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LISTEN |
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/k/.../k/.../k/.../k/...
kiss...cat...luck...broken |
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WHAT IS IT? |
The sound /k/ is a voiceless, velar, stop consonant.
The sound /k/ can be in these consonant clusters:
- Touch your soft palate (the soft part of the roof of your mouth) with the back of your tongue.
- Move your tongue sharply downward and let air out in a short burst.
- Your vocal cords should not vibrate.
The sound /k/ can be in these consonant clusters:
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Beginning of a Syllable
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End of a Syllable
<
>
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/kr/ ("kr," "cr," "chr") - krill, cry, Christmas
/kl/ ("kl," "cl") - klutz, clean /sk/ ("sk," "sc") - skate, scare /skr/ ("scr") - scream /kw/ ("qu") - queen, choir /skw/ ("squ") - square |
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/kt/ ("ked" / "ched" / "cked") - baked, ached, locked
/ks/ ("cs" / "ches" / "ques" / "cks") - specifics, aches, techniques, backs /sk/ ("sk") - task /sks/ ("sks") - risks /skt/ ("sked") - asked /rk/ - ("rk" / "rc") - dark, arc /rks/ ("rk" / "rcs") - forks, arcs |
/rkt/ ("rked") - worked
/lk/ ("lk") - milk /lks/ ("lks")- hulks /lkt/ ("lked") - balked /ŋk/ ("nk" / "nc") - link, zinc /ŋks/ ("nks" / "ncs") - links, syncs /ŋkt/ ("nked") - thanked |
Spelling:
- "k" /"ke"- king, lake
- "c" - can, economic
- "ch"/"che" - character, ache
- "ck" - luck, package
- "cc" - account, occasion
- "qu" (usually pronounced /kw/) / "que"- quality, technique
Grammar Tip:
The sound /k/ is used in the common suffix "-ic". This suffix appears in adjectives and usually means "of" or "relating to".
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The sound /k/ is also used in the suffix "-ical," which also appears in adjectives and usually has the same meaning as "-ic." However, "-ic" and "-ical" may mark words with different meaning. (For example, "economic" and "economical" have different meanings, and "comic" and "comical" also have different meanings.)
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COMPARE |
Compare /k/ with /g/:
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/k/.../g/.../k/.../g/.../k/.../g/...
These are both velar stop consonants. However, /k/ is a voiceless consonant while /g/ is a voiced consonant. When you pronounce /k/, your vocal cords should not vibrate. |
You can hear the difference between /k/ and /g/ in these words.
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1. A. could, B. good
2. A. class, B. glass 3. A. back, B. bag 4. A. fix, B. figs 5. A. locker, B. logger 6. A. dankly, B. dangly |
Practice recognizing words with /k/ and /g/ by taking the quiz below.
Now, compare /k/ and /h/:
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/k/.../h/.../k/.../h/.../k/.../h/...
These are both voiceless consonants pronounced in the back of the mouth. However, /k/ is a velar stop and /h/ is a glottal fricative. The sound /k/ is pronounced with the back of your tongue, while /h/ is pronounced with the glottis, which is behind your tongue. |
You can hear the difference between /k/ and /h/ in these words.
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5. A. keep, B. heap
2. A. kill, B. hill 1. A. call, B. hall 3. A. come, B. hum 4. A. cook, B. hook 6. A. racecourse, B. racehorse |
Practice recognizing words with /k/ and /h/ by taking the quiz below.
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PRACTICE |
Listen and repeat these words:

words_with_-k-.mp3 | |
File Size: | 550 kb |
File Type: | mp3 |
1. kind
2. can 3. cry 4. clean 5. skate 6. screen 7. quote 8. quick 9. squeeze 10. luck |
11. bark
12. milk 13. thanks 14. fix 15. baker 16. falcon 17. boxes 18. tickling 19. background 20. calculus |
Now practice /k/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.
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1. thank - kind - encouragement
Thank you for your kind encouragement. 2. can - park - covered We can park in a covered garage. 3. exchange ("x" = /ks/) - cards - Christmas They exchange cards and gifts for Christmas. 4. clean- kitchen - cook Please clean the kitchen after you cook. 5. stack - boxes ("x" = /ks/) - corner Stack the boxes in the corner. 6. calculus - textbook ("x" = /ks/) - class I need a calculus textbook for my class. |
To practice with different varieties of English, choose another native English speaker by clicking one of the links below:
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USE IT! |
Practice the task below. Then, record yourself completing that task. Give your recording to a teacher or an English-speaking friend for feedback.
Prepare:
These are all common American breakfast foods. What would you like to order for breakfast?
Prepare:
These are all common American breakfast foods. What would you like to order for breakfast?
FOOD
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DRINKS
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FOOD
DRINKS
- Breakfast sandwich
- Pancakes
- Bacon and eggs
- Steak and eggs
- Bagel and cream cheese
- Biscuits and gravy
- Eggs Benedict
- Cornmeal mush
- Croissantd
DRINKS
- Hot chocolate
- Black coffee
- Coffee with cream
- Cranberry juice
- Milk
(If you’re not sure what some of these are, see
https://www.esolcourses.com/content/topics/food/breakfast/breakfast-food-vocabulary.html)
Record:
Imagine you are ordering breakfast at an American restaurant for you and a friend. In your recording, order 2 foods and 2 drinks.
©2018-2021, Christine Wingate
https://www.esolcourses.com/content/topics/food/breakfast/breakfast-food-vocabulary.html)
Record:
Imagine you are ordering breakfast at an American restaurant for you and a friend. In your recording, order 2 foods and 2 drinks.
©2018-2021, Christine Wingate

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.