20 commonly mispronounced words
Start with the sounds spelling can hide.
Listen for the strong syllable
In epitome, hyperbole, and anemone, the ending is spoken. Start with these three videos and mark the syllable that stands out. Then compare them with serendipity and ubiquitous. The IPA mark ˈ appears before the syllable with primary stress.
Separate spelling from sound
Colonel, queue, and choir are useful reminders that letter counts do not tell you sound counts. Read the word, make a prediction, and listen. Write a short reminder about the sound that surprised you; copying the spelling again is less useful for this exercise.
Try a five-minute practice round
Choose three words below. Open each video, listen to a complete example, and repeat the word in your own short sentence. Return to the first word without looking at its note. If you are working with a partner, ask which syllable they heard most clearly.
Your listening list
20 wordsChoose a word to hear it in an APG video.
synecdoche
/sɪˈnɛk.də.ki/ · source accent unspecified
The final e has an “ee” sound.
Watch synecdoche →
Test these pronunciations
Try 4 questions from this guide. Each answer includes an APG video, dictionary reference, and explanation.
Try this guide’s quiz →More words in this topic
50 wordsKeep listening with an APG video and a pronunciation tip for each word.
- acumen
Stress CUE in uh-CUE-mun.
- address
AD-dress: put the main stress on AD.
- adult
uh-DULT: stress the second syllable.
- advertisement
ad-ver-TIZE-munt: stress TIZE.
- applicable
Put the strongest beat on “ap.”
- appreciate
Stress “pree” and listen for “sh.”
- association
Stress AY before shun.
- asterisk
Keep the final “s” before the “k.”
- aunt
The IPA shown sounds like ant.
- awkward
Keep k and w together.
- beautiful
Start with a strong “byoo.”
- business
Use two syllables: BIZ-nis.
- ceiling
The opening sounds like “see.”
- chaos
The first syllable sounds like “kay.”
- chasm
Start with “k” and listen for a voiced “z.”
- controversy
KON-truh-vur-see: put the main stress on KON.
- coupon
KOO-pon and KYOO-pon both occur.
- criteria
Give “tir” the strongest beat.
- criterion
Stress the second syllable and keep the final “n.”
- debacle
duh-BAH-kuhl: stress BAH.
- disparate
DIS-per-it: stress the first syllable.
- education
Stress “ca,” with the vowel in “day.”
- efficient
Stress “fi” and listen for “sh.”
- enough
The final “gh” sounds like “f.”
- focus
Stress FOH.
- hegemony
Stress JEM in the middle.
- impasse
im-PASS: stress the second syllable.
- important
Give “por” the main beat.
- integral
IN-tuh-gruhl: stress the opening IN.
- leisure
LEH-zher and LEE-zher both occur.
- mirror
Keep the main beat on the first vowel.
- mobile
End with a light “bul.”
- museum
Stress ZEE in myoo-ZEE-um.
- neither
NEE-ther and NYE-ther are both accepted.
- onerous
Start with the vowel in “own.”
- particularly
Stress “tic” and keep the ending light.
- popular
Start with a strong “pop.”
- question
Keep the opening “kw” together.
- regularly
Give “reg” the strongest beat.
- root
One syllable, ending in t.
- route
Root and rout are both used.
- scissors
Start with “s” and keep both “z” sounds voiced.
- spurious
Stress the first syllable.
- throughout
The strongest beat is on “out.”
- tortoise
The ending has no “oy” sound.
- usually
Use three syllables.
- vehement
VEE-uh-munt: stress VEE.
- virtual
Stress “vir” and listen for “ch.”
- warrior
Stress the first syllable.
- worthy
Use the voiced “th” of “this.”
Sources & classroom use
Each listening tip follows the IPA shown beside its word. Other dictionary pronunciations appear on the word page; individual speakers may vary.
Practice phrases were written for these exercises; quoted book passages remain in the separate, sourced book sections. These guides and practice notes are available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Credit American Pronunciation Guide and retain the linked dictionary attributions. Videos and other reference material keep their own terms.
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