ORAL EXPRESSION TECHNIQUES
ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION
/ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ prəˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃn/
Dr Yacine Benghebrid
Senior Lecturer A
University of Algiers 2
Conference Interpreter
Member of AIIC
Official Translator
Arabic – English – French
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
a) Vowel Combinations (practice)
b) Consonant Combinations (practice)
c) Suffixes (-s, -ed, -e)
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
English spelling is a particular obstacle to non-native
speakers
(This is because English has been influenced by numerous
languages during the course of its history )
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
Sometimes the same letter is pronounced differently
(depending on its position in the word and in the sentence)
and sometimes the same sound is found in different letter
combinations
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
For example, the sound /ʃ/ is to be found in the following
letter combinations:
shut, champagne, nation, expansion,
conscience, issue and sugar
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
Sometimes words spell alike, but do not sound alike
(homographs)
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
On the other hand
some words do not spell alike, but sound alike
(homophones)
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
In addition,
many words are formed with letters
that are not pronounced
(silent letters)
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
c) Suffixes
- s suffix
The morpheme -s of the 3rd person singular (e.g. he works),
of the noun plural (e.g. books), of the possessive form (e.g.
John’s) and the contraction of ‘is’ or ‘has’ (he’s) is pronounced
in 3 different ways
depending on the sound that preceds it:
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
c) Suffixes
-s suffix
/ s / or / z / or / ɪz /
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
/s/
if the final sound of the word is:
/f/, /k/, /p/, /t/ or /θ/
(unvoiced consonants)
Lesson 4
/f/ cliffs, laughs
/k/ cooks, makes
/p/ cups, stops
/t/ students, hits
/θ/ months, baths
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
/z/
if the final sound of the word is:
/b/, /d/, /g/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /ŋ/, /r/, /ð/ or /v/
(voiced consonants)
Or
a vowel sound
Lesson 4
/b/ pubs, robbs
/d/ cards, rides
/g/ bags, rings
/l/ deals, hills
/m/ dreams, climbs
/n/ runs, pens
/ŋ/ sings, drawings
/r/
/ð/ clothes, breathes
/v/ gloves, drives
All vowel sounds: plays, cows, eyes, cities, ploughs, fears
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
/iz/
if the final sound of the word is:
/dʒ/, /ʒ/, /s/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/ or /z/
(sibilant consonants)
Lesson 4
/dʒ/ changes, encourages
/ʒ/ garages, mirages
/s/ buses, taxes
/ʃ/ dishes, washes
/ʈʃ/ churches, teaches
/z/ prizes, rises
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
c) Suffixes
-ed suffix
The morpheme -ed of the past tense (or past participle) is
also pronounced in 3 different ways
depending on the sound that preceds it:
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
c) Suffixes
-ed suffix
/d/ or /ɪd/ or /t/
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
Pronunciation of /d/ at the end words
/d/
if the final sound of the word is:
/b/, /g/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /r/, /dʒ/, /ʒ/, /θ/, /ð/, /v/ or /z/
(voiced consonants)
Or
a vowel sound
Lesson 4
/b/ robbed, rubbed
/g/ hugged, bugged
/l/ called, mailed
/m/ named, blamed
/n/ complained, cleaned
/r/
Lesson 4
/dʒ/ charged, changed
/ʒ/ garaged, camouflaged
/θ/ bathed, oathed
/ð/ clothed, breathed
/v/ loved, saved
/z/ squeezed, pleased
All vowel sounds: cried, enjoyed, played
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
/ɪd/
if the final sound of the word is:
/d/ or /t/
Lesson 4
/d/ needed, branded
/t/ waited, wanted
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
/t/
if the final sound of the word is:
/f/, /k/, /p/, /s/, /ʃ/ or /tʃ/
(unvoiced consonants)
Lesson 4
/f/ laughed, handcuffed
/k/ parked, barked
/p/ hoped, stopped
/s/ passed, pressed
/ʃ/ washed, finished
/ʈʃ/ watched, coached
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
c) Suffixes
-e suffix
Sometimes the addition of the -e suffix to a noun ending
with th to form a verb changes the quality both of the
vowels sound and of the final -th from /θ/ to /ð/
Lesson 4
I. Phonetics
2. English Spelling and Sounds
c) Suffixes
-e suffix
bath (n) /bɑːθ/ - bathe (v) /beɪð/
breath (n) /breθ/ - breathe (v) /briːð/
