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Synonyms - One Word Synonyms - Context Based Antonyms - One Word Antonyms - Context Based Cloze Test / Fill in the blank Comprehension Correctly Spelled Word Idioms and Phrases Missing Sentence One Word Substitution Ordering of Sentences Ordering of Words in a Sentence Poem Based Comprehension Sentence Completion Sentence Improvement Spotting errors Word Analogy Word Pronunciation Writing Skills

Word Pronunciation

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Pronunciation is the way in which a word or a language is spoken.

English Word Pronunciation Sound & Stress

Word Pronunciation questions test your ability to identify how a word is spoken, which syllable is stressed, whether letters are silent, and how similar-looking words differ in sound.

What is Word Pronunciation?

Pronunciation means the way a word is spoken. It includes the sounds of letters, syllables, word stress, silent letters, and the rhythm of speech.

English pronunciation can be tricky because words are not always spoken exactly as they are written. For example, the letter k is silent in knife, and the letter b is silent in doubt.

Quick idea: Do not pronounce every letter in an English word. Some letters may be silent, and some sounds may change depending on the word.
Word Pronunciation Hint Common Mistake
Knife Pronounce as nife; k is silent. Pronouncing the k sound.
Doubt Pronounce as dout; b is silent. Pronouncing the b sound.
Honest Pronounce as on-est; h is silent. Pronouncing the h sound.
Receipt Pronounce as ri-seet; p is silent. Pronouncing the p sound.

“Correct pronunciation comes from listening, noticing patterns, and practising aloud.”

Speaking Tip
Key points
  • English spelling and pronunciation may differ.
  • Some letters are silent.
  • Words are divided into syllables.
  • One syllable is often stressed more strongly.
  • Similar words may have different sounds.
sound stress syllable silent letters

Common Areas in Word Pronunciation

Pronunciation questions usually test silent letters, syllable stress, vowel sounds, consonant sounds, and commonly mispronounced words.

Silent Letters

Some letters are written but not spoken.

  • knife → k is silent
  • doubt → b is silent
  • honest → h is silent
  • receipt → p is silent
Syllable Stress

One part of a word is pronounced more strongly.

  • TA-ble
  • be-GIN
  • im-POR-tant
  • edu-CA-tion
Vowel Sounds

Same vowel letters may sound different.

  • cut → short u sound
  • cute → long u sound
  • sit → short i sound
  • site → long i sound
Common Confusions

Some words look similar but sound different.

  • present / present
  • record / record
  • desert / dessert
  • live / leave
Rule: When learning pronunciation, notice three things: the sound, the silent letters, and the stressed syllable.
Mini Pronunciation Strategy Bank
Break into Syllables
Divide longer words into smaller sound parts, such as im-por-tant.
Mark the Stress
Identify which syllable is spoken more strongly: im-POR-tant.
Watch Silent Letters
Do not pronounce silent letters in words like knife, doubt, and receipt.
Listen and Repeat
Good pronunciation improves with repeated listening and speaking practice.

Tip: Read words aloud in small groups. Compare words with similar spelling but different sounds.

Word pronunciation concept
Pronunciation is the way in which a word or a language is spoken.

Common Pronunciation Examples for Exams

Word Sound / Stress Hint Pronunciation Focus Example Sentence
Answer an-ser w is silent Please answer the question.
Debt det b is silent He cleared his debt.
Knowledge nol-ij k is silent Reading improves knowledge.
Island eye-land s is silent They visited a beautiful island.
Comfortable kumf-ta-bul / kumf-tuh-bul Commonly shortened in speech This chair is comfortable.
Photography pho-TOG-ra-phy Stress on second syllable She is learning photography.
Record as noun RE-cord Stress on first syllable He kept a record of expenses.
Record as verb re-CORD Stress on second syllable Please record the lecture.

Note: Some words change stress depending on whether they are used as nouns or verbs, such as record, present, and permit.

Practice

A) Multiple Choice: Choose the Correct Pronunciation Clue
  1. In the word knife, which letter is silent?
    k n f e
  2. In the word doubt, which letter is silent?
    d o b t
  3. Which word has a silent h?
    house honest happy horse
  4. In photography, the main stress is usually on:
    first syllable second syllable last syllable no syllable
  5. In the noun record, the stress is usually on:
    first syllable second syllable both equally neither syllable
B) Identify the Silent Letter
  1. Answer (Hint: one letter is written but not spoken.)
  2. Receipt (Hint: one consonant is silent.)
  3. Island (Hint: one middle letter is silent.)
  4. Knowledge (Hint: first letter is silent.)
  5. Calm (Hint: one consonant is not clearly pronounced.)
C) Identify the Word Stress
Word Stress Hint
TAble Stress on first syllable
beGIN Stress on second syllable
imPORtant Stress on middle syllable
eduCAtion Stress on CA
reCORD as verb Stress on second syllable
Short Reading

Pronunciation improves when learners listen carefully and speak regularly. Words like knife, doubt, honest, and receipt show that English spelling and speech are not always the same. Learning silent letters and word stress makes speech clearer and more confident.

Task: Read the bold words aloud and identify the silent letters.

Show Suggested Answers
Multiple Choice
  1. k
  2. b
  3. honest
  4. second syllable
  5. first syllable
Silent Letters
  1. Answer → silent w
  2. Receipt → silent p
  3. Island → silent s
  4. Knowledge → silent k
  5. Calm → silent or weak l
Stress Practice
  1. TA-ble
  2. be-GIN
  3. im-POR-tant
  4. edu-CA-tion
  5. re-CORD as verb
Clue Explanation

Silent letters are written but not pronounced. Word stress means one syllable is spoken more strongly than the others. Some words also change stress depending on their grammatical role.

Exam tips
  • Do not pronounce every written letter.
  • Learn common silent-letter words.
  • Break long words into syllables.
  • Mark the stressed syllable while practising.
  • Listen to correct pronunciation and repeat aloud.
Text to Voice Pronunciation Practice
Type and Listen

Enter a word or short sentence and listen to its pronunciation in different English accents.

Click and Listen
Same Word in Different Accents

Example word: schedule

Accent availability depends on the browser and device.

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