How to Pronounce Words with Difficult Consonant Combinations: A Guide

Pronouncing certain consonant combinations can be a challenge for English learners and native speakers alike. Words with ph, sh, th, gh, ch, ci, ti, su, sure, ture, tion, and sion can be particularly difficult to pronounce accurately. In this article, we will provide tips and tricks for correctly pronouncing these consonant combinations, as well as common mistakes to avoid.

Pronouncing Words with PH

The combination of "ph" is pronounced as the "f" sound in English. Here are six examples of words with the "ph" combination:

1. Phone - pronounced as "fone"
2. Photo - pronounced as "foto"
3. Phrase - pronounced as "frayz"
4. Pharaoh - pronounced as "faro"
5. Pharmacy - pronounced as "farmacy"
6. Phase - pronounced as "faze"

A trick to remember the correct pronunciation of "ph" is to think of the word "fantastic," which also has the "ph" combination and is pronounced with an "f" sound.

Mistakes to avoid: Do not pronounce the "ph" combination as "p" or "ph" (e.g. "pone," "pharmacy").

Pronouncing Words with SH

The combination of "sh" is pronounced as the "sh" sound in English. Here are six examples of words with the "sh" combination:

1. Ship - pronounced as "shipp"
2. Shirt - pronounced as "shurt"
3. Shoe - pronounced as "shoo"
4. Shell - pronounced as "shell"
5. Shine - pronounced as "shine"
6. Shock - pronounced as "shock"

A trick to remember the correct pronunciation of "sh" is to think of the word "shower," which also has the "sh" combination and is pronounced with a "sh" sound.

Mistakes to avoid: Do not pronounce the "sh" combination as "s" or "ch" (e.g. "sip," "choe").

Pronouncing Words with TH

The combination of "th" can be pronounced as either the "th" sound in "thin" or the "th" sound in "this" in English. Here are six examples of words with the "th" combination and their corresponding pronunciations:

1. Thin - pronounced as "thin"
2. Thirst - pronounced as "thurst"
3. Thick - pronounced as "thick"
4. Three - pronounced as "three"
5. Thief - pronounced as "theef"
6. Thumb - pronounced as "thumb"

A trick to remember the correct pronunciation of "th" is to think of the words "thin" and "this," which both have the "th" combination and are pronounced with different "th" sounds.

Mistakes to avoid: Do not pronounce the "th" combination as "t" or "f" (e.g. "tin," "fink").

Pronouncing Words with GH

The combination of "gh" can be pronounced as either the "f" sound in "rough" or the "g" sound in "ghost" in English. Here are six examples of words with the "gh" combination and their corresponding pronunciations:

1. Rough - pronounced as "ruff"
2. Tough - pronounced as "tuff"
3. Laugh - pronounced as "laugh"
4. Ghost - pronounced as "ghost"
5. Right - pronounced as "right"
6. Weight - pronounced as "weight"

A trick to remember the correct pronunciation of "gh" is to remember that words with the "gh" combination that come before a vowel or the letter "t" are usually pronounced with an "f" sound (e.g. "rough," "tough"), while words with the "gh" combination that come before a consonant are usually pronounced with a "g" sound (e.g. "ghost," "right").

Mistakes to avoid: Do not pronounce the "gh" combination as "h" or "k" (e.g. "ruh," "weikt").

Pronouncing Words with CH

The combination of "ch" is pronounced as the "ch" sound in English. Here are six examples of words with the "ch" combination:

1. Chair - pronounced as "chair"
2. Chef - pronounced as "chef"
3. Church - pronounced as "church"
4. Chat - pronounced as "chat"
5. Child - pronounced as "child"
6. China - pronounced as "china"

A trick to remember the correct pronunciation of "ch" is to think of the word "chocolate," which also has the "ch" combination and is pronounced with a "ch" sound.

Mistakes to avoid: Do not pronounce the "ch" combination as "sh" or "k" (e.g. "shair," "kitch").

Pronouncing Words with CI, TI, and SU

The combinations of "ci," "ti," and "su" are pronounced as a combination of the letters "s" and "h" in English. Here are six examples of words with the "ci," "ti," and "su" combinations:

1. Special - pronounced as "special"
2. Nation - pronounced as "nation"
3. Patient - pronounced as "patient"
4. Action - pronounced as "action"
5. Nation - pronounced as "nation"
6. Passion - pronounced as "passion"

A trick to remember the correct pronunciation of "ci," "ti," and "su" is to think of the word "sushi," which also has the "su" combination and is pronounced with an "sh" sound.

Mistakes to avoid: Do not pronounce the "ci," "ti," and "su" combinations as "s" or "k" (e.g. "speshal," "pashen").

Pronouncing Words with SURE and TURE

The combinations of "sure" and "ture" are pronounced as the "shur" and "chur" sounds, respectively, in English. Here are six examples of words with the "sure" and "ture" combinations:

1. Sure - pronounced as "shur"
2. Treasure - pronounced as "treasure"
3. Secure - pronounced as "secure"
4. Picture - pronounced as "picture"
5. Culture - pronounced as "culture"
6. Nature - pronounced as "nature"

A trick to remember the correct pronunciation of "sure" and "ture" is to remember that "sure" is pronounced with an "shur" sound, while "ture" is pronounced with a "chur" sound.

Mistakes to avoid: Do not pronounce the "sure" and "ture" combinations as "sir"

or "tur" (e.g. "sir," "turr").

Pronouncing Words with TION and SION

The combinations of "tion" and "sion" are pronounced as the "shun" and "zhun" sounds, respectively, in English. Here are six examples of words with the "tion" and "sion" combinations:

1. Nation - pronounced as "nation"
2. Action - pronounced as "action"
3. Motion - pronounced as "motion"
4. Passion - pronounced as "passion"
5. Vision - pronounced as "vision"
6. Decision - pronounced as "decision"

A trick to remember the correct pronunciation of "tion" and "sion" is to remember that "tion" is pronounced with a "shun" sound, while "sion" is pronounced with a "zhun" sound.

Mistakes to avoid: Do not pronounce the "tion" and "sion" combinations as "dun" or "sun" (e.g. "na-dun," "vi-sun").

In conclusion, correctly pronouncing words with difficult consonant combinations can be a challenge, but with practice and these helpful tips and tricks, you can improve your pronunciation and confidently use these words in your spoken English. Always remember to listen to native speakers and pay attention to the correct pronunciation of these consonant combinations in order to improve your skills.