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Pronunciation Guide
FREE LISTENING WORKSHEET · APG

20 commonly mispronounced words

Listen, notice one detail, and say the word in a phrase.

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Videos and full notes: https://ipronounce.io/guides/commonly-mispronounced-words

Name: ________________________　 Date: __________________

A five-word listening round

  1. Choose five words below. Open each linked word and play its APG video.
  2. Write one sound observation: the strongest syllable, a silent letter, a consonant connection, or a variant you hear.
  3. Say the original practice phrase, then write and say your own sentence.
  4. Read the word’s listening note and compare it with your observation. Repeat any word you want to revisit.
Your listening record — choose five, then return for another round
Word & videoPractice phraseWhat I hear / my sentence
epitomeThe epitome of elegance.
hyperboleThat description is hyperbole.
serendipityA moment of serendipity.
ubiquitousA ubiquitous feature of modern life.
nuanceA subtle nuance in her answer.
paradigmA new paradigm for research.
aestheticAn aesthetic choice.
ambiguousAn ambiguous instruction.
mischievousA mischievous smile.
ruralA rural community.
anemoneA colorful sea anemone.
colonelThe colonel addressed the group.
gaugeCheck the pressure gauge.
queueJoin the queue.
choirShe sings in the choir.
hierarchyA clear hierarchy of roles.
albeitA small, albeit useful, improvement.
onomatopoeiaAn example of onomatopoeia.
synecdocheA useful example of synecdoche.
anachronismAn anachronism in the story.

Test your pronunciation knowledge

Choose one answer for each question. The answer key includes explanations and source links.

  1. How does “epitome” end?

    1. It rhymes with home.
    2. With an “ee” vowel.
    3. With a silent final syllable.

  2. Which familiar word sounds the same as “colonel” in American English?

    1. Kernel
    2. Colonial
    3. Cologne

  3. How many syllables are in the standard pronunciation of “mischievous”?

    1. Two
    2. Four
    3. Three

  4. How many syllables are in “queue”?

    1. Three
    2. One
    3. Two
Show the answer key

Open this section before printing to include the answers.

  1. B. With an “ee” vowel. The final e in “epitome” is spoken as /i/. The word has four syllables with stress on the second.

    Source: Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

  2. A. Kernel “Colonel” is /ˈkɝnəl/, the sound of kernel. The spelling does not show that r-colored vowel clearly.

    Source: Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

  3. C. Three “Mischievous” /ˈmɪstʃəvəs/ has three syllables, with stress on the first and no extra ee after v.

    Source: CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

  4. B. One “Queue” is /kju/, the sound of cue. Its written vowel letters do not each create a syllable.

    Source: Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Sources & reuse

The pronunciation notes are based on the dictionary sources linked from each word page. Practice phrases and exercises are original APG learning material, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Credit American Pronunciation Guide and keep the source links when adapting this worksheet. Videos and reference quotations retain their own terms.

Full sources & credits →