Often: it’s a word I’d say most people use pretty… well, often. But when we say it, are we really pronouncing it correctly?

It’s such a common and simple word that most any native speaker would answer that question with „DUH!“

But it’s actually a very commonly mispronounced word, not just among German-speaking learners of English, but native speakers of English as well.

So it’s quiz time! Does the word sound like:

of-T-en     or    o-FF-en? 

… are you sure you’ve got the right answer?

Now let’s see if you’ll change your answer once I give you a hint: how would you pronounce the following words:

listen

hasten

soften

fasten

That’s right… the T in „often“ is silent! And if you don’t believe me, check out this bad boy at Merriam Webster, which lays it all out for you to enjoy: https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/correct-pronunciation-of-often.

Until next time!

 

Veröffentlicht von jesselkopp

Amerikanischer Simultandolmetscher, Englischtrainer, Übersetzer und Lektor in Düsseldorf, Neuss und Umgebung. Ich unterstütze international ausgerichtete Firmen, Selbstständige und auch Privatpersonen dabei, Ihre Stimme in der Weltsprache zu finden.