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2.1. That sounds great!

CONSONANT CLUSTERS

 

There are many more combinations of consonant sounds possible at the end of English words than at the beginning. There can be up to four consonant sounds in a  final consonant cluster:

Words with... 2 final consonants 3 final consonants 4 final consonants

honest /st/

jump /mp/

wrapped /pt/

helped /lpt/

next /kst/

crisps /sps/

prompts /mpts/

glimpsed /mpst/

texts /ksts/

Some final clusters with three or four consonants can be difficult to pronounce even for native English speakers, so in some words these are commonly simplified. For example, the middle consonant of the clusters /kts/, /mpt/, /nts/, /ndz/ and /skt/ is hardly heard or sometimes even left out. 

Don't be tempted to add vowels to consonant clusters in order to make them easier to say, as this can also cause misunderstanding.

Avoid adding and extra vowel (usually /i/ or /ə/)

watched (not watchid)

played (not played)

Now, how many final consonant sounds- 1, 2, 3 or 4- do the words in the box have when they are spoken slowly and carefully? (Note that the number of consonant sounds may be different from the number of consonant letters).

Listen: 

accents against aspects attempts axe catch contexts diamonds ears
earth grasped laughed ledge next risked sculpts stamps touched

Classify them in the appropriate group.
 

Listen and choose the word you hear. When done, click on feedback to check if you were right.


Example: I accept / accepted the award gracefully.

  1. I couldn't go on without more pain / paint.
  2. The company has some innovative designers / designs.
  3. I couldn't go faster / fast in my old car.
  4. The factory makes trays/ trains.
  5. We wore heavy boots with thick, ridged/ rigid soles.
  6. They're one of Brazil's main exports /exporters.