I’m a literacy expert – and these are the commonly mispronounced words in English

You probably use some of these words on a daily basis, but do you know if you are pronouncing them correctly?

From espresso to often: a literacy expert from Awesome Books in the UK has published a list of words that are often mispronounced in English. Some of them may surprise you.

The catalog outlines a series of terms that people often stumble over or mispronounce, says Mubin Ahmed. So how many can you get right?

Literacy expert Mubin said: ‘English pronunciation can be tricky and it’s easy to fall into the trap of common mispronunciations. Being aware of these pitfalls can help you improve your spoken English and communicate more effectively.

‘Whether you speak British or American English, paying attention to these nuances will help you sound more refined and precise.

“So the next time you want to say ‘expresso’ or ‘Feb-yoo-air-ee,’ take a moment to memorize the correct pronunciation and speak with confidence.”

Scheme

Wrong pronunciation: SKED-yool

Correct pronunciation: SHED-yool

Mubin said: ‘In British English, ‘schedule’ is traditionally pronounced ‘SHED-yool’. However, the American pronunciation ‘SKED-yool’ is becoming more common due to cultural influences.’

Naughty

Wrong pronunciation: mis-CHEE-vee-us

Correct pronunciation: MIS-chiv-us

“Many people add an extra syllable and pronounce it ‘mis-CHEE-vee-us,’ but the correct pronunciation is ‘MIS-chiv-us,’ with only three syllables,” the literacy expert said.

Pronunciation

Wrong pronunciation: pronounce-ee-A-shun

Correct pronunciation: pro-nun-see-A-shun

“Ironically, the word ‘pronunciation’ is often mispronounced. The correct form is ‘pro-nun-see-A-shun,’ not ‘pronounce-ee-A-shun,'” Mubin insisted.

Espresso

Wrong pronunciation: ex-PRESS-oh

Correct pronunciation: es-PRESS-oh

“There is no ‘x’ in ‘espresso.’ The correct pronunciation is ‘es-PRESS-oh,’” the literacy expert said.

Arctic

Wrong pronunciation: AR-tic

Correct pronunciation: ARK tap

The literacy expert stated, “The word ‘Arctic’ has two ‘c’s’ and both should be pronounced. The correct pronunciation is ‘ARK-tick.’

Nuclear energy

Wrong pronunciation: NOO-kyoo-lar

Correct pronunciation: NOO-clothe-ar

“The word ‘nuclear’ is often mispronounced as ‘NOO-kyoo-lar.’ The correct pronunciation is ‘NOO-klee-ar,’” Mubin said.

February

Wrong pronunciation: FEB-yoo-air-ee

Correct pronunciation: FEB-roo-air-ee

“Many people skip the first ‘r’ in ‘February,’ but the correct pronunciation does include it: ‘FEB-roo-air-ee,’” Mubin explained.

Quinoa

Wrong pronunciation: kee-NO-ah

Correct pronunciation: KEEN-wah

“The name of this superfood is often mispronounced. The correct pronunciation is ‘KEEN-wah,'” the literacy expert insisted.

Often

Wrong pronunciation: OUT-ten

Correct pronunciation: OUT-nl

“While both ‘OFF-ten’ and ‘OFF-en’ are technically correct, the traditional pronunciation in British English is ‘OFF-en’, with the ‘t’ silent,” the literacy expert explained.

Zebra

Wrong pronunciation: SEA bra

Correct pronunciation: Zebra

“In British English, ‘zebra’ is pronounced ‘ZEB-ra,’ with a short ‘e’ sound, as opposed to the American pronunciation ‘ZEE-bra,'” Mubin said.

Library

Wrong pronunciation: lie-BERRY

Correct pronunciation: LIE-brer-ee

“The word “library” is often mispronounced as “lie-BERRY,” but the correct pronunciation is “LIE-brer-ee,” Mubin explained.

salmon

Wrong pronunciation: salmon

Correct pronunciation: SAM-uhn

“The “l” in “salmon” is silent. The correct pronunciation is “SAM-uhn,” the literacy expert from UK-based Awesome Books revealed.

Almond

Wrong pronunciation: Almond

Correct pronunciation: AH world

“The “l” in “almond” is also silent. The correct pronunciation is “AH-mund,” the expert claimed.

Fragments

Wrong pronunciation: Fragments

Correct pronunciation: the-BREE

“The correct pronunciation of ‘debris’ is ‘de-BREE,’ with the ‘s’ silent,” Mubin insisted.

Controversy

Wrong pronunciation: con-TROV-er-see

Correct pronunciation: CON-tro-ver-see

“In British English, “controversy” is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable: “CON-tro-ver-see,” the literacy expert explains.