Pronunciation guide: IPA symbols, stress and word endings
Vowels
| iː | see | ɪ | sit | e / ɛ | bed | æ | cat |
| ɑː | father | ɒ | hot (UK) | ɔː | law | ʊ | put |
| uː | too | ʌ | cup | ɜː | bird | ə | about |
| eɪ | day | aɪ | my | ɔɪ | boy | aʊ | now |
| əʊ / oʊ | go (UK / US) | ɪə | near | eə | hair | ʊə | tour |
Consonants that look unusual
| θ | thin | ð | this | ʃ | she | ʒ | measure |
| tʃ | church | dʒ | judge | ŋ | sing | j | yes |
p b t d k g f v s z h m n l r w sound as in ordinary English spelling.
Marks
- ˈ main stress, before the stressed syllable: /ˈwɔːtə/ water · ˌ lighter (secondary) stress: /ˌʌndəˈstænd/ understand
- ː a long vowel · (r) an r said only in accents that pronounce it (most American, Scottish, Irish)
Common word endings
- -s / -es (plurals; he/she form of verbs): /s/ after voiceless sounds (cats), /z/ after voiced (dogs), /ɪz/ after s, z, sh, ch, j sounds (buses, watches). Spelling: -es after s, x, z, ch, sh; consonant + y → -ies (city → cities).
- -ed (past): /t/ after voiceless sounds (walked), /d/ after voiced (played), /ɪd/ after t or d (wanted). Spelling: love → loved, stop → stopped, carry → carried.
- -ing: make → making, run → running, see → seeing.
- Irregular: go, went, gone · be, was, been · see, saw, seen · man → men · child → children · mouse → mice.
- Older (King James) forms: -eth = -s (he loveth = he loves) · -est with “thou” (thou lovest) · spake = spoke.
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Results for “plural form”
- ambit nounThe extent of actions, thoughts, or the meaning of words, etc.
- ben noun, preposition, adverb, adjective, proper noun(obsolete) A prayer; a petition.
- blandishment noun(countable) Often in the plural form blandishments: a flattering speech or action designed to influence or persuade.
- drab noun, adjective, verbA fabric, usually of thick cotton or wool, having a dull brownish yellow, dull grey, or dun colour.
- dud noun, adjective, verb(informal) A device or machine that is useless because it does not work properly or has failed to work, such as a bomb, or explosive projec…
- forlorn hope nounA small troop of soldiers picked to make an advance attack, or the first attack; a storming party.
- mean verb, adjective, noun(transitive) To intend, to plan (to do); to have as one's intention.
- merit noun, verb(countable) A claim to commendation or a reward.
- plural adjective, nounConsisting of or containing more than one of something.
- pluralize verb(transitive, grammar) To make plural.
- screed noun, verb, adjectiveA piece of writing (such as an article, letter, or list) or a speech, especially if long.
- spirit noun, verbThe soul of a person or other creature.
- tho article, pronoun, adverb, conjunction(obsolete, West Country) The (plural form); those.
- tipper noun, proper nounSomeone who tips; someone who gives a gratuity.