75 Difficult Words to Pronounce (Fine-tune Your Pronunciation)

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In this lesson, I want to teach you how to correctly pronounce many difficult and confusing words. I'll say the pronunciation and talk a little bit about why the word may be challenging for English learners.

If you'd like to review, here are all 75 words from the lesson along with the phonetic spelling.

1. pronunciation [ pruh-nuhn-see-ey-shuhn ]
2. characterization [ kar-ik-ter-uh-zey-shuhn ]
3. museum [ myoo-zee-uhm ]
4. disadvantage [ dis-uhd-van-tij ]
5. unfortunate [ uhn-fawr-chuh-nit ]
6. occupation [ ok-yuh-pey-shuhn ]
7. cucumber [ kyoo-kuhm-ber ]
8. suitable [ soo-tuh-buhl ]
9. tongue [ tuhng ]
10. assume [ uh-soom ]
11. diary [ dahy-uh-ree ]
12. category [ kat-i-gawr-ee ]
13. schedule [ skej-ool ]
14. physics [ fiz-iks ]
15. curtail [ ker-teyl ]
16. chemistry [ kem-uh-stree ]
17. poignant [ poin-yuhnt ]
18. hippopotamus [ hip-uh-pot-uh-muhs ]
19. rhinoceros [ rahy-nos-er-uhs ]
20. science [ sahy-uhns ]
21. silhouette [ sil-oo-et ]
22. arouse [ uh-rouz ]
23. unique [ yoo-neek ]
24. accident [ ak-si-duhnt ]
25. dumb [ duhm ]
26. often [ aw-fuhn]
27. paradigm [ par-uh-dahym]
28. caveat [ kav-ee-aht ]
29. cupboard [ kuhb-erd ]
30. alzheimer’s [ ahlts-hahy-merz ]
31. heimlich maneuver [ hahym-lik muh-noo-ver ]
32. asthma [ az-muh ]
33. mischievous [ mis-chuh-vuh s ]
34. coxswain [ kok-suh n ]
35. clothes [ klohz ]
36. prescription [ pri-skrip-shuh n ]
37. perspire [ per-spahyuh r ]
38. boutique [ boo-teek ]
39. police [ puh-lees ]
40. debris [ duh-bree ]
41. marijuana [ mar-uh-wah-nuh ]
42. February [ feb-roo-er-ee ]
43. rural [ roor-uhl ]
44. sorbet [sawr-bey ]
45. valet [ va-ley ]
46. regime [ ruh-zheem ]
47. vineyard [ vin-yerd ]
48. coupon [ koo-pon ]
49. hyperbole [ hahy-pur-buh-lee ]
50. receipt [ ri-seet ]
51. wrangle [ rang-guhl ]
52. wrench [ rench ]
53. wretched [ rech-id ]
54. knuckle [ nuhk-uhl ]
55. knead [ need ]
56. knot [ not ]

57. pneumonia [ noo-mohn-yuh ]
58. pseudonym [ sood-uhn-im ]
59. crescent [ kres-uhnt ]
60. fluorescent [ floo-res-uhnt ]
61. obscene [ uhb-seen ]
62. resuscitate [ ri-suhs-i-teyt ]
63. mortgage [ mawr-gij ]
64. nestle [ nes-uhl ]
65. hasten [ hey-suhn ]
66. moisten [ moi-suhn ]

67. catacomb [ kat-uh-kohm ]
68. rumb [ kruhm ]
69. limb [ lim ]
70. womb [ woom ]

71. debut [ dey-byoo ]
72. gourmet [ goor-mey ]
73. rapport [ ra-pawr ]
74. ricochet [ rik-uh-shey ]

75. rendezvous [ rahn-duh-voo ]

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/// THANK YOU 😊
Thanks so much for being a part of our community. Learning English is an enriching experience that brings everyone all around the world closer together. Be sure to say “Hello” and write to us in the comments. We love hearing from all of you.

[danielwang]

Thanks you so much, you are my firstly meet English teacher and one of most great teacher!!!

[lynabc]

New to this channel and learned a lot. From a nonnative speaking country, this is a big help

[jovenelprenelus]

My pronouncing is improved thanks so much teacher you are the best teacher ever

[fridaydaniel]

from the beginning of this lesson i found it so helpful. thanks mr. Wes.

[harison]

Thank you, Wes.
I learned something new today.
For the record, these are my difficult pronunciation words.
1. temporarily
2. probably
3. angrily
4. problems
5. arthritis
6. allies
7. murderer
8. robber
9. liberal
10. nearer
11. months
12. lit up
13. threats
14. complaint
15. enquiries
16. strategy
17. hanger
18. circle
19. deliberately
20. generally
21. unpleasant
22. silver
23. illegible
24. throw
25. again
26. bitterly
27. desperately
28. seriously
29. vitally
30. intelligent
31. widely
32. generally
33. cars
34. cards
35. cruelty
36. powerful
37. large
38. flirting
39. considerable
40. largest
41. fully
42. cutlery

[raffaellabarbierato]

Silent K: knee/ knees
Thanks Wes, a really interesting video, useful to improve pronunciation and vocabulary

[NgwiSabius-show]

Thanks Wes, my English has been increasing by leaps and bounds since I started watching your English tutorial.

[ervinnevesrodrigues]

That's what makes written English a challeging language. I love it.

[BheberlynSobestia]

Thank you for this... I'm gonna be excited to hear and listen to you. I like how serious you are while teaching. Very well!

[wednerdelmas]

Thank you very much guys for this wonderful lesson!

[thilakasirispathiranage]

It helps a lot to be a tongue tied. Thanks.

[abadalrhmazkoo]

It is a really useful lesson to learn and practice English pronunciation . I know most of them . But the best thing I have learned is correcting my enunciation . Teacher Wes, thank you so much ❤️ for this amazing presentation .

[hyperdevil]

It was helpful. Thanks.
But how do you pronounce tests?
The last letter 's' just doesn't seem to add up.

[ujvloging]

I am from India i try to hard English words easliy pronounced with you. I hope you understand! Thanks

[Aerosmith]

Seems like a very interesting lesson but I have to go to work; tomorrow I won't forget to watch it!

[sanaraza]

Thanks for sharing, just discovered your channel. Will now bingewatch your videos

[katiadeschamps-doringer]

Thanks, I love this lesson!
Very interesting words pronunciation and now I need training!
🌹

[eustaquiozambrano]

Thank you very much for your English lesson 👍

[dhyeymehta]

Hi Sir, One small request, Could you please make a video on how to identify which letter is silent in words during the pronunciation. I always pronounce wrong when the letters are silent.
Thanks

[KKO]

It is not an hyperbole to say what a great lesson. Thank you❤