9/i/,/i:/and/i/ The III, as in KIT, the /i:/, as in SHEEP and the /i/, as in the final sound in HAPPY are very similar to each other. Try reading the lines of this table horizontally, making the differences between each column clear. Remember that /i/ is a short sound, and /i:/ is a long sound, made with the tongue a little higher than the III. /\J is a shorter /i:/ sound which comes at the end of a word. Ill /i:/ hi lid -» lead -» literally hid ■» heed -» hippy pitch •* peach -» pity bid •» bead body risen reason ■» rosy bin -» been ■» beanie is ■» ease -» easy slip -» sleep •» slippery chip -» cheap ■> cheaply wit •» wheat witty lip leap ■» lippy hit heat ■> happy Tim ■» team ■» tiny ship -» sheep ■» sheepishly bit ■» beat bitterly dill * deal doily lick -» leak * lucky grid ■» greed ■» greedy live -» leave -» lively fill ■» feel •* finally 13/«/, /a/ and/d/ The /ae/, as in CAP, the /a/, as in CUP, and /d/, as in LOT, are often confused. Read the lines of this table horizontally, making the differences between each column clear. These are all short vowel sounds, /ae/ is a front vowel, while /a/ is made further back in the mouth, and the /d/ vowel has lip rounding. /ae/ /a/ /d/ trap truck -» trot cap ■» cup ■» cot pack ■» puppy ■» poppy hack -» hug ■» hob slap slug -» stop dad ■» duck ■» dock apple ■» plum orange rapper ■» rubber robber batter ■» butter ■» bottle haggle -» hunter ■» toggle whack ■» once ■» wash bad * blood ■» body fat ■> flood ■» foreign swagger ■» swum ■» swan bag ■» bus * box add udder ■» odd hand ■» hundred ■» hobbit cabbage ■» cupboard ■» cobble plait plug ■» plot mat mug ■» mop 12 /u/ and /u:/ People often mix up the /u/, as in FOOT, and the /u:/, as in GOOSE. Read the lines of this table horizontally, clearly sounding the different vowels. Remember that /u/ vowel is short, whereas the /u:/ is a long vowel sound. Oi'J /u:/ /u/ /u:/ foot ■» food good -» goose hood whose should ■» shoes woody * woozy look -» Luke sugar shoe full fool pull pool pudding poodle cook cool butcher -» boudoir hook •» hoover wolf ■» wound ambush •» beauty bullet ■* boot rook ■» route stood ■* stool woman ■» human crook ■» cruise 14 /3X/ and /a/ The /3:/,as in NURSE, and the /a/, as in LETTER, are often confused. Read the lines of this table horizontally, making the differences between each column clear. Remember that the NURSE words use a long vowel (with a silent r), and both COMMA and LETTER words end with the schwa. Be careful not to pronounce the r sound on the end of the LETTER words. NURSE / LETTER/a/ COMMA /a/ nurse neither -» Nina skirt * skier Sarah perfect ■» appear Paula work •¥ whisper wisteria earth ■» either * area journey ■» jeweller ■» Geneva church •* chancer ■* China bird •* bouncer -» bacteria certain ■» sister -» samosa early ■» earlier ■* arena learn lumbar ■* lava courtesy -» corner -* comma purple ■» potter -» panda stir -» singer ■» salsa version -» visor -» viva worse -» worker ■» Wilma heard ■» hoover •» hysteria German ■» gangster ■» gorilla earn ■» earner -> idea turn tower -» Tunisia 15 /e/ and /ei/ The /e/, as in DRESS, and the /ei/, as in FACE, are two more confusing sounds. The /e/ sound is short, while the /ei/ is a diphthong. Read across the table. hi /ei/ /e/ /ei/ rest -» race met mate red ■» raid neck ■» naked led ■» laid ten ■» attain bread -> braid technology ■» taken mess ■» mace second -» sake beckon ■* bacon edge age deaf ■* Dave chess ■» chase fell fail bet ■» bait fed fade Jennifer ■» Jane guess •* gaze get -» gate 16 The sounds of the letter a The job advert below demonstrates the different ways in which the letter a can be used in English spelling. Think about all of the pronunciations that can be required by the letter a. Try reading it aloud. Then, listen to the audio track to check if your pronunciation was correct. This advert has been placed in many national papers because we are planning to add to our fantastic team of Chartered Accountants. After three triumphant decades, we have established a reputation as a large, and dynamic company, and we are continuing to expand. This is the chance to gain experience in all areas of financial work. Typical daily activities will include: - Management of financial systems, and risk analysis. - Undertaking large-scale audits of major international companies. - Liaising with clients and advising on financial matters. - Evaluating and testing fiscal information. - Giving advice on taxation and associated treasury activities. - Maintaining accounts archives. - Advising on business transactions, mergers and acquisitions. - Preparing financial statements, and annual accounts. - Financial planning and forecasting. The ideal candidate will have the following desirable attributes: - A background in chartered accountancy. - An exemplary track-record. - An understanding of the daily tasks explained above. - Outstanding time management. - Considerable maturity and the ability to teach lower-ranking trainees. Deadline for applications: 3rd January. Please address all applications to the Managing Director, Edward Evering.