User:Michellehw

I am looking for a simple explanation, and a table of the sounds, of "Sounding Out American English Words." You have a great deal on phonetics, but I am looking for the "old fashion way" of sounding out words written for the elementary level (i.e., think Sesame Street).

I'm requesting this topic for those who are trying to learn English as a Second Language, but are not being taught how to "sound out" a word.

I'm not an Educator and do not feel I have the appropriate knowledge to write about such a topic (otherwise I wouldn't be looking up easy English phonetics/sounding out American English words!)

Something simple would be great.

For example, the vowel sound "a":

"uh" as in "about" "ay" as in "say" Hard "a" (is that what it's called?) as is "lane" Soft "a" as in "cat"

In keeping it simple for the young or non-English speakers, please avoid symbols over the letter, because then this group of individuals will start thinking that when you write that particular letter, you should include the symbols.

I am having a hard time how to explain "sounding out" the "t" found in words such as in "little" or "time."

Simply written "sounding out" would take the form of "ph-or-mmmm." Or "nice" would be written something like "nnn-eye-s," or "buh-lang-ket" for blanket.

I've seen this form of "sounding out," but I just cannot find it, and I cannot afford to pay for a "program," even if I did find one. I'm just trying to help out a neighbor who is "bilingual," but her skills are at the elementary level. AND, the English-as-a-Second Language class she is taking does not cover "sounding out" words.

Thanks for a simplification of phonetics for American spoken words!

Michelle