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[Mastering English Pronunciation: Tackling Frequently Mispronounced Words]-[466. How to pronounce words like subtle, yacht, chaos and more (tricky spellings)]

The InFluency Podcast · B1 · 2025-06-10

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📋 Summary

Mastering English Pronunciation: Tackling Frequently Mispronounced Words

In this episode of the Influency Podcast, host Hadar Shemesh addresses a common struggle for many English learners: the discrepancy between spelling and pronunciation. By exploring a selection of notoriously confusing words, she provides both the definitions and the phonetic breakdowns necessary to speak with greater clarity and confidence.

1. Subtle

Often mispronounced due to the silent 'b', subtle refers to something delicate or not immediately obvious. Hadar explains that the 'b' is completely ignored, and the 't' takes on a soft 'd' sound, similar to the end of the word "bottle."

  • Example: "There is a subtle difference between these two colors."

2. Thoroughly

This word means to perform a task carefully and in detail. The challenge here lies in ignoring the extra 'g's and 'h's. The pronunciation focuses on the 'TH' and 'R' sounds. Hadar advises minimizing tongue pressure when transitioning between sounds to ensure smooth articulation.

  • Example: "Make sure to read the instructions thoroughly before starting."

3. Colonel

Perhaps one of the most counterintuitive words in English, colonel describes a high-ranking military officer. Despite its spelling, it is pronounced like "kernel." The primary stress is on the first syllable, and the 'l' sounds are replaced by 'r' and a dark 'l'.

  • Example: "The colonel gave a speech to the troops."

4. Sword

The 'w' in sword is silent, a fact that often trips up learners. A sword is a sharp weapon, and the word is frequently associated with the sport of "fencing."

  • Example: "The knight drew his sword before the battle."

5. Chaos

Meaning a state of complete disorder, chaos is pronounced "kay-oss." Hadar highlights that when speaking, a subtle 'y' sound naturally emerges between the two syllables.

  • Example: "The kitchen was in chaos after the party."

6. Yacht

Used to describe a luxurious boat, yacht is pronounced simply as "yot." The 'ch' is completely silent, making it a classic example of English spelling misalignment.

  • Example: "They spent a weekend sailing on their yacht."

7. Queue

Representing a line of people waiting, queue sounds exactly like the letter 'Q'. While "line" is more common in American English, "queue" remains a standard term, particularly in British English.

  • Example: "There was a long queue at the coffee shop this morning."

8. Choir

Finally, choir—a group of singers—is pronounced "kwai-ur." Hadar points out the importance of the 'w' sound and the natural glide that occurs between the vowels.

  • Example: "She sings in the church choir every Sunday."

Conclusion

Hadar emphasizes that the key to overcoming these pronunciation hurdles is repetition and slow, intentional practice. By focusing on the actual sounds rather than the written letters, learners can bridge the gap between how words look and how they are spoken, ultimately moving toward greater freedom in their English communication.

🎯Key Sentences

1
I am here to share with you all my secrets
2
just how I like it.
3
nothing is missed, just like this video.
4
Don't get confused by all the extra letters there
5
Just ignore them.
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📝Key Phrases

1
subtle difference
2
subtle hint
3
cleaned thoroughly
4
read the instructions thoroughly
5
in charge of
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📖 Transcript

The next word is one of my favorite words to teach and that's the word kernal.
Yes, very different than how it's written.
Colonel is a high -ranking officer in the army or the air force, and a colonel is usually in charge of a large group of soldiers.
Colonel, Colonel, or in the movies they say Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel.
Hey, you're listening to the Influency Podcast. I'm Hadar, your host, a pronunciation expert, fluency coach, and a proud non -native speaker.
With over 16 years of experience teaching, I am here to share with you all my secrets on how to show up in English clearly, with confidence and freedom.

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