Usage Tips

The words a, an, and theare articles, unstressed words that occur before nouns and adjective-nouns combinations. Say them quickly, without emphasis. Pronounce the vowel as /  /.

a bookan applethe book

a catan orangethe cat

a dogan ice cubethe dog

the universe

/  / in Unstressed Syllable

The sound/  / is known as “schwa” sound and is one of the most common sounds in English. Almost every unstressed syllable in English is pronounced /  /. This sound can be spelled with any of the vowel letters, a, e, i, o, u, or any combination of these letters.

a-goso-dacap-tainef-fectpi-geono-penex-plainden-im

par-tialoc-curmeth-odsta-tionu-ponsyr-upcup-board

/  / in Stressed Syllable

When /  / is followed by the consonant / r /, it can be the prominent, or stressed vowelof a word.

urnfurpurseearnworkheardwormyearns

serve birdnervegirlfirstsyruptournamentearth

When theoccurs before a word beginning with a vowel sound, the letter e is pronounced / /, in IPA format. Example, the /  /.

Theappletheorangetheoceantheelephanttheonion

Theumpiretheicetheamoebathe anthemthehonor

Theeaglesthe H-bombtheheir received his/her grandpa’s clock

Note: The two vowel sounds are said together with no pause between them.

Irregular and Regular Verbs

Rule: The present participle of any verb (regular or irregular) is formed by adding

“-ing” to the root.

To ask askingTo count countingTo jumpjumping

To love lovingTo play playingTo studystudying

To write writing To get getting To fitfitting

To buy buyingTo hithittingTo setsetting

Rules of Pronunciation of Irregular Verbs

Rule:Anirregular verb is a verb that does notform its past tense and past participle by the addition of “-ed”to its root as in:

writewrotewrittenfit fit fit

getgot gottenset set set

buy bought boughthit hit hit

Rules of Pronunciation of the Ending “-ed” of Regular Verbs

Rule 1:The past tense and past participle ofregular verbsare formed by adding

“-ed” to the root of the verb as in:

ask askedcountcountedlove lovedcall called

Rule 2: The past tense marker “-ed” is pronounced “[],” in IPA format, as anunstressed separate syllablewhenadded to verbs ending in /d/ or /t/ as in:

added counted dictated faded landed invited created loaded greeted wanted planted folded

Rule 3:The past tense marker “-ed” is pronounced like “[t]”in IPA format, when added to verbs endingin a voiceless consonants (c, ch, f, k, p, s, sh, x, )or their soundsas in:

placedt watchedt laughedt askedtstoppedt tapedt pickedt

passedt faxedt blessedtwashedt mixedt closedt

Note: Be careful not to make a vowel sound before the [ t ].

Rule 4:The past tense marker “-ed” is pronounced like [d]in IPA format, in all other cases, that is, when added to verbsending in a vowel sound, or one of the voiced consonants (b, g, l, m, n, r, v, w, y, z), or their sounds as in:

rubbedchanged warmed orderedbeggedcalled cried

glued snowed loved followed playedblazed learned

Note: Do not make a vowel sound before the [ d ].

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