You remember in our lesson in the study of consonants we found there
were a number of consonants in English which had more than one sound;
for example, _c_, _s_, _g_, _x_, etc.
A number of other consonants have sounds which are similar; that is,
they are made with the organs of articulation in the same position, only
one is a soft, and the other a hard sound; for example, _p_ and _b_, _t_
and _d_, _f_ and _v_, etc. These sounds are called cognate sounds.
Cognate means literally _of the same nature_, and so these sounds are of
the same nature, only in one the obstruction of the vocal organs is more
complete than in the other.
Our language contains a number of words in which there is a difference
in the pronunciation of the final consonant when the word is used as a
noun and as a verb. The final consonants in these words are the cognate
sounds, _f_, _v_; _t_, _d_; _th_ soft or _th_ hard, _s_ soft, or _s_
hard. When the consonant sound is a soft sound, the word is a noun; and
when the consonant sound is a hard sound the word is a verb. For
example; _use_ and _use_; _breath_ and _breathe_; _life_ and _live_,
etc.
The spelling lessons for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday contain words
ending in cognate sounds, in which the words ending with a soft sound
are nouns and the words ending in the hard sounds are verbs. Add others
to this list as they occur to you.
We have a number of words in the English beginning with _ex_. In some of
these words, the _ex_ has the sound of _eks_, and in some of the words
the _ex_ has the sound of _egs_. It is not easy at times to know which
sound to use.
In regard to the use of _ex_, follow this rule: When a word beginning
with _ex_ is followed by an accented syllable beginning with a vowel,
the _ex_ is pronounced _egs_; in all other words _ex_ is pronounced
_eks_; for example, in _executor_, the _ex_ is followed by an accented
syllable beginning with a vowel, therefore, _ex_ is pronounced _egs_. In
_execute_, the _ex_ is followed by an unaccented syllable beginning with
a vowel, and therefore _ex_ is pronounced _eks_. In _explain_, _ex_ is
followed by a syllable beginning with a consonant, and it is therefore
pronounced _eks_.
Note that in words like _exhibit_, _exhort_, etc., the _ex_ is followed
by a vowel sound, the _h_ being silent, and it is therefore, pronounced
_egs_, for it is followed by an accented syllable beginning with a vowel
sound.
The spelling list for Thursday, Friday and Saturday contains words
beginning with _ex_. Watch carefully the pronunciation.
+Monday+
Excuse Excuse
Abuse Abuse
Grease Grease
Sacrifice Sacrifice
Device Devise
+Tuesday+
Intent Intend
Advice Advise
Relief Relieve
Cloth Clothe
Reproof Reprove
+Wednesday+
Ascent Ascend
Strife Strive
Mouth Mouth
Grief Grieve
Bath Bathe
+Thursday+
Exile
Except
Exhibit
Expert
Exempt
+Friday+
Example
Excellent
Exhaust
Exit
Expropriate
+Saturday+
Exercise
Exist
Experiment
Exaggerate
Explanation