HOME

English Pronunciation Tip of the Day

Tip 44

Category: Spelling-to-sound
Author: JAM

<oo>

The spelling <oo> has the following pronunciations:

1. /u:/ word-finally: boo coo kangaroo too zoo
2. /O:/ when followed by <r>: door floor moor
3. /V/ in the words blood and flood
4. /U/ when followed by <k>: book brook cook crook hook look nook rook shook took (but spook = /spu:k/)
5. /u:/ elsewhere: boot food hoof loose pool noon room

Some words in 5., room for example, have an alternative pronunciation with /U/.

Notice also zoological = /%zu:@"lQdZIkl/, zoology = /zu:"Ql@dZi/, protozoon = /%pr@Ut@"z@U@n/ and brooch = /br@UtS/