Basic Details
Word: Pronunciation
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: The way a word is said aloud, or the way a particular person says words.
Synonyms: enunciation, articulation
How to Spell Pronunciation
Syllables: pro - nun - ci - a - tion
Tricky part: The verb is pronounce, but the noun drops the o: pro-nun-ci-a-tion, not pronounciation. This is one of the most common spelling slips in English.
Watch out for: pronounciation, pronunsiation, pronunciaton, pronounsation
Memory tip: Say it the way it is written: pro-NUN-ciation. A nun sits in the middle, and no noun appears even though pronounce has one.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Rohit practised the pronunciation of the French names before the quiz.
Example 2: Good pronunciation helps listeners follow a speech.
Example 3: My Kannada pronunciation improved after I spent the summer in Mysuru.
Fun Fact
Many dictionaries show pronunciation with the International Phonetic Alphabet, a set of symbols first published in 1888.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letters to form a word:
pron_n_iation
a) o, s
b) o, c
c) u, s
d) u, c
Show answer
d) u, c. The noun has nun, not non or noun, and the sound sh here is written with c.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence and choose the word they make:
The teacher gently corrected my carpontiunino of the word island.
a) pronouncement
b) pronunciation
c) renunciation
d) punctuation
Show answer
b) pronunciation. Thirteen letters with a single u: pronouncement has m and e, punctuation has no r, and renunciation has an e but no p.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word 'pronunciation' as used in the sentence:
Clear pronunciation matters when you read the morning news on the school radio.
a) decoration
b) enunciation
c) translation
d) handwriting
Show answer
b) enunciation. Enunciation is how clearly you say words, the closest in meaning to pronunciation.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A dictionary gives the pronunciation of a word to show you ____.
a) how to write it neatly
b) who first used it
c) where it is printed
d) how to say it
Show answer
d) how to say it
2. Which word has a silent letter in its pronunciation?
a) sand
b) knife
c) drum
d) plant
Show answer
b) knife
