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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