Reading first and last letter of word

You’ve probably seen the classic piece of «internet trivia» in the image above before — it’s been circulating since at least 2003.

On first glance, it seems legit. Because you can actually read it, right? But, while the meme contains a grain of truth, the reality is always more complicated.

The meme asserts, citing an unnamed Cambridge scientist, that if the first and last letters of a word are in the correct places, you can still read a piece of text.

We’ve unjumbled the message verbatim.

«According to a researche [sic] at Cambridge University, it doesn’t matter in what order the letters in a word are, the only importent [sic] thing is that the first and last letter be at the right place. The rest can be a total mess and you can still read it without problem. This is because the human mind does not read every letter by itself but the word as a whole.»

In fact, there never was a Cambridge researcher (the earliest form of the meme actually circulated without that particular addition), but there is some science behind why we can read that particular jumbled text.

The phenomenon has been given the slightly tongue-in-cheek name «Typoglycaemia,» and it works because our brains don’t just rely on what they see — they also rely on what we expect to see.

In 2011, researchers from the University of Glasgow, conducting unrelated research, found that when something is obscured from or unclear to the eye, human minds can predict what they think they’re going to see and fill in the blanks.

«Effectively, our brains construct an incredibly complex jigsaw puzzle using any pieces it can get access to,» explained researcher Fraser Smith. «These are provided by the context in which we see them, our memories and our other senses.»

However, the meme is only part of the story. Matt Davis, a researcher at the University of Cambridge’s MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, wanted to get to the bottom of the «Cambridge» claim, since he believed he should have heard of the research before.

He managed to track down the original demonstration of letter randomisation to a researcher named Graham Rawlinson, who wrote his PhD thesis on the topic at Nottingham University in 1976.

He conducted 16 experiments and found that yes, people could recognise words if the middle letters were jumbled, but, as Davis points out, there are several caveats.

  • It’s much easier to do with short words, probably because there are fewer variables.
  • Function words that provide grammatical structure, such as and, the and a, tend to stay the same because they’re so short. This helps the reader by preserving the structure, making prediction easier.
  • Switching adjacent letters, such as porbelm for problem, is easier to translate than switching more distant letters, as in plorebm.
  • None of the words in the meme are jumbled to make another word — Davis gives the example of wouthit vs witohut. This is because words that differ only in the position of two adjacent letters, such as calm and clam, or trial and trail, are more difficult to read.
  • The words all more or less preserved their original sound — order was changed to oredr instead of odrer, for instance.
  • The text is reasonably predictable.

It also helps to keep double letters together. It’s much easier to decipher aoccdrnig and mttaer than adcinorcg and metatr, for example.

There is evidence to suggest that ascending and descending elements play a role, too — that what we’re recognising is the shape of a word. This is why mixed-case text, such as alternating caps, is so difficult to read — it radically changes the shape of a word, even when all the letters are in the right place.

If you have a play around with this generator, you can see for yourself how properly randomising the middle letters of words can make text extremely difficult to read. Try this:

The adkmgowenlcent — whcih cmeos in a reropt of new mcie etpnremxeis taht ddin’t iotdncure scuh mantiotus — isn’t thelcclnaiy a rtoatriecn of tiher eearlir fidginns, but it geos a lnog way to shnwiog taht the aalrm blels suhold plarobby neevr hvae been sdnuoed in the fsrit plcae.

Maybe that one is cheating a little — it’s a paragraph from a ScienceAlert story about CRISPR.

The acknowledgment — which comes in a report of new mice experiments that didn’t introduce such mutations — isn’t technically a retraction of their earlier findings, but it goes a long way to showing that the alarm bells should probably never have been sounded in the first place.

See how you go with this one.

Soaesn of mtiss and mloelw ftisnflurues,
Csloe boosm-feinrd of the mrtuniag sun;
Cnponsiirg wtih him how to laod and besls
Wtih friut the viens taht runod the tahtch-eevs run

That’s the first four lines of the poem «To Autumn» by John Keats.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run

So while there are some fascinating cognitive processes behind how we use prediction and word shape to improve our reading skills, it really isn’t as simple as that meme would have you believe.

If you want to delve into the topic further, you can read Davis’ full and fascinating analysis here.

. 2012 Nov;141(3):336-51.


doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2012.09.013.


Epub 2012 Oct 23.

Affiliations


  • PMID:

    23089042


  • DOI:

    10.1016/j.actpsy.2012.09.013

The importance of the first and last letter in words during sentence reading

Rebecca L Johnson et al.


Acta Psychol (Amst).


2012 Nov.

Abstract

Previous research suggests that the first and last letters of words are more important than the interior letters during reading. A question that has yet to be fully studied is why this is so. The current study reports four experiments in which participants read sentences containing words with transposed letters occurring at the beginning of the word, near the middle of the word, or at the end of the word. Experiments 1 and 2 also included some sentences where the spaces were removed and replaced with hash marks (#) to equate all letters on their degree of lateral interference from adjacent letter positions. In Experiment 3, equating was done by adding an additional space between all of the letters, so that no letter position received lateral interference from any letter. In Experiment 4, readers read sentences from right to left so that word-initial letters were presented furthest into the parafovea. The results indicate that although the first letter of a word has a privileged role over interior letters regardless of the degree of lateral interference it receives or its location in the parafovea (suggesting that it is intrinsically related to how we process, store, or access lexical information), the last letter of a word is more important than interior letters only when it receives less lateral interference or when its parafoveal location was close to the fovea (suggesting that it is privileged only due to low-level visual factors). These findings have important implications for current theories and computational models regarding the roles of various letter positions in reading.

Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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Publication types

MeSH terms

Tags: beginner, intermediate, kids, vocabulary, warmer

The Last Letter First Letter ESL game is a really simple warmer or vocabulary practice technique which is often incorporated into other games.

Students for Last Letter First Letter ESL Game:2+Time for Last Letter First Letter ESL Game:10-15 mins

Resources for Last Letter First Letter ESL Game:

Ball (Optional)

Setup

There are two versions of this game. In the first, students make a chain of words together as a class. In the second, students race to make a chain of words, either individually or in teams.

If you are playing the first version, arrange your students in a circle (or in rows).

If you are playing the second version, each student/team will need a piece of paper.

Game

Version 1:

  1. Give the students a vocabulary category e.g. food.
  2. The first student says any word in that vocabulary category.
  3. The next student (to the left or who the previous student throws the ball to) has to say another word in the category. However that word must begin with the last letter of the previous word.
  4. The students continue in this manner, making a chain of words, e.g. tomato – orange – egggrapes.
  5. (Optional) If a student takes too long they have to do a forfeit (e.g. putting an arm behind their back, standing on one leg, or something from our Challenge Generator).

Version 2:

  1. Give the students a vocabulary category e.g. food.
  2. The students/teams have to write down a chain of words in that category. Each word must begin with the last letter of the previous word, e.g. tomato – orange – egggrapes.
  3. Give them one or two minutes and award points for each word made in the chain. Or, have them shout ‘Stop!’ when they reach five words. That team receives five points while the other teams receive a point for each word they have at that time.
  4. Repeat for other vocabulary categories. The team with the most points at the end wins.
Target Language

The Last Letter First Letter ESL game is great warmer or vocabulary practice technique for beginner and intermediate students, including kids. Just be aware that some vocabulary categories are more difficult to form a chain with than others! More advanced students may even start to try and give the next student a hard letter in the first version.

Some potential vocabulary categories are food, animals, jobs, sports and hobbies, clothes, and places in the city.

This word-chain technique is often incorporated into other games like I Went To The Shop and Board Race.

Got a picture or video of this activity in action? How about snapping one next time you use it? We’d love to showcase your submissions- find out more here.

Simple rules for reading in English

wh как читается на английском

Reading in English has many features. They are quickly mastered in practice, but first you have to learn the basic rules of pronunciation of sounds. In this article, we have tried to present them clearly and simply.

The reading rules in English are not simple. But you have to understand them at the very beginning of the training — otherwise you will not be able to advance further. Therefore, the rules for reading English for beginners (and for children) are usually laid out succinctly and clearly — and thanks for that. Transcriptions with examples and other supporting materials (tables, exercises) and, of course, constant practice (reading aloud and listening to audiobooks) help a lot.

Transcription — this is the transfer of sound in writing using special conventional signs. In transcription, each sound has its own special sign.

True, there are features of the transcription of reading in English, which are difficult for Russian-speaking students. These difficulties are due to objective differences in pronunciation in English and Russian.

We just have “the language is different” from childhood, and retraining is always not easy. Especially when you consider that often sounds in English are pronounced differently than they are written.

Historically, this happened due to the large number of dialects in which the same letters and letter combinations were read in different ways. But it doesn’t make it any easier for us.

Rules for reading transcription in English

Different English teachers solve this difficult task in different ways. For example, they use the so-called «English transcription in Russian», that is, the recording of English words in Russian letters. To be honest, we do not support this technique.

Because it doesn’t allow you to truly learn English pronunciation correctly. You can only very approximately convey the pronunciation of English words in Russian letters.

Well, there are no some English sounds in Russian, but the pronunciation of English and Russian sounds that is similar at first glance is still different.

Therefore, we are in favor of trying and still from the very beginning to learn the phonetic symbols with which transcriptions are recorded. This will help you understand and remember the rules for reading English for beginners. And then English lessons will be much easier. As for the transmission of English sounds in Russian letters, this technique is needed for transliteration (like the transliteration of Russian names and surnames into English), but not for practicing pronunciation.

Vowel reading rules in English

As we have already noted, letters and sounds in English often do not match. And there are much more sounds: 44 sounds for only 26 letters. Linguists even joke about this:

«We write Liverpool and we read Manchester»

So there is a great difference between the written word and its pronunciation in English. Well, let’s start in order. With syllables that affect the reading of vowels. Syllables in English (as in any other) are open and closed:

  • Open the syllable ends in vowel… It can be in the middle of a word or it can be the last one in a word. For example: age, blue, bye, fly, go, etc.
  • Closed the syllable ends in consonant… He, too, can stand in the middle of a word or be the last in a word. For example: bed, big, box, hungry, stand, etc.

Here is a table that explains how the same letter is read differently in closed and open syllables and in different positions in a word:

A [ei] — in an open syllable lake, make
A [æ] — in a closed syllable rat, map
A [a:] — in a closed syllable on r car, bar
A [εə] — at the end of a word vowel + re care, fare
A [ɔ:] — combinations all, au all, tall
O [əu] — in an open syllable no, home
O [ɒ] — in a closed stressed syllable lot, boss
O [ɜ:] — in some words with «wor» word, work
O [ɔ:] — in a closed syllable with r horse, door
O [u:] — in combination «oo» too, food
O [u] — in combination «oo» good look
O [aʊ] — in combination «ow» in the stressed syllable Now, CLOWN
O [ɔɪ] — in combination «oy» boy, joy
U [yu:], [yu] — in an open syllable blue, duty
U [ʌ] — in a closed syllable butter, cup
U [u] — in a closed syllable put, bull
U [ɜ:] — in combination «ur» Purse, hurt
E [i:] — in an open syllable, a combination of «ee», «ea» he, meet, leaf
E [e] — in a closed syllable, combination «ead» head, bread
E [ɜ:] — in combinations «er», «ear» her, pearl
E [ɪə] — in ear combinations near, dear
i [aɪ] — in an open syllable nice, fine
i [aɪ] — in combination «igh» high, night
i [ɪ] — in a closed syllable big, in
i [ɜ:] — in combination «ir» bird girl
i [aɪə] — in combination «ire» hire, tired
Y [aɪ] — at the end of a word under stress my cry
Y [ɪ] — at the end of a word without stress happy family
Y [j] — at the beginning of a word yes, yellow

Rules for reading consonants in English

Consonants in English are less complex than vowels. Only some of them (C, S, T, X and G) are read differently depending on the position in the word and adjacent sounds. And for clarity — again a table:

C [s] — before i, e, y Place, Cinema
C [tʃ] — in combinations ch, tch children, catch
C [k] — in other cases cat, picnic

Source: https://enguide.ru/magazine/prostye-pravila-chteniya-na-angliyskom-yazyke

Rules for reading vowels. Live and different reading rules in English. Consonant sounds with two readings

wh как читается на английском

«Plumbing installation» Rules for reading vowels. Live and different reading rules in English. Consonant sounds with two readings

Knowledge of the English language has already become the norm and commonplace in society, however, for those who are just starting to learn it, many questions arise, including about the correct pronunciation of not only words, but even letters. By the way, there are 26 of them in English.

There are much more sounds — sometimes even native speakers cannot understand how each letter is read. It is the peculiarities of the pronunciation of letters that make English difficult to learn and understand. But with an effort, you can always achieve good results.

Self-study of the English language and the rules of reading in it requires a lot of self-discipline. Only by making every effort, you can achieve results — you need to train in reading every day, devoting at least half an hour of your time to this. It’s better than going back to school once or twice a week.

Rules for reading letters in English

In the English language there are a number of rules, without the knowledge of which the mastering of competent reading is impossible. Recall that there are 44 sounds in English — this means that one letter can be read in different ways, depending on where it stands and what it is surrounded by.

Reading consonants

Pronunciation of a large number of English consonants is not difficult, therefore they are read in the same way as Russian. These letters includem ,n ,l ,b ,f иz other. Consonantst иd can also be attributed to this group, but with a slight clarification — they should be pronounced with some aspiration:dentist, door ,tape ,talk .

With the rest of the letters, you need to master simple rules, without which it will be difficult to navigate in the correct pronunciation:

Letterc has two types of pronunciation. If she stands in front of vowels such asi ,e иy , then it reads like a letter [s ]:City ,cite ,spice, ice.

Otherwise, before the vowelsа ,о ,u and other consonants, it will read as [k ]:comfort ,confused ,dictionary, clean .

With the letterg the situation is the same — in combination with lettersi ,e иy it reads like []:gymnastics ,Georgia ,general, age … But there are exception words, the pronunciation of which must be remembered: inget ,give ,forget ,begin ,girl consonant reads as [g ]. Before vowelsа , o, u and other consonants, the letter is pronounced as [g ]:good, gold, galaxy, glad

Letterq in combinations with vowels occurs only in the formqu and reads like [kw ]:quality ,queen ,quake equipment .

Pronunciation of a letterj easy to remember: in all cases it reads as []:June ,jacket ,jungle, jet .

Letters reads as [s ] in cases where it is at the beginning of a word, in the middle before voiceless consonants, and at the end after voiceless consonants:song

Source: https://expanc.ru/pravila-chteniya-glasnyh-bukv-zhivye-i-drugie-pravila-chteniya-na/

Unpronounceable sounds in English (knowledge, father, listen, etc.)

wh как читается на английском

In this article, we will look at cases where letters in English words are written but not pronounced. In English, as in any other language, there are rules for reading words.

According to them, some letters are not read at all the way they sound in the alphabet, and some letters in words are not read at all. In the Russian language, this phenomenon also occurs.

For example, in the word «sun» we do not pronounce the consonant «l» and read the word as «sun», in the word «feel» we do not pronounce «v» after «y».

There are also many words in the English language with unpronounceable letters.

For example, the

Knowledge — knowledge. The first k is not pronounced.

The difficulty arises when we start looking for this word in the dictionary. After all, by ear it sounds like «nowledge». Naturally, we will not find such a word in the dictionary.

There are rules that allow you to determine in what situation certain letters from the word «fall out» and do not give any sounds, that is, they are not pronounced.

In this article, we have collected such rules and organized them for easy use and study. So, these are the rules.

Unpronounceable consonant «b «.

In a combination of letters «mb», the letter «b» is not pronounced if the word ends in these two letters, that is, in «mb».

Example: climb [klaim] climb, lamb [lam] lamb

In a combination of letters «bt», the letter «b» is not pronounced if the word ends in these two letters, that is, in «bt».

Example: debt [det] debt

Unpronounceable vowel «c «.

In the combination of letters «scl», the consonant «c» is not pronounced.

Example: muscle [m sl] muscle.

Unpronounceable vowel «and».

The vowel «e» at the end of a word is not readable.

Example: to breakdance move [mu: v] move, a name [neim] name, a Pink [rouz] rose

Unpronounceable consonant «g «.

In the combination of letters «gn» at the beginning and at the end of a word, the consonant «g» is not pronounced.

Example: campaign [kampein] campaign (meaning “action”, eg anti-smoking campaign),

design [dizain] design.

Consonants g, h.

In the combination of letters «igh», the consonants «gh» are not pronounced.

Example: eight [eit] eight, night [nait] night.

In the combination of letters «ough» and «augh», the consonants «gh» are not pronounced.

Example: thought [] thought, thought, thought.

There are also exclusion words in which «gh» is read as [g] or [f].

Example: cough [kof] cough, ghost [goust] ghost

Unpronounceable consonant «h «.

In the combination of letters «wh», the consonant «h» is not pronounced if after the combination of letters there is any vowel other than «o».

Example: Where [wee] where, white [wait] white.

The letter «h» is often not pronounced at the beginning of a word.

Example: hour [oue] hour, honor [uh: ne] honor.

Unpronounceable consonant «k ».

In the combination of letters «kn», the consonant «k» is not pronounced if the word begins with this combination of letters.

Example: knee [ni:] knee.

Unpronounceable consonant «l ».

The consonant letter «l» is not pronounced after the vowels «a», «o», «u».

Example: Could [ku: d] could (could, could).

In letter combinations «lm», «lk», «ln», the consonant «l» is not readable.

Example: calm [kam] calm, walk [wk] walk, walk, half [haf] half.

Unpronounceable consonant «not».

In the combination of letters «mn», the consonant «n» is not readable.

Example: column [color] column.

Unpronounceable consonant «p «.

Source: https://www.wallstreetenglish.ru/blog/neproiznosimyye-zvuki-v-angliyskom/

Letter combinations in English — reading rules, pivot tables

Consider letter combinations in English in the key of the rules of reading and pronunciation with the ability to listen to each letter combination in the examples. For brevity, the basic rules for reading letter combinations are given in the tables.

Reading vowel combinations

The table below shows the basic (common) set of vowel combinations (see table 1), Russian and English transcriptions with examples of words and notes.

Table # 1. Reading vowel combinations Letter combination Transcription Examples (listen) Notes

ee, ea [i:] (AND :) see [si:], sea [si:]
ai, ai [ei] (HEY) straight [streit], May [mei]
oo [u:] (U :) too [tu:] before a consonant letter, except for k, r; also at the end of a word
oo [u] (Ooh) book [buk] before the letter k; exception: good [gud]
ear [ɔ:] (Ouch :) door [dɔ:]
ow [au] (au), [u] (eu) now [nau], window [‘windəu]
  •  under stress in monosyllabic words;
  • at the end of two-syllable words in an unstressed position
oi, oi [ɔi] (OH) coin [kɔin], employ [im’plɔi]
ou [au] out [aut]
oa [əu] (EU) coat [kəut]

Reading letter combinations with consonants

Below (in table 2) are the main consonant combinations.

Table 2. Letter combinations in English. Reading consonant combinations Letter (combination of letters) Transcription When used Examples (listen)

b [B] in all cases begin [bi’gin]
mb [m] b is not read at the end of a word after the letter m climb [climb]
c [s] before vowels e, i, y city ​​[‘siti], nice [nais], cycle [saikl]
[k] in all other cases cap [kaep]
k [k] in all cases kite
ck [k] in all cases black [blaek]
kn [n] at the beginning of a word know [nəʊ]
g [ʤ] before vowels e, i, y gentleman
[g] in all other cases gate [geit] Exceptions: give [giv], get [get]
j [ʤ] in all cases jacket [ˈʤækɪt]
z [z] in all cases zoo [zuː]
h [H] in all cases happy [ˈhæpɪ]
sh [ʃ] in all cases she [ʃiː]
tch [ʧ] in all cases catch [[kæʧ]
ch [ʃ] in words of French origin champagne [ʃæmˈpeɪn]
[k] in words of Greek origin school [skuːl], chemistry [ˈkemɪstrɪ]
[ʧ] in all other cases chalk [ʧɔːk]
th [θ] at the beginning and end of significant words think [θɪŋk]
[ð] at the beginning of service words (pronouns, articles) the [ðiː]
in significant words between vowels clothes [kləʊz]
x [ks] before a consonant and at the end of words text [text]
[gz] before the stressed vowel exam [ɪgˈzaæm]
ph [f] photo [ˈfəʊtəʊ]

Source: https://englishforeducation.ru/bukvosochetaniya-v-anglijskom-yazyke-2.html

English reading rules for beginners

» English » Reading rules in English

If you set yourself the ambitious goal of mastering a foreign language, be prepared to face many challenges. One of them is correct pronunciation in general and learning the rules of reading in particular.

Some European languages ​​do not have this problem. For example, in German and Spanish, words are pronounced in much the same way as they are spelled.

But if you are studying English, then you will have to sweat a lot, mastering the rules of reading in English. However, do not despair: if you remember a number of rules, there will be no more problems.

At the same time, the English language has a certain layer of vocabulary that you just have to learn, since the pronunciation of these words does not fall under any of the rules.

A whole section of the science of languages ​​is devoted to the study of sounds — phonetics. She is seriously studied in specialized linguistic universities.

However, as practice shows, it is possible to master the rules of reading and use them correctly in practice without delving into such a jungle.

At the beginning of your English lessons, you will immediately understand that the differences between him and your native language are very large, including in terms of pronunciation.

Therefore, no matter how you would like to pronounce similar letters in the same way as in Russian, you need to remember that the laws are different here.

Linguists like to joke: «It is written Manchester — pronounced Liverpool.» In fact, everything is not so complicated and incomprehensible.

However, the complexity of reading rules has its roots in history. English developed in parallel with the country itself. In ancient times, Britain was repeatedly invaded by tribes — German and French speaking. In addition, while studying English, you will come across a lot of lexical borrowings that have affected the rules for reading words in English.

The situation is aggravated by the existence of many English dialects, in which their own reading rules are sufficient.

Over the years, these dialectal laws have had a tremendous impact on the official pronunciation of the capital.

In them, the same letters can be pronounced in different ways, and these differences persist in modern pronunciation.

For example, ough can be read differently in words that differ from each other by only one or two letters.

But enough of the «lyrics» — let’s get down to specifics, namely, the study of the rules for reading letters in English.

Vowel reading rules

The English alphabet has the following vowels — A, E, I, O, U, Y. In practice, their sounds are much larger, taking into account diphthongs and dialects.

Moreover, all these letters are not always pronounced as they are called in accordance with the alphabet. It is important to remember that no English word ends in I or U.

Before turning directly to reading vowels, let’s dwell on the consideration of English syllables.

This is important because the vowel can be read differently depending on the type of syllable.

A syllable (or syllable) is one or more sounds pronounced together with one push of air. A syllable is a constituent part of a word that has a direct impact on pronunciation.

There are open and closed syllables. Closed is called such because it ends in a consonant. Open: eye, see

Closed: bad, plan

In an open syllable, there are no problems with vowels: they sound the same as in the alphabet, with the exception of Y, which reads «ah».

You can visually familiarize yourself with the rules using the table below. When this table becomes clear to you, we will give and analyze in more detail examples of all cases.

So, the first letter of the alphabet is A. In a closed syllable, it reads like «e»: fat (thick), cap (cap). In a closed syllable that ends in the letter R, it reads like a long sound «a»: car (car). If the word ends with a combination of letters -re, then A will be read as «ea»: care (care), fare (fare).

The English letter E can be read as «e» (in a closed syllable and when combined -ead: bread (bread)), «e» (when combining the letters -er or -ear: pearl (pearl)) or «ua» (while the same combination –ear: hear).

We will read the letter I in a closed syllable as «and»: big (big). In other cases, it all depends on the combination of letters: igh (ah: night (night)), ir (e: bird (bird)) or ire (aye: tired (tired)).

The rules for reading Y depend on where this letter appears. If it is at the end of a word, and the stress falls on it, then we read it as «ay» (cry — to cry). If it is in the same place, but there is no stress, then «and» (happy — happy). At the beginning of the word Y sounds almost like «y» in Russian (yellow — yellow).

Rules for reading consonants

The English alphabet has 20 consonant letters. Some of them are deaf and voiced pairs. At the same time, unlike Russian, they do not soften here and always sound solid.

The consonants c, g, s, and x have two different readings depending on which letter they are next to. For clarity, we present a table.

As we can see, the reading of consonants is influenced by the letters a, i, o, y, e, as well as consonants and stressed sounds.

There are also a number of rules that indicate how certain consonants are read correctly in different combinations. Let’s turn to another table, and then we will analyze it in more detail using examples.

If there are consonants sh next to them, then we read them as «sh»: sheep (sheep), bookshelf (bookshelf). At the same time, it is important that this combination is pronounced exactly like that, regardless of the place occupied in the word.

The combination ch gives us the sound «h», which is also always preserved, and the position in the word is not important: chain (chain) or March (March).

When reading the combination of consonants ck, correctly pronounce it as «k». However, this rule is true only in those cases when these consonants follow the short A and other sounds: back (back).

Th can be read differently depending on which word this combination is in.

If we see it at the beginning of a significant word or at the end of a word, then it is pronounced like «s», pronounced through clenched teeth: birth (birth) or thin (thin).

At the beginning of a pronoun or service word, this combination sounds more solid: this (this), they (they).

The consonant wh also has two pronunciations. If it is followed by the letter O, then it is correct to read it as «x»: who (who), whole (all).

Before the rest of the letters, it is pronounced as «in»: where (where), what (what).

Qu at the beginning of a word reads «q»: queue.

Compare the pronunciation of the combination of kn and ng: in the first case, we read it as «n» (knight — knight), in the second this sound is nasal (thing — thing). This rule is true for finding kn at the beginning of a word and ng at the end.

The same nasal «n» sounds in the combination nk regardless of the place in the word: bank — bank.

There are also two combinations that, although they consist of two letters, are read as one: ph (read as «f» — phone (phone)) and wr (p — wrong). Note that wr is only pronounced like this at the beginning of a word.

Separately, it should be said about the combination with the English letters a, u, o and i. These rules for reading English are clearly demonstrated in the following table.

As you can see from it, the combination with the vowel al before the letter k is read as a long «o»: walk (to walk). In other cases — «ol», where «o» is also long (small — small).

Regardless of the place in the word, gu turns into «g» (guard — guard). Finally, for the combination with the vowel wa, the pronunciation of «wa» (wonderful — wonderful) or «vo» (before r — work) is characteristic.

Now that we know about all the complexities of consonants in English, it remains for us to consider the staging of stress in English words. After that, you can safely say that you have mastered the rules of reading the English language, and all that remains is to tirelessly practice and hone the knowledge gained.

How to put stress correctly?

Stress plays a huge role in the rules for reading English words. It should be given special attention. If there are fewer problems with the French language in this sense (the emphasis is always on the last syllable), and in Russian you will have to memorize almost every word separately, then with English everything is different. There are a number of laws you need to memorize to help you stress correctly and make your reading of English words correct.

We put stress on the first syllable in most cases when it comes to two-syllable nouns and adjectives: table (table), clever (smart).

The last syllable becomes stressed in the bulk of trisyllabic verbs: to decide (decide). The penultimate is stressed for words that end in –ic, –sion, and –tion: solution, biologic.

The third syllable from the end will be stressed for words that end in combinations with the vowel Y: –cy, -ty, -phy, -gy, as well as –al: biblical (biblical), democracy (democracy), biology (biology).

While all of these reading rules are important and require memorization, keep in mind that English has many exceptions. You will also have to memorize them, or always have special dictionaries at hand.

Learning to read with Capital School Center

Classes at the Capital School Center are characterized by the fact that teachers try to equally combine the study of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. At the exit, all our students have already mastered all the rules of reading in English, and can also speak and write fluently.

A separate difficulty for beginners is the transcription, which is taught to compose in order to just read English words correctly.

It is an excellent tool for memorizing the pronunciation, but very few people will be able to learn how to compose it on their own.

We will help you to master it without any particular difficulties and not delve into the linguistic jungle.

To remember how certain words sound, you need to listen to English speech as much as possible. The auditory element is one of four that we use in our classes in accordance with the 4D methodology. Another element useful for practicing is visual. With regard to our theme, it is important that you have all the visual materials at your disposal — both the drawing and the table.

Of course, in the classroom, we are also directly engaged in reading in English.

At your disposal are excellent adapted English texts on different topics and with different levels of difficulty, suitable for both beginners and those who have been studying the language for a long time.

It is believed that in order to formulate the pronunciation of words and texts, it is best to study with a native speaker. This opinion is fair, because who knows better than a person who speaks English since childhood about all its intricacies and laws in general and the rules of reading in particular? However, it should be borne in mind that such classes are not always suitable for those who are just starting to learn English.

Those who plan to take the IELTS or TOEFL exam are also required to familiarize themselves with the reading rules. 

Another way to practice English is to travel to his country. Our school offers study trips to the UK and the USA, during which you will listen to English language and speak independently with the locals all the time. 

Our school offers its clients a wide range of services. Depending on your needs, we will select the format of teaching English that is convenient for you. We have courses for those who are just starting their studies or want to continue their studies.

Upon completion of the courses, all of our students are tested and receive a certificate proving their level of English proficiency. 

Sign up for a free trial lesson online or by phone. We will be glad to see you and are ready to answer any of your questions!

Source: https://capitalsc.ru/pravila-chteniya-v-anglijskom-yazyke/

English letter combinations: rules for reading vowels and consonants, sound length, a list of the first words to study and summary tables

02.07.2019

From the previous lessons, we learned how to correctly read the letter combinations AI, as in the word train, and AY, as in the word play. We already know how to pronounce the combination of letters OO in the words book (short sound [u]) and moon (long sound [u:]).

In addition, we already know how the letter O is read in combination with W — cow [kau]. Now let’s talk about how vowels are read in combination with the letter R. If the letter R comes before a vowel, then it usually reads like [r].

Pay attention to the peculiarities of pronunciation of the sound [r]: it does not look like the Russian sound [p] and in order to pronounce it correctly, you need to touch the palate with the tip of your tongue. Practice pronouncing this sound using the words rose [rəuz] and rabbit [‘ræbɪt].

Here are some more examples to illustrate the reading of the letter R in front of vowels:

My rose is red. — My rose is red (fig. 1).

His robot is green. — His robot is green.

 Reading vowels before the letter R

If the letter R is after the vowels, then they will be read differently than in an open or closed syllable. For example, the letter combination AR will be read as a long sound [ɑː]: park [pɑːk] — park, car [kɑː] — car, star [stɑː] — star (Fig. 2), party [pɑːtɪ] — party, farm [fɑːm] — farm, arm [ɑːm] — hand.

Pay attention to the reading of the AR combination in these sentences:

We are at a party. — We’re at a party.

His garden is dark. — His garden is dark.

The letter combination OR will be read as a long sound [ɔː]: horse [hɔːs] — horse, fork [fɔːk] — fork, morning [‘mɔːnɪŋ] — morning, popcorn [‘ pɔpkɔːn] — popcorn (Fig. 3).

 Quantity

The longitude of a sound is very important in the English language. If we pull and pronounce Russian words briefly, then only the intonation will change. And in English words, their meaning depends on the brevity and longitude of the sound.

In the third type of reading, after the vowels, there is the letter R, which affects the longitude of the sound, that is, all these sounds are read as long.

Compare, paying attention to the short sounds in the left column and the long sounds in the right column:

cut [kʌt] — cut cart [kɑːt] — cart
duck [dʌk] — duck dark [dɑːk] — dark
spot [spɔt] — spot sport [spɔːt] — sport
pot [pɔt] — pot port [pɔːt] — port

Reinforce the difference in pronunciation by practicing reading these pairs of words.

All other English vowels in combination with R are read the same way: they make a long sound [əː] (Fig. 4). Rice. 4. Combination of vowels and R

Please note that there is no such sound in Russian. It is a bit like the sound in the word «honey». Practice reading words with this sound:

purple [‘pɜːpl] — purple, nurse [nɜːs] — nurse, fur [fɜː] — fur, her [hɜː] — her, bird [bɜːd] — bird, girl [gɜːl] — girl, first [fɜːst] — first.

Now pay attention to the reading of these words in sentences:

The fur is purple. — Fur — purple (fig. 5).

The girl has got a bird. — The girl has a bird.

Reading combinations of vowels before R

Consider reading some of the vowel combinations before the letter R.

If there is a letter combination AI before R, then together AIR will be pronounced as [eə]: air [eə] — air, hair [heə] — hair, chair [ʧeə] — chair, fair [feə] — light. His hair is fair. — His hair is blond (Fig. 6).

My teddy bear is on the chair. — My teddy bear on the chair.

If there is a letter combination ЕA before R, then together ЕAR will also be pronounced as [eə]: bear [beə] — bear, pear [peə] — pear. However, not all English words read EAR as [eə].

In some words, it reads as [ɪə]: ear [ɪə] — ear, near [nɪə] — near, hear [hɪə] — to hear, tear [tɪə] — tear. The combination of letters EER — [ɪə] will also be read: deer [dɪə] — deer (Fig.

7), engineer [ˌenʤɪ’nɪə] is an engineer.

 Read the same but write differently

There are words in English that are read the same way but are spelled differently. Plus, they have different meanings. Compare:

meet [mi: t] — meet meat [miːt] — meat
flour [‘flauə] — flour flower [‘flauə] — flower
their [ðeə] — their there [ðeə] — there

Pay attention to these words in sentences:

Meet me, please. — Meet me, please.

Source: https://tutorblog.ru/uprazhneniya/anglijskie-bukvosochetaniya-yazyk-dlya-detej-v-prostyh-obyasneniyah.html

English letter combinations — English for children in simple explanations

Consider letter combinations in English in the key of the rules of reading and pronunciation with the ability to listen to each letter combination in the examples. For brevity, the basic rules for reading letter combinations are given in the tables.

How to read words in English correctly?

Now you have already passed the first stage of learning English — you have learned the alphabet. You already know what the letters are called, you know how to write them. But this does not mean at all that you can read any word in English correctly. In addition, you need to deliver pronunciation with the help of a professional teacher or tutor, so as not to make mistakes at first.

Unlike many other foreign languages ​​(Spanish, Portuguese, Ukrainian), where words are read the same way as they are written, you just have to learn how to pronounce the letters. In English, everything is much more complicated and confusing. But remembering the simple laws of reading words in English. You will soon realize that things are much simpler.

  • Why is it difficult to read in English?

Why is it difficult to read in English?

The thing is that in the English language the number of sounds prevails over the letters, and in order to convey them in writing, it is necessary to combine several letters in a certain order. And this is done in various ways. And the pronunciation and recording of some sounds depends on which letters surround them. And all this must be remembered!

To make it easier to remember the combination of letters, English linguists have developed a number of rules for reading words in English. Even if you know the language well enough, it is still advisable to double-check an unfamiliar word in the dictionary, make sure it is translated and remember the transcription, that is, how it is pronounced.

At school, most teachers only briefly mention how to reproduce words in English or do not talk about them at all. They refer students to dictionaries with transcriptions, arguing that «there are many exceptions to the reading rules.» Protect your children from such teachers!

Yes it is. Indeed, there are many exceptions to the rules for reading words in English. But this does not mean at all that one should keep silent about them. Rather, on the contrary, you first need to talk about them. Yet most words obey the rules.

Knowing the basic rule of how words are read correctly, it will be much more interesting and easier for you to learn the language itself. And exceptions can be remembered as they become available during training, repeating the rules that these words do not so stubbornly refuse to obey.

Word reading rule

I think you are anxious to learn about these simple rules of reading in English. Well, let’s get started.

The most common letter combinations are ch and sh, which they denote the sounds «soft h» and «soft sh» (ch and sh). In international transcription, they are denoted with a special sign [ʃi:] and [tʃ].

To memorize the sound of the letter combination sh transcription icon, look closely at the icon and you will see that it looks like a snake standing on its tail and hissing. Or rather hissing. sh = shе = [shь].

And if you connect imaginative creative thinking and take a closer look at the sign that in dictionaries denotes the sound of the letter combination ch, then it slightly looks like the Russian letter «h». Only here “ch” should be pronounced very softly — like in Russian “hours” — [chyasy]. сh = chain = [chi].

Here is an example of words with such combinations: sh and ch: she [shyii] — she

chain [ch’ane] — chain

Source: https://englishfull.ru/uroki/chitat-anglijskie-slova.html

English letter combinations English for children

›Learning a language› Translation and reading ›English letter combinations — English for children in simple explanations

Acquaintance of kids with the English language is fun and bright: with songs, rhymes, cartoons and a variety of games. The playful form of classes instills in children an interest in the language and allows them to quickly memorize new information. It is very easy to conduct such lessons when learning the alphabet, sounds or popular words.

But how can you explain to a child the complex rules of reading that not every adult will understand the first time? Yes Easy! Our material about English letter combinations will teach English to children in an accessible and interesting way.

Today we will study the basic combinations of English letters with kids, but first, we will explain to adults when to start learning the rules of reading with children.

At what age to teach a child to read in English and how to conduct classes

Only a lazy person didn’t joke about the differences in spelling and pronunciation of English words, so it is widely known that reading is one of the pitfalls of British speech. Yes, in Russian we also often write differently than we pronounce. But, as a rule, this is an error of one letter and does not change the meaning of the word. But the grammar of the English language in terms of reading is much more difficult, because here it should be borne in mind that:

  • There are 26 sounds for 44 letters of the alphabet;
  • The pronunciation of some letters depends on the type of syllable;
  • There are «dumb» syllables;
  • Combinations of letters are often used (diphthongs, triphthongs);
  • The duration of the sound affects the meaning of the word.

All these nuances led to the development of special reading rules, but not all words obey them either! Many English expressions have entered speech use with «wrong» pronunciation and are considered exceptions to the rule.

In such a confusion, not all adults are able to understand, and even more so for children. Therefore, we would recommend starting to engage in English reading with a child no earlier than 7-8 years old. During this period, children already go to school, become more disciplined and begin to understand the importance of knowledge. At the same time, the rules of reading in English are a rather complex topic, so it must be studied gradually. Here are some tips for class format.

  1. Conduct reading lessons at least 2 times a week.
  2. Be sure to memorize the correct transcription of the pronunciations.
  3. During the lesson, master 3-4 rules with the baby, carefully fixing them in practice. For example, we studied the pronunciation of a letter in an open syllable — read 10-15 words for this rule. In the next lesson, they necessarily conducted a repetition of what was previously learned.
  4. Memorizing letter combinations is best supported by writing. It is recommended to conduct a written dictation every 2 weeks (letter / combination — pronunciation).
  5. Encourage your child to read short texts and dialogues. Entertaining mini-stories will increase interest in classes and help consolidate the knowledge gained.

In addition to general recommendations, we note that you should not forget about individuality. When conducting classes, focus on the mood and well-being of the child: without the child’s interest, no lessons will bring the desired result.

Now, after a little theory, it’s time to move on to practice. Let’s consider the rules of reading in English and work them out using examples. Note that the material is largely simplified, since in this article we study English letter combinations in the English for children format. Let’s get started!

English reading rules for children

There are 26 letters in the English alphabet. Surely, you already know how they are spelled and how they are pronounced.

But did you know that pronunciation can change when we put letters into different words? For example, in the word sky (sky — sky) the last letter is read as «ah», and in the word family (family — family) the same last letter y already reads «and».

So how do you read English words then? In order not to be mistaken, we just need to learn special English rules and get acquainted with the options for the sound of letters.

Open syllable rule

An open syllable is the syllable of a word that ends with a vowel. We remind you that any syllable must necessarily contain a vowel sound and cannot consist of one letter.

For example, let’s analyze the word cake (cake — cake) by syllables:

  1. Take the first letter C.
  2. Add vowel A.
  3. 2 letters K and E remain, but the last E cannot be read, so a new syllable cannot be made with it. It turns out that the whole given word is one syllable cake.
  4. Even though E cannot be read, it is still a vowel. Therefore, we have an example of an open syllable. And in this case, the letter A reads «hey».

So, if the last letter of a syllable is a vowel, then it is an open syllable. In this case, the vowel is taken into account even in those cases when it is not pronounced.

Closed syllable rule

A closed syllable is a syllable ending in a consonant.

Let’s analyze the word cat (cat — cat): take the first letter C, add the vowel A. One remaining letter T cannot be a separate syllable, so it belongs to the first syllable, and again our whole word consists of one syllable cat. This syllable ends with a consonant letter, which means it is closed and here the rule of reading the letter A as «e» applies.

Note that if we pronounced the word cat like «Kate», we would not have gotten a cat, but the female name Kate. Therefore, it is very important to learn how to correctly distinguish between open and closed syllables. Now let’s find out what other letters change their sound in different words.

Vowels

This table explains the English vowel sounds for children.

Letter Sound in an open syllable Closed syllable sound Open syllable + R Closed syllable + R
A [ei] «hey» make, lake, game [æ] «uh» apple, man, map [eǝ] «ee» care, hair, square [a:] «aa (p)» car, far, star
E* [i:] «and» me, he, she [e] «e» pen, pencil, red [iǝ] «ye» clear, here, fear [ə:] «ё» her
I [aɪ] «ah» wife, fine, bike [ɪ] «and»

Source: https://speakenglishwell.ru/anglijskie-bukvosochetaniya-anglijskij-dlya-detej/

How to pronounce the sound th, or The devil is not so terrible as he is painted

Readers of our constant phonetic column have repeatedly asked in the comments to make out the interdental sound th. This is not at all surprising: th is one of the most common sounds in the English language, while in Russian (and in many others) this sound simply does not exist.

How to pronounce it? How to fix common mistakes? How to “train your mouth” to pronounce correctly? Today we will answer these questions with videos, exercises, tongue twisters, words and examples from songs.

What sound do the letters th

Let’s just make a reservation right away that th is not a sound. This is a combination of letters that can be read as two sounds: voiceless / θ /, as in a word thanks, and voiced / ð /, as in the word that. It is with these signs that the interdental “th sounds” are denoted in transcription. But in the article I will sometimes write “th sound” for convenience.

Both sounds, both ringing and deaf, articulated the same (lips and tongue are in the same position). Therefore, we will build the work as follows:

  1. First, let’s learn the correct position of the mouth for both sounds;
  2. Then we will analyze possible mistakes and find out how to fix them;
  3. Then we will work out each sound separately on tongue twisters and words.

How to pronounce th in english

Yes, we do not have these sounds. But we have the concept of lisping. Do you remember the sloth Sid from the Ice Age: “No, I фwhetherфwho is young фto die! ”. In the English explanatory dictionary, the word «lisp» (to lisp) is interpreted as «a speech defect in which s and z sound like th in think and this, respectively.»

This video is just talking about the lisp. I recommend for viewing: simple and humorous.

That is, it turns out that we need to pronounce Russian / s / lisp for a deaf / θ / and Russian / z / — for a voiced / ð /. How is it «lisping»? Say the word «composition» right now. When pronouncing the sound / c /, your tongue is behind your teeth. Now put your tongue between teeth (th sound — interdental) and say “composition” again. You will get a semblance of a voiceless th, as in the word thick.

Now do the same, but with the word «gap». As a result, you will get a semblance of a voiced th, as in the word then.

Why do I say «likeness»? Because the Russians / s — z / are not identical to the English ones / s — z /, which means that their lisp will be slightly different. Therefore, let’s still dwell in more detail on the position of the articulatory apparatus.

How to pronounce th sound in english

Language sprawled and tense, and its tip is between the upper and lower teeth, forming a narrow flat gap between incisal edge of upper teeth and the surface of the anterior edge of the tongue.

To learn the ideal setting of the articulation apparatus, I suggest you watch the video. It shows three life hacks:

2:08 — how to put the articulation apparatus in the ideal position: open your mouth, put your tongue on top of your lower teeth so that the tip is directly behind your lower lip and slowly lower your upper teeth onto your tongue — try to pronounce the voiceless variant th, as in think.

2:52 — how to feel the necessary tension of the tongue: we take a straw and put it between the tongue and upper teeth — this way you will feel how strong the tension should be on the tongue.

3:36 — how far to stick your tongue forward: put your finger perpendicular to your lips (as when we ask you to be quieter) and stick your tongue out. The tongue should lightly touch the finger — this is the limit.

And do not forget to repeat the sentences and words after the leader! This sound takes practice and more practice.

Interdental sound pronunciation th: video.

How to pronounce th sound in russian

Now that you have figured out what position the articulation apparatus should be in, let’s laugh together at the typical mistakes of Russian speakers in order to avoid them in practice (which, by the way, will go right after this point).

Possible mistakes: How to fix:
Replacing the voiceless / θ / with / s / (think we pronounce “sync”); Replacing the voiced / ð / with / z / (then we pronounce it like “zen”). Do not bend the front back of your tongue up. + The tip of the tongue should be between the teeth, and not at the base of the lower front teeth (and not at the alveoli, as for English sz) .Consider exercises for the contrast of words, for example: mouth / maʊθ / — mouse / maʊs /, thing / θɪŋ / — sing / sɪŋ /, with / wɪð / — whizz / wɪz /.
Replacing the voiceless / θ / with / f / (pronounce three like “fri”); Replacing the voiced / ð / with / in / (pronounce breathe like “brive”). Expose your teeth, especially the lower ones, as when brushing them, so that the lower lip does not come into contact with the upper teeth and does not come close to them. /.
Replacing the voiceless / θ / with the sound / t / (pronounced thick as “tick”); Replacing the voiced / ð / with / d / (pronounce this as “diz”). Do not press the front of the tongue against the upper teeth: it is lowered down, and the tip is between the teeth. Read the exercises for the contrast of words, for example: thick / θɪk / — tick / tɪk /.
Stunning the voiced variant of th / ð / ⇒ replacement with the voiceless variant / θ / at the end of a word. It can happen out of habit, because in Russian, voiced consonants at the end of a word are pronounced dull. Remember that in English, voiced sounds at the end of a word are not stunned! Rebuke exercises for contrast of words, for example: teeth / tiːθ / — teethe / tiːð /.

See, it’s not all that difficult.

Source: https://corp.lingualeo.com/ru/2017/02/02/kak-proiznositsya-zvuk-th/

Messages

Hi! Your page is great. I have trouble explaining when to pronounce yu = u (unique) and when to use an = un (unbearable, unbelievable). Is it possible to describe it? I could only find «unique» on your page. Many thanks. Best regards. Heidi

Answer:

The negative prefix «un» (unable, unbearable, unbelievable, unimportant, unmarried, unusual, undo, unemployment, etc.) is pronounced [ʌn]. The initial letter «u» in the negative prefix «un» is never pronounced [yu] or [yu:], so this may be a good hint in your explanation.

In words without the negative prefix «un», the initial letter «u» usually represents either the sound [yu:] or the sound [ʌ]. For example:

The initial letter «u» before a single consonant followed by a vowel is usually pronounced [yu:]: union, unit, unite, unique, unanimous, universe, universal, university, use, useful, usual, utility, utensil, etc.

The initial letter «u» before two consonants is usually pronounced [ʌ]: under, understand, underline, uncle, ugly, umbrella, ultimate, update, upper, usher, utter, etc.

Initial «u» ​​before «r» is [ər]: urban, urge, urgent. (See Spelling Patterns for Vowels in the section Writing.)

Good day! My name is Denis. Please help me learn to pronounce the th sound.

Answer:

The letter combination th can convey two sounds: voiceless [θ] and voiced [ð]. There are no rules as to where and which of them is pronounced, so the words with them must be written out in two columns and learned. For examples of words with these sounds, see Spelling Patterns for Consonants under Writing and Practice for Consonants under Phonetics. You can listen to the pronunciation of these sounds in the materials Listening for Consonants (AmE) and Listening for Consonant Contrast (AmE) in the Phonetics section.

The sound [θ] is dull: thick, think, thank you, thunder, through, three, method, author, bath, breath [breθ].

Sound [ð] — voiced: this, that, then, there, they, though, other, mother, father, bathe [beið], breathe [bri: ð].

You need to start studying the pronunciation of sounds by listening to phonetic materials specially designed for setting pronunciation (video courses, audio courses, textbooks with audio recordings).

Pronunciation of sounds [θ] and [ð]

1. Lean the sides of the tongue against the upper molars. Don’t press, just to touch, and hold there. This position is the starting position for pronouncing most English consonants, it helps to control the position of the tongue so that it does not sink too low, as for Russian consonants.

2. When the flanks of the tongue are slightly leaning against the upper molars, the front of the tongue and the tip of the tongue will be near / opposite the upper front teeth. The tip of the tongue does not touch anything and does not protrude to the lips, it should remain behind the upper front teeth. The mouth is slightly parted, the lips are not rounded.

3. In this position, there is a passage / gap between the front of the tongue and the upper front teeth through which air is simply blown out for a dull sound [θ]. First, for training, blow out for a long time, with a continuous stream of sound, which should look a little like a hiss.

You may first get [s] or the Russian sound C, try without stopping blowing to move the tip of your tongue a little higher, a little lower, in order to feel where you get [θ], and where [s]. (The tip of the tongue for the English sound [s] is placed higher, near the alveoli, these are the tubercles above the upper teeth. The tip of the tongue for the Russian sound C is placed lower, near the upper edge of the lower front teeth.

) When you are convinced that you get a stream of monotonous dull sound [θ], reduce it to one sound [θ] and say in words: thick, thank you, method, truth, etc.

4. For the ringing sound [ð], everything is the same, only when blowing out the air, turn on the voice. You should get an even, prolonged buzz, a little ticklish to the tip of the tongue. Again, at first you can get [z] or the Russian sound Z.

Try moving the tip of your tongue a little higher, a little lower, in order to catch where [ð] is clearly obtained, and not [z]. The tip of the tongue for [ð], as well as for [θ], is behind the upper front teeth. (The tip of the tongue for the English sound [z] is placed higher, near the alveoli.

The tip of the tongue for the Russian sound З is placed lower, near the upper edge of the lower front teeth.) Then pronounce the sound [ð] in the words: this, that, then, mother, etc.

5. Make sure that the resulting sounds [θ] and [ð] are correct. Hear the pronunciation of these sounds by the announcers and compare your sounds with those you hear from the announcers, then tweak your sound further.

You can also record your pronunciation of sounds and compare it with the voiceover, this will make it possible to evaluate your sounds more objectively.

Only after making sure that the sounds are obtained consistently correctly, it is possible to learn the position of the speech organs for these sounds and the mechanism of their pronunciation by numerous repetitions of them in different words. Otherwise, it is possible to memorize incorrectly, and it is always very difficult to correct what is memorized.

Note: The sounds [θ] and [ð] can also be pronounced between the teeth, creating a gap for blown air between the lower front part of the tongue and the lower edge of the upper teeth, but in this case it is more difficult to feel the difference in the place of pronunciation between [θ] and the Russian sound С, between [ð] and the Russian sound З, so I recommend a slightly higher version of the position of the front of the tongue behind the upper teeth, as described in paragraphs 1-4, so that when pronouncing [θ] and [ð] do not get lost in the familiar Russian sounds C and Z.

Establishing pronunciation yourself is difficult, especially if you feel that your hearing is not very helpful for you to correctly catch the pronunciation and analyze your result. It is best to take a phonetic course with an experienced phonetic teacher, who will not only explain how to pronounce sounds, but also tell you, listening to you, how to correct the errors that arise. And it will help you do a lot of phonetic exercises to consolidate what you have achieved.

Source: http://usefulenglish.ru/letters/?c=let-phonetics

Lesson 14. Pronunciation of English sounds [w] and [r]. Reading letter combinations wr, wh, rh, er / or

We continue our lessons on teaching reading in English. On the left plate, green arrows indicate the sounds that we have already passed. Since we have studied almost all consonants, in this lesson we will repeat 8 learned vowel sounds to consolidate their pronunciation. There are only 4 consonants left. Sounds [r] и [w] we go through in this lesson, and the sounds [j] and [ŋ] in the next. So, let’s begin!

From lesson number 14 you will learn:

  • how are English consonants read Rr и Ww;
  • how letter combinations are read  wr, wh, rh, er / or,

Let’s start with the pronunciation of sounds, and then move on to reading letter combinations.

So the letter Ww denotes a sound in writing [w]. Letter Rr denotes a sound in writing [r]. Both sounds are quite complex, because there are no similar sounds in Russian.

* * *

How to pronounce the English sound [w] correctly?

Exercise for the mouth, which will help you learn to pronounce the English sound [w]: pull your lips into a tube, as if you want to blow out a candle, and then sharply move the corners of your mouth to the sides, as if in a smile. And so many times: a pipe — a smile, a pipe — a smile, a pipe — a smile

Pronunciation of the English sound [w]. Now that your mouth is ready, let’s start pronouncing the sound. Pull your lips into a tube for a moment, as if you want to utter the sound «y», and when you start saying «u», immediately smile sharply. The result is a sound a bit like «v».

Actually sound [w] very often the letters «y» and «v» are conveyed in Russian. Even in official sources, the name William is spelled either William or William. Because in Russian there is NO such sound.

If you have not yet fully understood how to pronounce the English sound [w] correctly, then pronounce it like a short «y», but in no case, like «in».

Note again that when you say “w” your lips are rounded and NOT touching your teeth, the same lip position must be observed when pronouncing the sound [w].

When pronouncing the sound «in», the upper teeth touch the lower lip. This shouldn’t be!

* * *

How to pronounce English [r] sound correctly?

I will say right away that this is a very complex sound. At least it was like that for me.

What you need to do to make an English sound [r] right and how does English [r] differ from Russian “r”?

  • When making a sound [r] can come from sound [ʒ], which you already know how to pronounce. Only the tip of the tongue needs to be bent even further back with a ringlet.
  • Tip of the tongue when making a sound [r] located in the back of the upper palate, the tongue does not shake. Sounds like a bursting «r» sound.
  • When pronouncing the Russian sound «p», the tongue shakes at the upper teeth: «pppp-pp-p»

Listen how the sounds [w] and [r] are pronounced correctly — HERE

Reading letter combinations with the sound R: wr, rh, er / or

1. Letter r and combination of letters re at the end of a word not readable: car, care and are used to designate type III of a syllable (as in the word car) and type IV of a syllable (as in the word care). You can read more about the types of syllables in English.

2. Letter combinations er, or at the end, words are read like [ə]: sister, doctor, etc.

3. wr, rh read how [r]: wrist [rist] — wrist, rhythm [‘rɪð (ə) m], as well as in such common words that we cannot read yet: write (to write), wrong (wrong)

* * *

Reading letter combinations with the sound W: wh

1. wh reads like [w]: what [wɔt] — what, as well as in such common words that we cannot read yet: why (why), white (white), while (while).

An exception.Wh before o read how [H]: who (who), whose (whose)

2. At the end of a word wnot readable: slow

Phonetic exercises for practicing the sounds [w] and [r] with audio recording (closed content)

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Description: Access to a course of lessons on teaching reading in English and pronunciation at the same time. 50% discount until 01.01.2020/XNUMX/XNUMX. Author T.V. Nabeeva

Phrases with the sounds [w] and [r] for practicing during the week:

  1. What? — What?
  2. When? — When?
  3. Very well. — Very good.
  4. The weather is terrible. — The weather is awful.
  5. We will see. — We will think about it.
  6. What did she see? — What did she see?
  7. He is sorry. — He’s sorry.
  8. We are ready. — We are ready.
  9. Get well! — Get well soon!
  10. Keep in touch [tʌʧ]. — We will be in touch.

Let’s sum up Lesson 14, from which you learned:

  1. how to pronounce english sounds [w] и [r] correctly;
  2. how letter combinations are read wh, wr, rh, er / or.

See you at the next English lesson. Learn to read English on your own and learn English on your own friends! The author of the lessons, Tatiana Nabeeva.

Source: http://englishstory.ru/urok-14-chtenie-angliyskih-soglasnyih-r-w-i.html

Rules for reading consonants in English

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The purpose of this article is to familiarize the reader with rules for reading consonants in English… This will help you develop pronunciation skills and improve your reading technique, successfully prepare for the USE. Currently, one of the main principles of teaching sounds and intonation is a consciously imitative approach.

Nevertheless, in my lessons I also successfully use the principle of comparing the sounds of the Russian and English languages ​​in order to identify elements of similarity and difference. Children are happy to work in front of a mirror, perform various phonetic exercises, pronouncing the same words many times, which leads to a mechanical memorization of the pronunciation of these words.

Of course, there are many exceptions to remember. Where is without them in English ?!

Rules of reading

Required skills for students:

— the ability to reproduce orally and dictation the transcriptional signs of all sounds of the English language, both vowels and consonants

— the ability to find a match between a word and its transcription

— the ability to reproduce transcription of English words taken at random in the English-Russian dictionary

So, from the previous article «Rules for reading vowels in English» you learned that there are 44 sounds in English: 20 vowels и 24 consonants.

The consonants of the English language can be divided into:

  • similar to Russian: [f] — [v], [k] — [g], [p] — [b], [s] — [z], [m], [j]
  • different from Russian: [t] — [d], [ʃ] — [ʒ], [ʧ] — [ʤ], [l], [n], [r]
  • not in Russian: [θ] — [ð], [w], [h], [ŋ]

Secrets of English pronunciation.

  • Make mouth-toothed sounds [f] — [v] the way you pronounce them in Russian names Фeating, Варвmacaw, Вera, Вiktor: favorite, flea, flipper, variant, very, victory, virus, improve, shovel.
  • Make a lip sound [w] so that the upper teeth do not touch the lower lip; fold your lips as if you are about to whistle.

    The sound is pronounced on the exhale through the lips: what, where, when, why, white, winter, window, Wales, walrus, waltz [wɔːls], with

Exceptions: who [huː], whose [huːz], whom [huːm], whole [həul], wholesome [ʹhəulsəm]

Important! Do not confuse the pronunciation of the sounds [v] and [w]!

For training, say the phrase “Verywell« in front of the mirror at least 10 times daily (it takes exactly 10 seconds!), bringing the correct pronunciation of this pair of sounds to automatism.

Rhyme time!

  • I see a bird. — What?
  • I see a bear. — Where?
  • I see a hen. — When?
  • I see a cow. — How?

What? Where? When? how?

  • Make sounds [k], [p], [t] aspirated. To make sure you pronounce these sounds correctly, do the following exercises. Bring a sheet of paper to your lips at a distance of 5-6 cm and say in turn the words purple, pupil, pillow, price, September, alternately, then with aspiration, then without it. If you pronounce the sound [p] correctly, then the sheet of paper will deflect to the side from the stream of air, and small pieces of paper laid out in the palm of your hand will fly apart.
  • Make sounds [t] — [d], [s] — [z], [l], [n], placing the tip of the tongue on the alveoli (tubercles above the upper teeth). When pronouncing Russian sounds, the tongue touches the teeth.

[t] — time, tiger, cat, potato, tennis, fifty, tea, butter

[d] — Tuesday, dog, London, good, red, draw, daddy

[l] — lion, lane, listen, light, lamp, small, glass, lesson

[n] — nine, ten, eleven, name, nice, plane, paint, independence

[s] — sister, silence, sightseeing, silly, summer, insist

[z] — zoo, zebra, zipper, puzzle, business, buzz, organization, gaze

  • Make sounds [ʃ], [ʒ], [ʤ]

Source: http://smashtrash.ru/pravila-chteniya/pravila-chteniya-soglasnykh-v-angliysko.html

At lunch today someone brought up a meme that I had heard of before, but I began to wonder about its validity. The general idea is that people can read words with jumbled letters as long as the first and last letter are in the correct order. The following paragraph is used as an example.

Arocdnicg to rsceearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer are in the rghit pcale. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit pobelrm. Tihs is buseace the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

It seems cool at first and I still believe it shows the power of our minds, but it’s not entirely on the up-and-up. I found a response to the e-mail from a linguist who works at Cambridge University who points out that no such study took place in Cambridge. This is what he had to say about it.

“I work at Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, in Cambridge, UK, a Medical Research Council unit that includes a large group investigating how the brain processes language. If there’s a new piece of research on reading that’s been conducted in Cambridge, I thought I should have heard of it before…

I’ve written this page, to try to explain the science behind this meme. There are elements of truth in this, but also some things which scientists studying the psychology of language (psycholinguists) know to be incorrect. I’m going to break down the meme, one line at a time to illustrate these points, pointing out what I think is the relevant research on the role of letter order on reading. Again, this is only my view of the current state of reading research, as it relates to this meme. If you think I’ve missed something important, let me know.”

I also found a forum discussing the meme using different text. A user by the name of bobkalsey wrote a rather lengthy response, dubbing it ‘Webbage’ (Web Garbage).

In the end, I think it’s safe to say that not all sentences would be so easy to read, so it’s generous to say our minds only need the first and last letter, but in many cases it is surprising what our mind can make out of a jumble of letters.

bobkalsey’s response sums up my feelings on the subject.

He wrote, “I know it wasn’t mean to be serious…and I don’t mean to sound like a fuddy-duddy. It is an amusing post. But…I guess I [am] a fuddy-duddy — how else [would you] explain my frequent skepticism and…obsession to get the facts right[?]”

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