Example, exercise, expert, excellent, exciting, extra, exist, excel, excuse…
These words all start with the same root : ex-
However their pronunciation at the beginning of the word is not the same.
There are 2 different pronunciations of the root ‘ex’:
- /egz/
- /eks/
Which one to use?
Luckily there is a rule that will help you know which sound to make for a word beginning with ‘ex’.
/egz/
We use this sound for two reasons:
- IF ‘ex’ is followed by a vowel sound then it is pronounced /egz/ (like eggs):
Examples:
– example → /ɪɡˈzæmpəl/
– examine → /ɪɡˈzæmɪn/
– exotic → /ɪɡˈzɒtɪk/
– exaggerate → /ɪɡˈzædʒəreɪt/ - If ‘ex’ is followed by a voiced consonant sound (b, d, g, l, m, n, r, v, z) then it is pronounced /egz/. Remember it is the sound not the spelling that counts!
Examples:
– exhibit → /ɪɡˈzɪbɪt/
– exempt → /ɪɡˈzempt/
– exude → /ɪɡˈzjuːd/
– exile → /ˈɛɡ.zaɪl/
/eks/
If ‘ex’ is followed by a unvoiced consonant sound (like p, t, k, f, s) then it is pronounced /eks/:
Examples:
– export → /ˈeks.pɔːt/
– explain → /ɪkˈspleɪn/
– extend → /ɪkˈstɛnd/
– exclude → /ɪkˈskluːd/
To hear how to pronounce these words be sure to check out my Ask Us Anything live where I say these words. You can stop the recording and repeat after to me to practice.
Do you have an English language question about pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, or something else? Remember, I go live on YouTube every Friday to answer your English language questions! Leave your English language questions in the comments.