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20 Commonly Mispronounced Words

There are many words in the English language that are mispronounced. We don’t blame you; the English language is not the easiest to pronounce! This post will explain how to pronounce each of the commonly mispronounced words.

Word 1: Aisle 

Common mispronunciation: ai-suhl / ei-suhl / eil

Correct pronunciation: ile

This word has been said in numerous ways, with 99% of them being incorrect. The mistake here is that people tend to sound the ‘s’ in the word, which then makes them say the rest of the word as ‘suhl’. Think of the word ‘isle’, as this is pronounced in the same way as ‘aisle’. Remove the ‘s’ from the word ‘isle’, and you’ll be left with ‘ile’. The way you would pronounce ‘ile’ is the way ‘aisle’ is pronounced.

Word 2: Isle

Common mispronunciation: ei-suhl / eil

Correct pronunciation: ile

Isle is said in the same way as aisle. Confusing, we know! 

Word 3: Archive

Common mispronunciation: aa-keev / aa-cheev

Correct pronunciation: AA-kive

Think of this word as ‘R-kive’. It’s as simple as that!

Word 4: Colonel

Common mispronunciation: koh-loh-nel / koh-loh-nuhl / kuh-luh-nuhl

Correct pronunciation: KUH-nuhl

Even those in the military sometimes pronounce this word incorrectly, so don’t worry if you have! This is perhaps the most commonly mispronounced word of all time! A tip here is to ignore the ‘colo’ in the word, and just add the ‘ker’ instead, leaving you with the word ‘kernel’. Pronounce the word ‘kernel’ and you will have pronounced the word ‘colonel’ correctly.

Word 5: Cupboard

Common mispronunciation: cuhp-bohrd

Correct pronunciation: KUH-buhd

This word is often mispronounced by non-native English speakers, but some native English speakers are also guilty of this! Though the word can be separated into ‘cup’ and ‘board’, remember that the ‘p’ in ‘cup’ is silent and the ‘o’ in ‘board’ is not emphasised.

Word 6: Debris 

Common mispronunciation: deh-brees / duh-brees / dee-brees / dee-briss

Correct British pronunciation: DEI-bree

Correct American pronunciation: duh-BREE

Another silent ‘s’. However, there are two ways to pronounce this word. In British English, emphasis is placed on the first part of the word, while in American English emphasis is placed on the second part.

Word 7: Epitome

Common mispronunciation: eh-pi-tohme

Correct pronunciation: uh-PI-tuh-mee

Split this word into four parts, ‘e’, ‘pi’, ‘to’, and ‘me’. The ‘e’ is pronounced as ‘eh’. The ‘pi’ is sounded as it is. ‘To’ is pronounced at ‘tuh’, and ‘me’ is pronounced as it is. When you pronounce this word correctly a few times, remember that it sounds similar to the words ‘appeal to me’. This should help you remember the pronunciation of the word ‘epitome’.

Word 8: Forte

Common mispronunciation: forht

Correct pronunciation: FOR-tei

Think of the word ‘forty’. Pronounce this word the way it is, and now replace the ‘y’ at the end with ‘ei’. Simple!

Word 9: Gauge 

Common mispronunciation: GOW-j / gowj / gorj

Correct pronunciation: geij

This word is often said the same way as ‘gouge’, which is a word. However, ‘gauge’ is spelt and pronounced differently and has a completely different meaning. Remember that the ‘u’ is silent. If you remove the ‘u’ from the word, the word becomes ‘gage’, which rhymes with the word ‘age’. This is how you pronounce the word ‘gauge’.

Word 10: Genre 

Common mispronunciation: jen-ruh / jen-rei / gen-rei

Correct pronunciation: ZHON-ruh

Remember that the two ‘e’s’ in the word are not pronounced as ‘e’. Look up how to pronounce the perfume brand ‘Jean Paul Gautier’ and apply the way you pronounce ‘Jean’ to the ‘gen’ in the word ‘genre’ and you’ll be halfway there. The remaining ‘re’ in the word is said as ‘ruh’. Combine the two, emphasise the ‘Jean’, and you’ll have pronounced it correctly!

Word 11: Mischievous

Common mispronunciation: mis-chee-vee-yuhs / mis-chai-vuhs

Correct pronunciation: MIS-chuh-vuhs

Many have pronounced mischievous by pronouncing the ‘e’ in the word as ‘ee’ and also adding this ‘ee’ sound after the ‘v’; this is incorrect. In fact, you do not pronounce the ‘e’ or the sound ‘ee’ at all. Think of the word ‘mischief’. Add ‘vuhs’ after the ‘mischief’, emphasise the ‘mis’, and you’ll have pronounced the word correctly.

Word 12: Niche

Common mispronunciation: neech / nai-ch / nai-sh

Correct pronunciation: neesh / nitch

The correct pronunciation of this word has been in debate for many decades. Up until the 20th century, the word was pronounced as ‘nitch’. However, since then, people have pronounced the word as ‘neesh’. Though neither pronunciation is wrong per se, the more common pronunciation is ‘neesh’.

To remember, simply replace the ‘ch’ with ‘sh’, replace the ‘i’ with an ‘e’, and move over the ‘e’ at the end of the word next to the new ‘e’, and you’ll have ‘neesh’. This is how ‘niche’ is pronounced.

Word 13: Plumber 

Common mispronunciation: plum-buh

Correct pronunciation: PLUH-muh

The silence is loud! Remember the ‘b’ in the word is silent. The word will then roll off the tongue, ‘PLUH-muh’.

Word 14: Pronunciation

Common mispronunciation: pro-noun-see-ay-shun

Correct pronunciation: pruh-NUHN-see-ay-shun

People often tend to pronounce this word as ‘pro-noun-ciation’. Although you do sound the ‘noun’ in the words ‘pronounce’ and ‘pronouncing’, this does not apply to sounding ‘pronunciation’. There is no ‘noun’ in the spelling of the word ‘pronunciation’, so you simply replace the ‘noun’ with ‘nuhn’.

Word 15: Quay

Common mispronunciation: kway

Correct pronunciation: kee

A ‘quay’ is a platform for unloading and loading ships. To unload or load a ship, you’ll need a key at some point. This is the way to pronounce ‘quay’.

Word 16: Sword

Common mispronunciation: s-wud-d / s-wor-d

Correct pronunciation: sawd

Another silence strikes! The ‘w’ is often pronounced, but is in fact silent. Remove the ‘w’ and you’ll be left with ‘sord’. Then remember that the car brand ‘Ford’ rhymes with ‘Sord’, which is the way you pronounce ‘sword’.

Word 17: Liaise

Common mispronunciation: lai-uhs / lie-aze / lee-ay-see

Correct pronunciation: lee-AYZ

A cool tip to remember the pronunciation of this word is to imagine having ‘lee-AYZ’ with Mr Lee for satays. Combine the ‘Lee’ in ‘Mr Lee’ and the ‘ays’ in ‘satays’, and you’ll be there.

Alternatively, think of the word ‘mayonnaise’. The ‘aise’ appears in ‘mayonnaise’ and ‘liaise’.

‘Mayonnaise’ rhymes with ‘liaise’. So, whenever you are dipping your fries in mayonnaise, think of the word ‘liaise’, even if you may not want to whilst eating!

Word 18: Acai

Common mispronunciation: ACK-ah-ee / ah-SIGH / ACK-i / ah-KAI /

Correct pronunciation: ah-sigh-EE

‘Acai’ is a type of berry. Remember that the word ‘acai’ rhymes with the word ‘berry’, and you’ll have pronounced the word correctly.

Word 19: Library

Common mispronunciation: lie-bair-ee

Correct pronunciation: lie-brair-ee

People tend to pronounce library without the ‘r’ in the middle of the word, thinking that it is silent. Though people continue to pronounce the word like this, it is wrong. The first ‘r’ in the word should be pronounced the same way as the other ‘r’ in the word.

Word 20: Meme

Common mispronunciation: mee-mee / m-eh-m / meh-mee

Correct pronunciation: m-ee-m

Everyone has seen a meme by now. However, there are still some that do not pronounce the word correctly. Think of the word being spelt as ‘meem’ and then pronouncing this word instead; this is the way you pronounce ‘meme’.

How many of these words have you mispronounced? Don’t worry, you aren’t alone! Keep repeating the correct pronunciation of each of these words and you’ll master the pronunciations in no time!

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