Embarrassing!

Mispronouncing words can be REALLY embarrassing - especially at work. So, here are 15 of them that you’re probably using a lot and may need some work…

…and make sure you read to the end for a quick tip on how to really improve your pronunciation with just 10 minutes' practice a day.

Right, let’s get started!

'Clothes'

The common error here is that many learners emphasise the 'e'.

The key to this work is removing the 'e' completely. Like:

'cloe-thz'

/kləʊ(ð)z/

You are wearing nice clothes today.

'Iron'

Many speakers will pronounce the ‘r’ in this word.  The trick is to ignore it and pronounce it as a ‘y’ instead.  Just like this:

‘I-yun’

/ˈʌɪən/

Did you manage to iron your clothes before going out?

'Southern'

This word is often pronounced as the base/root word like ‘south-ern’. This is incorrect. With the adjectival form of the word, the pronunciation changes to:

‘suh-thun’

/ˈsʌð(ə)n/

I am from the southern part of England.

'Women'

A common mistake here is to pronounce it as ‘wee-men’…which in Scotland could be understood as ‘small men’. The correct pronunciation is:

‘wih-min’

/ˈwɪm.ɪn/

There is a conference for 'Women in Business' starting on Monday next week.

'Desert / Dessert'

A word that is often mixed up.

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Desert is the hot sandy place is pronounced with the emphasis up front:

‘DEH-zut’

/ˈdɛzət/

Don't get lost in the desert, it could turn out badly!

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Dessert, the dish at the end of a meal, is pronounced with the emphasis at the end:

‘deh-ZUR-t’

/dɪˈzəːt/

I always like to have dessert after my main course.

'Stomach'

The common issue here is that the ‘ch’ is pronounced like it is in ‘church’ - this is incorrect. It should be pronounced:

‘stuh-muk’

/ˈstʌmək/

My stomach doesn't feel too good. I think I ate something bad.

'Muscle'

The key to getting this one right is ignoring the ‘c’. It is pronounced:

‘muh-sul’

/ˈmʌs(ə)l/

I think I pulled a muscle at the gym the other day.

'Ask'

This is an interesting word, as even some smaller English-speaking regions of the world will pronounce it as ‘axe’.  The most common pronunciation, however, is:

‘ass-k’

/ɑːsk/

If you don't know, just ask!

'Salmon'

A common error with this word is to pronounce the ‘L’. Ignoring it will give you the correct pronunciation. The correct pronunciation is:

’sah-mun’

/ˈsamən/

I think I will have pan-fried salmon this evening.

'Focus'

Now this one is a classic for me. This is one of the most commonly mispronounced words out there, I think.  The mistake is not pronouncing the ’o’ correctly.  The correct pronunciation requires the ‘o’ to be pronounced like ‘oh!’ or like ‘o’ in ‘okay’. For example:

‘f-OH!-kuss’

/ˈfəʊkəs/

We need to focus on the task at hand.

'Guarantee'

This word is used regularly within the business world and professional spaces. The mistake is when a ‘w’ sound is made after the ‘g’.  The correct pronunciation can be achieved by ignoring the ‘u’. For example:

‘gah-run-tee’

/ɡar(ə)nˈtiː/

This product comes with a lifetime guarantee.

'Pronunciation'

This word has been used a thousand times already in this piece. I think we need to look at it. The correct pronunciation is:

‘pruh-nun-see-aye-shun’

/prəˌnʌnsɪˈeɪʃ(ə)n/

This article focusses on the correct pronunciation of some commonly used English words.

'Bury'

With many natives mispronouncing this word, it is probably going to cause problems for non-natives too. Let’s take a look…the simplest way to remember is like ‘berry’. Just like this:

‘beh-ree’

/ˈbɛri/

Why do dogs like to bury their toys in the garden!?

'Debt'

Another important word when in a professional scenario. Quite simply, there is no ‘b’ in this word when pronouncing it.  Ignore it.  Just like this:

‘deh-t’

/dɛt/

There is both good and bad debt.

'Vegetable'

This one is definitely a commonly used word and often mispronounced.  The key is ignoring the SECOND ‘e’.  For example:

vedge-t-bull

/ˈvɛdʒtəb(ə)l/

I have a vegetable patch in my garden.

Final thoughts

Right, a quick tip on pronunciation.

Make sure you drill the words you wish to improve, daily and intensively for short periods of time. You can do this by listening and learning the correct pronunciation, then copying and repeating it as much as possible. 5 to 10 minutes of word-focussed pronunciation practice each day will be enough to see improvements.

You could even try recording yourself and comparing it to the target word to help you with the process.

Lastly, for further clarity on the correct pronunciation of any of the above words, why not check out the video below.

Good luck!

Check Out The Video...