AUDIO

17 REALLY IMPORTANT WORDS

WITH SILENT LETTERS… THAT YOU
NEED TO KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE!
English pronunciation is never easy. One major problem is that many English words have silent letters – letters that aren’t
pronounced. For example, the “k” in the word “know” isn’t pronounced. In some cases, these silent letters can cause
confusion… even for advanced-level students. But don’t worry, in this lesson we’ll help you with 17 really common words that
are often pronounced incorrectly. Simply listen and repeat the words and the sample sentences and you’ll soon be able to
pronounce them like a native speaker. Ready? OK, let’s go!
AUDIO STARTS HERE
1 Listen 2 Answer 3 Guard 4 Fruit
If you “listen” to Your “answer” to a A “guard” is a person “Fruit” is the soft part of a
someone, you pay question, letter or phone whose job is to protect a plant that we can eat. The
attention to them so you call is your response to person or place. The “u” in “i” in this word is silent:
can hear what they’re it. The “w” in this word is this word is silent: guard / fruit / fruːt / For example:
saying. The “t” in this silent: answer / ɑːn.sə / ɡɑːd / For example: “She’s “They had some fruit for
word is silent: listen / For example: “The answer a security guard.” dessert.”
lɪ.sən / For example: to your question is ‘yes’.”
“I like to listen to music.”

5 Vegetable 6 Favourite 7 Biscuit 8 Generally

A “vegetable” is a plant
that you can eat such as
a potato, carrot or onion.
The second “e” in this
word is silent: vegetable /
vedʒ.tə.bəl / For example:
“We had some vegetables
with the fish.”
Your “favourite” things
are the ones you like the
most. The letters “o” and
“u” in this word are silent,
and there are only two
syllables: favourite /
feɪ.vrɪt / For example: “My
favourite colour is green.”
A “biscuit” is a small, flat If something is
cake that’s usually sweet. “generally” good (for
The “u” in this word is example), it’s more or
silent: biscuit / bɪs.kɪt / less good. The second
For example: “I ate a “e” in this word is silent:
packet of biscuits.” generally / dʒen.rə.li: /
Note: the US English word For example: “This drink
is “cookie”. is generally good, but this
particular one isn’t.”

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9 Documentary 10 Interesting 11 Jewellery
A “documentary” is a film or If you think that something is “Jewellery” refers to the gold Notes
television programme with “interesting”, you like it because or silver objects we wear
Our accent on
information about a topic or it’s new, unusual or exciting. on our bodies. The second the recording is a
event. The “a” at the end of The first “e” in this word is “e” in this word is silent: standard British
this word is silent: documentary silent: interesting / ɪn.trəs.tɪŋ / jewellery / dʒuː.lə.riː / one, which we
feel is fairly easy
/ dɒ.kjuː.men.triː / For example: For example: “She has some For example: “The robbers to understand.
“I saw a documentary about very interesting ideas.” stole some jewellery.” However, there
the Sahara Desert.” are other ways of
pronouncing the
word sounds
(with other accents)
which are just
as valid.
Our advice is
aimed at helping
students sound as
clear as possible,
not necessarily to
12 Comfortable 13 Foreign speak exactly like
a native English
If clothes (for example) are “comfortable”, Something or someone who is “foreign” speaker would.
they fit perfectly, and the fabric is nice and comes from a different country than yours. The bolded part of
soft. The letters “o” and “r” in this word are The letters “i” and “g” in this word are silent: the word indicates
where the stress
silent: comfortable / kʌmf.tə.bəl/ For example: foreign / fɒ.rən / For example: “France was is. For example:
“These shoes are really comfortable.” the first foreign country that I visited.” camera. We also
include a phonetic
version of the word
to help you with
the pronunciation;
the full stops are
used to separate
each syllable. For
example: camera /
kæ.mə.rə /
Our top tips for good
pronunciation!
14 Building 15 Island
Listen and
repeat sentences
A “building” is a structure with walls and a roof, An “island” is a piece of land that is in English so
such as a house. The “u” in this word is silent: surrounded by water. The “s” in this word you get used to
them; and repeat
building / bɪl.dɪŋ / For example: “There’s a new is silent: island / aɪ.lənd / For example: really difficult
building in the city.” “They live on an island in the Pacific.” words, phrases or
Note: if you pronounce the “s”, it will sound sentences over and
over again until
like the northern European country “Iceland”. you can say them
easily.
Speak slowly and
clearly, so the
other person can
understand you.
Remember, the
number-one aim is
to be understood.
So, ABC = Always
Be Clear!

Useful fact about

16 Chocolate 17 Could English pronunciation!
“Chocolate” is a dark food that you can eat or “Could” is the past simple of the verb “can”.
drink and that often has sugar in it. The second We use “could” to talk about the things we were Most nouns have
the stress on the
“o” in this word is silent, and there are only capable of or allowed to do in the past. The letters first syllable, and
two syllables: chocolate / tʃɒk.lət / For example: “u” and “l” in this word are silent: could / kʊd / most verbs have
“I had a cup of hot chocolate.” There are actually two ways of pronouncing the stress on the
second syllable.
this word: For example:
• The strong form is used – It’s an increase
when we’re emphasising of 10%. [noun]
something: could / kʊd / – We will have to
increase the price.
For example: “I could see it.” [verb]
• The weak form is used in Or course, there are
natural speech when we’re always exceptions,
but this is a good
talking fast: could / kəd / general rule.
For example: I could see it.”

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17 REALLY IMPORTANT WORDS WITH SILENT LETTERS…
THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE!
EXERCISES
Answers on page 43

1 Pronunciation
Try pronouncing all these words. If you can’t remember, or you
aren’t sure, check on the audio again. If they’re difficult to say,
repeat them over and over again until they’re easier to pronounce.
Remember to stress the correct part of the word. This is marked in
bold in the phonetic example.
1. Listen / lɪ.sən /
2. Answer / ɑːn.sə /
3. Guard / ɡɑːd /
4. Fruit / fruːt /
5. Vegetable / vedʒ.tə.bəl /
6. Favourite / feɪ.vrɪt /
7. Biscuit / bɪs.kɪt /
8. Generally / dʒen.rə.li: / 3 Questions with the key words
9. Documentary / dɒ.kjuː.men.triː / Answer any of these questions with a friend or teacher. Respond
10. Interesting / ɪn.trəs.tɪŋ / with full answers. If you do it alone, say the answers out loud to
11. Jewellery / dʒuː.lə.riː / practise pronouncing the words in sentences. For any personal
12. Comfortable / kʌmf.tə.bəl /
😊
questions, or ones you don’t know the answer to, simply invent
13. Foreign / fɒ.rən / information!
14. Building / bɪl.dɪŋ / What sort of music do you listen to while you’re
15. Island / aɪ.lənd / working or studying?
16. Chocolate / tʃɒk.lət / What are the pros and cons of being a security guard?
17. Could / kʊd / or / kəd / Have you ever been stopped from entering
somewhere by a security guard? What happened?
2 Word completion What are some of your favourite items of fruit?
Complete the words in these sentences. Then, say the sentences out Which vegetables do you like? Why?
loud with the correct pronunciation. If you aren’t sure of anything, What’s your favourite colour? Why?
listen to the audio again. What are some of your favourite films? Why do you
1. I saw a docum about the Sahara Desert. like them?
2. We had some vege with the fish. What type of biscuits do you like?
3. There’s a new buisi in the city. What do you like to drink while you’re eating
4. The robbers stole some jew . biscuits?
5. This drink is gen good, but this particular What are you generally quite good at?
one isn’t. What documentaries have you seen? What were they
6. The ans to your question is ‘yes’. about?
7. They live on an is in the Pacific. Who do you know who you think is really interesting?
8. She has some very inte ideas. In what way is he/she interesting?
9. They had some fr for dessert. What jewellery do you wear?
10. I had a cup of hot cho . What’s more important to you: to be comfortable or
11. France was the first fore country that I visited. to look stylish?
12. I co see it. [strong form] / I co see it. What are some of your most comfortable items of
[weak form] clothing? In what way are they comfortable?
13. These shoes are really comf . Which foreign countries would you like to visit?
14. I ate a packet of bis . What famous buildings are there in your country?
15. She’s a security gu . What are some of your favourite buildings? Why do
16. My fav colour is green. you like them?
17. I like to lis to music. What islands have you visited? Which ones would
you like to visit? Why?
What type of chocolate do you like? Why?
How often do you have hot chocolate? When do you
have it?
What could you do when you were younger that you
can’t do any longer?
What couldn’t you do when you were younger that
you can do now?

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