Do you ever feel confused when some English words don’t sound the way they are written? Don’t worry — many learners and even native speakers mispronounce certain words. In this blog post, you will learn 50 commonly mispronounced English words with their correct pronunciation in simple and clear language.
What are Mispronounced Words?
Mispronounced words are words that people say incorrectly while speaking. This happens because:
- The spelling looks confusing.
- The word comes from another language.
- The silent letters or unusual sounds create mistakes.
Many learners say the word how it looks, but English spelling is tricky. That’s why pronunciation needs extra practice.
Commonly Mispronounced Words in English
How This Article Helps You?
- Learn 50 hard-to-say words.
- See the wrong vs correct pronunciation.
- Get quick real-life examples.
- Improve your spoken English fast!
50 Commonly Mispronounced Words
| Word | Wrong Pronunciation | Correct Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | Wed-nes-day | Wenz-day |
| February | Feb-yoo-airy | Feb-roo-airy |
| Pizza | Pee-za | Peet-za |
| Debt | Deb-t | Det (Silent b) |
| Salmon | Sal-mon | Sam-un |
| Colonel | Co-lo-nel | Ker-nel |
| Island | Is-land | Eye-land |
| Coupon | Koo-pon | Kyu-pon |
| Often | Off-ten | Of-en |
| Pronunciation | Pro-noun-ciation | Pro-nun-ciation |
| Comfortable | Com-fort-able | Comf-ta-ble |
| Espresso | Ex-presso | Es-presso |
| Library | Lie-berry | Lie-brary |
| Etcetera | Eck-set-uh-ruh | Et-set-er-uh |
| Jewelry | Jew-luh-ree | Jool-ree |
| Meme | Meh-meh | Meem |
| Realtor | Re-la-tor | Reel-tor |
| Data | Day-ta | Dah-ta or Day-ta (both okay) |
| Zebra | Zee-bra | Zeh-bra (British), Zee-bra (American) |
| Suite | Soo-ite | Sweet |
| Genre | Jen-ree | Zhon-ruh |
| Quay | Kway | Key |
| Bury | Berry | Buh-ree |
| Vehicle | Vee-hick-le | Vee-uh-kl |
| Vulnerable | Vul-ne-ra-ble | Vul-nra-ble |
| Mischievous | Mis-chee-vee-us | Mis-chuh-vus |
| Buffet | Buff-et | Boo-fay |
| Almond | Al-mond | Ah-mond |
| Plumber | Plum-ber | Pluh-mer |
| Tomb | Tom-b | Toom |
| Sword | S-ward | Sord |
| Cache | Cash-ay | Cash |
| Gnome | Guh-nome | Nome |
| Hyperbole | Hyper-bowl | Hy-per-bo-lee |
| Leopard | Lee-op-ard | Leh-perd |
| Adobe | A-dob | A-doe-bee |
| Ballet | Bal-let | Bal-lay |
| Debris | Deb-riss | Deb-ree |
| Niche | Nitch | Neash or Neesh |
| Renaissance | Re-nay-sense | Ren-uh-sans |
| Coupon | Koo-pon | Kyoo-pon |
| Pizza | Pee-za | Peet-za |
| Zebra | Zee-bra | Zeh-bra |
| Adobe | A-dob | A-doe-bee |
| Gist | Jist | Jist (Correct: Soft G) |
| Schedule | Sked-jool | Shed-yool (British), Sked-jool (American) |
| Specific | Pacific | Spe-ci-fic |
| Candidate | Can-i-date | Can-di-date |
| Comfortable | Com-fort-a-ble | Comf-ta-ble |
| Height | Heighth | Hite |
| Picture | Pitch-er | Pick-chur |
Correct and Incorrect Pronunciation Words
How Are These Words Used in Sentences?
Let’s see some examples for better understanding:
➡️ I eat salmon every Sunday. (Correct: Sam-un)
➡️ Please be more specific in your answer. (Not “pacific”)
➡️ I have a coupon for free coffee. (Correct: Kyu-pon)
➡️ The colonel gave the order. (Said: Ker-nel)
➡️ She likes ballet dancing. (Said: Bal-lay)
➡️ I watched a funny meme today. (Said: Meem)
➡️ This is a comfortable sofa. (Said: Comf-ta-ble)
➡️ His pronunciation is very clear. (Not Pro-noun-ciation)
➡️ I saw a gnome in the garden. (Silent G)
Why Mispronunciation Happens?
➡️ English has silent letters
➡️ Some words come from French or Latin
➡️ Different accents (British, American)
➡️ Learners read as it’s spelled, not how it’s said
Tips to Improve Your Pronunciation
- Listen to native speakers (YouTube, Movies, Podcasts)
- Use dictionary audio (like Cambridge or Oxford)
- Practice aloud daily
- Break the words into parts
- Record your voice and compare
Now you’ve learned the correct pronunciation of 50 commonly mispronounced words. Practice these daily to speak more clearly, sound more fluent, and understand English better. It’s okay to make mistakes, but practice makes perfect!
Example Sentences with The Use of Mispronounced Words
- Wednesday → I have a test on Wednesday.
- February → My birthday is in February.
- Pizza → We ordered pizza for dinner.
- Debt → He paid off his debt.
- Salmon → She cooked salmon for lunch.
- Colonel → The colonel gave the command.
- Island → They live on a small island.
- Coupon → I used a coupon to get a discount.
- Often → I often walk in the evening.
- Pronunciation → His pronunciation is very clear.
- Comfortable → This sofa is very comfortable.
- Espresso → I need an espresso to wake up.
- Library → I go to the library to read.
- Etcetera → We bought books, pens, etcetera.
- Jewelry → She loves to wear jewelry.
- Meme → That meme made me laugh.
- Realtor → The realtor showed us a new house.
- Data → The data is saved on my laptop.
- Zebra → We saw a zebra at the zoo.
- Suite → They stayed in a hotel suite.
- Genre → I like the horror genre.
- Quay → The boat is near the quay.
- Bury → We will bury the treasure here.
- Vehicle → His vehicle broke down.
- Vulnerable → Babies are vulnerable to cold.
- Mischievous → The child is very mischievous.
- Buffet → The hotel offers a buffet lunch.
- Almond → I eat almonds every morning.
- Plumber → The plumber fixed the leak.
- Tomb → The king’s tomb was found.
- Sword → He carried a sharp sword.
- Cache → The website cleared its cache.
- Gnome → There’s a gnome in the garden.
- Hyperbole → That was just a hyperbole, not real.
- Leopard → The leopard ran fast.
- Adobe → The photo was edited in Adobe.
- Ballet → She performs ballet very well.
- Debris → Debris covered the road after the storm.
- Niche → He found his niche in design.
- Renaissance → The Renaissance was a time of art.
- Coupon → She printed a coupon for shopping.
- Pizza → I want pizza tonight again.
- Zebra → A zebra has black and white stripes.
- Adobe → Adobe software is easy to use.
- Gist → I got the gist of the story.
- Schedule → My schedule is full today.
- Specific → Be specific in your answer.
- Candidate → She is a strong candidate.
- Comfortable → I feel comfortable here.
- Height → His height is 6 feet.
Mispronounced Words in English
FAQs – Mispronounced English Words
Q1: Why do many English learners mispronounce words?
Ans: Because of silent letters, complex spelling, or influence from native language.
Q2: Is British and American pronunciation different?
Ans: Yes! Some words like “schedule” and “zebra” sound different in both.
Q3: Should I focus on spelling or pronunciation?
Ans: Both are important, but pronunciation helps in speaking and listening.
Q4: Can I change my accent through practice?
Ans: Yes! With regular listening and speaking, you can improve your accent.
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