Common English Spelling Pronunciation Problems

Spelling words in English is challenging work. As a matter of fact, many native speakers of English have problems with spelling correctly. One of the main reasons for this is that many, many English words are NOT spelled as they are spoken. This difference between pronunciation and spelling causes a lot of confusion. The combination ough provides an excellent example: Tough - pronounced - tuf (the u sounding as in cup)Through - pronounced - throoDough - pronounced - doe (long o)Bought - pronounced - bawt Its enough to make anyone crazy! Here are some of the most common problems when spelling words in English. Three Syllables Pronounced as Two Syllables Aspirin - pronounced - asprinDifferent - pronounced - diffrentEvery - pronounced - evry Four Syllables Pronounced as Three Syllables Comfortable - pronounced - comfrtableTemperature - pronounced - tempratureVegetable - pronounced - vegtable Words That Sound the Same (Homophones) two, to, too - pronounced - tooknew, new - pronounced - niewthrough, threw - pronounced - throonot, knot, naught - pronounced - not Same Sounds - Different Spellings Eh as in Let letbreadsaid Ai as in I Isighbuyeither The following  letters are silent when pronounced. D  - sandwich, WednesdayG  - sign, foreignGH  - daughter, light, rightH  - why, honest, hourK  - know, knight, knobL  - should, walk, halfP  - cupboard, psychologyS  - islandT  - whistle, listen, fastenU  - guess, guitarW  - who, write, wrong Unusual Letter Combinations GH F: cough, laugh, enough, roughCH K: chemistry, headache, Christmas, stomachEA EH: breakfast, head, bread, insteadEA EI: steak, breakEA EE: weak, streakOU UH: country, double, enough