Incomplete Plosion

In combining 2 plosive consonants of different origin (like [-kt-] in “asked” or [-tg-] in “don’t go”) both have all the 3 articulation stages though with the 1st consonant’s plosion being very weak, almost inaudible.

Lateral Plosion

The [t], [d] plosives are pronounced together with the lateral [l] sonant, without a vowel overtone in between. In the [tl], [dl] combinations both sounds are apical alveolar. In their articulation the tongue’s front edge stays on the alveoli, the sides lower and air leaves the mouth cavity with some plosion noise as “middle” [-dl], “little” [-tl].

Nasal Plosion

Joining the [t], [d] plosives and the nasal [n] sonant features their pronunciation unification. In pronouncing the apical alveolar [tn], [dn] combinations the tongue’s front edge sticks to the alveoli while air leaves the nasal cavity with some plosion as in “burden” [-dn], “button” [-tn].

Linking [r]

The “r” letter and the “re/er” combination don’t read at words ends. However when between words before a English vowel sounds, “r/re/er” create the linking [r]. Here it blends the 2 words as in “far away” ['fa:r_ә'wei].

[r] with Plosive Consonants

The [r] sonant after voiced plosive [b], [g] consonants is pronounced weakly, not rollingly. Both sounds are pronounced as one.

In articulating the apical alveolar [t], [d] before the cacuminal [r] sonant there’s reciprocal assimilation. Affected by the post-alveolar [r], the tongue’s front edge articulates [t], [d] by retracting, making [t], [d] post-alveolar too. At the same time the plosive [t], [d] affect the [r] sonant. The voiceless plosive [t] devoices the sonant making its start fricative like [∫] as in [tri:]. The voiced [d] also partially changes the sonant’s articulation, [r] loses sonority at its start resembling [ʒ] as in [dri:m].

Consonants before /w/ become labialized – regressive assimilation

Twelve, twenty, twice, dwarf, dwell, quick, swim

1. Types of syllables

• 1^st type (close type)

a, e, i, y, o, u, i

- 2^nd type (open type)

- 3d type

a+r /a:/; o+r /o:/; u, e, y, i + r /ǝ:/

• 4^th type

are /eǝ/; ire, yre /aIǝ/; ere /Iǝ/; ure /uǝ/, /juǝ/ Paris, compare, desire; pure, sure

The digraph [ ] a pair of letters used to write one phoneme.

Group 1 - pronounced as diphthongs	Group 2 - as diphthongs/monophthongs	Group 3 -one of the 2 letters is pronounced
ei oi oy ey /eI/	oo (at the end of a w) too oo + cons. (except k) soon oo + k /u/ book au /o:/ August ou /au/ out	ai /eI/ maid ay /eI/ day oa /ǝu/ oak ee /i:/ see ea /i:/ mean eu /ju:/ neutral

Vowels in unstressed position

e

i + the following silent ‘e’ /I/ delegate /’delIgIt/

y

a

o

u + WITHOUT the following silent ‘e’ /ǝ/ pilot /’paIlǝt/, circus,cinema

a

o in the final position isn’t reduced /ǝu/ potato

ow in the final position /ǝu/ window

Reading Rules