Pronunciation

Pronunciation

Now it gets difficult!

Surprisingly often in English we have words that are spelt differently but pronounced exactly the same. You will find some in this exercise. Sorprendentemente a menudo en inglés tenemos palabras que se escriben de forma diferente pero se pronuncian exactamente igual. En este ejercicio encontrarás algunas.

By clicking on the words written in blue, you can hear both options. It may help. Si haces clic en las palabras escritas en azul, podrás escuchar las dos opciones. Puede ser útil.

Start

d / th

Click here! Haz clic aquí!

Listen, and choose which word is being said

And here!Y aquí!

day - díathey - ellos

d / th

Listen, and choose which word is being said

Sudden - repentino Southern - del sur

Dare - reto/retarThere - allí

Wordy - palabraría Worthy - digno/merecedor

f / th

Listen to the audio and choose the word you hear

free - libre/liberar/gratisthree - tres

f / th

Listen, and choose which word is being said

deaf - sordodeath - muerte

fought - luchó/peleóthought - pensamiento/ past of 'think'

first - primerothirst - sed

f / v

Listen, and say which word you hear

fan - ventilador/aficionado/ abanicovan - furgoneta

f / v

Listen, and choose which word is being said

safe - a salvo, segurosave - salvar

life - vidalive - en directo

belief - creenciabelieve - creer

J / y

Listen, and choose which word you hear

jam - mermeladayam - ñame

j / y

Listen, and choose which word is being said

joke - broma/chisteyolk - yema de huevo yoke - yugo/uncir

gel - gelyell - gritar/chillar

jetty - muelleyeti - yeti

l / r

Listen, and choose which word you hear

fly - volar/moscafry - freir

l / r

Listen, and choose which word is being said

pilot - pilotopirate - pirata

leader - liderreader - lector

alive - vivoarrive - llegar

p / b

Listen and choose which word you hear

buy - comprarbye - adios pie - tipo de empanada

p / b

Listen, and choose which word is being said

bear - oso; bare - desnudopair - pareja; pare - pelar; pear - pera

robe - tunicarope - cuerda

bought - pasado de 'buy'port - puerto

s / th

Listen and choose which word you hear

mouse - ratónmouth - boca

s / th

Listen, and choose which word is being said

some - alguno(s)sum - suma/total thumb - dedo pulgar

worse - peorworth - valor/merito

sing - cantarthing - cosa

s / sh

Listen and choose which word you hear

seat - asiento/sillasheet - sábana/hoja

s / sh

Listen, and choose which word is being said

fist - puñofished - past del verbo 'to fish'

Creo que las dos palabras se utilizan en español

saw - sierra/past of 'see'shore - orilla

v / w

Listen and choose which word you hear

vet - veterinariowet - mojado/húmedo

v / w

Listen, and choose which word is being said

vine - viñawine- vino whine - quejarse/ lloriquear

vary - variarwary - cauteloso/ precavido

vow - jurar/voto/votarwow - 'guau'/asombrar

ch / sh

Listen and choose which word you hear

choose - elegirchews - mastica shoes - zapatos

ch / sh

Listen, and choose which word is being said

cheat - hacer trampas/ trampososheet - sábana/hoja

cheap - baratosheep - oveja

chip - patata fritaship - barco

i / EE

Listen, and choose which word is being said

iteat

i / ee

Listen, and choose which word is being said

sit - sentarseseat - silla/ asiento

lick - lamerleak - fuga/escape/ gotera

shipsheep

e / i

Listen and choose which word you hear

left - dejado/izquierdalift - ascensor/elevar

e / i

Listen, and choose which word is being said

belt - cinturón/ pegar fuertebuilt - past de 'build'

desk - escritoriodisk - disco

set - conjunto/plató/ solidificar

e / a

Listen and choose which word you hear

sell - vendercell - célula/celda sale - venta/rebajas

e / A

Listen, and choose which word is being said

let - permitirlate - tarde

wet - mojado/ mojar, húmedowait - esperar/espera

men - hombresmain - principal

a / u

Listen and choose which word you hear

cat - gatocut - corte/cortar

A / u

Listen, and choose which word is being said

begin - comenzar/ empezarbegan-begun - pasado y participio pasado

hang - colgarhung - colgado

ankle - tobillouncle - tío

a / e

Listen and choose which word you hear

bad - malbed - cama

e / A

Listen, and choose which word is being said

had - past de 'have'head - cabeza

cattle - ganado bovinokettle - hervidor

man - hombremen - hombres

o / aw

Listen and choose which word you hear

boat - barcobought - past of 'buy' - comprar

o / aw

Listen, and choose which word is being said

show - mostrar/ espectaculosure - seguro/ Claro!

moaning - quejándose/ gemidosmorning - mañana

bowl - cuencoball - balón

o / aw

Listen and choose which word you hear

cot - cunacaught - past of 'catch' - atrapar/pillar

o / aw

Listen, and choose which word is being said

spot - punto/mancha/ grano/lugarsport - deporte

rod - varilla/barraroared - past of 'roar' - rugir/rugido

pot - olla/maceta/ bote

ai / a

Listen and choose which word you hear

bake - hornearback - espalda/ respaldar/atras

Ai / a

Listen, and choose which word is being said

paints - pintura/ pintapants - pantalones (EEUU) calconcillos (Brit)

plane - aviónplain - llano/claro/ sencillo

rain - lluvia/lloverran - past of 'run'

o / ow

Listen and choose which word you hear

hole - hoyo/agujerohowl - aullar/aullido

o / ow

Listen, and choose which word is being said

phoned - past of 'phone' - llamarfound - past of 'find' - encontrar

tone - tonotown - pueblo

know - saber/ conocernow - ahora

a / ar

Listen and choose which word you hear

hat - sombreroheart - corazón

a / ar

Listen, and choose which word is being said

match - partido/ cerillamarch - marzo/marchar/ marcha

badge - insignia/placabarge - barcaza/ empujar

had - past of 'have'hard - duro/ difícil

ee / ai

Listen and choose which word you hear

cheer - animarchair - silla/asiento

ee / ai

Listen, and choose which word is being said

really - realmente/ mucho/muyrarely - raramente

hear - escuchar/oirhair - pelo(s) hare - lievre

beard - barbabared - descubierto/ desnudo

difficult words

Literature

We say lit-ruh-chuh The first sound is short – lit (like sit NOT like seat) The ‘r’ is made with teeth softly against bottom lip The final two syllables are schwa

difficult words

Daughter

We say daw-tuh. Ignore the ‘gh’! The first sound is like ‘door’ The final syllable is a schwa

difficult words

Schedule

We say skeh-jul in American and sheh-jul in British English. Either is fine The first sound is an ‘eh’ The second sound is a 'j' like 'jam' We finish with 'oo' and then the 'l'

difficult words

Ship

We say it with a short ‘i’, like in sit NOT like seat If you use a long ‘ee’ sound it turns into ‘sheep’

difficult words

Joke

First sound like ‘jam’ and ‘jaw’ It’s important not to say it with a ‘y’ sound, because that would make it the yellow part of an egg! Second sound the 'o' from 'no' Finish with a strong 'k' sound like the 'c' from 'coche'

Tongue twisters

Listen and try to repeat the tongue twisters as fast as possible

She sells seashells by the seashore. I saw Susie sitting in a shoeshine shop. You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York. I saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen.

Tongue twisters

Listen and try to repeat the tongue twisters as fast as possible

Near an ear, a nearer ear, a nearly eerie ear. Eddie edited it. Willie’s really weary. He threw three free throws.

Tongue twisters

Listen and try to repeat the tongue twisters as fast as possible

Eleven benevolent elephants. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Betty Botter bought some butter. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Exercise finished

I bet you talk like the King now!