Don't say it how you see it!!!

Problems with spelling and pronunciation. (Also look at Dictionary Work under 'Vocabulary).

If you know how to say one of the words in each list then you know how to say all of them. Look in a dictionary for examples too.

e.g. sheep, field, cream, piece, peace, key, scene, t.v., are all pronounced in the same way. It's a long sound /i:/

e.g./e/ as in 'bed' has the same vowel sound as: any, said, bread, says, guest, leisure, pleasure, friends. This is a short sound.

e.g. /a:/ is the same sound in calm, father, heart, laugh. In the UK you have to say this long sound to your doctor when he looks down your throat!! In other parts of the English-speaking world the pronunciation is different.

e.g. /u:/ is a long sound too e.g. boot, shoe, blue, Sue (girl's name), rude, through, new, move, group, flew (past tense of 'to fly').

Practice Exercise:

Which is the word which does not have the same vowel sound as the other words?

1. bread, says, lead (noun), lead (verb), fed, said, tread.
2. calm, harm, storm, heart, laugh.
3. boot, shoe, toe, too, through, new, flew.
4. key, pea, seen, street, been, feel.

Answers: The 'odd one out' is 1. 'lead' (verb) which has a long /i:/ sound.
2. The odd one out is 'storm' which sounds like 'door'.
3. The odd one out is 'toe' which sounds like the 'o' in 'hello'.
4. The odd one out is 'been' which has a short sound /i/ like 'sit' when it is not stressed.

See The A - Z of English Grammar & Usage for the rules.

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