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Unit 24. Listen, Bottle, Politician, etc.

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Syllabic Consonants

Unit 24; Part A

 
idea.jpgImportant for listening!
24.5.jpg
 
 

Unit 24; Part B

 
idea.jpgImportant for listening!
/l/ syllabic consonants are usually found in unstressed syllables after the following consonants:

/t/      
bottle, little, hospital, pistol                 
/s/     
hassle, parcel, whistle, colossal              
/d/
saddle, muddle, handle, pedal
/z/
puzzle, drizzle, dazzle, hazel
/p/
couple, people, example, principal
/k/
knuckle, article, classical, comical
/b/
able, trouble, global, jumble
/n/
communal, channel, tunnel, panel
 
Most of these consonants are spelt -le, but a few are spelt -al, -el and -ol.
/n/ syllabic consonants are usually found in unstressed syllables after the following consonants:

 
/t/     
button, rotten, threaten, kitten              
/f/      
often, deafen, stiffen, soften
/d/
sadden, widen, garden, pardon /v/
seven, given, eleven, proven
/p/
happen, deepen, open, sharpen
/θ/
marathon, python, strengthen, lengthen
/s/
listen, loosen, comparison, person
/∫/
fashion, action, politician, musician
/z/
cousin, horizon, poison, prison
/3/
illusion, collision, occasion, precision

Most of these consonants are spelt -en, -on, -ion or -ian.
Words ending -sm have an /m/ syllabic consonant.
For example:
     Buddhism, capitalism, criticism, journalism, mannerism, socialism, chasm, enthusiasm

note.jpgNote: Contracted forms such as didn't haven't, shouldn't, wouldn't, etc. have a syllabic 'nt':
haven't = /hævnt/ or /hæv∂nt/
 

Unit 24; Part C

 
idea.jpgImportant for listening!
Some words have two syllabic consonants together, including: conditional, diagonal, general, literal, national, veteran. But notice that these can be pronounced m a number of ways. For example:
   diagonal = /daιæg∂n∂l/ or /daιæg∂nl/ or /daιægn∂l/ or /daιægnl/
 
 

Unit 24; Part D

When -ing is added to a verb ending with a syllabic consonant (e,g. handling, troubling, happening, gardening) the consonant + -ing is usually said as one syllable. The syllabic consonant is the first consonant of the last syllable:
    handle /hændl/    -        handling /hændliη/
    happen
/hæp
n/    -        happening /hæpniη/

Notice that it is also possible to say the syllabic consonant with a vowel
(/∂/): /hænd∂liη/, /hæp∂niη/

 



Exercises

flag.jpgComplete each sentence with words from the same group.
24.1.jpgKey.1 My cousin lives in a mansion with a huge garden.
2 He took out a little bottle full of poison and poured it into her tea.
3 Eleven people were injured in the collision.
4 When she got on the bicycle and began to pedal she started to wobble.
5 Since she started playing the violin, her ambition has been to be a classical musician.
6 I burnt my knuckle on a candle and had to go to hospital.
7 He wrote an article about a famous politician who was sent to prison.


musician
ambition
classical    
button
middle
happen       
wobble
pedal
bicycle       
candle
knuckle
hospital     
mansion
cousin
garden
article 
prison 
politician
collision  
eleven  
people 
little
bottle
poison

Example: What will  happen  if I press this  button  in the  middle
1    My __________ lives in a __________ with a huge __________.    
2    He took out a __________ full of __________ and poured it into her tea.
3    __________ __________ were injured in the __________.
4    When she got on the __________ and began to __________ she started to __________.
5    Since she started playing the violin, her __________ has been to be a __________ __________.
6    I burnt my __________ on a __________ and had to go to __________.
7    He wrote an __________ about a famous __________ who was sent to __________.

Now listen and check your answers. Then say the sentences aloud,focusing on saying the words you have written with syllabic consonants. 
flag.jpgListen to the recording. Press 'pause' before each B part and readit aloud. (Focus on using syllabic consonants.) Then press 'play' againand compare your pronunciation with what follows.

1    A: Stop whistling! B: I wasn't whistling.
2    A: I wish you'd stop criticising me. B: It wasn't a criticism.
3    A: Why did you unfasten it? B: I didn't unfasten it.
4    A: It was drizzling all day. B: It wasn't drizzling.
5    A: Stop listening to our conversation. B: I wasn't listening.
6    A: It was broken when you gave it to me. B: It wasn't broken.
7    A: Don't threaten me! B: I wasn't threatening you.
8    A: You've jumbled them up. B: I didn't jumble them up.
flag.jpgCan you find two ... ?
Key.... religions - Buddhism and Hinduism
... political systems - capitalism and communism
... things to avoid when appointing someone to a job - ageism and favouritism
... good qualities for someone to have in a job - enthusiasm and professionalism (or optimism)
... feelings you might have about a situation - optimism and pessimism (or enthusiasm)


. . . styles of painting     Cubism and Impressionism    
. . . religions
. . . political systems
. . . things to avoid when appointing someone to a job               
. . . good qualities for someone to have in a job
. . . feelings you might have about a situation
ageism
capitalism
Cubism
favouritism
Impressionism         
pessimism
Buddhism
communism
enthusiasm
Hinduism
optimism
professionalism

Say your answers aloud. Then listen and check your answers.

Follow up: Can you say 'The Channel Tunnel' with syllabic consonants? Do you know where it is?

 
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