#EngTrivia: Commonly mispronounced words

Sometimes while we’re reading, we find a new word which we don’t know how to pronounce, at least until we check the dictionary or consult our teachers. In this article, we are going to discuss several commonly mispronounced words.

Buffet.
- We, in Indonesia, often mispronounce this word as ‘boo-fet,’ while the correct pronunciation is ‘bəˈfā’ (buh-fé).
Ibiza.
- It’s pronounced ‘ee-bee-tha’ instead of ‘ee-bee-tza.’
Determine.
- I often mispronounce this word, too. I say ‘dee-ter-mine’ while the correct pronunciation is ‘dee-ter-meen.’
Doubt and debt.
- The letter ‘b’ in both words is silent, so the words are pronounced ‘dout’ and ‘det.’
Bear.
- It’s pronounced ‘be(ə)r’ instead of ‘beer’ (drink).
Duty.
- The correct pronunciation is ‘d(y)o͞otē,’ not ‘duh-tee.’
Sword.
- The word has silent ‘w’, and it’s pronounced ‘sôrd.’
Angle.
- The word is pronounced ‘aNGgəl’ not to be confused with ‘angel (ānjəl).’
Would, should, could.
- Again, the ‘l’ is silent, so the words are pronounced ‘wood’, ‘shood’, and ‘kood.’
Castle.
- Instead of ‘kastel’, the word is pronounced ‘kasəl.’

There you go, fellas! Albeit being a short one, I hope this #EngTrivia article is useful for you. Whenever you learn a new word, learn also how to pronounce it correctly so your interlocutor can understand you perfectly. Thank you very much for reading this article!

Compiled by @alicesaraswati for @EnglishTips4U on Monday, May 23, 2016