abalone. “æb’ uh LOH nee” (not “AH buh lohn”). A delicious seafood.
2. accessory. “æk SES uh ree” (not “æk ses SOH ree”). Subordinate part.
3. acknowledge. “æk NAH lij” (not “æk NOH lej”). Admit; give credit to.
4. acoustic. “uh KOOS tik” (not “uh KOHS tik”). Pertaining to hearing.
5. admirable. “ÆD muhr uh buhl” (not “æd MIR uh buhl”). Worthy of admiration.
6. adolescence. “ad’l ES ens” pronounced minus the “o” (not “uh DOL luh sens”). Period between
youth and maturity.
7. advocacy. “ÆD vuh kuh see” (not “uhd VO kuh see”). Active support, especially for a cause.
8. affidavit. “æf i DEI vit” (not “æf i DÆ vit”). A sworn statement in writing.
9. allegedly. “uh LEJ id lee” (not “uh LEJD lee”). Supposedly.
10. almond. “ÆM uhnd” (not “ÆL muhnd”). A delicious nut.
11. alms. “ahmz” (You don’t pronounce the “l”). Money or goods given in charity.
12. alumnae. “uh LAHM nee” (not “uh LAHM nei”). Feminine of alumnus.
13. amoebiasis. “æm’ uh BIGH uh sis” (not “uh mib YAH sis”). Infection caused by the amoeba
Entamoeba histolytica.
14. analgesic. “æn uhl JEE zik” (not “æn uhl JE sik”). Pain reliever.
15. any. “EN ee” (not “EY nee”). One chosen at random.
16. applicable. “ÆP li kuh buhl” (not “ahp LEE kuh buhl”). Able to be applied; appropriate.
17. appreciate. “uh PREE shee eit” (not “AHP ree sheit”). To recognize the quality, significance, or
magnitude of something or someone.
18. associate. “uh SOH shee eit” (not “AH soh sheit”). Colleague.
19. asthma. “AHZ muh” (not “AHST muh”). A respiratory illness often arising from allergies.
20. attaché. “ah tuh SHEI” (not “ah TAT chee”). One assigned to the staff of a diplomatic mission to
serve in a given capacity.
21. attorney. “uh TURN nee” (not “uh TOR nee”). A legal agent qualified to act for persons in legal
proceedings.
22. awardee. “uh wor DEE” (not “uh WAHR dee”). One that receives an award.
23. bamboo. “bæm BOO” (not “BÆM boo”). Any of various woody mostly tall tropical grasses
including some with strong hollow stems used for building, furniture, or utensils.
24. beneficiary. “ben uh FISH ee er ee” (not “buh ne’ fish YAHR ee”). Receiver of benefits.
25. bicuspid. “bigh KAHS pid” (not “BIGH kuhs pid”). Having two points or cusps.
26. boutique. “boo TEEK” (not “boh TEEK”). A kind of specialty shop, now used to describe also
small hotels.
27. broccoli. “BROK uh lee” (not “bro KOHL ee”). A delicious vegetable.
28. bury/burial. “BER ee”/”BER ee uhl” (not “BUHR ee”/”BUHR ee uhl”). Inter/internment.
29. busy. “BIZ ee” (Pronounced with a “z”). Filled with activity.
30. category. “KÆT uh go ri” (not “kuh TE go ri”). Class.
31. cement. “si MENT” (not “seh MENT”). Bond.
32. cemetery. “SEM i ter ee” (not “se MEN tuh ree”). Burial grounds.
33. chocolate. “CHOK lit” or “CHOK uh lit” (not “CHO kuh leit”). A food prepared from ground
roasted cacao beans.
34. cleanliness. “KLEN lee nis” (not “KLEEN li nes”). State of being clean.
35. climb. Pronounced with silent “b.” To ascend using the hands and feet.
36. comfortable. “KAHM fuhr tuh bl” or “KAHMF tuh buhl” (not “kuhm FOR tuh bl”). Providing
comfort or security.
37. condolence. “kuhn DOHL ens” (not “KON doh lens”). An expression of sympathy with a person
in grief.
38. confirm. “kuhn FURM” (not “kuhn FEERM”). To verify.
39. Connecticut. “kuh NET i kuht” (Silent “c”). A US state.
40. controversy. “KAHN truh vur’ see” (not “kon TRO vur see”). A dispute characterized by the
expression of opposing views.
41. corps. “kor” or “kohr”. A group of people with special training, organized for working together,
or associated under a common direction.
42. coupon. “KOO pahn” or “KYOO pahn” (not “KOO p0n”). A detachable slip.
43. debut. “dei BYOO” or “DEI byoo” (not “di BOO”). A first public appearance; the formal
presentation of a girl to society.
44. didn’t. Use the inner part of the tongue for the second “d” to slide on to the “n” (not
“din’t”). Contraction of ‘did not.’
45. douche. “doosh.” A jet of fluid (as water) directed against a part or into a cavity in the body.
46. education. “ej uh KEI shuhn” (not “ed yoo KEI shuhn”). The process of learning.
47. embryo. “EM bree oh” (not “em BRIGH yoh”). An organism in its early developmental stage,
especially before it has reached a distinctively recognizable form.
48. entrepreneur. “on’ truh pruh NUR” (not “en TUR puh noor”). One who organizes, operates,
and assumes the risk in a business venture.
49. exciting. “ik SIGHT ing” (not “eg SIGHT ing”). Creating or producing excitement.
50. executive. “ig ZEK yuh tiv” (not “ik SEK yuh tiv”). Administrator or manager.
51. faux pas. “foh PAH” (not “FOHX pas”). French word for “false step,” figuratively meaning
“social blunder.”
52. gargantuan. “gahr GÆN choo uhn” (not “gahr’ guhn TOO uhn”). Immense in size or volume.
53. genre. “ZHAN ruh” (not “JEN re”). Type or class.
54. gourmet. “goor MEI” or “GOOR mei” (not “gor MEI”). A connoisseur of good food and drink.
55. hacienda. This is a Spanish word so the first letter must be silent. Country estate.
56. handsome. “HÆN suhm” with a silent “d” (not “HÆND suhm”). Pleasing and dignified.
57. heinous. “HEI nuhs” (not “HEE nuhs” or “HIGH nuhs”). Grossly wicked or deserving strong
condemnation.
58. hippopotamus. “hip’ uh PAHT uh muhs” (not “hee’ puh puh TAHM uhs”). A large, short-
legged, chiefly aquatic African mammal.
59. humongous. “hyuh MAHNG guhs” (not “hu MONG gohs”). Extremely large.
60. idiot. “ID ee uht” (not “EE juht”). Mentally deficient person.
61. indigent. “IN di juhnt” (not “in DIGH jent”). Without means of subsistence; impoverished.
62. ingenuity. “in juh NOO i tee” (not “in JEN wi ti”). Cleverness.
63. journal. “JUR nuhl” (not “JOR nuhl”). Diary.
64. knowledge. “NAHL ij” (not “NOH lej”). Understanding gained by actual experience.
65. Kuwait. “kuh WEIT” (not “kweit”). An Arab country in Western Asia.
66. legume. “LEG yoom” (not “LE joom”). Any of a large family of plants having fruits that are dry
pods and split when ripe.
67. lettuce. “LET uhs” (not “LET is”). Vegetable that is best eaten fresh.
68. lip-synch. “LIP sink” (not “LIP sing”). To move the lips in synchronization with recorded sound.
69. lychee. “LEE chee” (not “LIGH chee”). An oval fruit with a hard scaly outer covering , a small
hard seed, and edible flesh.
70. mahjong/mahjongg. “mah ZHAHNG” or “mah ZHONG” (not “mah JONG”). A Chinese game.
71. maniac. “MEIN yuhk” (not “MAHN yahk”). Pervert.
72. mayonnaise. “MEI uh neiz” or “mei uh NEIZ” (not “MAH yuh neiz”). A dressing of beaten egg
yolk, oil, lemon juice or vinegar, and seasonings.
73. nuisance. “NOO suhns” or “NYOO suhns” (not “NOOY sahns”). Inconvenient or vexatious; a
bother.
74. nuptial. “NAHP shuhl” (not “NOOP shuhl”). Regarding wedding or marriage.
75. orange. “AH rinj” (not “OH reinj”). A citrus fruit.
76. orator. “OR uh tuhr” (not “oh REI tuhr”). One who makes an oration.
77. parachute. “PAHR uh shoot” (not “PAHR uh kyoot”). An apparatus used to retard free fall in
descending from an airplby ane or from a great height.
78. picture. “PIK chuhr” (not “PICH uhr”). A representation made by painting, drawing, or
photography.
79. Porsche. “POR shuh” (not “porsh”). A brand of an expensive sports car.
80. preface. “PREF is” (not “PRI feis”). Introductory statement or essay.
81. pseudonym. “SOOD’n im” (not “SYOO duh nim”). A fictitious name taken on by an author; pen
name.
82. Quaker Oats. “KWEI kuhr ohts'” (not “KWAH ker ots”). Brand name of a very popular oat
meal.
83. query. “KWIR ee” (not “KWER ee”). Request for information.
84. rendezvous. “RAHN dei voo” (not “REN des voos”). Meeting place.
85. salmon. “SÆ muhn” (not “SAHL muhn”). Pronounced with a silent “l.” Food fish.
86. sauce. “sos” (not “sohs”). A flavorful liquid dressing or relish for food.
87. sergeant. “SAHR juhnt” (not “SUR jent”). A non-commissioned officer.
88. species. “SPEE sheez” (not “SPE sees”). A fundamental classification category in biology.
89. suicide. “SOO i sighd” (not “SWI sighd”). Intentional killing of oneself.
90. tarantula. “tuh RAHN chuh luh” (not “tah’ ruhn TOOL uh”). Any of various large, hairy
tropical spiders capable of inflicting a painful but not seriously poisonous bite.
91. thesis/theses. “THEE sis” (for singular) and “THEE seez” (for plural). A proposition maintained
by argument.
92. tortoise. “TOR tuhs” (not “TOR tois”). Turtle that lives only on land.
93. tourniquet. “TOOR ni kit” or “TUR ni kit” (not “TOOR ni kei”). A first aid device to
temporarily stop the flow of blood through an artery.
94. Tucson. “TOO sahn” (not “TOOK suhn”). City in Phoenix, Arizona, USA; brand name of an
SUV made in Korea.
95. turquoise. “TUHR kwoiz” (not “TUHR kois”). A blue or blue-green mineral valued in the
polished blue form as a gemstone.
96. typhus. “TIGH fuhs” (not “TEE puhs”). Any of several forms of an infectious disease caused by
a rickettsia microorganism carried by fleas, ticks, mites, or lice.
97. utensil. “yoo TEN sil” (not “YOO ten sil”). An implement or tool.
98. Worcestershire. “WOOS tuhr shir” (not “wur CHES tuhr shighr”). Trademark of a piquant
sauce of soy, vinegar, and spices.
99. worry. “WUR ee” (not “WOR ee”). To feel uneasy.
100. zucchini. “zoo KEE nee.” A European vegetable.
1. Chocolate – /ˈtʃɑk·lət/ (US)
Many Filipinos, including myself, are used to pronouncing chocolate as
“Cho-co-leit” (Cho-co-late) as a three syllable word. Notice, however,
that the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) symbols for this word has
only two syllables -ˈtʃɑk·lət. We are also used to pronouncing its last
syllable like the English word “late”.
Listen to the proper pronunciation of “chocolate” by playing the video
below.
2. Indigent – /ˈɪn·dɪ·dʒənt/ (US)
I usually hear this word when people are talking about the qualifications
to be considered as “indigent” (they pronounce it “in-day-jent”) for a
certain Philippine Government program called 4Ps or “The Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program.”
Listen to the proper pronunciation of “indigent” by playing the video
below.
3. YouTube – /juː.tuːb/ (US)
There is a consideration on this one. If you’re using British accent, then it
is okay to say youtube (ˈjuː.tʃuːb) sounds like “yu-choob”. However, in
the Philippines, it is common to imitate the American way of enunciating
words. So the pronunciation sounds like “yu-tub” without the “ch” sound
for the last syllable.
Listen here.
4. Tutor – /ˈtu·t̬ər/ (US)
This is a little bit funny because some of our fellow ESL tutors often
pronounce “tutor” as “choo-tor.”
Listen to its proper pronunciation.
5. News – /nuz/ (US)
Whether we are referring to the news media or the news they provide,
the proper pronunciation for the word “news” is “nuz”, not “nyus”.
Listen here.
This also applies to the word “new” /nu/. So when you say “New York”, it
would sound like “Nu York” not “Nyu York”.
Listen here.
6. Cleanliness – /ˈklen·li·nəs/ (US)
This is a bit tricky because the word “clean” is pronounced “klin”. But in
the word “cleanliness”, the first syllable is pronounced “klen”.
Listen here.
7. Cocoa – /ˈkoʊ·koʊ/ (US)
So this is pronounced “kow-kow” not “ko-kowa”.
Still not convinced? Listen here.
8. Debut – /ˈdeɪ·bju/ or /deɪˈbju/ (US)
This means the first public appearance of something, like a music album,
song, or film. Many Filipinos usually pronounce this as “di-bu” or “dee-
bu”. But the correct pronunciation is ˈdeɪ·bju (dei-byoo)
Listen for the correct pronunciation here.
If you are unsure how to enunciate an English word, it is always a good
idea to consult a dictionary. The online dictionary
“[Link]” provides comprehensive guide to help
you pronounce an English word both for US and UK accents.
