Pronunciation tips

English pronunciation can be tricky. The way words are spoken does not always match how they are written, and many rules have exceptions. This can be confusing for learners from any country.

One letter that causes a lot of problems is “O.” It has many different sounds in English, and while there are some rules, you also need to remember the exceptions.

When “o” appears between two consonants, it usually sounds like /ɒ/. Examples: box, sorry, doll. But there are exceptions, like some and sorry.

When “o” is followed by a consonant + “e,” it usually sounds like /oʊ/. Examples: cope, slope.However, in words like done and some, it sounds like /ʌ/.

When “ol” or “oa” comes between consonants, the sound is often /oʊ/. Examples: gold, toad, road, told.

When “or” is between consonants, it usually has the sound /ɔː/. Examples: airport, fort, port.But again, there are exceptions, such as work and world, which use the sound /ɜː/.

Let’s practice!

Try reading these sentences out loud:

“I was told the yellow brick road is not made of gold.”

“Sorry, could you put the doll in the box?”

“I’ve done some traveling for work. I spent a lot of time in airports.”

How can you check the pronunciation of words?

One easy way is to use online tools. For example, you can go to howjsay.com and type in the word you want to practice. You can also use free dictionaries, such as Cambridge or Merriam-Webster online, which give you the sound in both British and American English. Listening and repeating is one of the best ways to train your ear and improve your speaking.

Want to practise some more? Check out the exercises section.

Ready to feel more confident when talking?