First, some same-or-different questions:
board (plank, table) and bored (fed up)
33-a these two words sound exactly the same for me
33-b these two words sound different from one another
33-c sometimes the same, sometimes different
lava (from a volcano) and larva (caterpillar, grub)
34-a these two words sound exactly the same for me
34-b these two words sound different from one another
34-c sometimes the same, sometimes different
poor (not rich; pitiable) and pour (pour something out)
35-a these two words sound exactly the same for me
35-b these two words sound different from one another
35-c sometimes the same, sometimes different
source (origin, fount) and sauce (to go with food)
36-a these two words sound exactly the same for me
36-b these two words sound different from one another
36-c sometimes the same, sometimes different
shore (edge of the sea) and sure (certain)
37-a these two words sound exactly the same for me
37-b these two words sound different from one another
37-c sometimes the same, sometimes different
yours (belonging to you) and yaws (swings from
side to side; tropical disease)
38-a these two words sound exactly the same for me
38-b these two words sound different from one another
38-c sometimes the same, sometimes different
The remaining vowel questions are rather more complicated:
alto (singing voice, above tenor)
Focus on the first syllable.
39-a /"{lt@U/ the vowel sound is as in canal AL-to
39-b /"A:lt@U/ the vowel sound is as in Charles AHL-to
39-c /"Qlt@U/ the vowel sound is as in doll OL-to
39-d /"O:lt@U/ the vowel sound is as in fall AWL-to
careless (inattentive, unthinking)
Focus on the second syllable (-less).
40-a /"ke@l@s/ the vowel sound is as in the second syllable
of callous (harsh) care-LUHSS
40-b /"ke@lIs/ the vowel sound is as in the second syllable
of Alice care-LISS
40-c /"ke@l?s/ callous and Alice rhyme anyhow, so I
can't decide between a and b care-LUHSS/LISS
40-d /"ke@les/ the vowel sound is as in the word less
care-LEHSS
chance (hazard, fortune)
Focus on the middle and end of the word.
Two questions: one about the vowel sound, the other about the
consonant sounds at the end. Please answer both.
(i)
41-a /tSA:n(t)s/ does not rhyme exactly with romance; the vowel
is as in chart CHAHNSS
41-b /tS{n(t)s/ rhymes exactly with romance; the vowel is as
in chat CHANSS
(ii)
41-y /-ns/ ends in an n-sound followed by an s-sound
CHA(H)NSS
41-z /-nts/ has a t-sound between the n-sound and the
s-sound CHA(H)NTS
circumstances (conditions, situation)
Focus on the third syllable (-stance-).
42-a /"s3:k@mstA:n(t)sIz/ the vowel sound is as in start
-STAHN-
42-b /"s3:k@mst{n(t)sIz/ the vowel sound is as in stand
-STAN-
42-c /"s3:k@mst@n(t)sIz/ the vowel sound is as at the end of
capstan -STUHN-
delirious (raving; ecstatic)
Focus on the second syllable.
43-a /-"lIri@s/ the vowel sound is as in lyr(ics)
de-LIR-ious
43-b /-"lI@ri@s/ the vowel sound is as in (King) Lear
de-LEER-ious
direction (the way someone is facing or moving)
Focus on the first syllable (di-).
44-a /daI"rekS=n/ the vowel sound is as in die DIE-rection
44-b /daI@"rekS=n/ the vowel sound is as in dire DIRE-rection
44-c /dI"rekS=n/ the vowel sound is as in dig DIH-rection
44-d /d@"rekS=n/ the vowel sound is as in the last part
of (lad)der DUH-rection
ecosystem (community of animals and plants)
Focus on the first syllable (ec-).
45-a /"ek@U0sIst@m/ the vowel sound is as in echo ECK-o-system
45-b /"i:k@U0sIst@m/ the vowel sound is as in eek EEK-o-system
electronic (relating to electron-based physics and technology)
Focus on the first two syllables (elec-).
46-a /%elek"trQnIk/ rhythm tum-ti-tum-ti; the first two
vowel sounds are identical, as in
tell, deck ELLeck-tronic
46-b /%elIk"trQnIk, -l@k-/ rhythm tum-ti-tum-ti; the first vowel
is as in tell, the second one is
obscured/weakened ELLick-tronic
46-c /i%lek"trQnIk, @-/ rhythm ti-tum-tum-ti; the first vowel
sound is obscured/weakened, the second
is as in deck i-LECK-tronic
46-d /%Ilek"trQnIk/ rhythm tum-ti-tum-ti; the first vowel
sound is as in ill, the second is as
in deck ILL-eck-tronic
46-e /%i:lek"trQnIk/ rhythm tum-ti-tum-ti; the first vowel
sound is as in eel, the second is as
in deck EEL-eck-tronic
ephemeral (short-lived, transitory)
Focus on the second syllable (-phem-).
47-a /I"fi:m@r@l/ the vowel sound is as in female
e-FEEM-eral
47-b /I"fem@r@l/ the vowel sound is as in feminine
e-FEMM-eral
equinox (day and night of equal length)
Focus on the first syllable (eq-)
48-a /"ekwInQks/ the vowel sound is as in echo ECK-winox
48-b /"i:kwInQks/ the vowel sound is as in eek EEK-winox
evolution (development, Darwinian)
Focus on the first vowel sound (e-)
49-a /%ev@"lu:S(@)n/ the vowel sound is as in ever
EVV-o-lution
49-b /%i:v@"lu:S(@)n/ the vowel sound is as in even
EEV-o-lution
falcon (hawk)
Focus on the first syllable (fal-).
50-a /"fO:k@n/ vowel sound as in talk, with no l-sound*
FAWK-on
50-b /"fO:lk@n/ vowel sound as in talk, but with an l-sound*
FAWL-kon
50-c /"fQlk@n/ vowel sound as in doll, with an l-sound*
FOL-kon
50-d /"f{lk@n/ vowel sound as in valve, with an l-sound*
FAL-kon
* An "l-sound" means any kind of l-sound, even one that sounds
almost like w.
false (not true, sham, deceitful)
NB. Two questions. Focus first on the vowel sound, then on the
consonants at the end.
(i)
51-a /fO:.../ the vowel sound is as in fall
FAWLss
51-b /fQ.../ the vowel sound is as in the first part of
follow FOLss
(ii)
51-x /fO:s/ the word sounds exactly like force
FAWSS
51-y /...lts/ the word sounds exactly like faults
FAULTS
51-z /...ls/ the word sounds different from both force and
faults FALSS
financial (to do with money)
Focus on the first part of the word.
52-a /faI"n{n(t)S(@)l/ the vowel sound is as in fine
FIGH-nancial
52-b /fI"n{n(t)S(@)l/ the vowel sound is as in fin
FIH-nancial
52-c /f@"n{n(t)S(@)l/ the vowel sound is as in fan(atic)
FUH-nancial
garage (place to keep a car)
Focus on the last part of the word.
53-a /"g{rIdZ/ the word rhymes exactly with carriage
GARR-IJ
53-b /"g{rA:dZ/ the word begins like Gary but the second vowel
sound is as in father; the last consonant
sound is a j-sound, like -ge in large
GARR-AHJ
53-c /"g{rA:Z/ the word begins like Gary but the second vowel
sound is as in father; the last consonant
sound is a zh-sound, as in measure
GARR-AHZH
53-d /g@"rA:dZ/ the stress is on the second syllable, and the
last consonant sound is a j-sound, like -ge
in large GUH-RAHJ
53-e /g@"rA:Z/ the stress is on the second syllable, and the
last consonant sound is a zh-sound, like s
in measure GUH-RAHZH
gigabyte (a thousand megabytes)
Focus on the first syllable.
54-a /"gIg@baIt/ the word begins like gig(gle) GIGG-a-byte
54-b /"gaIg@baIt/ the word begins like guy GIGH-ga-byte
54-c /"dZIg@baIt/ the word begins like jig JIG-a-byte
54-d /"dZaIg@baIt/ the word begins like jive JIGH-ga-byte
halt (stop) Focus on the vowel sound.
55-a /hQlt/ the vowel sound is as in lot HOLTT
55-b /hO:lt/ the vowel sound is as in thought HAWLT
ideology (system of ideas)
Focus on the first syllable.
56-a /%aIdi"Ql@dZi/ the first vowel sound is as in tidy
IDE-e-ology
56-b /%Idi"Ql@dZi/ the first vowel sound is as in giddy
IDD-e-ology
jury (body of people who have to reach a verdict)
Focus on the first syllable.
57-a /"dZO:ri/ the word rhymes exactly with story JOR-y
57-b /"dZ3:ri/ the word rhymes with furry (animal) JURR-y
57-c /"dZU@ri/ the word does not rhyme exactly with story
or furry JOOR-y
lure (attract, entice)
Focus on everything after the l-sound.
NB. Two separate questions. Please answer both.
(i)
58-a /ljU@/ etc there is a y-sound after the l, before the
vowel LYO(O)R
58-b /lU@/ etc there is no y-sound between the l and the
vowel LO(O)R
(ii)
58-x /l(j)O:/ the vowel sound is as in lore L(Y)OR
58-y /l(j)3:/ the vowel sound is as in lurk L(Y)UR
58-z /l(j)U@/ the vowel sound is different from both lore
and lurk L(Y)OOR
mall (shopping centre) Focus on the vowel sound.
59-a /m{l/ the vowel sound is as in mallet; rhymes with
shall MAL
59-b /mO:l/ the vowel sound is as in maul; rhymes with
fall MAWL
Muslim (adherent of Islam)
NB. Three questions. Focus first on the first syllable (two
questions), then on the last syllable. Please answer all three.
(i)
60-a /"mU-/ the vowel sound is as in put, good
MOOS-
60-b /"mV-/ the vowel sound is as in cut, blood
MUS-
60-c (?) I do not distinguish between these two vowel
sounds -
(ii)
60-p /-sl-/ the consonant sounds are as in muscle
MUSS-
60-q /-zl-/ the consonant sounds are as in muzzle
MUZZ-
(iii)
60-y /-lIm/ the last vowel sound is as in limb
-LIM
60-z /-l@m/ the last vowel sound is as at the end of column
-LUMM
necessary (essential, requisite)
Focus on the third syllable.
61-a /"nes@s@ri, -sri/ the vowel sound is weak, as in
surround, or entirely lost
-SUHRI, -SRI
61-b /"nes@seri/ the vowel sound is as in ferry
-SERRI
niche (shallow recess; position in ecological
community) Focus on the whole word.
62-a /nItS/ the word rhymes exactly with rich
NITCH
62-b /ni:S/ the word rhymes exactly with leash
NEESH
ogle (look amorously at)
Focus on the vowel sound at the beginning.
63-a /"Qg(@)l/ the vowel sound is as in dog OGG'l
63-b /"@Ug(@)l/ the vowel sound is as in vogue OAG'l
ominous (threatening, inauspicious)
Focus on the first vowel sound.
64-a /"QmIn@s/ the vowel sound is as in bomb OMM-inous
64-b /"@UmIn@s/ the vowel sound is as in comb OAM-inous
one (count: one, two, three)
Focus on the vowel sound.
65-a /wQn/ the word rhymes with John, on WONN
65-b /wVn/ the word rhymes with gun, son WUNN
onerous (burdensome) Focus on the first vowel sound.
66-a /"Qn@r@s/ the vowel sound is as in on ONN-erous
66-b /"@Un@r@s/ the vowel sound is as in own OAN-erous
oral (spoken) Focus on the first syllable.
67-a /"Qr@l/ the vowel sound is as in sorry ORRal
67-b /"O:r@l/ the vowel sound is as in story AWRal
ordinary (normal, regular)
Focus on the second half of the word.
68-a /"O:dIneri, -dn-, -d@n-/ -ary is strong: the vowel is
as in (m)erry ordin-ERRY
68-b /"O:dIn@ri, -dn-, d@n-/ -ary- is weak, as in
(annivers)ary ordin-URRY
68-c /"O:dInri, -dn-, -d@n-/ the first vowel of -ary
disappears entirely ordin-RY
patronize (-ise) (treat condescendingly; be a customer of)
Focus on the first syllable.
69-a /"peItr@naIz/ the vowel sound is as in pate PAYT-ronize
69-b /"p{tr@naIz/ the vowel sound is as in pat PATT-ronize
prestigious (admired, important)
Focus on the second syllable.
70-a /pre"sti:dZ@s/ the vowel sound is like steedge pre-STEEJ-ous
70-b /pre"stIdZ@s/ the vowel sound is like stidge pre-STIJ-ous
project (n) (plan, scheme; student's piece of work)
Focus on the first syllable.
71-a /"pr@UdZekt/ the vowel sound is as in prose PRO-ject
71-b /"prQdZekt/ the vowel sound is as in proper PROJJ-ect
quagmire (marsh, boggy place) Focus on the first syllable.
72-a /"kwQgmaI@/ the first part rhymes with hog KWOG-mire
72-b /"kw{gmaI@/ the first part rhymes with hag KWAGG-mire
real (genuine, actual) Focus on the vowel sound.
73-a /ri:l/ etc. the word sounds identical to reel, different
from rill REEL
73-b /rIl/ etc. the word sounds identical to both reel and
rill RILL
73-c /rI@l/ the word sounds different from both reel and
rill RIH-AL
really (truly, actually)
Focus on the first syllable.
74-a /"ri:li/ the word rhymes exactly with freely
REELy
74-b /"rIli/ the word rhymes exactly with frilly
RILLy
74-c /"rI@li, "ri:l-i/ the word rhymes neither with freely nor
with frilly REAL-y
says (e.g. She says she wants to have a rest.)
Focus on the vowel sound.
75-a /sez/ the word rhymes exactly with fez SEZ
75-b /seIz/ the word rhymes exactly with days SAY-Z
scallop (shellfish, or something shaped like its
shell) Focus on the first syllable.
76-a /"sk{l@p/ the vowel sound is as in shallow SKAL-op
76-b /"skQl@p/ the vowel sound is as in hollow SKOL-op
scone (small cake) Focus on the vowel sound.
77-a /skQn/ the word rhymes with John SKON
77-b /sk@Un/ the word rhymes with Joan SKONE
77-c /sku:n/ the word rhymes with June SKOON
simultaneous (at the same time)
Focus on the first syllable.
78-a /%saIml"teIni@s/ the first vowel is as in Simons
SIME-ul-taneous
78-b /%sIml"teIni@s/ the first vowel is as in Simmons
SIMM-ul-taneous
vacation (holiday) Focus on the first syllable.
79-a /v@"keIS(@)n/ the vowel sound is obscured, as in va(lidity)
VUH-cation
79-b /veI"keIS(@)n/ the vowel is as in vacant
VAY-cation
voluntarily (of one's own free will)
Focus on the antepenultimate syllable (-tar-)
80-a /%vQl@n"ter@li/ the vowel sound is stressed, as in Terry
volun-TERRily
80-b /%vQl@n"te@r@li/ the vowel sound is stressed, as in tearing (ripping)
volun-TARE-ily
80-c /%vQl@n"t{r@li/ the vowel sound is stressed, as in tarry (linger)
volun-TARRily
80-d /"vQl@nt(@)r@li/ the vowel sound is obscured or disappears; main
stress on vol- VOLuntuhrily, -trily
On to the last section - Back to the first section or the introduction
J.C. Wells home page - UCL P&L
1998 Sep 04