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Pick the correct answer

Happy New Month, Imperial Students!

Welcome to March — a new chapter, a fresh opportunity, and another chance to rise higher.

This month, may your efforts produce results, your discipline bring distinction, and your dreams move closer to reality. Whether you’re preparing for WAEC, JAMB, NECO, or A-Level, remember: greatness is built daily.

Keep pushing. Keep believing. Keep winning.

💙 Sound Success. Enduring Legacy. 💙

📝 EXAM-FOCUSED PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

(For WAEC • IELTS • JAMB – British English)

Correct pronunciation helps you:
• Score higher in IELTS Speaking
• Avoid spelling–sound traps in WAEC & JAMB Oral English
• Speak clear, natural British English

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🔊 COMMONLY TESTED WORDS & TRAPS

1. February

/ˈfebruəri/
✔ feb-ru-uh-ree
✖ feb-u-ary

📌 WAEC/JAMB Tip: Don’t drop the r sound completely.

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2. Comfortable

/ˈkʌmftəb(ə)l/
✔ kumf-tuh-bul
✖ com-for-table

📌 Exam trap: Middle syllable is silent.

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3. Wednesday

/ˈwenzdeɪ/
✔ wenz-day
✖ wed-nes-day

📌 Very common JAMB question.

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4. Chocolate

/ˈtʃɒklət/
✔ chok-lut
✖ cho-co-late

📌 Usually reduced to two syllables.

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5. Salmon

/ˈsæmən/
✔ sa-mun
✖ sal-mon

📌 L is silent (WAEC favourite).

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6. Etcetera (etc.)

/etˈsetərə/
✔ et-set-uh-ruh
✖ ek-set-ra

📌 Pronounce all four syllables clearly in exams.

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7. Mischievous

/ˈmɪstʃɪvəs/
✔ mis-chiv-us
✖ mis-chee-vee-us

📌 Only three syllables, not four.

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8. Asterisk

/ˈæstərɪsk/
✔ as-tuh-risk
✖ aster-iks

📌 Ending is –risk, not –riks.

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9. Nuclear

/ˈnjuːkliə/
✔ new-klee-uh
✖ nu-cu-lar

📌 Common pronunciation error in oral tests.

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10. Clothes

/kləʊðz/
✔ klo-thz (often reduced to “kloz”)
✖ klo-th-es

📌 Difficult consonant cluster – practise slowly.

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11. Breakfast

/ˈbrekfəst/
✔ brek-fust
✖ break-fast

📌 Middle vowel is weak /ə/.

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12. Dessert

/dɪˈzɜːt/
✔ di-zert
✖ de-zat

📌 Stress is on the second syllable.

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13. Library

/ˈlaɪbrəri/
✔ lie-bruh-ree (often “lie-bri”)
✖ lie-berry

📌 Do not drop the r sound.

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14. Pronunciation

/prəˌnʌnsiˈeɪʃən/
✔ pro-nun-see-ay-shun
✖ pro-nounce-iation

📌 Don’t confuse noun with verb.

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15. Genre

/ˈʒɒrə/
✔ zhon-ruh
✖ jen-ree

📌 Starts with the /ʒ/ sound (like measure).

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16. Chaos

/ˈkeɪɒs/
✔ kay-os
✖ cha-os

📌 Greek origin – spelling is misleading.

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17. Yacht

/jɒt/
✔ yot
✖ yatch

📌 Several letters are silent.

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18. Debris

/ˈdebriː/ (British)
✔ deb-ree
✖ deb-riss

📌 IELTS prefers British pronunciation.

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19. Cupboard

/ˈkʌbəd/
✔ cub-ud
✖ cup-board

📌 Middle sounds disappear in natural speech.

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20. Plumber

/ˈplʌmə/
✔ plum-uh
✖ plum-ber

📌 B is silent (very common exam trap).

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🎯 EXAM STRATEGY TIPS

For WAEC & JAMB
• Watch out for silent letters
• Count syllables carefully
• Know weak vowels (/ə/)

For IELTS Speaking
• Speak naturally, not mechanically
• Minor slips are okay, clarity matters
• Stress and rhythm are more important than accent