Rules of pronunciation

 GENERAL RULES OF PRONUNCIATION

1)Short Words always have short vowels. They are mostly a single syllable word.

Example: 

sit, put etc

2) If two vowels come consecutively in a word, it is pronounced as a single letter. Usually the first vowel sound is elongated.

Example: 

Meat, e sound is elongated. 

This is considered to be a long vowel.

3) Vowel sounds in front of double consonants are pronounced as short vowels.

Example:

Dinner, the i sound is pronounced as a short vowel.

4) E sound at the end of words are not pronounced .

Example:

site , kite (e- sound is not pronounced)

5) c sound is pronounced as s if it comes after i, e or y.

Example: 

city, century, cycle (c is pronounced as s)

6) s is pronounced as z if it comes between two vowels.

Example:

Phase, Please

7) Two consecutive consonants are considered and pronounced as a single letter.

Example: 

occur, buzz

8) The letter y acts both as a vowel and consonant.

i) It acts as a consonant in front of a word.

Example: 

Young

ii) At the end of words like play, lay  it acts as a vowel.( a sound)

In words like cry, fry it acts as a vowel. (ai sound)