Pronunciation (W/O Audio)

Word-initial face, fact, fade, fail, faint, fair, fake, fall, false, fan, far, farm, fast, fat, fate, fault, fear, feed, feel, fence, fetch, fight, file, fill, film, find, fine, fire, firm, first, fish, fist, fit, five, fix, fog, foil, fold, food, fool, foot, force, fork, form, four, fox, full, fun, fur, phone

Word-medial afford, before, benefit, buffalo, coffee, defeat, defend, define, differ, difficult, effort, muffin, nephew, offer, office, perform, prefer, professor, profit, qualify, refer, suffer, trophy, uniform

Word-final beef, belief, brief, chief, cliff, cough, deaf, enough, grief, half, knife, laugh, off, proof, relief, roof, rough, safe, scarf, sniff, staff, stiff, stuff, thief, tough, wife

Multiple faithful, falafel, falsify, fanfare, fearful, fifteen, fifty, firefly, fluff, forefinger, fulfill, funfair, philosophy, photograph

Phrases a familiar face, facts and figures, fear of failure, fame and fortune, family and friends, a lifelong fan, a fruit farm, an awful fate, a film festival, a fair fight, official figures, freshwater fish, as fit as a fiddle, difficult to follow, frozen food, forgive and forget, a knife and fork, a faithful friend, a coughing fit, half and half, a flat roof, the phonetic alphabet, fresh coffee, a futile effort, a free gift, the facts of life, a father figure

Sentences 1

1. This colorful floral fabric’s fabulous.

2. A fond farewell to our faithful friends!

3. Humphrey had a fierce frown on his face.

4. Jennifer stuffed herself with comfort food.

5. I infinitely prefer fresh fruit to frozen fruit.

6. Daphne was profoundly deaf in her left ear.

7. Don’t forget that a first draft isn’t a final draft.

8. There were four or five familiar faces on the staff.

9. We found the perfect gift for our unforgettable friend.

10. Fiona and her fiancé had terrific fun at the folk festival.

Sentences 2

1. Phoebe suffered from whooping cough at the age of four.

2. Fortunately, there was a friendly atmosphere in the office.

3. Philip feared that they would laugh in his girlfriend’s face.

4. Frank’s former wife finds it difficult to forgive and forget.

5. Ralph’s photos of the butterflies and flowers are beautiful.

6. To Fred’s relief, there was a brief bibliography in the pamphlet.

7. Christopher was grateful when we offered him a lift to Memphis.

8. The conference facilities were first-class, and the food was fantastic.

9. My father intensified his efforts to find sufficient funds to finance the deficit.

10. We had hoped to find fresh footprints the following afternoon but failed to do so.

Dialogue 

A: Enough is enough. I’m finished with fatty foods forever. 

B: Muffins? French fries? Fudge? Fried fish? Fast food? 

A: I’m off fat forever. From now on, it’s coffee and cigarettes for me. I’ll be as fit as a fiddle. 

B: That’s far-fetched. 

A: It’s the famous coughing diet. 

B: The infamous coffin diet is more like it.

Word-initial chef, shake, shame, shape, share, shark, sharp, shave, sheep, sheet, shelf, shell, shield, shift, ship, shirt, shock, shoe, shoot, shop, short, shot, shout, shove, show, shut, shy, sugar, sure

Word-medial action, ambition, ancient, auction, audition, beneficial, bishop, caption, caution, connection, delicious, edition, emotion, fashion, fiction, issue, lotion, magician, mission, motion, mushroom, ocean, passion, portion, ration, session, station

Word-final ambush, astonish, banish, blush, brush, bush, cash, clash, crash, crush, dash, English, establish, finish, fish, flash, flesh, fresh, hush, leash, push, rash, rush, smash, splash, squash, varnish, wash, wish

Multiple appreciation, initiation, negotiation, sheepish, shellfish

Phrases cherish an ambition, a shaving brush, a cash machine, short of cash, a champagne reception, fresh fish, a controversial issue, shampoo and conditioner, sheep shearing, fresh sheets, a makeshift shelter, a fresh shirt, shoe polish, a fashion shoot, a shoe shop, a fashion show

Sentences 1

1. He shrank back into the shadow of a shrub.

2. Joshua polished his shoes until they were shiny.

3. Are there any sugar plantations in Bangladesh?

4. Sharon and Sean went shark fishing in the ocean.

5. The fashion show was shot on location in Chicago.

6. An ancient ship washed up on the shores of Croatia.

7. They wished to publish a special issue on education.

8. He rode roughshod over the wishes of the shareholders.

9. Our destination was a sheep-shearing station in the bush.

10. We specialize in pashmina ponchos and crocheted shawls.

Sentences 2

1. If you’re short of cash, there’s a cash machine at the station.

2. The optician refurbished his old-fashioned shop in Nashville.

3. I’m partial to sherry, but I find traditional British cider atrocious.

4. Ashley’s dish was garnished with mushrooms and fresh radishes.

5. Sheila shrugged her shoulders impatiently and shivered with repulsion.

6. Shirley was anxious that her shorts would shrink in the washing machine.

7. Natasha has an astonishing collection of Chopin, Schubert, and Schumann.

8. We took exception to his wishy-washy positions on this contentious issue.

9. We have a sensational selection of shampoos and conditioners on our shelves.

10. We had fish and shrimp washed down with Danish schnapps and champagne.

Dialogue 

A: I wish you’d shut up about fashion. 

B: I wish you’d shut up about fishing. 

A: Your collection of shiny shoes should be sent to the garbage dump. 

B: Your fishing contraptions should be shoved into the ocean.

Word-initial chain, chair, chalk, chance, change, chant, charge, charm, chart, chase, chat, cheap, cheat, check, cheek, cheer, cheese, chess, chest, chew, chief, child, chill, chip, choice, choose, chop, chore

Word-medial achieve, adventurous, bachelor, butcher, feature, fortune, future, kitchen, mutual, nature, orchard, situation, statue, teacher, virtue

Word-final arch, beach, bench, bleach, branch, brooch, bunch, catch, coach, couch, each, fetch, itch, march, match, much, patch, peach, pitch, reach, rich, scorch, scratch, screech, sketch, snatch, speech, stretch, such, switch, teach, torch, touch, watch, witch, church

Phrases a challenging question, matching chairs, an intellectual challenge, a torture chamber, a chunk of cheese, a bunch of cherries, a chess champion, catch a chill, chocolate chips, eye-catching features, a change of fortune, scratch an itch, a catch-22 situation, a charcoal sketch, cheddar cheese, a spiritual teacher

Sentences 1

1. I had chicken enchiladas for lunch.

2. Rachel reached out to touch his cheek.

3. Add chocolate chips to the mixture.

4. The chimp let out a high-pitched screech.

5. She teaches Chinese literature and culture.

6. These mid-century kitchen chairs are charming.

7. I munched a peach and a whole bunch of cherries.

8. How much did the butcher charge for those chops?

9. If the temperature changes, you might catch a chill.

10. The adventurers eventually reached Chile in March.

Sentences 2

1. He saw the chance for a change in their future fortune.

2. We approached the eye-catching statues on the beach.

3. The coach congratulated them on the victory over China.

4. This charcoal sketch of Charlie Chaplin is worth a fortune.

5. I watched the chess championship with my friend Chad.

6. He preaches the virtues of a contextual approach to research.

7. The child chose the chocolate cheesecake.

8. That cheerful guy with the chiseled features is our French lecturer.

9. You have a choice of cheddar cheese or chicken in your sandwich.

10. We tried to catch snatches of the exchange between Richard and Chuck.

Dialogue 

A: Mitch chose cheap cheddar cheese and chips for lunch. 

B: I’m itching for a change. Cheese and chips daily is a challenge. 

A: In the future, you can reach into your own pocket and choose your own lunch – chicken, pork chops, fresh cherries, peaches . . . 

B: Maybe cheddar cheese and chips isn’t such a bad choice after all. Break me off a chunk of cheddar, would you?

Word-initial the, this, that, these, those, they, them, then, thus, there, theirs, though, than

Word-medial another, bother, brother, clothing, dither, either, farther, father, feather, further, gather, heather, lather, leather, mother, neither, nevertheless, other, scathing, slither, smoothie, soothing, together, wither, worthy

Word-final bathe, breathe, clothe, loathe, smooth, soothe

Phrases mother and father, gather together, the Netherlands

Sentences 1

1. I can’t fathom this weather.

2. His forefathers were heathens.

3. My brother sheathed the scythe.

4. It’s a rather monotonous rhythm.

5. Wuthering Heights is worthy literature.

6. My godmother lives in the Netherlands.

7. My stepfather was at the end of his tether.

8. No denim or leather clothing may be worn.

9. My grandfather gathered his relatives together.

10. Those two are as featherbrained as each other.

Sentences 2

1. They went hither and thither gathering heather.

2. Neither my mother nor my father will be there.

3. I’m putting together a menu for a get-together.

4. Heather has a soothing influence on my brother.

5. He didn’t smother her or breathe down her neck.

6. He was a Southerner born in Weatherford, Texas.

7. Her grandmother gave these clothes to my mother.

8. Could I bother you for directions to the smoothie bar?

9. I loathe his scathing remarks and holier-than-thou attitude.

10. It was inlaid with mother-of-pearl and wreathed with feathers.

Dialogue 

A: My brother’s mother’s rather bothersome. 

B: Your brother’s mother? That’s your mother. 

A: No. My brother’s mother and my father got together after my mother ran off with my father’s brother. 

B: Ah, so your father’s your brother’s father, but your mother isn’t your brother’s mother. 

A: Yes, he’s my brother from another mother.

Word-initial damp, dance, dare, dark, dart, date, day, deaf, deal, debt, deep, desk, die, dig, dime, dirt, dish, ditch, dive, do, dog, doll, door, dose, dot, doubt, down, duck, dull, dump, dust

Word-medial adopt, audition, body, comedy, corridor, edit, freedom, idea, idiom, ladder, lady, melody, murder, powder, predict, product, ready, ridiculous, shadow, spider, study, tradition, widow

Before /r/ draft, drag, drain, draw, dread, dream, dreary, dress, drift, drill, drink, drive, drone, drop, drown, drug, drum, dry

Word-final add, bad, beard, bed, bird, bread, bride, broad, card, cloud, code, fade, feed, flood, food, glad, good, grade, guard, guide, hard, head, hide, load, loud, mood, mud, need, odd, proud, red, ride, road, sad, seed, shade, side, speed, spread, weed, weird, wide, wood, word

Multiple daffodil, dead, decide, dedicate, deed, defend, demand, depend, divide

Phrases an added advantage, sound advice, a reddish beard, a dead body, an ideal candidate, widespread damage, today’s date, dead and buried, a good deed, a deep desire, the dish of the day, a bad dream, a drunk driver, from dawn to dusk, food and drink, a stupid idiot, a needle and thread, shoulder blades, the speed of sound, double standards, weird and wonderful, words of wisdom, the good old days

Sentences 1

1. Did it happen by accident or by design?

2. The ducks are paddling like mad around the pond.

3. By Friday, news of the scandal had spread worldwide.

4. The farmhands toiled in the fields from dawn to dusk.

5. My friend’s understanding made a world of difference.

6. Richard was an ideal candidate for the board of directors.

7. The gold pendant is studded with diamonds and emeralds.

8. They drove down the dead-end road and then turned around.

9. Linda needed a friendly word of advice to provide some direction.

10. Outdated words and idioms should be excluded from the dictionary.

Sentences 2

1. Suddenly a deafening sound of thunder could be heard in the distance.

2. These Scandinavian designers deserve credit for daring to be different.

3. The document concluded that the incident had been handled adequately.

4. I can recommend this comedy if you don’t mind suspending your disbelief.

5. Appendix D describes the data and the methodology adopted for this study.

6. They endeavored to remedy the fundamental design defects in the building.

7. My husband ordered the dish of the day, and I had a delicious seafood salad.

8. The doctors admitted that the medical records had been accidentally destroyed.

9. Danny’s daughter dreams of spending her birthday in Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

10. The head of the department decided to include on the agenda a discussion of academic freedom.

Dialogue 

A: Did Dean do the dishes yesterday? 

B: He said he would, but in the end, Fred had to do them. 

A: I told you so, didn’t I? I said you should definitely doubt Dean’s word. 

B: I decided to find out for myself, and he indeed proved to be a devious devil and avoided washing the dirty dishes after dinner.

Word-initial one, wage, wait, wake, walk, wall, want, war, warm, wash, wasp, watch, water, wave, way, web, well, went, west, wet, wheel, while, whip, white, why, wide, wife, wig, wild, will, win, wine, wipe, wire, wish, witch, wolf, wood, wool, word, work, world, worm, worse

Word-medial awake, award, aware, away, equal, farewell, firewood, highway, kiwi, leeway, liquid, microwave, motorway, otherwise, paperwork, penguin, reward, seaweed, sequence, squad, square, squash, squeeze, sweet, swallow, swim, swan, swap, swear, sweat, swing

Multiple one-to-one, quick-witted, swimwear, twenty-one, walkway, wall-to-wall, watchword, wayward, well-worn, werewolf, westward, whirlwind, whitewash, wickerwork, wigwam, wishy-washy, woodwind, woodwork, woodworm, worthwhile

Phrases words of wisdom, wide awake, win an award, a farewell banquet, liquid waste, a qualified midwife, an awkward question, a white swan, a quick swim, a walk-in wardrobe, wonderfully warm weather, wise words, lukewarm water, the way forward, a white wedding, weird and wonderful, a wishing well, a wealthy widow, white wine, wit and wisdom, word for word, a swear word

Sentences 1

1. Why worry about the weather, Edward?

2. Gwen wore a wig at the awards banquet.

3. When it’s wet, wear waterproof rainwear.

4. William was wounded twice in World War I.

5. Wayne would do well to watch his language.

6. I frequently quoted my wife’s words of wisdom.

7. We watched the whales with wide-eyed wonder.

8. Wendy’s unquestionably a woman of the world.

9. The women wept and wailed when he went away.

10. We watched them weave their way through the swamp.

Sentences 2

1. We were wondering why she quarreled with the midwife.

2. Woolen sweaters should be washed with lukewarm water.

3. Gwyneth was woken up by the squeak of the wagon wheels.

4. The quality of his work’s without equal in the Western world.

5. We went to a one-week workshop on language and linguistics.

6. The walkers watched the white-crested waves sweep towards them.

7. The watermelons were sweet, mouth-watering, and thirst-quenching.

8. While wearing a white swimsuit, she waded waist-deep into the water.

9. Walter switched between wanting to be a waiter and a welfare worker.

10. Watching wildlife in the wonderful tranquility of the woods was rewarding.

Dialogue 

A: Why won’t you wear the wool sweater I made you? 

B: Itchy wool is the worst thing in the world. 

A: It’s wonderfully warm on windy days. 

B: Well, if you want, I’ll wait until winter and wear it then.

Word-initial sad, safe, salt, same, sand, saw, say, sea, search, see, seem, self, sell, send, sick, side, sight, sign, sing, sink, sit, size, soap, sob, sock, soft, soil, son, song, sore, sort, sound, soup, south, suit, sun

Word-medial basic, bossy, classic, conversation, decide, essay, gossip, impressive, jealousy, massive, possible, receive, reception, recipe

Word-final base, bus, case, chase, chess, choice, class, course, cross, dress, face, fierce, force, glass, grease, guess, hiss, horse, house, kiss, less, loss, mess, nice, pass, place, plus, press, price, purse, race, twice, voice, worse, yes

Multiple access, assess, assistance, basis, circus, consist, crisis, discuss, distance, insist, precise, process, sauce, science, sense, sentence, serious, service, silence, since, sister, six, slice, source, space, spice, sponsor, status, stress, success, suggest, surface, system, useless

Phrases accept responsibility, a serious accident, sensible advice, a precise answer, a personal assistant, a false assumption, a gasp of astonishment, a savage beast, a Christmas bonus, a confidence boost, a case study, a star-studded cast, a center of excellence, customer service, a sense of decency, a unanimous decision, a stroke of genius, a ghost story, a safe guess, a spelling mistake, false modesty, bits and pieces, a recipe for success, a dress rehearsal, a sign of respect, bursting at the seams, a split second, a false sense of security, a stainless steel sink, a slippery slope, the speed of sound, suffer in silence, better safe than sorry

Sentences 1

1. Scott’s face creased into a smile.

2. Sally tossed and dressed the salad.

3. Steven sat sipping a glass of whisky.

4. My sister missed the last bus yesterday.

5. The task was beyond the grasp of our son.

6. Selena sewed the seam with small stitches.

7. Sports are a constant source of fascination for us.

8. The selection process takes place next Saturday.

9. Spelling mistakes can be embarrassing and costly.

10. Samuel sprinkled the steak with a teaspoon of salt.

Sentences 2

1. It’s sometimes impossible to escape one’s destiny.

2. Simon protested his innocence throughout the case.

3. Tess spoke without the slightest sign of nervousness.

4. Several scientists were conspicuous by their absence.

5. Laurence couldn’t suppress the excitement in his voice.

6. The police arrested suspects during the house-to-house search.

7. Her relentless pursuit of artistic excellence is an inspiration to us.

8. The house faces southwest and overlooks the surrounding countryside.

9. The industrious students succeeded in grasping the basics of the science.

10. The security forces collapsed in the face of recent assaults by the militants.

Dialogue 

A: I missed the bus yesterday. It didn’t stop for us at the bus stop. 

B: When it’s stuffed full, they say you must wait for the next one. 

A: So the season passes I buy are for standing at the bus stop getting soaked and not for sitting on a seat inside going to my destination? 

B: Face facts. The bus service stinks. Save your sanity and take a taxi.

Full Length Before Voiced Consonants add, bad, badge, bag, band, bang, can, drag, fan, gang, glad, grand, hand, hang, have, jam, land, man, pan, plan, rag, sad, sand, stand, van

Clipped Before Voiceless Consonants ask, ax, back, bath, black, blast, brass, calf, cash, cast, cat, catch, chance, chat, dance, draft, fast, flash, flat, gap, gas, gasp, glance, glass, grant, graph, grasp, grass, last, laugh, map, mask, mat, match, pass, past, pat, path, plant, rat, shaft, snap, staff, task, tax, track, trap, vast, wrap

Full Length vs. Clipped cab/cap, lab/lap, slab/slap, tab/tap; bad/bat, fad/fat, had/hat, pad/pat, sad/sat; bag/back, lag/lack, rag/rack, sag/sack, snag/snack, tag/tack; badge/batch; calve/calf, halve/half

Before /l/ canal, pal, shall; scalp, talc

Multiple abracadabra, acrobat, anagram, Anglo-Saxon, anthrax, anti-climax, backgammon, backlash, backscratcher, bandana, blackjack, cataract, catnap, claptrap, fantastic, flapjack, gangplank, granddad, handstand, haphazard, jackass, magnanimous, malpractice, mantrap, manufacture, mathematics, ransack, saddlebag, sandbag, satisfaction

Additional Words action, actor, advance, advantage, after, angry, animal, ankle, answer, apple, attack, attractive, balcony, banana, basket, battle, blanket, cabbage, camera, cancel, candle, capital, castle, channel, chapter, command, damage, demand, disaster, dragon, exam, example, fancy, fashion, gamble, giraffe, grammar, habit, imagine, manage, manners, massive, master, matter, nasty, packet, panic, plaster, plastic, practical, rabbit, rather, sample, shadow, slander, tablet, talent, taxi, travel, value, vanish

Phrases a master class, demand an answer, a bad attitude, a balancing act, a bank manager, a plastic bag, a ham sandwich, a jazz band, half a chance, a dancing class, a matter of fact, natural talent, a panic attack, a bad back, a traffic jam, an asthma attack, an elastic band, as mad as a hatter, the last laugh, black magic, a gambling man, hand in hand, natural gas, pack your bags, a plan of action, a rat catcher, a relaxed attitude, a bad habit, a black cat, one last chance

Sentences 1

1. Pack your bags.

2. Thanks for backing my plan.

3. Amanda was in absolute agony.

4. Andrew landed flat on his back.

5. Pat and Jack catch rabbits in traps.

6. My granddad was a past master of tact.

7. Anna has a natural talent for languages.

8. Annabel patted Janet on the back and ran.

9. Has Lance got an accurate map of Japan?

10. Can’t you see the animal tracks in the sand?

Sentences 2

1. Patrick’s angry and demands a fast answer.

2. The manager valiantly tackled the challenge.

3. Alan has a rather callous attitude towards cats.

4. Alice is passionate about her dancing classes.

5. Matthew was very practical and matter of fact.

6. Alexandra understands how to handle the matter.

7. Catherine wore a black jacket and a matching hat.

8. Sebastian still has panic attacks after his accident.

9. The ham sandwiches were packed in a plastic bag.

10. Sandra had exams, so we had to cancel our plans to go camping.

Dialogues 

A: Is that a fat black rat in your jacket? 

B: Sally’s a black rat, but she’s not fat. Fancy calling her that! What bad manners! 

A: Having a menagerie of angry animals jammed in your jacket pockets is bad manners and a very bad habit. 

B: Don’t exaggerate. A rabbit, a rat, and a cat aren’t a menagerie. Here, pat Sally’s back. She’s saddened by your nasty, slanderous words. 

A: Now that I’m engaged to Jan, I’m abandoning my bad habits. 

B: Is Jan planning to abandon her bad habits too? 

A: Jan’s such a fantastic catch that I can’t imagine she has any. 

B: Can’t you? There’s a chance that even a fantastic catch like Jan has a bad habit or two.

Full Length blur, cure, fur, pure, purr, sir, slur, spur, stir, sure; bird, burn, curb, curve, earn, fern, firm, germ, herb, learn, nerve, stern, term, third, turn, word, worm

Clipped Before Voiceless Consonants birth, church, dirt, earth, first, hurt, nurse, shirt, skirt, work, worse, worst, worth

Full Length vs. Clipped curd/curt, heard/hurt, purred/pert; purge/perch; serve/surf; surge/search; curs/curse, purrs/purse

Before /l/ curl, earl, girl, hurl, pearl, twirl, whirl, world

Intervocalic burrow, courage, current, currency, curry, encourage, flourish, flurry, hurricane, hurry, insurance, jury, luxurious, nourish, plural, rural, scurry, slurry, surrogate, thorough, turret, worry

Additional Words alert, allergic, burden, certain, circle, circuit, circus, commercial, concerned, confirm, curtain, deserve, dirty, early, emergency, eternal, expert, furniture, journal, merchant, observe, permanent, person, prefer, proverb, purple, purpose, refer, reserve, return, reverse, secure, servant, service, suburb, thirsty, turkey, version

Phrases a first-class service, a bird reserve, a circular journey, a dirty word, an early bird, emergency first aid, an external observer, fertile earth, the First World War, an insurance firm, permanent work, a return journey, first-degree burns, serve a purpose, slurred words, search for a cure, virtually perfect, a turn for the worse, chirping birds, dirty work, emergency surgery, the first anniversary, a security alert, a permanent cure, a perfect world, a church service

Sentences 1

1. Herbert did the dirty work.

2. I’m allergic to certain animal furs.

3. She worked as a nurse in Serbia.

4. Ernest needed emergency surgery.

5. Earl’s an expert on early furniture.

6. She worked like a whirling dervish.

7. Earl deserved to come first, not third.

8. The girls wore skirts that twirled.

9. The first version was virtually perfect.

10. How do you determine a pearl’s worth?

Sentences 2

1. The return journey from Berlin was murder.

2. Thursdays are the worst for service workers.

3. The girls were determined to learn Burmese.

4. Curse those chirping birds that disturb me so early!

5. Curtis and Gertie journeyed from Germany to Turkey.

6. It’s my girlfriend’s thirty-third birthday on the thirty-first.

7. She seemed unperturbed by Vernon’s curt, hurtful words.

8. That murder reported in The Mercury News was certainly disturbing.

9. Shirley’s journey to Burlington turned out to be nerve-racking.

10. Ferdinand was told in no uncertain terms not to disturb Gertrude.

Dialogues 

A: Vernon’s certainly nervous about burglars. 

B: His work as a pearl and fur merchant means his house is perfect for burglars. 

A: And his furniture’s worth a fortune. 

B: You’re certain he’s out on Thursday for his birthday party? 

A: Burglary’s dirty work, but the economy’s taken a turn for the worse, and my girl’s thirsty for pearls.

A: I’m concerned about Percy’s thirst for Vernors. 

B: It’s worse than you know. The dental nurse told him to return for more work on the surfaces of his teeth. 

A: He’s impervious to the threat of emergency surgery. His perverted thirst for Vernors has given him scurvy. 

B: I’m certain he’ll never learn. He says it’s worth it for his precious Vernors.

A: The first person he murdered was a burglar. 

B: Did the burglar deserve it? 

A: The burglar wasn’t at work. He only learned later that burglary was that person’s work. 

B: Was the thirty-third murder victim also a burglar? 

A: No, he murdered a colonel and then an earl. 

B: This murderer went up in the world!

Phrases wear and tear, a caring parent, fair hair, a marriage ceremony, a glaring error, the heir apparent, the American military, a fair share, a hairy chest, a leather armchair, a teddy bear, the depths of despair, a menacing glare, a terrible nightmare, an aircraft engine, elderly parents, a steady stare, a hairpin bend, a rare event, a fairweather friend, hairy legs, a sensitive area, essential repairs, a charity event, a temporary measure, an imaginary friend, a terrible headache, a therapy session, a red herring, a breath of fresh air, a wedding ceremony, red hair, scared to death, a spelling error, a spare bed

Sentences 1

1. Sarah was scarcely ever there.

2. The hardware was beyond repair.

3. Mary was aware of all his affairs.

4. The chairman was a gregarious person.

5. I swear the pair of them looked hilarious.

6. Claire wouldn’t share the airfare with him.

7. We prepared the questionnaire with great care.

8. I can scarcely bear to see her in that wheelchair.

9. We tasted the carefully prepared vegetarian fare.

10. We had dairy-free éclairs with caramelized pears.

Sentences 2

1. Her visual awareness was impaired after the scare.

2. It’s rare for it to be colder upstairs than downstairs.

3. Enter if you dare, and prepare yourselves for a scare!

4. Her nightmares scared her, but her parents didn’t care.

5. The Hungarian millionaire was wary of monetary schemes.

6. They made Harry aware of their despair.

7. Care must be taken to wear suitable footwear.

8. It’s unfair to compare this area with the Canaries.

Phrases appear cheerful, peer into a mirror, clear the atmosphere, experience fear, steer clear, nearest and dearest, a mysterious disappearance, a dreary atmosphere, pierced ears, a coherent theory, sheer perseverance, a spiritual experience, the rearview mirror

Sentences 1

1. Don’t jeer and sneer.

2. The material’s real cashmere.

3. He disappeared mysteriously: a miracle or a conspiracy?

4. There was an eerie atmosphere near the pyramids.

5. Keira had her ears pierced last year.

6. He’s insincere, so steer clear of him.

7. He worked as a volunteer irrigation expert in Liberia.

8. I turned delirious with fear as we got nearer.

Sentences 2

1. The early pioneers traveled to the frontier.

2. Superior mountaineering gear is available here.

3. A serious bacterial infection can cause delirium.

4. I saw that revered production of Shakespeare’s King Lear.

5. Vera spent the early years of her career in Imperial College, London.

6. Our greatest experience in Siberia was seeing herds of reindeer.

7. Cheers! To many more years and many more beers with my peers!

2.2.1 Minimal pairs with /k/ and /ɡ/

a) Word-initial

• cage/gauge

• came/game

• cane/gain

• cap/gap

• card/guard

• cause/gauze

• cave/gave

• class/glass

• clue/glue

• coal/goal

• coast/ghost

• coat/goat

• cold/gold

• come/gum

• cot/got

• could/good

• crab/grab

• craft/graft

• crane/grain

• crate/great

• crave/grave

• crease/grease

• crew/grew

• crime/grime

• crow/grow

• curl/girl

b) Word-final

• back/bag

• buck/bug

• muck/mug

• peck/peg

• pick/pig

• pluck/plug

• rack/rag

• sack/sag

• snack/snag

• stack/stag

• tack/tag

• tuck/tug

• wick/wig

c) Word-medial

• anchor/anger

• ankle/angle

• decree/degree

• mucky/muggy

• tinkle/tingle

• vicar/vigor

2.2.2 Words with /k/ and /ɡ/

backgammon, backlog, cardigan, cargo, catalog, cog, colleague, congratulate, foxglove, kangaroo, keg, kilogram, agriculture, eggcup, exact, exotic, galaxy, garlic, geek, graphic, magnetic, neglect, organic

2.2.3 Phrases with /k/ and /ɡ/

• gain confidence

• forget to ask

• a dog blanket

• a card game

• close together

• a mug of coffee

• regular contact

• a golf course

• hugs and kisses

• beginner’s luck

• a gap in the market

• a rock garden

• a closely guarded secret

• work in progress

• a weak argument

• a stomach bug

• key figures

• sticky fingers

• a gas leak

• a security guard

• a lucky guess

• a catchy slogan

• sugar cubes

2.2.4 Sentences with /k/ and /ɡ/

1. Agnes just scraped through her chemistry exam.

2. Gary caught a glimpse of the cat burglar in action.

3. The candidates must have a good command of English.

4. We recommend the guided walk through the botanical gardens.

5. She picked up a copy of a yoga magazine at the local supermarket.

6. Gwen was commissioned to think of a catchy slogan for the golf club.

7. Keith compiled a comprehensive bibliography in cognitive linguistics.

8. I’ve been asked to give a lecture at the School of Agriculture in August.

9. Chris comported himself with great dignity and integrity during the crisis.

10. Secret negotiations were conducted between the kidnappers and the government.

2.4 Voiceless alveolar fricative /s/ vs. voiced alveolar fricative /z/

2.4.1 Minimal pairs with /s/ and /z/

• a) Word-initial
  
  

  • sack/Zack

  • sink/zinc

  • sip/zip

  • sown/zone

  • sue/zoo

• b) Word-final
  
  

  • advice/advise

  • bus/buzz

  • cease/seize

  • device/devise

  • dose/doze

  • face/phase

  • fuss/fuzz

  • grace/graze

  • hearse/hers

  • hiss/his

  • loose/lose

  • price/prize

  • race/raise

  • rice/rise

• c) Word-medial
  
  

  • looser/loser

  • muscle/muzzle

2.4.2 Words with /s/ and /z/

business, centralize, citizen, criticize, customize, despise, disaster, disclose, dispose, emphasize, exercise, fantasize, possess, residence, resist, salesman, scales, scissors, season, seize, series, size, sneeze, snooze, sometimes, squeeze, summarize, supervise, surprise, zealous, zest

2.4.3 Phrases with /s/ and /z/

• easy access

• a surprise announcement

• a blessing in disguise

• a prison cell

• deserve a chance

• a wise choice

• a cause for concern

• hazard a guess

• repossess a house

• a recipe for disaster

• a poisonous snake

• a serious accusation

• a fierce blaze

• a sea breeze

• Swiss cheese

• a basic design

• a strong desire

• a contagious disease

• pass an exam

• a jealous husband

• a jazz singer

• a famous phrase

• past and present

• a jigsaw puzzle

• the voice of reason

• a massive raise

2.4.4 Sentences with /s/ and /z/

1. This mysterious disease spreads easily.

2. Steve raised his glass to propose a toast.

3. Zoe listens to classical music for relaxation.

4. This was my first tantalizing glimpse of the islands.

5. James seized the chance to present his ideas to his boss.

6. The rise in taxes caused widespread resentment among investors.

7. Sebastian still hasn’t paused to consider the reasons for these rules.

8. Zack suffered serious cuts and bruises after the accident last Thursday.

9. The owners took pains to stress that there were no plans to close the restaurant.

10. The lecturers and students expressed surprise at the news of the dean’s resignation.

2.6 Voiceless alveolar fricative /s/ vs. voiceless palato-alveolar fricative /ʃ/

2.6.1 Minimal pairs with /s/ and /ʃ/

• a) Word-initial
  
  

  • said/shed

  • sake/shake

  • same/shame

  • save/shave

  • sealed/shield

  • seat/sheet

  • self/shelf

  • sell/shell

  • sigh/shy

  • sign/shine

  • sin/shin

  • single/shingle

  • sip/ship

  • sock/shock

  • sort/short

  • sour/shower

  • sun/shun

• b) Word-final
  
  

  • ass/ash

  • fist/fished

  • gas/gash

  • lease/leash

  • mass/mash

  • mess/mesh

  • Paris/parish

  • rust/rushed

2.6.2 Words with /s/ and /ʃ/

ambitious, anxious, assurance, astonish, atrocious, cautious, celebration, censorship, circulation, concession, conscious, conversation, deception, delicious, discretion, discussion, disruption, distinguish, essential, establish, expression, gracious, horseradish, infectious, malicious, patience, precious, seashell, seashore, section, session, shameless, shoelace, slash, social, spacious, Spanish, special, splash, squash, superstition, sushi, tenacious, vicious

2.6.3 Phrases with /s/ and /ʃ/

• a modest ambition

• absolutely astonished

• a stiff brush

• spare cash

• a glass of champagne

• a personality clash

• a serious crash

• from start to finish

• fish soup

• nice and fresh

• cast a shadow

• a sense of shame

• a distinctive shape

• a silk sheet

• seek shelter

• a nasty shock

• sensible shoes

• show business

• a secret wish

2.6.4 Sentences with /s/ and /ʃ/

1. Tracy’s voice sounded so shrill and sharp.

2. The ship sailed extremely close to the shore.

3. Susan was shivering in her short-sleeved shirt.

4. She pushed and shoved to get the best possible seat.

5. There wasn’t a shred of evidence for this assumption.

6. There’s a shuttle bus from the station to the city center.

7. The ice fashion show was fabulous from start to finish.

8. Sharon’s life’s ambition was to be financially successful.

9. Sheila slipped between the sheets and was asleep in an instant.

10. The nurse must respect the patient’s wish for confidentiality should this be requested.

2.8 Voiceless alveolar plosive /t/ vs. voiceless dental fricative /θ/

2.8.1 Minimal pairs with /t/ and /θ/

• a) Word-initial
  
  

  • tank/thank

  • taught/thought

  • team/theme

  • tie/thigh

  • tick/thick

  • torn/thorn

  • trash/thrash

  • tread/thread

  • tree/three

  • true/threw

  • trust/thrust

  • tug/thug

• b) Word-final
  
  

  • boat/both

  • debt/death

  • fate/faith

  • fort/fourth

  • heart/hearth

  • heat/heath

  • oat/oath

  • tent/tenth

2.8.2 Words with /t/ and /θ/

afterbirth, aftermath, afterthought, amethyst, antipathy, antithesis, apathetic, arithmetic, arthritis, atheist, athlete, authentic, authority, bathtub, birthrate, breathtaking, mathematics, pathetic, sympathetic, theater, theft, thicket, thirsty, thirty, threat, throat, thrust, tooth, truth, stealthy, stethoscope, telepathic

2.8.3 Phrases with /t/ and /θ/

• a bath tub

• a tax threshold

• a sympathetic teacher

• healthy teeth

• a bath towel

• thigh-length boots

• a thin coat of paint

• date of birth

• eat healthily

• a fate worse than death

• fit and healthy

• a thank-you note

• a breathtaking sight

• a death threat

• a thick blanket

• a mythical monster

• a thing of the past

• test a hypothesis

• the tenth time

• tell the truth

• a test of strength

2.8.4 Sentences with /t/ and /θ/

1. I don’t think it’ll fit, but it’s worth a try.

2. The city’s Gothic cathedral’s a breathtaking sight.

3. Ruth bought me a guitar as a thirtieth birthday present.

4. Arthur should do the decent thing and tell her the truth.

5. Edith gave birth to twins at two thirty yesterday afternoon.

6. Matthew sent a heartfelt thank-you letter to his math teacher.

7. Thelma wrote a thorough report containing a wealth of detail.

8. Agatha tried to determine the birth and death dates of her earliest ancestors.

9. Elizabeth spent the entire month of August in Gareth’s beautiful thatched-roof cottage.

10. They co-authored an article on the monophthongs and diphthongs of Estonian in 2013.

2.10 Voiced labio-dental fricative /v/ vs. voiced labial-velar approximant /w/

2.10.1 Minimal pairs with /v/ and /w/

• vale/wail

• vary/wary

• veal/wheel

• veered/weird

• vein/wane

• vent/went

• verse/worse

• vest/west

• vet/wet

• vine/whine

• viper/wiper

• vow/wow

2.10.2 Words with /v/ and /w/

driveway, equivalent, everyone, heavyweight, overqualified, overweight, overwork, persuasive, quiver, reservoir, swerve, twelve, vanquish, wave, weave, whatever, wives

2.10.3 Phrases with /v/ and /w/

• an award for bravery

• a lavish banquet

• a male-voice choir

• solve a crossword

• a private dwelling

• vital equipment

• wave farewell

• at frequent intervals

• a valid password

• a violent quarrel

• covered in sweat

• the average wage

• an evening walk

• a civil war

• river water

• heavy weapons

• wedding vows

• vintage wine

• a word of advice

• alive and well

• a worldview

• well worth a visit

• a live wire

2.10.4 Sentences with /v/ and /w/

1. Victor wants to divorce his wife.

2. Oliver quickly recovered his wits.

3. Vera is wondering what the work will involve.

4. They served an expensive wine at the wedding.

5. We couldn’t quite work out the value of the investment.

6. David invited Vanessa for a walk along the river on that warm evening.

7. My Welsh acquaintance was visibly moved by his visit to the war graves.

8. Walter and Gwen traveled to Cornwall on their seventeenth anniversary.

9. Sweden won the silver in women’s volleyball in Venezuela on Wednesday.

10. The women became involved in a quarrel with their supervisor at the workshop.