Pronunciation guide:

ei or EI – Examples: bale = “beil”; whale = “hweil”

æ or Æ – Example: ban = “bæn”
ee or EE – Example: be = “bee”
igh or IGH – Example: tie = “tigh”
i or I – Examples: tip = “tip”
oh or OH – Examples: code = “cohd”; soul = “sohl”; bowl = “bohl”
o or O – Examples: law = “lo”; order = “OR dur”; chocolate = “CHOK
lit”
au or AU – Example: out = “aut”
yoo or YOO – Example: duty = “DYOO ti”
oo or O – Example: rule = “rool”
u or U – Example: book = “buk”
oo or OO – Example: moon = “moon”
ur or UR – Example: curve = “kurv”
th or TH – Example: thick or “thik”
Unaccented vowel – uh – Example: fistula = “FISH chuh luh”
zh or ZH – Example: measure = “MEZH ur”
1. abalone. “æb’ uh LOH nee” (not “AH buh lohn”). A delicious seafood.

2. accessory. “æk SES uh ree” (not “æk ses SOH ree”). Subordinate part.

3. acknowledge. “æk NAH lij” (not “æk NOH lej”). Admit; give credit to.

4. acoustic. “uh KOOS tik” (not “uh KOHS tik”). Pertaining to hearing.

5. admirable. “ÆD muhr uh buhl” (not “æd MIR uh buhl”). Worthy of admiration.

6. adolescence. “ad’l ES ens” pronounced minus the “o” (not “uh DOL luh sens”). Period between
youth and maturity.

7. advocacy. “ÆD vuh kuh see” (not “uhd VO kuh see”). Active support, especially for a cause.

8. affidavit. “æf i DEI vit” (not “æf i DÆ vit”). A sworn statement in writing.

9. allegedly. “uh LEJ id lee” (not “uh LEJD lee”). Supposedly.

10. almond. “ÆM uhnd” (not “ÆL muhnd”). A delicious nut.

11. alms. “ahmz” (You don’t pronounce the “l”). Money or goods given in charity.

12. alumnae. “uh LAHM nee” (not “uh LAHM nei”). Feminine of alumnus.

13. amoebiasis. “æm’ uh BIGH uh sis” (not “uh mib YAH sis”). Infection caused by the amoeba
Entamoeba histolytica.

14. analgesic. “æn uhl JEE zik” (not “æn uhl JE sik”). Pain reliever.

15. any. “EN ee” (not “EY nee”). One chosen at random.

16. applicable. “ÆP li kuh buhl” (not “ahp LEE kuh buhl”). Able to be applied; appropriate.

17. appreciate. “uh PREE shee eit” (not “AHP ree sheit”). To recognize the quality, significance, or
magnitude of something or someone.

18. associate. “uh SOH shee eit” (not “AH soh sheit”). Colleague.

19. asthma. “AHZ muh” (not “AHST muh”). A respiratory illness often arising from allergies.

20. attaché. “ah tuh SHEI” (not “ah TAT chee”). One assigned to the staff of a diplomatic mission
to serve in a given capacity.

21. attorney. “uh TURN nee” (not “uh TOR nee”). A legal agent qualified to act for persons in
legal proceedings.

22. awardee. “uh wor DEE” (not “uh WAHR dee”). One that receives an award.

23. bamboo. “bæm BOO” (not “BÆM boo”). Any of various woody mostly tall tropical grasses
including some with strong hollow stems used for building, furniture, or utensils.

24. beneficiary. “ben uh FISH ee er ee” (not “buh ne’ fish YAHR ee”). Receiver of benefits.

25. bicuspid. “bigh KAHS pid” (not “BIGH kuhs pid”). Having two points or cusps.

26. boutique. “boo TEEK” (not “boh TEEK”). A kind of specialty shop, now used to describe also
small hotels.

27. broccoli. “BROK uh lee” (not “bro KOHL ee”). A delicious vegetable.

28. bury/burial. “BER ee”/”BER ee uhl” (not “BUHR ee”/”BUHR ee uhl”). Inter/internment.

29. busy. “BIZ ee” (Pronounced with a “z”). Filled with activity.

30. category. “KÆT uh go ri” (not “kuh TE go ri”). Class.

31. cement. “si MENT” (not “seh MENT”). Bond.

32. cemetery. “SEM i ter ee” (not “se MEN tuh ree”). Burial grounds.

33. chocolate. “CHOK lit” or “CHOK uh lit” (not “CHO kuh leit”). A food prepared from ground
roasted cacao beans.

34. cleanliness. “KLEN lee nis” (not “KLEEN li nes”). State of being clean.
35. climb. Pronounced with silent “b.” To ascend using the hands and feet.

36. comfortable. “KAHM fuhr tuh bl” or “KAHMF tuh buhl” (not “kuhm FOR tuh bl”). Providing
comfort or security.

37. condolence. “kuhn DOHL ens” (not “KON doh lens”). An expression of sympathy with a
person in grief.

38. confirm. “kuhn FURM” (not “kuhn FEERM”). To verify.

39. Connecticut. “kuh NET i kuht” (Silent “c”). A US state.

40. controversy. “KAHN truh vur’ see” (not “kon TRO vur see”). A dispute characterized by the
expression of opposing views.

41. corps. “kor” or “kohr”. A group of people with special training, organized for working
together, or associated under a common direction.

42. coupon. “KOO pahn” or “KYOO pahn” (not “KOO p0n”). A detachable slip.

43. debut. “dei BYOO” or “DEI byoo” (not “di BOO”). A first public appearance; the formal
presentation of a girl to society.

44. didn’t. Use the inner part of the tongue for the second “d” to slide on to the “n” (not
“din’t”). Contraction of ‘did not.’

45. douche. “doosh.” A jet of fluid (as water) directed against a part or into a cavity in the body.

43. debut. “dei BYOO” or “DEI byoo” (not “di BOO”). A first public appearance; the formal
presentation of a girl to society.

44. didn’t. Use the inner part of the tongue for the second “d” to slide on to the “n” (not
“din’t”). Contraction of ‘did not.’

45. douche. “doosh.” A jet of fluid (as water) directed against a part or into a cavity in the body.

6. education. “ej uh KEI shuhn” (not “ed yoo KEI shuhn”). The process of learning.

47. embryo. “EM bree oh” (not “em BRIGH yoh”). An organism in its early developmental stage,
especially before it has reached a distinctively recognizable form.

48. entrepreneur. “on’ truh pruh NUR” (not “en TUR puh noor”). One who organizes, operates,
and assumes the risk in a business venture.

49. exciting. “ik SIGHT ing” (not “eg SIGHT ing”). Creating or producing excitement.

50. executive. “ig ZEK yuh tiv” (not “ik SEK yuh tiv”). Administrator or manager.