus
verbâtim
vermílion -l-, cf. míllion
Vérsaîlles *Vãir-sŷe
vërsus against *vërssəss ≈ vërses verse *vërsíz
véry *vérry, cf. vãry, longer sound
véterinary *vétinary
véx
vîa
vicãrious
vîce-président the hyphen differentiates from vîce président which would theoretically mean ‘president of vice’
vichyssoise *víshy-swàz
vícious *víshus, cf víscous
víctual *víttle
Vìénna
Vìênnêse
Vìêtnām one word *VietNām
vieŵ rendundant i: *vyû, *veŵ, cf. feŵ, etc.
vieŵpoint one word
vígorous
vígour AmE vígor
vîle
vílify
víllage -íj
víllain -an
vindaloô
vindíctive cf. véngeance
vîne
vínegar
víneyard
vînyl *vînəl
vîôla music
vîola plant = Vîola person
vîolate
vîolent
vîolet
violín
Vïrgo
vïrtue good = Vërtue person
vis-a-vìs vis-à-vis *vizavêe
vísceral *vísseral
víscous -sk-, cf. vícious
vísible
vísion *vízhən
vítamin
Vívian = Vývyan = Vívien = Vývien = Vívienne
vódka
vólley
voluntêer
===W===
W *doúble-û
 
wácky cf. wháck
 
ẁad
 
ẁaffle
 
wág
 
wágon - ´waggon’ is French
 
wâil ''cry'' = BrE whâle ''sea''
 
wâist ''body'' = wâste ''spend''
 
wâit ''time'' = wèight ''heavy'' = Wâite ''person''
 
wâive ''dismiss'' = wâve ''hand, sea''
 
Wâles ''Welsh'' = BrE whâles ''sea''
 
wålk -åk
 
wåll
 
Ẁallace = Ẁallis rhyming with Hóllis
 
Wallônia Wó-
Walloôn Wó-
 
wålrus
 
Wåltham -təm
 
wåltz *wålse
 
ẁan ''pale'' *wón cf. wòn ''win'' 
 
ẁander ''roam'' cf. wònder ''what?''
 
wâne ''less'' = Wâyne ''person'' = wâin ''wagon''
 
ẁannabê cf. ẁallabỳ
 
ẁant ''desire'' cf. wôn’t ''will not''
 
wår ''battle'' = wŏre ''wear''
 
wãrehouse cf. whŏrehouse h-
 
wãres ''market'' = weãrs ''clothes''
 
wårhéad one word
 
wårm ''hot'' cf. wörm ''wriggle''
 
wårn ''caution'' = wŏrn ''wear'' = Wårne ''person''
 
wårt
 
ẁarrant *wórrənt
ẁarranty cf. guarantêe from same root
wårring
ẁarrior cf. wòrrier
Ẁarrington *Wórrington, cf. Dórrington, Nórrington
wårt
Ẁarwick *Wórrick
wãry
ẁas *wóz
ẁash
Ẁashington
ẁasp
wâste loss = wâist body
ẁatchtòwer one word
wåter cf. Wålter
ẁatt electricity = BrE ẁhat question
ẁattage *wóttij
wâvelength one word
wê us = wêe little, toilet
wêak feeble = wêek days
wêal mark = BrE whêel traffic
wéapon
wéar clothes = wâre shop
Wêar River = Wêir person = wêir water, rhyming with êar, hêar and fêar
wêary
wéather cloudy = wéther ram = BrE whéther if
wébsite one word
Wédnesday Wénz-
wèigh heavy = wây route, manner = BrE whèy curds
wèight heavy = wâit time
wêir water = Wêir person = wê’re are, cf. wìêld, fìêld
wêird odd cf. wìêld carry
wê’ll shall cf. wéll good
wén lump = BrE whén time
wëre was cf. whére place, wê’re are
wêrewolf or wêrwolf -wùlf
wéther animal = wéather rain = BrE whéther if
wê’re are
wh- BrE w-, AmE hw-
wháck cf. wácky
whâle sea BrE = wâil cry
whám
ẁhat question BrE = wót jocular = ẁatt electric
whêedle
whêel round BrE = wêal mark
whén time BrE = wén tumour
whére place cf. wëre was
whereás one word, *wéəráz
whét appetite BrE = wét water
whéther if BrE = wéather rain = wéther ram
whèy curds BrE = wèigh weight = wây method
whîne moan BrE = wîne drink
whínge -nj, cf. wíng
whïrl
whïrlwind one word
whïrr noise BrE = wëre be
whísky or whískey
whísper
whístle *whíssle
whít small = Whít Whitsun BrE = wít humour
whîte colour BrE = Wîght Isle
whîteẁash one word
whíther where BrE = wíther decay
Whítsun *Wítson
who person *hoô, cf. WHO World Health Organisation *doúble-yoû-âitch-ô
whôle all = hôle gap
whôlesâle h-, one word
whôlly completely two l’s pronounced; ≈ hôly sacred – where only one l is
pronounced
whoôping-cóugh hoô-
whoòps!
whoòsh rhymes with pùsh
whópping big = Ẁapping London
whŏre prostitute = hŏar frost = Hŏare person
whose belonging = who’s who is/has *hoôz
whŷ
wícked evil *wíckíd cf. wíki
wícked wick *wíct
Wíckham = Wýcombe
wìêld cf. wêir, wêird
Wikipêdia
wîles stratagems cf. whîle during
wílful AmE can be wíllful: in most words it is the BrE spelling which has the double l before a suffix, as in dîalling
wíll verb = Wíll William
wílly-nílly
wîly
wînd round
wínd blow
wíndbag one word
wîne drink = whîne moan
Wiscónsin
wísp
wít humour = BrE whít small = Whít Whitsun
wítch-húnt
wíther decay = whíther where
withhéld second h aspirated
withhôld second h aspirated
withín one word
withòut one word
Wodehouse PG = Woòdhouse Emma, etc.
wôe sad = whôa horse
wók
wolf *wùlf = Woòlf person
woman *wùmən
women *wímmin
wòn game = òne only
wònder what? cf. ẁander roam
wòndrous
wónky
wôn’t will not = wônt habit, cf. ẁant require
woòd tree = woùld if
woòlly wool = Woòlley person
Worcester England = Woòster Wodehouse
wörd cf. wård
wörkingmán in AmE can be one word, BrE wörking mán
wörld
wŏrldwide one word
wörm
wòrry
wörship cf. wårship
Worcester *Wùster
wŏre wear = wår fight
wörse
wörsted worst
worsted cloth wû-
wörth
woùld if = woòd tree
would-be adjective hyphenated
woûnd injury
wòund wînd
wòw excitement cf. wôe depression
wráck pain = ráck frame, stretch
wráp parcel = ráp knock, speak
ẁrath anger = Róth person
wrêak make = rêek smell, cf. wréck collapse, réckless careless
wrêath noun unvoiced th as in bréath - note different vowel sound
wrêathe verb voiced th, as in brêathe
wréck cf. réckless
wrést wrestle = rést repose
wrétch miserable = rétch sick
wrîght artesan as in plâywright; = Wrîght person = wrîte letter = rîght side, correct = rîte ritual
wríng squeeze = ríng finger, bell
wrínkle cf. ránkle
wrîte written = wrîght etc.
wróngdoing one word, *róngdûing
wróng-foòt verb
wrôte write = rôte learning
wrúng wring = rúng ring, ladder
wrŷ humour  = rŷe crop
wrŷlỳ wry = Rîley person
wùff
Wŷatt *Wŷət, cf. whîte
xénophobe z-
xenophôbia zé-
 
===X===
X = éx- past
Xénophon author Z-; ‘xénophône’ if it existed would mean a speaker of a foreign language
Xêrox z-
Xhôsa k-
X-ray *éxrây
xŷlophone z-
===Y===
Y = whŷ ''reason''
 
yacht *yót
 
yê ''you''
 
yeâ ''yes''
 
yéah ''yes'' *yé
 
yêar or yëar
 
yëarn
 
Yeâts ''poet'' = Yâtes ''more common spelling''
 
yeôman
 
Yeôvil
 
yìêld
 
yôke ''oxen'' = yôlk ''egg''
 
yŏre days = yŏur you
 
yoúng
 
your ''my''  = you’re ''I’m'' = yŏre ''past''
 
yoû’ll or yŏu’ll or yoù’ll
 
===Z===
Z BrE zéd, AmE zêe
 
zêal
 
zéalot
 
zébra or zêbra
 
zeîtgeîst
 
zénith
 
Zeûs
 
Zìa
 
zígzág
 
zíp
 
Zôê *Zôwỳ
 
zoô
 
zoólogy avoiding triple letter: *zoô-ólogy or *zuólogy or *zoôwology
 
zoôt
 
Zûlu
 
Zûrich -k
===Words beginning with an apostrophe===
 
’em ''them'' = um ''hmmm'' *əm
 
’tís and ’tẁas - poetic use of initial apostrophe, replacing omitted initial í of ít ís and ít ẁas and shaped (in fonts where there are different shapes) like 9, not 6
 
==Retroalphabetical list==
This list is in alphabetical order beginning with the final letter of the word and continuing backwards through it.  The headword is on the right. In this way, suffixes and other word endings can be seen grouped together, just as prefixes can be seen in normal alphabetical order.  So, instead of '''ádd båll coúsin''', we have '''réplicA fláB plástiC'''; and so for '''mûsiC''', see under -'''c''', for '''mûsicaL''', see under -'''l''', for '''pàrticlE''', see under -'''e''', and so on.
 
Some  suffixes are included separately with their pronunciation applying or not to following words. 
 
Again, the apostrophe is treated as the last letter, after '''z'''. 
For clarity, italic association words are to the left of the example word:
 
''woman'' '''mâid''' = ''make'' '''mâde'''
 
===A===
mostly schwa -'''a'''
 
BrE ''barrier, drink'' '''bàr''' = ''sheep'' '''bàa'''
 
Ábba
 
Shêba
 
Cûba
 
Hécuba
 
scûba
 
tûba
 
Lŏrca
 
(but [[Vladimir Nabokov|Nabokov]]'s is '''Àda''') '''Âda'''
 
Granàda
 
Grenâda
 
propagánda
 
.*îdêə idêa
 
.*flê flêa
 
.*plê plêa
 
-êə Crîmêa
 
-êə ãrêa
 
''place'' = '''Chélsy''' ''person'' '''Chélsêa'''
 
.*Swónzy Sẁansêa
 
.*nåuzêə nåusêa
 
Ólga
 
broûhàhà
 
gèisha
 
clós- claustrophôbìa
 
-íshə Alícia
 
-ìssiə Galìcia
 
-íshə: rhymes with milítia - Patrícia
 
Albânia
 
Tanzanìa
 
Armênia
 
.*skítzô-frêniə schizophrênia
 
Slovênia
 
insómnia
 
Wó- Wallônia
 
ària
 
malãria
 
Bavãria
 
Lîbêria
 
hystêria
 
pìts- pizzerìa
 
Victŏria
 
trattorìa
 
.*Âyshə or *Âyzhə Âsia
 
-zhə amnêsia
 
-zhə Indonêsia
 
.*Toô-nìzhə AmE; BrE Chû-nízìə Tunisia
 
-zhə Maláysia
 
-shə -tia
 
*Crôw-âyshə Croâtia
 
Patrícia rhymes with milítia
 
inërtia
 
vîa
 
trŏika
 
là
 
Kampàla
 
Mandéla
 
-zwâyla Venezuèla
 
umbrélla
 
côla
 
scrófula
 
.*pé-nínssyələ península
 
Mà
 
Alabáma
 
Pánamà
 
dràma
 
or -mə cínemà
 
Émma
 
dilémma
 
diplôma
 
carcinôma
 
Victoriàna
 
.*Loû-êasy-Ánna Louisiána
 
banāna
 
Montána
 
nìrvàna
 
Guyána
 
vagîna
 
Regîna
 
Polyánna
 
tûna
 
bôa
 
Nôah rhymes with Gôa
 
môa
 
Pà
 
spà
 
brà
 
cf. Ôprah - ópera
 
Pandŏra
 
Andŏrra AmE; BrE Andórra
 
Sumàtra
 
Sinàtra
 
ork- ŏrchestra
 
strâta AmE ≈ BrE strâighter - stràta
 
táffeta
 
excrêta
 
-wə Manágua
 
-yûə or -wə Nicarágua
 
nôva
 
sŏya
 
Gàza
 
plàza
 
.*pêetsa pìzza
 
===B===
náb
 
jáb
 
Árab
 
stáb
 
ébb
 
fíb
 
níb
 
.*lám lámb
 
.*lím límb
 
''up''  clîme = ''climate'' clîmb
 
.*côam cômb
 
còme, húm, súm rhyme with -cúm succúmb
 
.*dúm dúmb
 
.*thúm thúmb
 
''fruit'' plúm = ''plumbing''  plúmb
 
.*núm númb
 
.*bóm bómb
 
.*côam cômb
 
.*toôm tomb
 
hóbnob
 
.*dŏrnób dŏorknob
 
AmE *érb hërb
 
súburb
 
blürb
 
pertürb
 
distürb
 
cúb
 
dúb
 
húb
 
===C===
mâniac
 
insómniac
 
.*afrô-dízzỳác aphrodísìac
 
lîlac
 
ålmanac
 
terrífic
 
horrífic
 
lógic
 
.*shêek chìc
 
pýrrhic
 
éthic
 
Góthic
 
mýthic
 
repúblic
 
seîsmic
 
herôíc
 
cf. Pátrick - Éric
 
''ill'' '''síck'''    = ''thus'' '''síc'''
 
mûsic
 
dramátic
 
tråumátic
 
fanátic
 
''noun, verb'' státic
 
parasític
 
plástic
 
drástic
 
acoûstic
 
cf. adjective mýstical - noun mýstic
 
''loft'' '''áttic''' = ''Greek'' '''Áttic
 
paralýtic
 
''wood'' '''blóck''' = ''political'' '''blóc'''
 
súbfúsc
 
can be móllusk in American - móllusc
 
===D===
bád
 
dád
 
''book'' Bêde = ''string'' bêad
 
déad
 
héad
 
knêad
 
bréad
 
dréad
 
spréad
 
instéad
 
fád
 
hád
 
Ílìád
 
Jeremîád
 
trîád
 
lád
 
mád
 
gôad
 
rôad
 
brŏad
 
abrŏad
 
tôad
 
sád
 
qùad rhymes with ẁad
 
ádd
 
ódd
 
-did -ded
 
woûnded
 
låuded
 
procêed
 
hêed
 
nêed
 
grêed
 
wêed
 
áct = -ácked
 
''tactful'' táct = ''tack'' tácked
 
stácked
 
AmE tráveled
 
-ld fîled
 
-ld smîled
 
-ld pîled
 
l doubled after stressed syllable - BrE and AmE rebélled
 
BrE trávelled
 
abándoned
 
boôed
 
-pt stépped
 
réd
 
scãred
 
.*sâycríd sâcred
 
hámpered
 
cf. compãred - cómpéred
 
two syllables neûtered
 
revêred
 
sévered
 
mîred
 
cf. hâte -  *hâtríd hâtred
 
cf. kînd - *kíndríd kíndred
 
-rəd húndred
 
food bâste = base bâsed
 
*bîast bîased
 
-éssed mostly rhymes with -ést: conféssed
 
*blést, but can be *bléssid before a noun bléssed
 
asséssed
 
obséssed
 
-tíd -ted
 
tàrgeted
 
*rícoshâid rícochèted
 
intërpreted
 
excîted
 
éxited
ẁanted
bígoted
-vd shôved
-vd lòved
allòwed
hállowed
néxt rhymes with séxed
stãry-eŷed
stàrry-eŷed
person Bŏyd = buoy buŏyed
âid
lâid
make mâde = woman mâid
*pâyed pâid
bray brâyed = hair brâid
*séd said
bíd
díd
líd
sqùalid
válid
vŏid
rápid
vápid
flûíd
Réginald
Rónald
géld
héld
fìêld
wìêld
mèld
wéld
gíld
chîld
mîld
wîld
ôld
bôld
fôld
thrêefôld
gôld
hôld
adjective, noun x-yêar-ôld
sôld
tôld
cf. gôld - Goûld
cf. coùld, shoùld and woùld, all -ùd - môuld
ánd
hánd
lánd
-lənd: mostly schwa in (place or people’s) names, where it conveys familiarity: -lánd suggests alienness, even lack of sovereignty -land
Tŷ- Thaîland
Blánd
Åuckland
Hólland
a as schwa before nouns, e.g. Ínland Révenue, otherwise á - ínland
mâinlánd
Fínland
Pôland
Láplánd
Súnderland
mòtherlánd
hínterlánd
ôverlánd
Swítzerland
Scótland
heàrtlánd
Mãryland
sánd
fìênd
friénd
blénd
pénd
rénd
sénd
ténd
wénd
bînd
crime fîned = discover fînd
hînd
one word hûmankînd
blînd
mînd
rînd
támarínd
blow wínd
round wînd
beyónd
ròund
woûnd
gód
clód
nód
pód
foôd
goòd
no y - lîkelihoòd
moôd
broôd
woòd
apart from monosyllables, mostly -əd -ard
càrd
bêard
hëard
hàrd
*Ríchəd Ríchard
shàrd
làrd
cf. wide brŏad - boring bŏred = wood, company bŏard
*cúbbəd cúpboard
flŏorbŏard
*lépəd léopard
lêotàrd 
bāstard
bústard
*gàrd guàrd
wård
báckward
åwkward
but Fránkie Hòwerd - Hòward
yàrd
házard
lízard
wízard
blízzard
búzzard
hërd
nërd
bïrd
vocal, tie = chŏrd cörd
water = Fŏrd person fŏrd
name suffix, -fəd -ford
Brádford
Rédford
Blándford
Rétford
Óxford
music = cŏrd rope - chörd
wörd
absürd
türd
applåud
Måud
fråud
Î’d
hê’d
shê’d
wê’d
ít’d
yoû’d
thèy’d
 
===E===
mostly silent; for words normally italicised and ending in written -é see [[French words in English]] -e
 
AmE -ê -aê
 
nébulaê
 
fŏrmulaê
 
anténnaê
 
nôvaê
 
scrîbe
 
descrîbe
 
medicine prescrîbe ≈ illegal proscrîbe
 
zé- xénophobe
 
lôbe
 
fâce
 
.*préffis préface
 
.*ménnis ménace
 
Ẁallis = Ẁallace
 
.*Hórris, rhyming with words in -óris - Hórace
 
.*térris térrace
 
îce
 
sácrifîce
 
órifíce BrE; AmE ǒrifíce
 
sürplíce
 
nîce
 
Véníce
 
cŏrníce
 
hóspíce
 
thrîce
 
caprìce
 
trîce
 
pôultíce
 
láttíce
 
''noun'' = práctíse BrE ''verb'' - práctíce
 
nôtíce
 
devîce
 
crévíce
 
véngeance
 
(sometimes written as in French) séance - sèànce
 
chānce
 
vígilance
 
románce
 
perfŏrmance
 
''noun = verb'' either stressed fînánce
 
híndrance
 
forbéarance
 
''enter'' éntrance
 
''beguile'' entrānce
 
cf. exístence - stānce
 
cf. exístence - resístance
 
AmE lîcense, cf. BrE and AmE suspénse - lîcence
 
.*ákwêeyéssənss; cf. présence, -zənss - acquiéscence
 
câdence
 
décadence
 
transcéndence
 
subsîdence
 
évidence
 
próvidence
 
cf. dénse - fénce
 
AmE defénse - defénce
 
AmE offénse - offénce
 
hénce
 
scîence
 
-shənss cónscience
 
åudience
 
-âshence impâtience
 
cf. prevâil - prévalence
 
vîolence
 
përmanence
 
adhêrence
 
occúrrence
rêcúrrence
ábsence
cómpetence
séntence
insístence
cf. stānce - exístence
ínfluence
mint mínts ≈ meat mínce
print prínts ≈ royal prínce
fìêrce
pìêrce
enfŏrce
-êí- reinfŏrce
divŏrce
verbs -ésce
-éss acquiésce
*côwaléss coalésce
-éss effervésce
BrE -dyoôss or -joôss, AmE doôss -dûce
redûce
indûce
verb prodûce
noun próduce
fâde
shâde
jâde
glâde
woman mâid = make mâde
granâde
sh-; AmE charâde - charàde
parâde
concêde
intercêde
supersêde
stressed in verbs, unstressed in nouns, but always -îde
régicide
sûicide
cŷanide
derîde
asîde
besîde
*rizîde resîde
one word úpside
one word dòwnside
provîde
óxide
in some names -forde
íl- elûde
əl- allûde
lóngitude
látitude
áttitude
insect bêe
divorcêe
fêe
cóffee
banóffee
tóffee
Yánkee
glêe
 
referêe
 
as a suffix meaning ‘without’ -frêe should be at least hyphenated:
cãrefrêe and commítment-frêe
 
degrêe
 
pédigree
 
sêe
 
.*lîcencêe licensêe
 
cf. députy - devotêe
 
payêe
 
-êe has main stress when in contrast to emplŏyer - emplŏyêe
 
gáffe
 
lîfe
.*nîfe knîfe
wîfe
âge
mostly -íj -age
-íj cábbage
-íj bándage
*hémərij haémorrhage
fôlìage
*cárríj cárriage
*márríj márriage
-àzh fûselage
-àzh cámouflage
-íj víllage
-àzh cóllage
-íj dámage
-íj mánage
-àzh bádinage
BrE *gáràj; *gáríj is regarded by many as uneducated; AmE *gəràzh gáràge
-íj áverage
-íj béverage
-íj lêverage
-àzh míràge
-íj stŏrage
BrE *báràj, AmE *bəràzh bárràge
sâge
BrE *məssàj, AmE *məssàzh mássàge
-íj méssage
-àzh dréssàge
-íj ûsage
-àzh sábotàge
-íj cóttage
-íj wâstage
-íj hóstage
-íj lánguage
-íj sávage
bádge
édge
plédge
slédge
-íj knówledge
mídge
rídge
brídge
pórridge
stódge
fúdge
sácrilege
prívilege
cf. édge - allége
oblîge
-êezh prestìge
-íj véstíge
chânge
whínge
lòunge
scròunge
Dôge
bàrge
làrge
dïrge
fŏrge
ürge
scöurge
pürge
sürge
*âke âche
BrE *məstásh, AmE *mústásh moustàche
-kê synécdochê
cf. trôphy, átrophy - catástrophê
apóstrophê
*dhə before consonants, *dhê before vowels thê
lôathe rhymes with clôthe
death = dŷe colour - dîe
bïrdìê
Chàrly = Chàrlie
Wílly = Wílley = Wíllie
Cónnie
Lónnie
Rónnie
pîe
soft g - menágerìê
côterìê
cálorìê
éyrìê
bâke
câke
Jâke
cf. bláck, Bláck - Blâke
mâke
snâke
sâke
tâke
eat steâk = hold stâke
mistâke
lîke
chîldlîke
gódlîke
wårlîke
cátlîke
pîke
chôke
brôke
broòk rhymes with Ládbroke
broòk rhymes with Bólingbroke
evôke
provôke
wôke
rebûke
dûke
cf. noun, adjective fînal - noun finàlê
cf. adjective rátional - noun rationàle
cf. Âbel, Bâbel, lâbel, Mâbel - âble
impertürbable
applícable
dis- despícable
it is normal to retain an e before -able to show either palatalised pronunciation of preceding consonant or long sound of preceding vowel -eable
-nsəble pronòunceable
-jəble mánageable
-jəble chângeable
-kəble unshâkeable
-ləble sâleable
gâble
cf. lâbel - avâilable
unwínnable
ádmirable
desîrable
advîsable
tâble
debâtable
insurmòuntable
stâble
cònstable
forgívable
dábble
rábble
cf. rébel - pébble
dríbble
cóbble
góbble
hóbble
nóbble
wóbble
Húbble
rúbble
stúbble
édible
tánj- tángible
fállible
térrible
hórrible
comprehénsible
apprehénsible
sénsible
-sable is French - respónsible
axé- accéssible
colléctible
suscéptible
contémptible
irresístible
ámble
prê- preámble
gámble
rámble
scrámble
assémble
dissémble
*rizémble resémble
*onsómble ensemble
nímble
thímble
búmble
crúmble
fúmble
grúmble
húmble
júmble
múmble
rúmble
grúmble
túmble
stúmble
nôble
doúble
AmE rûble = BrE roûble
troúble
pínnacle
bàrnacle
téntacle
óbstacle
*vêícle vêhicle
véntricle
pàrticle
*úngkəl úncle
càrbuncle
tréadle
crâdle
páddle
stráddle
ẁaddle
tẁaddle
médal medallion = interfere méddle
bicycle pédal = sell péddle
díddle
fíddle
míddle
píddle
ríddle
códdle
cúddle
fúddle
befúddle
húddle
múddle
cándle
dándle
hándle
spíndle
noôdle
poôdle
gïrdle
cürdle
hürdle
kerfúffle
trúffle
strúggle
invêigle
g sounded separately from ng -ngle
ángle
bángle
dángle
spángle
wrángle
wángle
bürgle
bûgle
bîle
BrE -île, AmE -əl môbile
åutomobìle
fîle
BrE -île, AmE -əl frágile
Ánglophîle
mîle
símilê
*fáx-íməly facsímilê
smîle
pîle
rîle
BrE -île, AmE -əl stérile
BrE -île, AmE -əl prayers míssal = war míssile
tîle
BrE -île, AmE -əl vólatile
mërcantîle
ínfantîle
BrE -île, AmE -əl hóstile
*gîle, hard g - guîle
revîle
táckle
héckle
fréckle
píckle
tíckle
cóckle
búckle
ánkle
tínkle
wrínkle
wínkle
food gríll = screen grílle
fire côal = person Côle
dôle
hôle
môle
ballot pôll = Poland Pôle = wood pôle
over rôll = play rôle
partíciple
adjective, person príncipal = belief prínciple
discîple
sāmple
exāmple
dímple
símple
rúmple
crúmple
stêeple rhymes with pêople
nípple
rípple
típple
coúple
scrûple
vással and in AmE words in -āstle rhyme with hássle
-zle tòusle
*súttle súbtle
chŏrtle
-səl -stle
cāstle
véssel rhymes with -éstle
néstle
tréstle
wréstle
whístle
grístle
Rússell rhymes with -ústle
bústle
hústle
rústle
líttle
cáttle
kéttle
gold métal = courage méttle
bóttle
súbtle rhymes with shúttle
-ûel rhymes with -ûle
módule
mûle
rûle
cápsule
dázzle
fízzle
cf. drível - drízzle
sízzle
púzzle
mê
cf. âim - câme
gâme
lâme
sâme
frâme
tâme
extrême
dîme
*rèzhìme regìme
lîme
verse rhŷme = frost rîme
tîme
íncòme
òutcòme
dôme
hôme
gênome
garden = Nôme Alaska - gnôme
sòme
schwa -some
troúblesome
hándsome
thrêesome
h- whôlesome
wínsome
cf. hysteréctomy - epítomê
*rizyûme resûme
résumé *rézumây résumè
*prizyûme presûme
-syû- consûme
-syû- assûme
frost rîme = verse rhŷme
fruit lîme = England Lŷme
énzŷme
bâne
persons Câin = Câine = stick câne
urbâne
Dâne
mêthane
Jâne
lâne
cf. remâin - germâne
scêne
obscêne
-ône colôgne
-îgn rhymes with -îne
mìgrâine
Ukrâine
*Mádlin or *Mádlən - Mádeleíne
refîne
confîne
éngíne
cf. hérôín drug, hérôíne hero - méscalíne
declîne
reclîne
mîne
vërmín rhymes with ërmíne
detërmíne
sërpentîne
türpentîne
prístìne
magazìne
win wòn = number òne
cône
cf. Stône of Scone, *Scoôn - scóne
dòne
condône
góne
alône
anémonê
nòne
atône
stône
cf. Kíngston - Mâidstone
zône
ãirborne
Mélbourne
Êastbŏurne
*dí-mâin demèsne
= -ô, -ôw -ôe
ôboe
dôe
fôe
-oô shoe
-oô canoe
rôe
tôe
wôe
grâpe
Penélopê
ántelôpe
énvelôpe
shãre
prepãre
îronwãre
sóftwãre
-re as schwa - *âkə âcre
-re as schwa - -kə mássacre
ear hêar = this hêre
them théir = that thére
clothes wéãr = place whère
mêre
was wëre
sevêre
shîre
in England, schwa, -shə -shire
*Glóstersher Glóucestershire
*Léstersher Léicestershire
*Wùstersher Worcestershire
-shîre in Scotland – though non-Scots may not comply Âyrshîre
hîre
mîre
AmE mêter = BrE length mêtre
cf. fŏr - befŏre
to the fŏre
thérefore
téar = tŏr rock and, for some, toûr guide - tŏre
bizàrre
cf. grándeûr - cûre
endûre
pāstûre
abjûre
-jə ínjure
-jə cònjure
përjure
lûre
-lyə fâilure
BrE əlyûə allûre
BrE = Shåw - AmE sûre
-zhə -sure
pléasure
méasure
tréasure
léisure
clôsure
-sh- préssure
-sh- físsure
-chə -ture
matûre
nâture
státure
fûture
sûture
wê’re
of you yŏur = days yŏre = you are yŏu’re
thèy’re
chêese, slêaze and frêeze rhyme with êase
-ss lêase
êase rhymes with plea plêas = request plêase
-ss crêase
verb -ss decrêase
noun -ss dêcrêase
verb -ss incrêase
noun -ss íncrêase
âce rhymes with châse
confuse fâze = temporary phâse
-êez (no nationalities are in -ìse); usually stressed but can become unstressed before a noun as in Jápanese -êse
chêese
jöurnalêse
Nepalêse
  Jápanêse
  Chînêse
in all words apart from those specified below, -îse can be spelt -îze, for example críticize, and this is how -îse is pronounced in most verbs -îse
críticîse
noun, verb pronounced but never spelt -ize éxercîse
pronounced but never spelt -ize mërchandîse
pronounced but never spelt -ize fránchîse
vërbalîse
rêalise
êqualîse
valìse
fërtilîse
never spelt -ize because it is a noun and pronounced -íss prémíse
noun, verb never spelt -ize because pronounced -íss prómíse
pronounced but never spelt -ize cómpromîse
pronounced but never spelt -ize surmîse
*pŏrpus pŏrpoise
*tŏrtus tŏrtoise 
pronounced but never spelt -ize despîse
glámorise
pronounced but never spelt -ize comprîse
  pronounced but never spelt -ize surprîse
presh- pressurîse
émphasîse
BrE verb = práctíce - práctíse
áppetîse
pronounced but never spelt -ize ádvertîse
*éxpertêez expertìse
silent u; pronounced but never spelt -ize disguîse
pronounced but never spelt -ize advîse
cf. noun devîce - -z verb devîse
pronounced but never spelt *wîze wîse
pronounced but never spelt -wize -wîse
pronounced but never spelt -ize lîkewîse
pronounced but never spelt -ize clóckwîse
-ss, as also hénce, fénce - dénse
sénse
nónsense
cf. defénce, lîcence, offénce where AmE has -ense, all -ss suspénse
-ss dôse
-z chôse
grandiôse
*loôze lose
noun, adjective -s, verb -z clôse
-z nôse
-z choôse
*lûce loôse
-z expôse
exposé *expôzây expôsè
-z rôse
ápse
lápse
noun rêlapse
verb relápse
collápse
trâipse
eclípse
wood = cóps cop cópse
hëarse
cf. revërse - rehëarse
tërse
vërse
avërse
ádverse
cf. rehëarse - revërse
gŏrse
hŏrse
wörse
bŏurse
cŏurse
-z ûse
no -z refûse
rubbish -ss réfuse
-z mûse
-ss spòuse
AmE ánalŷze; both -îze ánalyse
AmE páralŷze; both -îze páralyse
lure bâit = anger, breath bâte
debâte
rêbâte
-âte verb, -ət noun prédicate
índicâte
víndicâte
-ət certíficate
BrE -ət, AmE -âte - cándidate
fâte
hâte
lâte
-âte verb, -ət noun artículate
régulâte
mâte
-ít or -ət clîmate
-âte verb, -ət noun éstimate
spâte
-âte verb, -ət adjective séparate
-rət dísparate
-âte verb, -ət adjective delíberate
exónerâte
-rət désperate
émigrate
ímmigrate
-âte verb, -ət adjective eláborate
máj- mágistrâte
démonstrâte
rémonstrâte
-âte verb, -ət adjective precípitate
áctivâte
effête
complête
*sôshalîte sôcialîte
elìte
polîte
gráníte
fînîte
*définət définite
*ínfinət ínfinite
unîte
despîte
AmE réspíte - réspîte
hýpocríte
AmE -or- fâvouríte
Trótskyîte
ánecdote
ántidote
môte
nôte
vôte
fŏrtè
càste
hâste
châste
-étte
oô- oubliétte
serviétte
cf. hámlet - *ómlet ómelette
kitchenétte
tríbûte
cóntríbûte
dístríbûte
noun áttribûte
verb attríbute
*mínít time mínute
*mŷ-neŵt small mînûte
repûte
compûte
cf. ínput - impûte
bŷte
nêophŷte
silent unless shown with an accent -ue
âgûe
*lêag lêague
persons Hãig = Hâigh = city, person Hâgue
*plâig plâgue
*Pràg Pràgue
-êeg noun íntrigue
-êeg verb intrìgue
-êeg fatìgue
*meráng meringue
*túng tòngue
-óg sýnagogue
-óg dîalogue
àrgûe
blow bleŵ = colour blûe
clûe
glûe
-àk pláque
-âik opâque
cf. reálpolitìk - critìque
-ésk burlésque
-ésk picturésque
-ósk mósque
cf. brísk -ùsk brùsque
Susan Sûe = law sûe
*insyû ensûe
-syû pursûe
*íshû íssue
*tíshû tíssue
câve
Dâve
gâve
háve
cónclâve
pâve
râve
crâve
serious, dead grâve
accent gràve
sw- suàve
êve
slêeve
belìêve
relìêve
grìêve
síeve
sémibrêve
côërcíve
dîve
éndíve
recêive
concêive
fîve
cf. jîve dance - hard g in take gíve
hîve
líve
alîve
derîve
contrîve
adhêsíve
offénsive
crêâtive
tålkatíve
imáginative
repétitive
arrîve
persuâsive
sénsitíve
môtíve
revîve
abòve
bird dòve
(BrE is regular dîved) AmE dive dôve
England Hôve = heave hôve
shòve
lòve
glòve
û move
groôve
rôve
grôve
stôve
trôve
strôve
nërve
sërve
*prizërv presërve
Î’ve
wê’ve
yoû’ve
thèy’ve
Zimbàbwè
Lilóngwè
AmE áx - áxe
yê
me Î = sight eŷe
pig, eye stŷ = eye stŷe
plêase and frêeze rhyme with slêaze
fâze
gâze
ádze
free frêes = cold frêeze
trapêze
most words in -îse can also be spelt -îze: all exceptions are listed under -îse -îze
never -ise sêize
apart prîse = present prîze
never -ise sîze
dôze
búlldoze
Drûze
AmE; BrE ánalŷse, both -îze ánalŷze
AmE; BrE páralŷse, both -îze páralŷze
 
===F===
'''chìêf
 
míschíef
 
thìêf
 
belìêf
 
relìêf
 
stāff
 
whíff
 
táriff
 
óff
 
féoff
 
Géoff
 
blúff
 
stúff
 
íf
 
'''sérif
 
cf. ''reason'' '''môtíve''' - *mô-têef ''pattern'' '''môtìf
 
Álf
 
.*cāf cālf
 
.*hāf hālf
 
one word himsélf
 
one word hersélf
 
one word yoursélf
 
one word itsélf
 
one word mŷsélf
 
gôlf
 
= Rôlph - Rôlf
 
.*wùlf wolf
 
gúlf
 
Bêowùlf
 
.*óv óf
 
No expressions with modal verbs followed by ‘of’ exist.  What may sound like ‘of’ is the weak form of háve and so this or apostrophes should be written instead - woùld have, shoùld’ve, cān’t have, mîght’ve etc. - …*might of, *could of, *must of…
 
goôf
 
hoôf
 
roôf
 
===G===
fág
 
hág
 
nág
 
drág
 
ság
 
lég
 
pég
 
díg
 
jíg
 
píg
 
wíg
 
égg
 
sáng
 
âgeing
 
cf. sing sínging - -j- singe síngeing
 
.*âking âcheing
 
mâking
 
''snooker, drama'' '''cûeing''' = ''line'' '''queûeing'''
 
rûeing
 
brínging
 
cf. singe síngeing -j- - sing sínging
 
thíng
 
Bèijíng
 
AmE lâbeling
 
fîling
 
BrE lâbelling
 
fílling
 
dúmpling
 
êvening
 
mîning
 
exámining
 
sound bŏing
 
.*dûíng doing
 
gôing
 
tûí- toíng and frôíng
 
''bell, round'' ríng
 
bríng
 
''squeeze'' wríng
 
síng
 
cf. râcing - râising
 
tàrgeting
 
intërpreting
 
gétting
 
forgétting
 
bétting
 
accrûing
 
flôwing
 
lápwing
 
léft-wíng
 
rîght-wíng
 
lóng
 
sóng
 
dúng
 
lúng
 
súng
 
bóg
 
dóg
 
hóg


lóg
Páramour, enámoured, flîghty, 
:Épisôdes, antípodês,
       
:Ácquiésce, and óbsequies.


cf. Jôe Blóggs - blóg
Plêase dôn't mònkey wíth the gêyser,


Stríndbërg
Dôn't pêel 'tâters wíth mŷ râzor,


îcebërg
:Rāther sây ín áccents pûre:
       
:Nâture, státure ánd matûre.


.*Hŷdlebërg Heîdelbërg
Pîous, ímpìous, límb, clîmb, glúmly,


Bŏrg
Worsted (wùsted), wörsted, crúmbly, dúmbly,
 
:Cónquer, cónquest, vàse, phâse, fán,
       
:Ẁan, sedán and àrtisan.
The TH (*têe-âitch) wíll sůrely troúble you


Mágdebürg
Mŏre than R, CH ŏr W (*àh, cêe-âitch ŏr doúble-û)


Lúxemböurg
:Sây thén thêse phonétic géms:
       
:Thómas, thŷme, Therêsa, Thames (*Témz).


.*Shãrebŏrg Chérbourg
Thómpson, Chátham, Wåltham, Stréatham,


.*Strázbërg Strásböurg
Thére are mŏre but Î forgét 'em -
       
:Wâit! Î've gót ít: Ánthony,
       
:Lîghten yŏur anxîety.  


búg
Thê archâíc wörd ålbêít


dúg
Does nót rhŷme wíth èight - yoû sêe ít; 
:Wíth and fŏrthwith, òne hás vŏice,
   
:Òne hás nót, yoû mâke yŏur chŏice.


thúg
Shoes (=shoôs), gôes, dòes. Nòw fïrst sây: fínger;
   
   
slúg
Thén sây: sínger, gínger, línger.  
 
       
túg
:Rêal, zêal, mauve (*môv), gåuze and gâuge,
 
       
===H===
:Márríage, fôlìage, mìràge, âge,
or any number of à’s àh
 
mostly schwa -ah
 
cf. Marìa - Marîah
 
parîah
 
blàh
 
ayatóllah
 
Gôa rhymes with Nôah
 
hurràh
 
Ûtàh


êach
Hêro, héron, quêry, véry,


blêach
Párry, tárry, fûry, bury,
     
:Dòst, lóst, pôst, and dòth, clóth, lôth,
       
:Jób, Jôb, blóssom, bosom (*bùzm), ôath.
Fåugh, oppúgnant, kêen oppûgners,


pêach
Bòwing, bôwing, bánjo-tûners


rêach
:Hôlm yoû knôw, but nôes, canoes (*canoôz),


impêach
:Pûisnê (*poôny), trûísm, ûse (*yoûss), to ûse (*yoûz)?


AmE *spínních; BrE *spínnídge spínach
Thôugh the dífference sêems líttle,


tree = bêach sand - bêech
Wê sây áctual, but víctual,


besêech
Sêat, swéat, châste, càste, Lêigh, èight, heîght,
       
:Pùt, nút, gránite, ánd unîte.


.*ték: abbreviation of téchnical; also hî-téch - téch
:Rêefer dòes nót rhŷme wíth déafer,


whích
Féoffer dòes, and zéphyr, héifer.     
       
:Dúll bùll Géoffrey, Geŏrge ate (*ét) lâte,
       
:Hínt, pînt, sénate, but sedâte.


-k Zûrich
Gáelic, Árabic, pacífic, —''Scottish; or regular Gâelic if Irish


cf. Åldwých -wích
Scîence, cónscience, scientífic;
       
:Toûr, but òur, doûr, súccour, fŏur,


and S- town; AmE -ch; BrE -dge sándwich
:Gás, alás, and Àrkansås.


.*Woòlidge Woòlwich
Sây manoeûvre, yacht (*yót) and vómit,


.*Brómmidge Brómwich
Néxt omít, whích díffers fróm ít


.*Grénnidge Gréenwich
:Bôna fîdê, álibî


.*Hárrídge Hárwich
:Gŷrate, dòwry ánd awrŷ.  
   
Sêa, idêa, guínea, ãrêa,


.*Nórrídge, rhyming with pórridge - though some say -rích Nórwich
Psàlm, Marìa, bút malãria.  


-wích Ípswich
:Yoûth, sòuth, soúthern, cléanse and clêan,


-wích Drŏitwich
:Dóctrine, türpentine, marìne.


-wích Nántwich
Compãre âlien wíth Itálian,


squélch
Dándelîon wíth battálion,


''person'' Wélsh = ''Wales'' Wélch
:Rálly wíth állŷ; yeâ, yê,
 
:Eŷe, Î, ây, aŷe, whèy, kêy, quaỳ! ''—ây mê, archaic expression of sadness, ây = èh


fílch
Sây avër, but éver, fêver,


zílch
Neîther, léisure, skèin, recêiver.     
:Néver guéss - ít ís nót sâfe,
     
:Wê sây càlves, válves, hālf, but Râlf.


drénch
Stàrry, gránary, canãry,


sténch
Crévice, but devîce, and éyrie,
       
:Fâce, but préface, thén grimâce,


wénch
:Phlégm, phlegmátic, áss, glāss, bâss.


ínch
Báss, làrge, tàrget, gín, gíve, vërging,


sínch
Ŏught, òust, jòust, and scòur, but scoürging;


wínch
:Êar, but ëarn; and ére and téar


cónch
:Do (*doô=) nót rhŷme wíth hêre but héir.       
Mînd thê Ô of óff and óften


búnch
Whích mây bê pronòunced as ŏrphan, ''—scarcely heard nowadays
       
:Wíth the sòund of såw and såuce;


húnch
:Ålsô sóft, lóst, clóth and cróss.


púnch
Pùdding, púddle, pùtting. Pútting?


''down, wash'' sínk = ''together'' sýnch
Yés: at gôlf ít rhŷmes wíth shútting.


-dóck Mürdoch
:Réspîte, spîte, consént, resént.
       
:Lîable, but Pàrliament.


smoôch
Séven ís rîght, but sô ís êven,


àrch
Hŷphen, roúghen, néphew, Stêphen,     
       
:Mònkey, dónkey, clerk (=Clàrk) and jërk,
       
:Ásp, grāsp, ẁasp, demèsne, cŏrk, wörk.


sëarch
 of válour, vápid vâpour,


làrch
S of neŵs (-z) (compãre neŵspâper (-ss-)),
       
:G of gíbbet (j-), gíbbon, gíst (j-),
       
:Î of ántichrîst and gríst,


-k pâtriàrch
Díffer like divërse and dîvers,


-ək mónarch
Rívers, strîvers, shívers, fîvers.


kítsch
:Ònce, but nónce, tôll, dóll, but rôll,


pùtsch
:Pólish, Pôlish, póll and pôll.  
 
bátch
Pronúnciation - thínk of Psŷchê! -
 
cátch
 
hátch
 
nátch
 
ẁatch
 
étch
 
fétch
 
kétch
 
ítch
 
dítch
 
hítch
 
glítch
 
pítch
 
stítch
 
cf. Åldwých - what whích = wizard wítch
 
twítch
 
bótch
 
hótchpotch
 
Dútch
 
múch
 
-k eûnuch
 
còuch
 
toúch
 
vòuch
 
súch
 
cf. place names in -wích - Åldwých
 
Rìyadh
 
''ð'' éth or édh
 
*ây èh
 
mostly silent gh
 
''no'' nây = ''horse'' nèigh
 
''kill'' slây = ''ride'' slèigh
 
cf. convèy, purvèy - invèigh
 
''how'' wây = ''heavy'' wèigh
 
''greeting'' hî = ''up'' hîgh
 
cf. voiced th in thŷ: vowel sound identical - unvoiced th in thîgh
 
.*sîe sîgh
 
.*Éddinbrə Édinburgh
 
.*Frâzerbrə Frâserburgh
   
   
.*Pítsbürg Píttsburgh
Ís a pâling, stòut and spîky.  
 
       
BrE *làf AmE *láf lāugh
:Wôn't ít mâke yoû lose (=loôs) yŏur wíts
 
       
-òw bòugh
:Wrîting grôats and sâying 'gríts'? —''no longer
 
-ô thôugh
 
-ôw fûrlôugh
 
.*slòu - ''England'' Slòugh = ''swamp'' slòugh
 
*slúff ''skin'' sloúgh
 
*rúff roúgh
 
-û - ''throw'' threŵ = ''preposition'' throûgh
 
AmE = búrrow ''ground'' - BrE *búrrə bòrough
 
*Lúfbrə Loúghborough
 
*Scàrbrə Scàrborough
 
*Míddlzbrə Míddlesborough
 
BrE *thúrrə, AmE *thúrrôw thòrough
 
-óff trôugh
 
-úff toúgh
 
-úff enoúgh
 
letter Ô = exclamation ôh
 
-f -ph
 
Rálph
 
oòmph
 
trîumph
 
lýmph
 
nýmph
 
mŏrph
 
glýph
 
AmE -r, BrE silent -rrh
 
catàrrh
 
mÿrrh
 
ásh
 
básh
 
cásh
 
dásh
 
gásh
 
hásh
 
flásh
 
slásh
 
smásh
 
rásh
 
crásh
 
thrásh
 
stásh
 
qùash
 
ẁash
 
Bangladésh
 
mésh
 
frésh
 
thrésh
 
réddish
 
chîldish
 
gàrnish
 
tàrnish
 
vàrnish
 
Cŏrnish
 
bürnish
 
fürnish
 
''person'' Ẁalsh
 
-sh - ''person'' Wélch = ''Wales'' Wélsh
 
bánish
 
Spánish
 
vánish
 
''end'' fínish = ''Finland'' Fínnish
 
wísh
 
fíftyish
 
cósh
 
dósh
 
nósh
 
whoòsh
 
pósh
 
tósh
 
bùsh
 
lúsh
 
blúsh
 
flúsh
 
plúsh
 
pùsh
 
rúsh
 
thrúsh
 
mostly unvoiced -th
 
déath
 
hêath
 
bréath
 
wrêath
 
ôath
 
pāth
 
-drət + unvoiced th - húndredth
 
shibbóleth
 
voiced th - wíth
 
héalth
 
stéalth
 
wéalth
 
plínth
 
nînth
 
bôth
 
dòth
 
lôth
 
slôth
 
ëarth
 
dëarth
 
heàrth
 
bïrth
 
gïrth
 
héncefŏrth
 
Fïrth of Fŏrth
 
gô fŏrth
 
nŏrth
 
wörth
 
''4th'' fŏurth
 
noun th unvoiced, verb th voiced mòuth
 
ou as schwa, th unvoiced -mouth
 
-məth Bŏurnemouth
 
-məth Pŏrtsmouth
 
-məth Plýmouth
 
síxth
 
voiced th - ''casual'' blîthe = ''persons'' Blŷthe = Blŷth
 
voiced th - ''persons'' Smŷthe = Smŷth
 
or AmE schwa = BrE er - úh
 
===I===
-î or -ì
 
Dubaî
 
h sounded Shanghaî
 
Ábu Dhàbi
 
rábbî
 
álibî
 
Sàùdì
 
likewise other plurals of -us - nûclêî
 
Hawàìì
 
Isrâeli
 
Disrâeli
 
*sémmy - sémi
 
number = pîe eat pî
 
girls’ names tend to end in -i or -ie, boys’ in -y - Térrì
 
===J, K===
-zh Ràj
 
''Mahal'' -zh Tàj
 
-dj hàjj
 
-que = -k
 
''vegetable'' lêek = ''liquid'' lêak
 
blêak
 
spêak
 
''car'' brâke = ''pieces'' breâk
 
strêak
 
têak
 
''money, wood'' stâke = ''meat'' steâk
 
''days'' wêek = ''feeble'' wêak
 
flák
 
ánorák
 
háck
 
sáck
 
déck
 
líck
 
gímmick
 
hŏick
 
bríck
 
síck
 
tíck
 
Pàrtick
 
cf. Éric - Pátrick
 
Bûíck
 
quíck
 
wíck
 
.*Wórrick Ẁarwick
 
.*Bérrick Bérwick
 
w sounded Lërwick
 
.*Kézzíck Késwick
 
.*Smédhík Sméthwick
 
cf. Bangkók - cóck
 
dóck
 
lóck
 
wédlock
 
flóck
 
wårlock
 
.*nóck knóck
 
sóck
dúck
lúck
liquid lêak = vegetable lêek
mêek
rêek
sêek
feeble wêak = days wêek
trék
cf. sqwåwk - -åwk -ålk
or båulk -  -åwk bålk
-åwk chålk
cf. talcum powder tálc, l sounded - -åwk speak tålk
BrE bird  stork = -åwk plant, follow stålk
-åwk wålk
whélk
*fôk fôlk
-fək Nŏrfolk
-fək Súffolk
bánk
sánk
tánk
thánk
dránk
person Fránk = honest fránk
thínk
rínk
drínk
shrínk
sínk
hónk
plónk
mònk
hónky-tónk
fúnk
Bángkók
noòk
spoôk
roòk
broòk
wók
pàrk
jërk
bersërk
smïrk
shïrk
kïrk
quïrk
wörk
lürk
Türk
āsk
bāsk
flāsk
tāsk
désk
record dísc = computer dísk
whísk
rísk
dúsk
músk
túsk
åuk
squåwk
 
===L===
lógical
mýthical
puritánical
histórical
hystérical
thêátrical
mûsical
práctical
scéptical
mýstical
nåutical
quízzical
fôcal
lôcal
vôcal
interfere méddle = coin médal
sell péddle = bicycle pédal
cf. cándle, hándle - scándal
sándal
concêal
repêal
squêal
 
vêal
 
revêal
 
lêgal
 
illêgal
 
rêgal
 
Bengål
 
.*commërshal commërcial
 
denîal
 
mênial
 
.*pàrshal pàrtial
 
ânal
 
AmE bânal - BrE banàl
 
canál
 
phenómenal
 
diágonal
hexágonal
-shənəl -tional
nátional
rátional
nôtional
hôle rhymes with gôal
shôal
cf. main, headteacher prínciple - basic, credo príncipal
quadriláteral
âmóral
immóral
-zəl apprâisal
cf. véssel - hássle rhymes with vással
ántênâtal
pôstnâtal
quality méttle = iron métal
*péttle pétal
AmE inståll - instål
-zhəl cásual
-kchəl áctual
evéntual
stomach nâvel = ship nâval
cf. êvil - *medêvəl or medìêval
*Mŷcle Mîchael
Ráphâél
a very common mistake is to write *Isreal - Ísrâel
cf. âble, tâble, stâble - Âbel
cf. bábble - Bâbel
lâbel
Mâbel
noun rébel
verb rebél
excél
módel
yôdel
êel
fêel
pêel
fálafel
air ãerial = person Ãriel
Mûriel
cf. lôcal, vôcal - yokel
cf. përsonal - personnél
repél
compél
dispél
expél
appárel
cóckerel
bárrel
mínstrel
wâstrel
êasel
wêasel
words in -éstle rhyme with véssel
hôtél
cf. módel - môtél
cartél
-ûle rhymes with -ûel
two dûal = fight dûel
fûel
crûel
grûel
navy nâval = stomach nâvel
Ravél
unrável
trável
cf. drízzle - drível
swível
shòvel
nóvel
bòwel
tròwel
vòwel
píxel
TÉFL
fâil
avâil
prevâil
vèil
AmE fulfíll - fulfíl
níl
fŏil
êvil
dévil
Brazíl
åll
båll
cåll
fåll
tåll
wåll
béll
déll
féll
héll
nútshell
péll-méll
séll
téll
quéll
wéll
fíll
píll
tíll
dóll
parrot póll = elect pôll
part rôle = along rôll
drôll
strôll
tôll
bùll
cúll
dúll
fùll
city Húll = boat húll
lúll
island Múll = over múll
and void núll
anúll
pùll
hê’ll
shê’ll
wê’ll
Î’ll
ít’ll
yoû’ll or yoù’ll or yŏu’ll
thèy’ll
prôtocol
álcohol
coôl
foôl
*skoôl schoôl
poôl
spoôl
toôl
woòl
AmE enróll - enrôl
patrôl
pétrol
cf. rôll - contrôl
párasól
-təl pístol
whŏrl
hôpeful
cãreful
beaûtiful
dûtiful
noun spoônful
wònderful
àrtful
Gåul
måul
Påul
Såul
cáterwåul
bird fòwl = bad fòul
ghoûl
  only sôle = Korea Seôul = spirit sôul
åwl
båwl
cråwl
all meanings bôwl
bird fòwl
hòwl
y as schwa - Síbyl
y as schwa - Béryl
 
===M===
glêam
rêam
drêam
appear sêem = thread, coal sêam
stêam
scrêam
strêam
hám
AmE; BrE h silent, a as schwa, -əm -hám
h silent, g not sounded separately Búckingham
h silent, g not sounded separately Bïrmingham
-nəm Twíckenham
-nəm Chéltenham
-nəm Tóttenham
*Méppəm Méopham
-səm Tópsham
-təm Stréatham
-təm Chátham
-təm Éltham
-təm Wåltham
unvoiced th sound Bôtham
unvoiced th sound Gótham
*Rûtəm Wrotham
Wést Hám
môdém
dêem
group têam = pour têem
hém
ahém
Béthlehém
stém
-ám dîaphragm
*flém phlégm
-îm páradigm
rhýthm
âim
mâim
dím
dénim rhymes with Blénheim
whím
Kím
skím
dénim
mínim
BrE and AmE -àm bàlm
BrE and AmE -àm càlm
BrE and AmE -àm quàlm
tálcum rhymes with *Málcum Málcolm
dwell hôme = oak, islet hôlm
frêedom
bŏredom
kíngdom
slàlom
Tóm
árm
fàrm
hàrm
cf. wörm, wårn - wårm
pák- páchydërm
j- gërm
spërm
tërm
fïrm
fŏrm
nŏrm
cf. heat wårm - animal wörm
ŏrgasm
kázəm chásm
-zəm spásm
-ízəm; never stressed -ísm
âthêísm
Bùddhism
existéntialism
shôv- chauvinism
térrorism
mîcrocosm
tálcum
memorándum
referéndum
glúm
húm
válium
thállium
gerânium
aquãrium
delírium
drúm
húmdrúm
conúndrum
gymnâsium
fŏrum
vácûum
gỳm
name -ným
syû- pseûdonym
hómonym
sýnonym
ántonym
Î’m
===N===
bán
ürban
türban
cán
cf. Gŏrdon - Jŏrdan
-tion crustâcean
lôtion rhymes with ôcean
dêan
clêan
mêan
-ìən epicûrêan
fán
-íshən -ícian
technícian
patrícian
.*Óstrâlìən in rapid speech rhymes with míllion etc., -lyən - Austrâlian
mán
Ìan
person = -ítion, -íshən -ícian
logícian
patrícian
politícian
mathematícian
reptílian
civílian
Brazílian
Gíllian
nonagenãrian
quinquagenãrian
septuagenãrian
sexagenãrian
octogenãrian
lîbrãrian
sectãrian
vegetãrian
libertãrian
no words end in *-erian
histŏrian
from -sia + n, = -sion, mostly -zh- -sian
-zh- Âsian
-zh- Caucâsian
-zh- Frêsian
-ízì- Parísian
-shən = -tion -tian
nâtion rhymes with Crôâtian
Alsâtian
Títian
-bîzh- Azerbaijàn
mán
.*Îləv-Mán Îsle of Mán
mostly -mən -man
pâcemán
polìceman
hénchman
Omàn
Sûpermán
gásmán
ómbùdsman
bátman
Bátmán
táxmán
Nŷman
môan
alone lône = lend lôan
grôan
god Pán = food pán
tán
Tîtan
can be stressed in any word depending on speaker -stān 
usually second syllable stressed Uzbékistan
Tajíkistan
Afghánistan
Manháttan
ván
ẁan
Tŷ- Taiwàn
= ón - en
dén
wîden
cf. Lòndon, both -dən - Cámden
sêen
splêen
shêen
grêen
fén
hén
dh- thén
léngthen
stréngthen
âlien
tâken
wêaken
brôken
tôken
wôken
dàrken
heàrken
póllen
swôllen
mén
-mən in most words -men
Yémen
spŏrtsmen
spécimen
chíldren
bréthren
wörsen
léssen
delicatéssen
bêaten
.*sóffən sóften
.*fāssən fāsten
.*hâyssən hâsten
bird bíttern ≈ bite bítten
íll-gótten
héaven
hâven
êven
eléven
séven
òven
còven
or prû- prôven
wôven
Ôwen
óxen
yén
Zén
-n -gn
campâign
vèin rhymes with dèign
pretend = fâin would - fèign
monarch = râin wet - rèign
.*sóvrin sóvereign
-lîne malîgn
-nîne benîgn
signal = sîne maths - sîgn
-zîne desîgn
-zîne resîgn
-sîne énsîgn
-pyûne impûgn
pub ínn = out ín
Câin
disdâin
gâin
.*əgén; some regularise to agâin - again
slâin
explâin
mâin
cf. germâne relevant = Germâine person - remâin
brâin
Bahrâin
trâin
retâin
country = Bríton person etc. Brítain
-tín cáptain
dín
skèin
Elmer Bërnstêin
Leonard Bërnsteîn
thín
detërmine rhymes with vërmin
pín
sín
bâsin
tín
-m -mn
condemn = dám water - dámn
condémn
sólemn
cólumn
åutumn
church = hím man - hýmn
out ín = pub ínn
ón
mostly schwa, as are Cámden, Màrsden, Hámpden = Hámpton -on
càrbon
university, clothing dón
Héndon
Lòndon
cŏrdon
cf. gàrden – Gŏrdon
curmúdgeon
pígeon
-njən dúngeon
-jən sürgeon
-jən stürgeon
-nchən trúncheon
bandoneon
Lêón
.*kəmêlêən; AmE -mê-; in fast speech -lyən, like míllion, Austrâlian - chamaêlêon
Napôleon
nêón
péntagon
bándwagon
pólygon
îon
-yən -ion
most words spelt thus in Spanish are -tion in English -cion
-sh- suspícion
-sh- côërcion
rêgion
lêgion
relígion
fáshion
cf. percússion, also -sh- - cùshion
vermílion
bíllion
míllion
tríllion
ònion
ûnion
Orîon
centûrion
-zhən after vowels; -shən after consonants, including another s and, in BrE, r -sion
lêsion
vísion
télevision
revísion
scánsion
expánsion
-éntion -énshən = -énsion
comprehénsion
pénsion
suspénsion
ténsion
preténsion
exténsion
avërsion
dîvërsion
convërsion
excürsion
dîgréssion
séssion
míssion
í- emíssion
ə- omíssion
-sh- percússion
fûsion
delûsion
illûsion
intrûsion
mostly -shən –tion
inundâtion
foundâtion
creâtion
nâtion
rátion
vî- vibrâtion
 
mî- migrâtion
 
-kshən -ction
 
áction
 
afféction
 
conféction
 
BrE can be -éxion - refléction
 
colléction
 
BrE can be -éxion - connéction
 
eréction
 
diréction
 
contradíction
 
.*sángktchən sánction
 
.*úngktchən únction
 
.*fúngktchən fúnction
 
.*júngktchən júnction
 
.*cəmpúngkshən compúnction
 
complêtion
 
discrétion
 
definítion
 
competítion
 
frûítion
 
= -énsion, -énshən -éntion
 
méntion
 
deténtion
 
inténtion
 
atténtion
 
prevéntion
 
absŏrption
 
erúption
 
abŏrtion
 
contŏrtion
 
contribûtion
 
distribûtion
pollûtion
solûtion
except for compléxion, BrE only: other words end in -éction -éxion
so AmE, BrE refléction = BrE only refléxion
cf. conféction - *compléction compléxion
cf. convíction - crucifíxion
nŷlón
dêmon
lémon
Sólomon
Lébanon
cánnon
Shánnon
moôn
buffoôn
balloôn
lampoôn
harpoôn
cf. càrton - càrtoôn
upón
lord = Bárron person - báron
person Sháron
person AmE Sharôn - Sharón
sáffron
sh- chévrón
boy sòn
bîson
Áshton
Élton
Lýttelton
càrton
Nŏrton
person = BrE êastern east - Êaston
person = BrE wéstern west - Wéston
cf. Féatherstone, etc. Ålston
Màrston
Rŏyston
bútton
mútton
Sútton
wòn
cf. Jáckson, Híckson, etc. Díxon
Níxon
Ríxon
bàrn
dàrn
ëarn
lëarn
warning = wŏrn wear, Wårne person, cf. wårm, wörm - wårn
yàrn
bird = türn direction tërn
stërn
astërn
persons Pátten = Pátton = BrE arrange páttern
bŏrn
cŏrn
cf. wriggly wörm - warning wårn = wear wŏrn
ürn
bürn
chürn
round türn
fún
gún
nòun
shine sún
Whítsun
dåwn
påwn
spåwn
pråwn
heŵn
gòwn
blôwn
môwn
renòwn
.*nôan knôwn
cròwn
tòwn
 
===O===
mostly ô; never -ó -o
 
placêbô
 
usually *ənkô - & cô, and cô
 
stúccô
 
flaméncô
 
-û do
 
vídêo
 
Montevidèo
 
Lêo
 
Clìo = Clêo
 
Galilèo
 
gô
 
lumbâgo
 
dóggô
 
vërtigo
 
Djángo
 
lôgô
 
Tôgo
 
mácho
 
.*sŷko psŷcho
 
.*Tŷko Tŷcho
 
-shô braggadôcio
 
portfôlio
 
pôlio
 
-ss- impresàrio
 
-shô râtio
 
-shô Horâtio
 
nô
 
taboô
 
gôo
 
Wåterloô
 
Shampoô
 
kangaroô
 
woô
 
.*Búrə - it means Míddlesbrough, which doesn’t have the ò - ends in schwa - Bòro
 
prô
 
sô
 
Plâto
 
AmE tomâto - tomàto
 
potâto
 
f- phôto
 
Plûto
 
''at'' to = ''also, many'' toô = ''2'' tŵo
 
émbrỳo
 
===P===
cáp
gáp
snáp
táp
stép
híp
friéndship
kíngship
crāftsmanship
shôwmanship
wörship
kíp
skíp
líp
clíp
flíp
slíp
whíp
gríp
tríp
stríp
whélp
kélp
cámp
dámp
lámp
rámp
crámp
trámp
hémp
ímp
skímp
límp
pímp
wímp
búmp
dúmp
thúmp
júmp
lúmp
slúmp
frúmp
trúmp
devélop
cf. noun énvelôpe - verb envélop
 
flóp
 
póp
 
sóp
 
désktóp
 
láptóp
 
hoôp
 
droôp
 
troôp
 
loôp
 
sloôp
 
stoôp
 
càrp
 
hàrp
 
wårp
 
bürp
 
slürp
 
cúsp
 
úp
 
cùp
 
''bird'' coô = ''overthrow'' coûp
 
.*rêcoôp recoûp
 
.*groôp groûp
 
gåwp
 
===Q, R===
Iràq
 
where unstressed, schwa -ar
 
bazàar
 
bàr
 
càr
 
râdàr
 
cálendar
 
êar
 
cf. ''drink'' bêer - ''animal, tolerate'' béãr
 
cf. ''risk'' dãre - ''animal'' dêer = ''beloved, expensive'' dêar
 
fêar
 
gêar
 
''there'' hêre = ''ear'' hêar
 
''look'' lêer = ''person'' Lêar
 
clêar
 
unclêar
 
.*nûclêə(r) nûclear
 
smêar
 
yêar or yëar
 
cf. búgger - béggar
 
though contemporaries pronounced it ending in schwa - Élgàr
 
sh- sùgar
 
buŷer, flŷer and trîer rhyme with lîar
 
brîar
 
jàr
 
píllar
 
cáterpillar
 
hóller rhymes with dóllar
 
sk- schólar
 
cóllar
 
môlar
 
múscular
 
régular
 
grámmar
 
-z- quâsàr
 
púlsàr
 
Qátàr
 
néctar
 
sítàr
 
''change'' ålter = ''church'' åltar
 
mŏrtar
 
stàr
 
BrE schwa = AmE uh - er
 
mostly schwa; stressed -ër in some words; AmE only in some words which are -re in BrE -er
 
câber
 
.*clîmer clîmber
 
tímber
 
encúmber
 
cûcumber
 
lúmber
 
.*plúmmer plúmber
 
cáncer
dāncer
cîder
glîder
spîder
person Rŷder = ride rîder
insîder
bold bôlder = rock bôulder
shôulder
propagánda rhymes with BrE gánder
Lêánder
mêánder
cf. sqùalor - sqùander
ẁander
wònder
enginêer
pîonêer
iléc- electionêer
cf. wither sêar, one diphthong syllable - *sêeər, two syllables see sêer
voluntêer
defër
confër
refër
prefër
óffer
próffer
cónifer
pílfer
hard g - làger
-j- mánager
cf. béggar - dágger
bígger
lógger
blógger
 
.*Nizhãir Nigér
hard g - tîger
hard g pronounced separately: áng-ger ánger
 
.*dânjer dânger
coat g not pronounced separately from -ng-; = hángar aeroplane hánger
 
.*mânjer mânger
 
.*strânjer strânger
 
.*jínjer gínger
 
hard g sounded separately: líng-ger línger
no g sound sínger
no g sound wínger
hard g sounded separately mòng-ger -mònger
físhmònger
warmonger
hard g sounded separately: stróng-ger - strónger
àrcher
màrcher
cátcher
decîpher
gôpher
or cîpher - cŷpher
voiced th and schwa -ther
bâther
féather
héather
léather
climate wéather
BrE far fàrther = AmE as well as BrE dad fàther
cf. AmE fàther - AmE láther - lāther
bláther
cf. AmE fàther - AmE ráther - rāther
togéther
if whéther
téther
where whíther = decay wíther
òther
bóther
smòther
mòther
one word anòther
bròther
fàrther
fürther
idéntifîer
supplîer
ëarlier
cry, town = Crŷer person crîer
pìêr
silent French r - dóssièr
cry têar = level tìêr
jôker
hoòker
snoôker
pôker
bàrker
wörker
hándler
tóddler
jâiler
tåller
dóllar rhymes with hóller
rôller
stámmer
baseball hômer = person Hômer
wårmer
fŏrmer
góner
lôner
kêeper
léper
 
.*loôzer loser
câter
lâter
wåter
cf. áctor - k- cháracter
detër
cf. BrE mêtre AmE mêter distance, rhythm - parámeter
perímeter
thermómeter
Pêter
trúmpeter
 
.*dåwter dåughter
āfter rhymes with lāughter
 
.*slåwter slåughter
wâiter
church åltar = change ålter
fålter
Wålter
shélter
helter-skélter
wélter
promôter
hélicopter
stàrter
disāster
Chéster
Mánchester
Dŏrchester
or -or protéster
gángster
yoúngster
blíster
síster
bátter
fátter
hátter
mátter
bétter
bítter
lítter
hótter
tótter
bútter
stútter
commûter
compûter
.*lácker lácquer
avër
hâver
brâver
quâver
fêver
whichéver
AmE léver - lêver
whenéver
.*hû-éver whoéver
wheréver
.*wót-éver whatéver
hòwéver
fîver
líver
ríver
arrow, shake quíver
ôver
còver
Dôver
hóver
lòver
plòver
art dråw ≈ chest dråwer
bòwer
flòwer
glòwer
tòwer
cf. lãir - *lãyə lâyer
.*plâyə plâyer
.*prãir prãyer
.*fŏyây fŏyèr
låwyer rhymes with emplŏyer
buŷer
.*lŏyer låwyer
thére *thãir rhymes with ãir
hãir
despãir
fïr
-vwàr réservoir
tâpìr
stïr
bestïr
mostly schwa, as also -er, -our -or
ráncor
córridŏr
cóndŏr
fŏr
abhŏr
ultêrior
antêrior
postêrior
ánchor
cf. sqùander - sqùalor
person Tâylor = clothes tâilor
pállor
chāncellor
trémor
gòvernor
dŏor
pŏor
térror
hórror
spónsor
téar tŏre = crag tŏr
álligâtor
flagellâtor
órator
colláborator
narrâtor
spectâtor
áctor
léctor
Selécter band = seléctor
colléctor
protéctor
véctor
dóctor
proprîetor
trâitor
méntŏr
protéster is much more common than protéstor
invéstor
resístor
transístor
impóstor
whïrr
Cŏrr
 
fürr
 
pürr
 
occür
 
incür
 
concür
 
.*gránjə grándeur
 
frottëur
 
longuëur
 
voyëur
 
für
 
AmE Darfùr BrE Darfůr
 
AmE súlfur BrE súlphur
 
demür
 
fêmur
 
lêmur
 
mürmur
 
when unstressed, schwa; -or in AmE -our
 
''we'' òur = ''time'' hòur
 
doûr
 
AmE -or - hàrbour
 
scòur
 
''preposition'' fŏr = ''4'' fŏur
 
cf. ''petal'' flòwer - ''dough'' flòur
 
BrE *cúlə; AmE -or - còlour
 
BrE *glámə; AmE -or - glámour
 
BrE *hûmə; AmE -or - hûmour
 
BrE *ónə; AmE -or - hónour
 
sòur
 
''téar'' tŏre = ''hill'' tŏr = ''travel'' for some speakers toûr
 
nón séquitur
 
-ə -yr
 
zéphyr
 
màrtyr
 
===S===
.*áz ás
 
.*wéəráz whereás
 
.*ház hás
 
.*Cánzus Kánsas
 
-såw Årkansås
 
.*wóz ẁas
 
AmE *ërbs hërbs
 
thêátrics
 
-x athlétics
 
-x gymnástics
 
-x logístics
 
Nétherlands
 
-dz forwards
 
words from Greek, etc: -êz -ês
 
Ándês
 
antípodês
 
côdes
 
édges
 
lódges
 
Hódges
 
''hew'' heŵs = ''person'' Hûghes
 
lúllabîes
 
râbíes
 
*síəríz sêríes
 
BrE *wúrríz, AmE *würríz or *würrìz wòrríes
 
Lós = lóss ''lose''; -íz Lós Ángeles
 
''distance'' mîles = ''person'' Mîles
 
cf. shékels - sháckles
 
-z Hërculês
 
-nz Bàrnes
 
Jóhn Mâynard Kèynes
 
Mílton Kêynes
 
.*dúzz dòes
 
.*gôze gôes
 
hêroes
 
.*tôze tôes
 
-tôze potâtoes
 
plural of -sís in Greek-derived words (see [[English irregular nouns]]) -sês
 
cf. prîces *prîsíz - *crŷsêez crîsês
 
.*loôziz loses
 
glāsses
 
-zíz hòuses
 
-ssíz spòuses
 
Sócratês
 
hêaves
 
''leave, leaf'' lêaves
 
''have-nots'' háves
 
shâves
 
wâves
 
''thief'' thìêves
 
Îves
 
gíves
 
-k- àrchîves
 
''plural noun'' lîves
 
''singular verb'' líves
 
''knife'' knîves
 
arrîves
 
môtíves
 
''wife'' wîves
 
''calf'' càlves
 
''valve'' válves
 
''elf'' élves
 
''delve'' délves
 
''shelf'' shélves
 
''self'' sélves
 
one word, as with following: *òursélvz oursélves
 
*yŏrsélvz yoursélves
 
*dhəmsélvz themsélves
 
cf. dòves - drôves
 
''hoof'' hoôves
 
''scarf'' scàrves
 
*yéss yés
 
hoôves rhymes with roôfs
 
-gz dógs
 
parîahs
big sîze = sigh sîghs
-āffs lāughs
-óffs cóughs
*íz ís
*híz hís
plurals, no apostrophes, -íz Bangladéshis
-íz Bengålis
-íz Nepålis
-íz Isrâelis
-əss pênis
-íz Sùnnis
-nŏy Íllinois
-íss Páris
Hórace and Mórris = BrE Maurice rhyme with Bóris and Dóris
Hárris
térrace rhymes with Férris
rhyming with Hórace, BrE Maurice = Mórris
Nórris
thêsis
Greek-derived words in -sís, *síss, have -sês, *sêez, for their plurals (see Irregular Plurals) sýnthesis
némesis
= Dâvies, -íss Dâvis
-íss Mâvis
-íss Trávis
Élvis
pélvis
-íss áxis
léxis
*nóx knócks
loòks
spoôks
-z sélls
-z húms
words from Greek: -óss -ós
*kâyós châos
insect lòuse = nation Làos
-dôz tornâdos
-pss hélps
schnápps
heart cŏre = army cŏrps
-z stàrs
lîars, trîers and buŷers rhyme with plîers
bôres, BrE påuse, and påws rhyme with dŏors
mostly -íss -ess
*áxéss áccess
góddéss
cãreless
ûseless
hápless
hélpless
t can be silent lístless
t can be silent réstless
méss
goòdness
lîonéss
cléanliness
clúmsiness
nāstiness
no words end: *-yness
cf. áccess *áxéss - asséss
áctress
silent u - guéss
kíss
prémíse rhymes with míss
lóss
grôss
cúss
-tss cáts
Kêats
Yâtes = Yeâts
-tss séts
it is ít’s = of it íts
-tss síts
-tss bútts
-tss cúts
mostly -əss -us
-ss bús
ábacus
fôcus
-z Híndûs
-kəss Bácchus
Sibèlius
Dêlius
Jûlius
j-; cf. adjective ingênious - noun gênius
ignorâmus
j- gênus
ménûs
for adjectives = -us mostly for nouns: -əss –ous
cåucus rhymes with råucous
-dəss - only found in following -dous
treméndous
stûpendous
horréndous
jép- jéopardous
házardous
-jəss outrâgeous
-jəss gŏrgeous
simultâneous
-êsh- spêcious
-ésh- précious
-ísh- vícious
uncónscious
relígious rhymes with sacrilegious
cf. noun gênius - adjective ingênious
pîous
censŏrious
kyù- cùrious
-ísh- fictítious
óbvious
prêvious
*ánkshus ánxious
jéalous
zéalous
màrvellous
ridículous
fâmous
ínfamous
ánimus cf. ûnánimous
cf. vërtigo, hard g - g as j in vertíginous
glûtinous
glúttonous
scábrous
wòndrous
slānderous
mürderous
nûmerous
from -our - -orous
vígorous
glámorous
hûmorous
díz- disàstrous
mónstrous
vácuous
fátuous
nërvous
*Bélla-Roôse Belarûs
cf. prósperous - phósphorus
rhêsus
cénsus
consénsus
sánctus
ríctus
-z jåws
irregular: *séz says
regular: *stâze stâys
-âze sîdeways
never used to form plurals: either a singular possessive or an abbreviation of ís - ‘s
w-, plural ònes = possessive òne’s
or *híz hê’s
or *shíz shê’s
parénthesês
chíldren’s
of it íts = it is ít’s
 
===T===
át
 
cát
 
bêat
 
hêat
 
chêat
 
plêat
 
nêat
 
fát
 
voiced th - thát
 
slát
 
''ash'' grâte = ''big'' greât
 
swéat
 
bôat
 
côat
 
flôat
 
glôat
 
môat
 
Crôát
 
thrôat
 
*dét débt
 
*dòut dòubt
 
''touch'' afféct
 
''emotion'' áffect
 
result í- efféct
 
përfect
 
''thing'' óbject
 
''disagree'' objéct
 
''matter'' súbject
 
''cruel'' subjéct
 
''verb'' rejéct
 
''noun'' rêjéct
 
colléct
 
connéct
 
áspect
 
respéct
 
''person'' áddict
 
''verb'' addíct
 
êdict
 
.*indîte indîct
 
vërdict
 
''person'' cónvict
 
''verb'' convíct
 
mostly -ít (-ət in Australasian English), but some have French -ây -et
 
BrE Hërbert rhymes with shërbet
t sounded hit búffet
.*bùffây food bùffèt
.*crôshây crôchet
rátchet
crótchet
thícket
pícket
crícket
wícket
màrket
-lây chálèt
cf. -létte - *boòklít, though these words are -lət in Australasian English - boòklet
píglet
.*bállây bállèt
mállet
ẁallet
bíllet
tríplet
BrE, u as schwa - qùadruplet, quíntuplet, séxtuplet, séptuplet, óctuplet
AmE - qùadrûplet, quíntûplet, séxtûplet, séptûplet, óctûplet
stàrlet
Jánet
plánet
gánnet
cŏrnet
límpet
-rây bérèt
quårtét
bánquet
-kây crôquèt
-kây sóbriquèt
BrE *pàhkây, AmE *parkây pàrquèt
.*boô-kây bouquèt
déft
léft
míffed rhymes with ríft
dríft
shríft
lóft
.*yót yacht
mostly silent gh -ght
èight
heîght
frèight
wèight
fîght
lîght
delîght
plîght
cf. sleîght-of-hánd little slîght
nîght
rîght
frîght
tîght
maker = rîght correct, left -wrîght
.*plâywrîte plâywrîght
cópyrîght
words in -åught and -ŏught are -àt or -ót in AmE
any = ŏught should åught
cåught
drāft = drāught
fråught
should = åught any ŏught
bŏught
fŏught
nŏught
brŏught
dròught
wrŏught
words in -åught and -ŏught are -àt or -ót in AmE
ít
-ate rhymes with -âit
breath bâte = catch bâit
gâit
wâit
awâit
bít
inhábit
prohíbit
déficit
còunterfeít
fŏrfeít
sürfeít
Fáhrenheît
befít
fít
hít
kít
lít
admít
commít
ômít
vómit
sít
-kít cïrcuit
-skít bíscuit
cóndûít
quít
-roôt recrûit
.*froòt frûit
cf. soòt - *sût or *syût sûit
Jésûít
-syoôt pursûit
quít
wít
dímwit
outwít
côbålt
hålt
målt
bélt
K- Célt
n- knélt
félt
jílt
kílt
sílt
tílt
.*bílt buílt
wílt
fåult
cúlt
only word ending in -mt (cf. prómpt) - dréamt
ánt
AmE cannot cán’t = philosopher Kánt = words cánt
signíficant
descéndant
deféndant
adjective depéndent = person depéndant
clâimant
dŏrmant
còvenant
cf. próminent - dóminant
rámpant
árrant
érrant
now cúrrent = eat cúrrant
pléasant
incéssant
blâtant
hésitant
contéstant
resístant
rélevant
sërvant
ẁant
money = sént send – cént
.*áxent áccent
dêcent
rêcent
magníficent
ascént
dént
précedent
anticêdent
áxi- áccident
óxi- óccident
résident
président
person depéndant = adjective depéndent
indepéndent
j- man gént
stríngent
púngent
hard G-  Belgium Ghént
obêdient
lént
éxcellent
repéllent
fråudulent
cf. mean méant - suffix -ment
engâgement
mánagement
séttlement
-tíssm- advërtisement
âilment
gòvernment
pâyment
përmanent
cf. dóminant - próminent
përtinent
oppônent
pãrent
appárent
transpárent
dífferent
inhérent
cohêrent
réverent
irréverent
eat cúrrant = now cúrrent
money cént = send sént
tént
cómpetent
inadvërtent
consístent
persístent
nón-exístent
vént
fërvent
línt
flínt
glínt
mínt
pînt
frònt
dåunt
gåunt
håunt
verb discòunt
noun díscount
vîc- vîscount
blúnt
rúnt
stúnt
gót
.*éscàr-gô escargôt
Màrgo = Màrgôt
hót
lót
no nót = tie knót
boôt
hoôt
foòt
loôt
roôt
soòt
pót
rót
árrow rhymes with tárôt
gold cárat = eat cárrot
párrot
tót
ápt
léapt
accépt
excépt
képt
slépt
wépt
unkémpt
exémpt
''noun'' éxcërpt
íx- verb excërpt
àrt
pàrt
depàrt
impàrt
wårt
dïrt
flïrt
fŏrt
shŏrt
repŏrt
noun ímport
verb impŏrt
sŏrt
verb consŏrt
cf. cóncert - noun cónsŏrt
cürt
hürt
êast
bêast
fêast
lêast
bréast
yêast
fāst
lāst
māst
vāst
stréssed rhymes with stressed -est
bést
íncést
.*hŷíst hîghest
.*drŷíst drîest
priêst
jést
lést
nést
vést
wést
lôwest
ángst
râcist
.*fáshist fáscist
líst
sôshə- sôcialist
týpist
gríst
K- Chrîst
-k- Gílchríst
insíst
consíst
persíst
exíst
whîlst
cóst
dusty dúst = archaic do dòst
hôst
ghôst
lóst
fŏremôst
úppermôst
òutermôst
pôst
fïrst
thïrst
wörst
cürsed rhymes with bürst
hürst
búst
lôcust
lúst
trúst
cýst
ánalýst
cátalýst
more common in family names like Péttitt and Sénnett (= sénate house) than in ordinary words: -tt
ẁatt
head bútt
Àrgonaut
cóz- cósmonaut
ástronaut
júggernaut
however bút
cút
jút
glút
slút
nút
òut
gòut
clòut
pòut
tòut
.*impùt ínput
rút
neŵt
nòwt
séxed rhymes with néxt
 
téxt
 
cān’t
 
shān’t
 
hádn’t
 
nêedn’t
 
dídn’t
 
.*cùdənt coùldn’t
 
.*shùdənt shoùldn’t
 
.*wùdənt woùldn’t
 
àren’t
 
dãren’t
 
wëren’t
 
háven’t
 
âin’t
 
dôn’t
 
''habit'' wônt = ''will'' wôn’t
 
.*házzənt hásn’t
 
.*wózzənt ẁasn’t
 
.*dúzzənt dòesn’t
 
.*ízzənt ísn’t
 
.*åwtənt ŏughtn’t
 
.*mússənt mústn’t
 
.*mîtənt mìghtn’t
 
===U, V, W===
.*táblô tábleau
 
.*byoôrô bûreau
 
.*troôssô troûsseau
 
.*pláttô pláteau
 
silent u in '''Guinea'''; -ssòw '''Guínea Bíssàù'''
 
''illness'' flû
 
.*êemyoô êmû
 
cáriboû
 
gùrû
 
and many other such Slavonic names, v as f - Chékhov
 
guffåw
 
jåw
 
låw
 
clåw
 
''animal'' påw
 
dråw
 
''see, wood'' såw
 
feŵ
 
''little'' feŵ = ''relief'' pheŵ
 
Jeŵ
 
neŵ
 
''needle'' = sô ''therefore'' - sew
 
dreŵ
 
''tree'' = yoû ''me'' = eŵe ''sheep'' - yeŵ
 
''ribbon'' bôw
 
''Street'' Bôw
 
''incline'' bòw
 
còw
 
Móscôw
 
Dòw
 
wíndôw
 
hòw
 
lôw
 
belôw
 
flôw
 
allòw
 
-llôw
 
fállow
 
sẁallow
 
béllow
 
féllow
 
méllow
 
yéllow
 
bíllow
 
píllow
 
fóllow
 
hóllow
 
môw
 
nòw
 
''negative'' nô = ''knowledge'' knôw
 
''line'' rôw
 
''argue'' ròw
 
grôw
 
thrôw
 
pròw
 
árrôw
 
bárrôw
 
fárrôw
 
hárrôw
 
nárrôw
 
spárrôw
 
''needle'' sew = ''seeds'' sôw
 
''pig'' sòw
 
''foot'' tôe = ''pull'' tôw
 
stôw
 
bestôw
 
vòw
 
===X===
''data'' fácts = ''machine'' fáx
 
''hasn’t'' lácks = ''careless'' láx
 
côax
 
hôax
 
wáx
 
rêflex
 
cïrcumflex
 
véx
 
fíx
 
míx
 
síx
 
óx
 
bóx
 
cóx
 
páradox
 
ŏrthodox
 
flúmmox
 
''plural'' -lôz tábleaux
 
''plural'' -rôz bûreaux
 
flúx
 
crúx
 
===Y===
after consonant mostly ỳ -y
 
dây
 
bïrthday
 
hóliday
 
Frîday
 
wêekday
 
wörkday
 
Mònday
 
Súnday
 
todây
 
yésterday
 
Sáturday
 
''doom'' doômsday = ''book'' Domesday
 
Wédnesday
 
Tûesday
 
Thürsday
 
Mâyday
 
hèyday
 
''elf'' fèy = ''person'' Fây
 
gây
 
hây
 
clây
 
delây
 
plây
 
displây
 
''verb'' Mây = ''month'' mây
 
sây
 
.*Línzy Líndsay
 
daresây
 
hêarsay
 
stây
 
cf. place names in -aî - *Páragwŷe Páraguaŷ
 
.*Yûrəgwŷe Ûruguaŷ
 
weight wèigh = how wây
 
awày
 
verb is two words breâkaway
 
verb is two words rúnaway
 
verb is two words gétaway
 
Gålway
 
''cricket, farewell'' bŷe = ''2'' bî- = ''preposition'' bŷ
 
bâby
 
cábbie and words in -ábby rhyme with Gáby
 
lúllabŷ
 
''abbot'' ábbey = ''persons'' Àbbey = Ábby
 
shábby
 
flábby
 
tábby
lóbby
lâybŷ
sêe sight = -sỳ = -cỳ
Mâcy
râcy
cf. hypócrisy - thêócracy
cf. hypócrisy - demócracy
.*byurócracy bureaucracy
áccuracy
-cỳ noun cf. próphesŷ verb - próphecy
nŏrmalcy
 
fáncy
 
chāncy
 
nécrománcy
 
''person'' Náncy
 
''France'' Nàncy
 
discrépancy
 
téndency
 
cúrrency
 
constítuency
 
shâdy
 
lâdy
 
trágedy
 
cómedy
 
përfidy
 
súbsidy
 
''persons'' Àbbey = Ábby = ''abbot'' ábbey
 
obèy
 
''person'' Fây = ''whimsy'' fèy
thèy
 
whèy
 
kêy
 
láckêy
 
dónkêy
 
mònkêy
 
lèy
 
állêy
 
válley
 
trólley
 
fólly rhymes with vólley
 
jóckêy
 
dónkêy
 
mònkêy
 
''nest, cart'' = drây ''cart'' drèy
 
Jéffrêy
 
ósprêy or ósprèy
 
cf. invèigh - convèy
 
purvèy
 
Hàrvêy
 
-zy Jërsêy
 
íffy
 
jíffy
 
stúffy
 
símplifŷ
 
mágnifŷ
vérifŷ
goôfy
dódgy
pódgy
-jy strátegy
fóggy
-njỳ -ngy
-jy mângy
-jy díngy
-ləjỳ -logy
jêó- geólogy
sôsh- sociólogy
-jy astrólogỳ
-jy énergy
-jy sýnergy
-jy líturgy
.*díng-y dínghy
.*dôwy dôughy
jó- geógraphy
cf. catástrophê, apóstrophê - trôphy
átrophy
voiced th, cf thîgh, unvoiced, same vowel sound thŷ
telépathy
sýmpathy
lêaky
tácky
plúcky
pôky
âbly
próbably
regréttably
nó- knóbbly
fêebly
vísibly
respónsibly
dumb *dúmly dúmbly
crumble crúmbly
nôbly
cf. bâsically - públicly
admíttedly
lîkely
two ls pronounced - sôlely
delíberately
complêtely
or -érily -ãrily
prîmãrily
necessãrily
temporãrily
militãrily
momentãrily
-z- êasily
quíckly
állŷ
cf. públicly - económically
tópically
bâsically
mûsically
illêgally
víscerally
incidéntally
tôtally
mostly female Bíllie = either Bílly
two l’s pronounced shrílly
sílly
vólley rhymes with fólly
two l’s pronounced whôlly
two l’s pronounced coôlly
two l’s pronounced dúlly
fùlly
replŷ
ëarly
dêarly
nêarly
pëarly
cléverly
fãirly
bürly
vígorously
évidently
áptly
trûly
Âmy
astrónomy
gástrónomy
autónomy
cf. epítomê - hysteréctomy
.*énny any
.*ménny many
zâny
prógeny
shîny
Plíny
cf. tínny - tîny
whîny
Jénny
Kénny
pénny
Jóhnnie = Jóhnny
Dónny
fúnny
súnny
BrE o as schwa, AmE -môny
BrE *hígémony (hard g), AmE *héjəmôny hegemony
îrony
pôny
Tôny
misógyny
bŏy
jŏy
tŏy
álloy
annŏy
háppy                                                                           
AmE, when stressed syllable does not come immediately before it, -ãry or -éry, cf.
-ery; BrE a as AmE or as schwa or silent; see also -ory - -ary   
Cãry
Gáry
-shəry judíciary
vocábulary
canãry
gránary
díctionary
lîbrary
nécessary
líterary
suppleméntary
documéntary
Jánuary
Fébruary
vãry
wãry
crŷ
drŷ
tåwdry
mostly e as schwa: can sound like -ry in BrE -ery
físhery
fîery
bâkery
coòkery
sh- chicânery
paper stâtionary = stop stâtionery
conféctionery
cürsory rhymes with nürsery
cémetery
quêry
véry
brâvery
recòvery
discòvery
quêry
frŷ
ángry
húngry
gŏry
glŏry
compúlsory
nürsery rhymes with cürsory
Tŏry
usually pronounced -trỳ in BrE -tory
oblígatory
óratory
AmE láboratŏry - labóratory
satisfáctory
réctory
diréctory
trajéctory
dŏrmitory
stŏry
hístory
prŷ
Bárry
person Cárrie = fetch cárry
Hárry
márry
earth burỳ = fruit bérry
as suffix, AmE -bérry, BrE -brêe bláckberry
blûeberry
AmE rázb-, BrE ràzb- rāspberry
stråwberry
lórry
sórry
wòrry
cúrry
fürry
húrry
trŷ
påltry
pléasantry
péasantry
bígotry
áncestry
sóphistry
ké- chémistry
fruit bérrỳ = earth bury
Dûry
lúxury
mostly = -cỳ -sỳ
-zêe êasy
-sêe grêasy
-zêe quêasy
like demócracy, thêócracy all -ssy idiosýncrasy
-sêe écstasy
-zêe chêesy
cf. noun próphecỳ -sêe - verb próphesŷ
-sêe héresy
demócracy and thêócracy rhyme with hypócrisy
-sêe émbassy
-sêe fússy
dízzy rhymes with *bízzy busy
-sêe jéalousy
-zêe Sûzy = Sûsie = Sûzie = Sûsy
entîrety
cíty
felícity
stupídity
mentálity
facílity
iníquity
relîabílity
flexibílity
celébrity
antíquity
crûelty
 
silent h - hónesty
 
thïrsty
 
Kïrsty
 
''goodbye, cricket'' bŷe = ''preposition'' bŷ = ''money'' buŷ
 
nâvy
 
wâvy
 
bévy
 
cf. lévêe, Lêvî - Lêvy
 
îvy
 
prívy
 
ánchovy
 
scürvy
 
sávvy
 
deŵy
 
wáxy
 
fóxy
 
slêazy
 
dâzy
 
hâzy
 
lâzy
 
crâzy
 
whêezy
 
dízzy
 
===Z===
'''bíz'''
 
'''whízz''' or '''whíz'''


'''quíz'''
Ìt's a dàrk abýss ŏr túnnel


'''jázz'''
Streŵn wíth stônes lîke rôwlock, gúnwale,


'''razzmatázz'''
:Íslington, and Îsle of Wîght,
       
:Hòusewîfe, vërdíct and indîct.


'''pizzázz'''
Dôn't yoû thínk sô, rêader, ràther,


'''fízz'''
Sâying làther, bâther, fàther?     
       
:Fînally, whích rhŷmes wíth enoúgh,
       
:Thôugh, throûgh, bòugh, cóugh, hóugh, sòugh, toúgh??


'''búzz'''
Hiccoúgh hás the sòund of súp.


'''fúzz'''
Mŷ advîce ís:  GÍVE ÍT ÚP!


'''zzzz'''
==Notes==
{{reflist}}[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]]

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Use in English
Alphabetical word list
Retroalphabetical list  
Common misspellings  

English is notorious for its many varied, inconsistent and irregular spellings. This can be seen at its most extravagant in the field of proper nouns—for example, simply adding an 'h' to 'Maria' to make it rhyme with 'pariah', or calling oneself 'Cholmondeley Featherstonehaugh' while pronouncing it 'Chumley Fanshaw'. An example of a common misspelling is 'disasterous' for 'disastrous', retaining the 'e' of 'disaster'. Many words do not turn out to have the pronunciation they appear to have: 'do' and 'to' do not rhyme with 'go' and 'no', while 'seismic', instead of being 'seezmic' or 'sayzmic', or even 'sayizmic', is in fact 'size-mic'. The above grid (reproduced and explained below) provides links to three lists and a cluster of articles devoted to these things.

To show pronunciation, these articles use correct spellings with added accent marks, instead of relying on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). In some cases incorrect respellings are placed next to the correct ones, signalled by a preceding asterisk, like thís *thíss. The accent marks show pronunciation, thús. A table of these accents (which are not part of the language[1]) can be found below; there is also an IPA key at English phonemes. Where there is more than one accent, the first is stressed, and the same is true after a hyphen, so in the respelling of Tchaikóvsky, *Chŷ-kóffskỳ, it is 'kóff' that has the main stress. (Another way of showing new stress is with a bar: Tchaî|kóvsky.) A sentence from the preceding paragraph can thus be rewritten as follows: "An example of a common misspelling is *disāsterous for disāstrous, retaining the E of disāster." Respelling may be used to exemplify an incorrect spelling, or show a correct pronunciation, or a bit of both. Unlike the IPA, where there can only be one version per pronunciation, as there must be an unambiguous one-to-one correspondence, there can be many respellings: if *disāsterous for disāstrous is a common mistake, we can also represent the pronunciation as *dizāstrus or *dizāstrous or *dizāstrəss (with 'ə', a special character – the only one used – for schwa); or we can contrast British English *dizàstrus with American *dizástrus.

Particular attention is given to homophones, words with the same pronunciation but different meanings. English is rich in homophones, many of which are also homonyms, having also the same spelling, as, for example, cán able, tin (the italicised words suggest meanings, in this case two); while homographs are words with the same spelling whose meanings are distinguished by different pronunciations.

Also of special note are words that many writers incorrectly divide. ôver and dûe, for example, combine to form overdûe, without a space in the middle. Such examples are included with ‘one word’ alongside them: alongsîde one word.

An equals sign = is placed between homophones (in some cases the approximately equals sign ≈ is more appropriate). Homographs and other similar-looking words are included after 'cf.' (Latin conferre, 'compare').

Some words from other languages, in most cases French, may sometimes appear in English with accents from those languages. Here, such spellings are shown using bold italics: touchè may be written with a French accent: touché *tooshây.

The apostrophe is an important part of spelling and so it is treated as a letter, with its own place at the end of the alphabet.

Fragments of words are in bold when correctly spelt: Ukrâine has -âine, not -âne.

Words in italics are used to suggest meanings (e.g. sêa water = sêe vision, where the equals sign denotes identical pronunciation). Words beginning with an initial capital may have no word in italics following: these are names of people, either personal or family, and/or commercial or place names. Such words are included because they often contrast with the spellings of homophones: a bank clerk might be named Clàrk or Clàrke, but probably not 'Clerk' (though BrE clerk = Clàrk/Clàrke). Unusual spellings can be explained by regular ones: Cloúgh = Clúff. An American called Maurìce Mŏrris could just as well be called Mórris Maurice ("Morris Morris") in Britain, where Maurice = Mórris (although it would be putting the conventional surname before the conventional given name).

Links to letter articles and lists

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Use in English
Alphabetical word list
Retroalphabetical list  
Common misspellings  

In the navigation table above (reproduced at the top of each article in the cluster) the cells in each row link as follows:

  • Top row: articles on each letter and its use in English. There are similar articles on GH, the apostrophe and the hyphen.
  • Second row: alphabetical lists of of commonly misspelt and/or mispronounced words, alongside more regular words they may be confused with (words beginning with an apostrophe are here). Some incorrect spellings are also listed, signalled by an asterisk: *dispánd disbánd means that the word is 'disband'. (The bottom row is devoted entirely to misspellings and typos.)
  • Third row: retroalphabetical lists, arranged alphabetically according to the final letter of the word and continuing backwards through it:
In the retroalphabetical lists the headword is on the right. In this way, suffixes and other word endings can be seen grouped together, just as prefixes can be seen in normal alphabetical order. So, instead of ádd båll coúsin, we have réplicA fláB plástiC; and so for mûsiC, see under -C, for mûsicaL, see under -L, for pàrticlE, see under -E, and so on.
Some suffixes are included separately; their pronunciation may or may not apply to following words ("always -ãrian" means there is no other pronunciation of -ãrian).
Throughout, the apostrophe is treated as the last letter, after Z. (Words ending in an apostrophe are also here.)
For clarity, italic association words are to the left of the example word:
woman mâid = make mâde
Some incorrect spellings are listed retroalphabetically, in which case the misspelling goes on the right, just as in the alphabetical list:
wêasel *wêasal
  • Bottom row: common misspellings including typos (blue-linked for checking purposes), followed by the correct versions.

Two main varieties are distinguished: British English (BrE), that of the UK and much of the Commonwealth (see also Commonwealth English), and American English (AmE), that of the USA and Canada (without the cåught = cót merger that has occurred in some parts of North America).

Unlike dictionaries, the lists include personal and place names for their own sake and for contrast.

Table of accents

These accents are intended to show the pronunciation while retaining the spelling: they are not part of the language. Those on i and y show the same sound; similarly with u, oo and w. Accented vowels are stressed (ỳ is normally unstressed, as in háppy). ā, not in the table, means that the sound is à in standard British and Commonwealth pronunciations but á in American and other British and Commonwealth speech.

Front vowels Back vowels
e i y[2] a o u oo w[3]
The typical short sound, never occurring at the end of a word (acute accent) pét pít crýpt cát dóg[4] nút
The typical long sound, corresponding to the names of the letters A, E, I, O and U (circumflex accent) sêe nîce mŷ nâme nôse rûle toô neŵ
Sounds shown with the grave accent (ẁ- and qù- indicate the BrE ó sound of the following a, ẁad rhyming with qùad; òu and òw are diphthongs sounding like àù in àùtobahn: nòw has this sòund) èight (= â) machìne (= ê) quaỳ water = kêỳ lock
(= ê) 		àre òther, blòod
(= ú) 		fùll (= oò), qùantity (= w) foòt (= ù) ẁant (= wó)[5]
The ër sound (umlaut accent) përson bïrd mÿrtle (ëarth) wörd pürr
The åw/ŏr sound (ring accent)[6] (cŏin) (jŏy) åll mŏre (for some BrE speakers) sůre
The ãir sound (tilde accent) (thére) (ãir = Ãyr) stãre
Irregular (respelling needed) sew (= sô) meringue (*məráng) because (*bikóz) woman (*wùmən), women (*wímən) business (*bízníss)

Example sentences

These sentences show how the accents may be used, for example, when teaching pronunciation. Words without accents are monosyllables with the schwa sound, a neutral grunt.

The usual short sound, acute accent:

The gínger cát was jéalous of the bláck cát: howéver, the tábby was a véry dífferent mátter - the stúff of réveries, ín fáct.

The usual long sound, circumflex accent:

Sây mŷ nâme thrêe tîmes with stŷle and Î’ll gô and fînd a tûne to plây for yoû.

The third sound, grave accent:

Christìna Grèy shoùld (and dòes?) lòve her mòther and fàther.

The ër sound, umlaut:

But fïrst, Mÿrtle, fürther dïrty, ïrksome and distürbing wörk for the nürses.

The ŏr sound (sůre here is with British pronunciation = Shåw), the ring, or half-ring:

Sůre yoû ŏught to cråwl ón åll fŏurs, m’lŏrd?

Irregular, without accent, instead with respelling:

Many women? Any woman! (pronounced: *Ménny wímmin? Énny wùman!)

Double letters

The following alphabetical table shows examples of how letters can be doubled in English.

Double consonant letters before suffixes are used (as often elsewhere) to preserve short vowel sounds, as in flípped (not *flîped), rebélled (not *rebêled) and pégged (not *pêged, which if regular would in any case be pronounced *pêjed). Compare scrâped, past of scrâpe, and scrápped, from scráp. In the case of t, doubling it after an unstressed vowel and before a suffix may seem unnecessary, but in some cases it can be doubled before -ed: either tàrgeted or tàrgetted (but always commítted).

The sign # indicates a double letter that is rare in that position; capital-letter words indicate that the double letter in this position is only found in names. An asterisk (*) indicates a respelling to show pronunciation, and an equals sign (=) introduces a homophone.

letter initial medial final final + silent e
A àardvark #[7] bazàar # bàa #
B ríbbon ébb # Crábbe (= cráb)
C sóccer (*sócker), accépt (*əxépt)
D hídden ádd
E êel bêen sêe
F Ffoùlkes éffort óff Clíffe (= clíff)
G aggréssion (-g-), exággerate (-j-) égg # Légge (= lég)
H hítchhike # (accidental)
I skìíng # Hawàìi #
J hàjj # (also spelt hàdj)
K púkka; boòkkeeper (accidental)[8] #
L llàma[9] # fílling wéll bélle beauty (= béll ring)
M súmmer Crámm (= crám) grámme (= grám)
N dínner ínn # pub Ánne (= Ánn)
O oôze, oòmph # foôd, foòt, flòod, doŏr toô Loôe (= loô)
P flípped stéppe Asia # (= stép foot)
Q Sadìqqi #
R érror pürr
S méssy lóss crevásse
T bétter ẁatt couchétte -sh-
U vácuum # (*vákyoôm)
V révved #
W Lawwell # (accidental)
X Éxxon ™ # Bób B. Sóxx #
Y Khayyàm #
Z fízzy búzz

Names of the letters

The names of the letters of the alphabet are rarely written out in English (a simple capital being the normal usage: "with a C, not a K") so that, unlike in many other languages, most of their spellings have a rather unofficial status. But they can be shown as follows, using real words where possible:

A: â (the indefinite article, when stressed), èh? what?

B: bê exist, bêe sting

C: occasionally cêe; sêe look, sêa ship

D: Dêe River, surname

E: ê as in êmail, ê-mail

F: éff as in the euphemism éff óff

G: gêe up, exclamation *jêe

H: âitch as in drópping your âitches

I: Î me, eŷe vision

J: jây bird

K: Kây person

L: él elevated railway (AmE)

M: ém dash

N: én dash

O: ôwe debt, ôh! exclamation

P: pêa pod, pêe urine, p pence (BrE)

Q: queûe line, cûe ball, prompt

R: àre be, BrE àh exclamation

S: occasionally éss

T: têa drink, têe golf, tì do-re-mi

U: yoû me, eŵe sheep

V: Vêe Bobby

W: "doúble you" (*dúblyu; cf. vácûum, which actually does have a doúble Û)

X: éx- past

Y: whŷ reason (voiced w, as in BrE)

Z: BrE zéd, AmE zêe

The Chaos

by Gerard Nolst Trenité

This poem on pronunciation irregularities was first published in 1920. Accent marks, respellings and editorial comments have been added to reflect current British English pronunciation. The unadorned poem, with an introduction, can be found here.


The Châós (*câyóss)


Dêarest crêature ín creâtion

Stúdying English (*Ínglish) pronunciâtion,

Î wíll têach yoû ín mŷ vërse
Sòunds lîke cŏrpse, cŏrps (*cŏr), hŏrse and wörse.

Î wíll kêep yoû, Sûsy, busy (*bízzy),

Mâke yŏur héad wíth hêat grôw dízzy;

Têar ín eŷe, yŏur dréss yŏu'll téar;
Quêer, fãir sêer (*sêe-er), hêar mŷ prãyer.

Prây, consôle yŏur lòving pôet,

Mâke mŷ côat loòk neŵ, dêar, sew (=sô) ít!

Júst compãre heàrt, hêar and hëard,
Dîes and dîet (*dîət), lŏrd and wörd.

Swŏrd (*sŏrd) and swård, retâin and Brítain

[Mînd the látter hòw ít's wrítten].

Mâde hás nót the sòund of báde,
Sây–said (*séd), pây–pâid, lâid but pláid.

Nòw Î sůrely wíll nót plâgue yoû

Wíth súch wörds as vâgue and âgûe,

Bút bê cãreful hòw yoû spêak,
Sây: gúsh, bùsh, steâk, strêak, breâk, blêak,

Prêvious, précious, fûchsia (*feŵsha), vîa,

Récipê, pîpe, stúdding-sâil, choîr (=quîre);

Wôven, óven, hòw and lôw,
Scrípt, recêipt (*rissêet), shoe (=shoô), pôem, tôe.

Sây, expécting fråud and tríckerỳ:

Dåughter (*dåwter), làughter (*làfter) ánd Terpsíchorê (*Terpsíckery),

Brànch, rànch, mêasles, tópsails, aîsles (*îles),
Míssîles, símilês, revîles.

Whôlly (=hôly), hólly, sígnal, sîgning (*sîning),

Sâme, exámining, but mîning,

Schólar (*scóllar), vícar, and cigàr,
Sôlar, mîca, wår and fàr.

From "desîre": desîrable - ádmirable from "admîre",

Lúmber, plúmber, biêr, but brîer,

Tópsham, broûgham (*breŵəm), renòwn, but knôwn,
Knówledge, dòne, lône, góne, nòne, tône,

Òne (=wòn), anémonê, Balmóral,

Kítchen, lîchen (=lîken), låundry, laurel (lórrel).

Gërtrude, Gërman (J-), wínd and wînd,
Beau (=Bô), kînd, kíndred, queûe, mankînd,

Tŏrtoise (*tŏrtus), türquŏise, chámois-léather (*shámwà-),

Rêading, Réading, hêathen, héather.

Thís phonétic lábyrínth
Gíves móss, grôss, broòk, brôoch, nînth, plínth.

Háve yoû éver yét endéavoured

To (=toô)[10] pronòunce revêred and sévered,

Dêmon, lémon, ghoûl, fòul, sôul,
Pêter, pétrol and patrôl?

Bíllet dòes nót énd lîke bállèt (*bállây);

Boûquèt, ẁallet, mállet, chálèt.

Blòod and flòod are nót lîke foôd,
Nŏr ís môuld lîke shoùld and woùld (=woòd).

Bánquet ís nót nêarly pàrquèt,

Whích exáctly rhŷmes wíth khàkì. —not usually nowadays

Díscòunt, vîscòunt (*vîcòunt), lôad and brŏad,
Towård, to fŏrward, to (=toô) rewård,

Rícochèted and crôchèting, crôquèt?

Rîght! Yŏur pronunciâtion's OK.[11]

Ròunded, woûnded, griêve and síeve,
Friénd and fiênd, alîve and líve.

Ís yŏur R corréct ín hîgher?

Kêats assërts ít rhŷmes Thalîa.

Hûgh, but húg, and hoòd, but hoôt,
Buŏyant, mínute, bút minûte.

Sây abscíssion wíth precísion,

Nòw: posítion ánd transítion;

Woùld ít tálly wíth mŷ rhŷme
Íf Î méntioned páradîgm?

Twòpence, thréepence, têase are êasy,

But cêase, crêase, grêase and grêasy?

Cŏrnice, nîce, valìse, revîse,
Râbíes, but lúllabîes.

Óf súch púzzling wörds as nåuseous,

Rhŷming wéll wíth cåutious, tŏrtious,

Yoû'll envélop lísts, Î hôpe,
Ín a línen énvelôpe.

Woùld yoû lîke some mŏre? Yoû'll háve ít!

Áffidâvit, Dâvid, dávit.

To (=toô) abjûre, to përjure. Shèik
Dòes nót sòund lîke Czéch but âche.

Líberty, lîbrary, hêave and héaven,

Râchel, lóch, moustàche, eléven.

Wê sây hállôwed, bút allòwed,
Pêople, léopard, tôwed but vòwed.

Màrk the dífference, moreôver,

Betwêen mover (*moôver), plòver, Dôver.

Lêaches, brêeches, wîse, precîse,
Chálíce, bút polìce and lîce,

Cámel, cònstable, únstâble,

Prínciple, discîple, lâbel.

Pétal, pênal, and canál,
Wâit, surmîse, pláit, prómíse, pál,

Sûit, suìte, rûín. Cïrcuít, cónduít

Rhŷme wíth "shïrk ít" and "beyónd ít". —still?

Bút ít ís nót hàrd to téll
Whŷ ít's påll, måll, but Páll Máll.

Múscle, múscular, gâol (=jâil), îron,

Tímber, clîmber, búllion, lîon,

Wörm and stŏrm, chaise (*shézz), châós, chãir,
Sénator, spectâtor, mãyor,

Îvy, prívy, fâmous; clámour

Hás thê Â of dráchm and hámmer.

Pùssy, hússy ánd posséss,
Désert, but desërt, addréss.

Gôlf, wolf (=Woòlf), còuntenance, lieuténants

Hŏist ín lieû of flágs léft pénnants.

Coùrier, cŏurtier, tomb (*toôm), bómb, cômb,
Còw, but Cowper (=Coôper), sòme and hôme.

"Sôlder, sôldier! Blòod ís thícker",

Quôth hê, "than liqueûr ŏr líquor",

Mâking, ít ís sád but trûe,
Ín bravàdo, múch ado (*adoô).

Strânger dòes nót rhŷme wíth ánger,

Neîther dòes devòur wíth clángour. —neither does anger: *áng-gə

Pîlot, pívot, gåunt, but āunt,
Fónt, frònt, wônt, wånt, gránd and grānt.

Àrsenic, specífic, scênic,

Rélic, rhétoric, hygìênic.

Goòseberry, goôse, and clôse, but clôse,
Páradise, rîse, rôse, and dôse.

Sây invèigh, nèigh, but invêigle,

Mâke the látter rhŷme wíth êagle.

Mînd! Mêándering but mêan,
Válentîne and mágazìne.

Ánd Î bét yoû, dêar, a pénny,

Yoû sây máni-(fôld) lîke many (*ménny),

Whích ís wróng. Sây râpier, pìêr,
Tîer (òne who tîes), but tìêr.

Àrch, archângel; prây, dòes ërring

Rhŷme wíth hérring ŏr wíth stïrring?

Príson, bîson, tréasure trôve,
Trêason, hóver, còver, côve,

Persevêrance, séverance. Ríbald

Rhŷmes (but pîebåld dòesn't) wíth níbbled.

Phâeton, paêan, gnát, ghåt, gnåw,
Liên, psŷchic, shóne, bône, pshåw.

Dôn't bê dòwn, mŷ ôwn, but roúgh ít,

Ánd distínguish bùffèt, búffet;

Broôd, stoòd, roôf, roòk, schoôl, woòl, boôn,
Worcester (*Wùster), Boleýn, to (=toô) impûgn.

Sây ín sòunds corréct and stërling

Hëarse, hêar, heàrken, yêar and yëarling —yëar and yêarling are about as likely

Êvil, dévil, mézzotínt,

Mînd the Z (zéd)! (A géntle hínt.)

Nòw yoû nêed nót pây atténtion

To (=toô) súch sòunds as Î dôn't méntion,

Sòunds lîke pŏres, påuse, pŏurs and påws,
Rhŷming wíth the prônòun yŏurs;

Nŏr are próper nâmes inclûded,

Thôugh Î óften hëard, as yoû díd,

Fúnny rhŷmes to ûnicŏrn,
Yés, yoû knôw them, Våughan and Stråchan —nowadays regularised to *Strákhən

Nô, mŷ mâiden, cŏy and còmely,

Î dôn't ẁant to spêak of Chòlmondeley (*Chúmley).

Nô. Yét Froûde compãred wíth pròud
Ís nô bétter thán McLeod (*McClòud).

But mînd trívial and vîal,

Trîpod, mênial, denîal,

Trôll and trólley, réalm and rêam,
Schédule, míschief, schísm, and schême.

Àrgil, gíll, Argŷll, gíll. Sůrely

Mây bê mâde to rhŷme wíth Råleigh,

Bút yŏu're nót suppôsed to sây
Pìquèt rhŷmes wíth sóbriquèt.

Hád thís ínvalid inválid

Wörthless dócuments? Hòw pállid,

Hòw uncoûth hê, còuchant, loòked,
Whén for Pŏrtsmouth Î had boòked!

Zeûs, Thêbes, Thales, Aphrodîtê,

Páramour, enámoured, flîghty,

Épisôdes, antípodês,
Ácquiésce, and óbsequies.

Plêase dôn't mònkey wíth the gêyser,

Dôn't pêel 'tâters wíth mŷ râzor,

Rāther sây ín áccents pûre:
Nâture, státure ánd matûre.

Pîous, ímpìous, límb, clîmb, glúmly,

Worsted (wùsted), wörsted, crúmbly, dúmbly,

Cónquer, cónquest, vàse, phâse, fán,
Ẁan, sedán and àrtisan.

The TH (*têe-âitch) wíll sůrely troúble you

Mŏre than R, CH ŏr W (*àh, cêe-âitch ŏr doúble-û)

Sây thén thêse phonétic géms:
Thómas, thŷme, Therêsa, Thames (*Témz).

Thómpson, Chátham, Wåltham, Stréatham,

Thére are mŏre but Î forgét 'em -

Wâit! Î've gót ít: Ánthony,
Lîghten yŏur anxîety.

Thê archâíc wörd ålbêít

Does nót rhŷme wíth èight - yoû sêe ít;

Wíth and fŏrthwith, òne hás vŏice,
Òne hás nót, yoû mâke yŏur chŏice.

Shoes (=shoôs), gôes, dòes. Nòw fïrst sây: fínger;

Thén sây: sínger, gínger, línger.

Rêal, zêal, mauve (*môv), gåuze and gâuge,
Márríage, fôlìage, mìràge, âge,

Hêro, héron, quêry, véry,

Párry, tárry, fûry, bury,

Dòst, lóst, pôst, and dòth, clóth, lôth,
Jób, Jôb, blóssom, bosom (*bùzm), ôath.

Fåugh, oppúgnant, kêen oppûgners,

Bòwing, bôwing, bánjo-tûners

Hôlm yoû knôw, but nôes, canoes (*canoôz),
Pûisnê (*poôny), trûísm, ûse (*yoûss), to ûse (*yoûz)?

Thôugh the dífference sêems líttle,

Wê sây áctual, but víctual,

Sêat, swéat, châste, càste, Lêigh, èight, heîght,

Pùt, nút, gránite, ánd unîte.
Rêefer dòes nót rhŷme wíth déafer,

Féoffer dòes, and zéphyr, héifer.

Dúll bùll Géoffrey, Geŏrge ate (*ét) lâte,
Hínt, pînt, sénate, but sedâte.

Gáelic, Árabic, pacífic, —Scottish; or regular Gâelic if Irish

Scîence, cónscience, scientífic;

Toûr, but òur, doûr, súccour, fŏur,
Gás, alás, and Àrkansås.

Sây manoeûvre, yacht (*yót) and vómit,

Néxt omít, whích díffers fróm ít

Bôna fîdê, álibî
Gŷrate, dòwry ánd awrŷ.

Sêa, idêa, guínea, ãrêa,

Psàlm, Marìa, bút malãria.

Yoûth, sòuth, soúthern, cléanse and clêan,
Dóctrine, türpentine, marìne.

Compãre âlien wíth Itálian,

Dándelîon wíth battálion,

Rálly wíth állŷ; yeâ, yê,
Eŷe, Î, ây, aŷe, whèy, kêy, quaỳ! —ây mê, archaic expression of sadness, ây = èh

Sây avër, but éver, fêver,

Neîther, léisure, skèin, recêiver.

Néver guéss - ít ís nót sâfe,
Wê sây càlves, válves, hālf, but Râlf.

Stàrry, gránary, canãry,

Crévice, but devîce, and éyrie,

Fâce, but préface, thén grimâce,
Phlégm, phlegmátic, áss, glāss, bâss.

Báss, làrge, tàrget, gín, gíve, vërging,

Ŏught, òust, jòust, and scòur, but scoürging;

Êar, but ëarn; and ére and téar
Do (*doô=) nót rhŷme wíth hêre but héir.

Mînd thê Ô of óff and óften

Whích mây bê pronòunced as ŏrphan, —scarcely heard nowadays

Wíth the sòund of såw and såuce;
Ålsô sóft, lóst, clóth and cróss.

Pùdding, púddle, pùtting. Pútting?

Yés: at gôlf ít rhŷmes wíth shútting.

Réspîte, spîte, consént, resént.
Lîable, but Pàrliament.

Séven ís rîght, but sô ís êven,

Hŷphen, roúghen, néphew, Stêphen,

Mònkey, dónkey, clerk (=Clàrk) and jërk,
Ásp, grāsp, ẁasp, demèsne, cŏrk, wörk.

 of válour, vápid vâpour,

S of neŵs (-z) (compãre neŵspâper (-ss-)),

G of gíbbet (j-), gíbbon, gíst (j-),
Î of ántichrîst and gríst,

Díffer like divërse and dîvers,

Rívers, strîvers, shívers, fîvers.

Ònce, but nónce, tôll, dóll, but rôll,
Pólish, Pôlish, póll and pôll.

Pronúnciation - thínk of Psŷchê! -

Ís a pâling, stòut and spîky.

Wôn't ít mâke yoû lose (=loôs) yŏur wíts
Wrîting grôats and sâying 'gríts'? —no longer

Ìt's a dàrk abýss ŏr túnnel

Streŵn wíth stônes lîke rôwlock, gúnwale,

Íslington, and Îsle of Wîght,
Hòusewîfe, vërdíct and indîct.

Dôn't yoû thínk sô, rêader, ràther,

Sâying làther, bâther, fàther?

Fînally, whích rhŷmes wíth enoúgh,
Thôugh, throûgh, bòugh, cóugh, hóugh, sòugh, toúgh??

Hiccoúgh hás the sòund of súp.

Mŷ advîce ís: GÍVE ÍT ÚP!

Notes

  1. ↑ A few different accents, mostly from French, sometimes crop up in English, however; see French words in English.
  2. ↑ When not accented, y is usually the semi-consonant of yoû and yés.
  3. ↑ When not accented, w is usually the semi-consonant of wê and wíll.
  4. ↑ In American English this short British sound is replaced by the longer à in most positions, and by ŏ before r.
  5. ↑ Grave accents on w and on a u following a q indicate the sound of the following a: à in American English, but in British the extra sound ó as in the British pronunciation of hót.
  6. ↑ å and ŏ show the same sound: ideally the o too would have a ring over it, but this symbol is not available, so ŏ is used instead.
  7. ↑ àardvark and Transvàal are from Afrikàans, itself a further example.
  8. ↑ With a pause to indicate both k’s are pronounced.
  9. ↑ Also representing a Welsh sound in place names like Llandudno (-dídno) and Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwrndrobllllantysiliogogogóch.
  10. ↑ Strong form of to, not normal in a verb's infinitive, necessitated by the metre.
  11. ↑ The pronunciation required by the metre is "ôkay", though the K is normally the stressed syllable: okây.
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