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Pronunciation Guide
FREE LISTENING WORKSHEET · APG

Pronouncing medical word endings

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

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Videos and full notes: https://ipronounce.io/guides/medical-word-endings

Name: ________________________　 Date: __________________

This lesson’s listening targets

Find the stressed vowel near each ending and keep the surrounding syllables clear.

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
arthritisArthritis makes it difficult for him to open jars.
encephalitisThe article reviewed recent research on encephalitis.
cirrhosisThe specialist discussed the diagnosis of cirrhosis.
osteoporosisShe asked about a screening test for osteoporosis.
apoptosisThe researcher presented a study of apoptosis in cells.
arteriosclerosisThe lecture introduced the term arteriosclerosis.
ophthalmologyThe directory lists a department of ophthalmology.
epidemiologyShe teaches epidemiology at the university.
anesthesiologistThe anesthesiologist introduced herself before the procedure.
ophthalmologistThe ophthalmologist joined the discussion after the presentation.
otolaryngologistThe otolaryngologist pointed to the ear on the model.
rheumatologistThe rheumatologist answered questions from the students.

Test your pronunciation knowledge

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

  1. Which vowel is stressed near the end of arthritis and encephalitis?

    1. The oh vowel in go
    2. The eye vowel in my
    3. The ee vowel in see

  2. Which vowel carries the main beat in “cirrhosis”?

    1. The first r-colored vowel
    2. The final light uh
    3. The oh vowel in the middle

  3. Which letter can be silent in “apoptosis”?

    1. The second p
    2. The t
    3. The first p

  4. How do the endings of ophthalmology and ophthalmologist differ?

    1. Both finish with an ee vowel alone.
    2. Ophthalmology ends j-ee; ophthalmologist ends with a light vowel and st after j.
    3. Ophthalmology ends with k, while ophthalmologist ends with a silent t.

  5. Which syllable carries the main stress in “encephalitis”?

    1. EN
    2. SEF only
    3. LY

  6. How do the two g sounds differ in “otolaryngologist”?

    1. The earlier g is hard; the g in gist sounds like j.
    2. Both g letters are silent.
    3. The earlier g sounds like j; the final g is hard.

  7. Which consonants should remain at the very end of rheumatologist?

    1. Only s
    2. s followed by t
    3. t followed by s

  8. Which practice strategy helps preserve the stress pattern in “osteoporosis”?

    1. Give every syllable equal weight.
    2. Put the strongest beat on the first syllable and weaken every later vowel.
    3. Build around the stressed oh near the end, then add the earlier syllables.
Show the answer key

Open this section before printing to include the answers.

  1. B. The eye vowel in my “Arthritis” and “encephalitis” have stressed /aɪ/, the vowel in my, near their -itis ending. The final syllable is lighter.

    Source: CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

  2. C. The oh vowel in the middle “Cirrhosis” stresses the middle /oʊ/, the vowel in go. It has three syllables, with the last one lighter than that central oh.

    Source: CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

  3. A. The second p “Apoptosis” can be ap-uh-TOH-sis, /ˌæ.pəˈtoʊ.sɪs/, with no second p. Pronunciations with p before t also occur; omitting that p is not the only option.

    Source: Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

  4. B. Ophthalmology ends j-ee; ophthalmologist ends with a light vowel and st after j. The -ology ending has the j sound followed by ee. The -ologist ending continues through a light vowel to s and t. Keep those final consonants when saying the specialist’s title.

    Source: CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

  5. C. LY “Encephalitis” stresses LY, its fourth syllable. SEF has a smaller beat; the long opening should not pull the main stress away from LY.

    Source: CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

  6. A. The earlier g is hard; the g in gist sounds like j. The main-stressed GAH begins with hard g, as in go. Later, gist begins with the j sound in jam. Treating both written g letters alike would miss that contrast.

    Source: Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

  7. B. s followed by t “Rheumatologist” finishes with st in its light last syllable. Keep both consonants in that order after the j sound and unstressed vowel.

    Source: CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

  8. C. Build around the stressed oh near the end, then add the earlier syllables. “Osteoporosis” has its main-stressed oh near the end, after earlier secondary beats. Building around that vowel helps preserve the stress pattern as the whole word comes together.

    Source: CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

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.

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