Monthly Archives: May 2022

• Surf the In(t)ernet

  When the “t” sound comes after the “n” sound, it is often not pronounced. It becomes a silent “t”. The word “Internet” is often spoken as “Innernet”. The silent “t” is especially common in phrases (such as “San(t)a Claus”), contractions (such as “didn(‘t) it”), and verbs (such as “wan(t)ed”).

• Ideal situation

  The letter “t” is sometimes a “ch” sound, as in the word “situation”. An ideal situation is a standard that seems very good and that which one seeks to attain. What is an ideal situation for you?

• Mother’s Day

  The word “mother” has a “th” sound. The “th” sound is made with the tongue tip between the teeth. The tongue does not stop the air like the “d” sound. Instead, there is a slight flow of air between the tongue and the teeth. Did you remember your mother on Mother’s Day?

• Hello May!

  American English has “glided” vowel sounds. This means there is a slight “w” or “y” sound at the end. (The glides are the “w” and “y” sounds.) The “ay” sound in American English, as in “May”,  is longer than in some other languages and has a slight “y” sound at the end. To sound like […]

• Cherry blossoms

  Cherry trees are in bloom during the spring in some parts of the U.S., displaying beautiful blossoms. “Cherry blossom” is a compound noun. Compound nouns are usually stressed on the first base word. A compound noun often means something different than just the individual words put together. For example, a GREENhouse isn’t a green-colored house […]