Each of the words in the survey is given two or more possible pronunciations. They are indicated in a number of complementary ways. First, to the left, you will see a phonetic transcription of each pronunciation variant. (In this WWW version the phonetic symbols are replaced by their SAMPA equivalents.) Then there is an explanation of how the variant sounds. Then, to the right, there is a common-sense respelling. All these forms of explanation are intended to indicate the same thing. Follow whichever you find the easiest.

Section one


absorb		(take into oneself, suck in)  Focus on the -s-.
1a	/@b"sO:b/	the word ends like sorb			ab-SORB
1b	/@b"zO:b/	the word ends like zorb			ab-ZORB

absurd		(ridiculous, unreasonable)  Focus on the -s-.
2a	/@b"s3:d/	the word ends like surd			ab-SURD
2b	/@b"z3:d/	the word ends like zurd			ab-ZURD

chrysanthemum	(a flower)  Focus on the -san-.
3a	/krI"s{nTIm@m/	the middle bit is like san		kri-SAN-themum
3b	/krI"z{nTIm@m/	the middle bit is like zan		kri-ZAN-themum

newspaper	(daily or Sunday paper)  Focus on the -s-.
4a	/"nju:s-/	the first part is as in nuis(ance)	NYOOSS-paper
4b	/"nju:z-/	the first part is as in news		NYOOZ-paper

Asia		(name of continent)  Focus on the -s-.
5a	/"eIS@/		the consonant sound is as in pressure	AYSH-uh
5b	/"eIZ@/		the consonant sound is as in measure	AYZH-uh

luxurious	(comfortable, full of luxury)  
		Focus on the first half of the word. 
NB. Two separate questions, both about consonant sounds. Please answer both. 
(i)
6a	/lVk-/		the word starts like luck		LUCK-xurious
6b	/lVg-/ 		the word starts like lug		LUG-xurious
(ii)
6e	/-"SU@ri@s/	the next sound is like sh		     -SHOORious
6f	/-"sjU@ri@s/	the next sound is like s, then a y-sound     -SYOORious	
6g	/-"ZU@ri@s/	the next sound is like zh (= s in measure)   -ZHOORious
6h	/-"zjU@ri@s/	the next sound is like z, and then a y-sound -ZYOORious

booth		(stall, telephone box)  Focus on the end of the word, -th.
7a	/bu:T/		the word rhymes exactly with truth	BOOTH
7b	/bu:D/		the word rhymes exactly with smooth	BOOTH

with		(in the company of, using, etc.)  Focus on the end of the word.
8a	/wIT/		the word rhymes exactly with pith		 WITH
8b	/wID/		the word is like the beginning of wither (=fade) WITH

youths		(young men)  Focus on the end of the word.
9a	/ju:Dz/		the word rhymes exactly with soothes  		YOOTHZ
9b	/ju:Ts/		the word is like youth plus an s-sound		YOOTH-SS

to associate	(to combine, connect)  Focus on the -oci-.
10a	/@"s@UsieIt/	the consonant sound is as in (neur)osis, gross
							a-SOASS-iate
10b	/@"s@USieIt/	the consonant sound is as in ocean, notion
							a-SOASH-iate

association	(connection, society)  Focus on the -oci-.
11a	/@%s@Usi"eIS(@)n/	the consonant sound is as in (neur)osis, gross
							a-SOASS-iation
11b	/@%s@USi"eIS(@)n/	the consonant sound is as in ocean, notion
							a-SOASH-iation

Polynesia	(islands in the south Pacific)  
		Focus on the third syllable (-nes-)
12a	/%pQlI"ni:zi@/	the sound is like knees			poly-NEEZ-i-a
12b	/%pQlI"ni:Z@/	the sound is like neezh (zh like s in vision)
								poly-NEEZH-a
12c	/%pQlI"ni:si@/	the sound is like niece			poly-NEESS-i-a
12d	/%pQlI"ni:S@/	the sound is like neesh			poly-NEESH-a

perpetual	(constant, eternal)  Focus on the middle of the word.
13a	/p@"petju@l/	the middle is like pet plus you		per-PET-YOO-al
13b	/p@"petSu@l/	the middle is like petch plus oo	per-PETCH-OO-al
13c	/p@"petS(@)l/	the middle is like petch, followed immediately by al
							  	per-PETCH-al

situation	(position, circumstances)  Focus on the -tu-.
14a	/%sItSu"eIS(@)n/ the word starts like sich plus oo	SICH-OO-ation
14b	/%sItju"eIS(@)n/ the word starts like sit plus you	SIT-YOO-ation 

tune		(melody)  Focus on the beginning of the word.
15-a	/tSu:n/		the word starts the same as chew		CHOON
15-b	/tju:n/		the word starts with a t-sound plus you		TYOON
15-c	/tu:n/		the word starts like the number two		TOON

during		(in the time of)  Focus on the first syllable. 
NB: Two separate questions: one about consonant sounds, one about vowels.
Please answer both.
(i)
16-a	/"dZ-/	the word begins like jury, with a j-sound	JUR-ing etc.
16-b	/"dj-/	the word begins with a d-sound followed by a y-sound	
								DYUR-ing etc.
16-c	/"d-/	the word begins with a d-sound, no y-sound	DOOR-ing etc.
(ii)
16-x	/-O:rIN/  the word rhymes with boring			JOR-ing etc.
16-y	/-3:rIN/  the word rhymes with spurring			JUR-ing etc.	
16-z	/-U@rIN/  the word rhymes with curing, but not with boring or spurring
								JEUR-ing etc

gradually	(bit by bit)  Focus on the first half of the word.
17-a	/"gr{dju@li/	it starts with grad plus a y-sound	GRAD-YOO-ally
17-b	/"gr{dZu@li/	it starts like graj-, then -oo-		GRAJ-OO-ally
17-c	/"gr{dZ@li/	it starts like graj-, then goes straight to -ally
								GRAJ-ally

coupon		(voucher, form, stub)  Focus on the first syllable.
18-a	/"kju:pQn/	the word starts like Kew		KEWpon
18-b	/"ku:pQn/	the word starts like coo		KOOpon

questionnaire	(this document!)  Focus on the first syllable.
19-a	/%kestS@"ne@, %keS-/	the word starts like kes(trel)	KEStionnaire
19-b	/%kwestS@"ne@, %kweS-/	the word starts like ques(tion)	KWEStionnaire

February	(name of month) Focus on the second syllable, then on the third. 
NB: Two separate questions: one about consonant sounds, one about vowels. Please
answer both.
 (i)
20-a	/"febju-/ 	the beginning sounds like febbew-	FEBBEW-ary
20-b	/"febru-/	the beginning sounds like febbroo-	FEBBROO-ary
(ii)
20-x	/-eri/		the end part rhymes with berry		febru-ERRY
20-y	/-@ri/		the sound of the vowel -a- is obscured	febru-URRY
20-z	/-ri/		the sound of the vowel -a- disappears entirely
								febru-RY

nuclear		(relating to a nucleus, to splitting the atom)  
		Focus on the second and third syllables.
21-a	/"nju:kjUl@/ 	the word ends like the end of circular	NUCU-lar
21-b	/"nju:kli@/	the word ends like the end of likelier	NUCLI-er

palm		(flat part of the hand; kind of tree)  
		Focus on the middle of the word.
22-a	/pA:m/		the word contains no l-sound; may rhyme with harm
									PAHM
22-b	/pA:lm/		includes an l-sound; the vowel is as in part	PAHLM
22-c	/pQlm/		includes an l-sound; the vowel is as in pot	POLLM
22-d	/p{lm, pelm/	includes an l-sound; the vowel is an in pat or pet 	
								    PAL-M, PEL-M

forehead	(brow)  Focus on the whole word.
23-a	/"fQrId, -@d/	the word rhymes with horrid		FORRid
23-b	/"fO:hed/	the word sounds like four plus head	FORE-head

historic	(as in the phrase this historic moment)	
		Focus on the start of the word.
24-a	/hI"stQrIk/	the word starts with an h-sound		HIstoric
24-b	/I"stQrIk/	there is no h-sound			'Istoric

gibberish	(nonsense)  Focus on the first syllable.
25-a	/"dZIb@rIS/	the g is like the j in jib		JIBBerish
25-b	/"gIb@rIS/	the g is as in gibbon			GHIBBerish

longitude	(latitude and longitude)  Focus on the -ongi-.
26-a	/"lQn(d)ZItju:d/ the consonant sounds are as in plunger	 LONJ-itude
26-b	/"lQNgItju:d/	 the consonant sounds are as in stronger LONGG-itude

jumped		(leapt, sprang)  Focus on the end of the word.
27-a	/dZVmt/		the word is like jum plus t		JUMMT
27-b	/dZVmpt/	the word is like jump plus t		JUMPT

length		(long-ness)  Focus on the end of the word.
28-a	/len(t)T/	the word rhymes exactly with tenth	LENTH
28-b	/leNkT/		the word is like lenk plus th		LENK-TH
28-c	/leNT/		the word is like leng plus th		LENG-TH
	
puncture	(flat tyre)  Focus on the middle of the word. 
29-a	/"pVNktS@/	the word is like punk plus cher		PUNK-CHer
29-b	/"pVNtS@/	the word is like pung plus cher		PUNG-CHer
29-c	/"pVNkS@/	the word is like punk plus sher		PUNK-SHer
29-d	/"pVNS@/	the word is like pung plus sher		PUNG-SHer
29-e	/"pVntS@/	the word is like punch plus er		PUNCH-er

restaurant	(eating-house, café)  Focus on the end of the word.
30-a	/"rest@rQN/	the last part sounds like wrong		restau-RONG
30-b	/"rest@rQnt/	the last part rhymes exactly with want	restau-RONT
30-c	/"rest@rA:nt/	the last part rhymes with can't		restau-RAHNT
30-d	/"rest@rQ~/	the last vowel-sound is nasalized, as in French grand
								restau-RAHng
30-e	/"rest@r@nt/	the last vowel is obscured, as in cormorant
								restau-RUHNT

schedule	(list, timetable)  
		Focus on the beginning and middle of the word.
31-a	/"skedju:l/	the word sounds like sked plus yool	SKED-YOOL
31-b	/"skedZu:l/	the word sounds like skedge plus ool	SKEJ-OOL
31-c	/"Sedju:l/	the word sounds like shed plus yool	SHED-YOOL
31-d	/"SedZu:l/	the word sounds like shedge plus ool	SHEJ-OOL

white		(colour, opposite of black)  Focus on the beginning of the word.
32-a	/waIt/		the word sounds exactly like (Isle of) Wight	WITE
32-b	/hwaIt/		no, there's an h-sound at the beginning		HWITE

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