# Everyday words where one sound changes the meaning

In these words, one changed sound can make listeners hear a different word or a different number. Say the version in the
'Say it like this' column; the Rule column shows where each sound is explained.

| Word | Say it like this | If you say | Listeners may hear | Rule |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| thirteen | thəə-**tiin** [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-thirteen.mp3?v=5b4db4411a06) | **thəə**-tin [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-thirteen-mistake.mp3?v=ccb97f8d1397) | thirty [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-heard-thirty.mp3?v=92b3be428c0f) | [Rule 2](https://clear-english.rw/rules/thirteen-vs-thirty.md) |
| fourteen | foo-**tiin** [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-fourteen.mp3?v=83b43f4ccd03) | **foo**-tin [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-fourteen-mistake.mp3?v=d06bbce3bbc7) | forty [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-forty.mp3?v=b786c27a7260) | [Rule 2](https://clear-english.rw/rules/thirteen-vs-thirty.md) |
| right | rait [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-right.mp3?v=70c4dbc98dd1) | lait [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-right-mistake.mp3?v=855be733a9c0) | light [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-light.mp3?v=3324da7d1e62) | [Rule 3](https://clear-english.rw/rules/r-and-l.md) |
| correct | kə-**rekt** [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-correct.mp3?v=3d6120481c28) | kə-**lekt** [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-correct-mistake.mp3?v=481553249b49) | collect [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-collect.mp3?v=d3d9863e8f2d) | [Rule 3](https://clear-english.rw/rules/r-and-l.md) |
| work | wəək [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-work.mp3?v=d0a4133572ec) | wook [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-work-mistake.mp3?v=861f5f55aa4b) | walk [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-walk.mp3?v=a8f5c5a2c300) | [Rule 4](https://clear-english.rw/rules/drop-the-r.md) |
| can't | kaant [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-cant.mp3?v=426acd5a1de4) | kan [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-cant-mistake.mp3?v=49cf340705ac) | can [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-can.mp3?v=51bbb5536739) | [Rule 6](https://clear-english.rw/rules/long-vowels.md) |
| sheep | shiip [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-sheep.mp3?v=321b84593478) | ship [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-sheep-mistake.mp3?v=3081f3cebd54) | ship [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-ship.mp3?v=be6a7153ae22) | [Rule 6](https://clear-english.rw/rules/long-vowels.md) |
| leave | liiv [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-leave.mp3?v=f8a672913aa4) | liv [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-leave-mistake.mp3?v=b002a074d638) | live [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-live.mp3?v=a5044fdb5785) | [Rule 6](https://clear-english.rw/rules/long-vowels.md) |

## Where American English differs

Practise the Standard English form shown here. Listen to the American example so you can recognise another pronunciation of the same word.

The 'Some listeners may hear' column highlights possible confusions to explore in practice. What a listener hears also depends on the context and the pronunciation they are used to.

| Word | Say this (Standard English) | Also heard (American) | Some listeners may hear | Rule |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| little | **li**-təl [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-little.mp3?v=c9a3c2453759) | **li**-dəl [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/us/mc-little-us.mp3?v=2e8b753170e1) | no other word | [Rule 1](https://clear-english.rw/rules/say-every-t.md) |
| litre | **lii**-tə [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-litre.mp3?v=38a3dda915fb) | **lii**-dər [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/us/mc-litre-us.mp3?v=a76da3c0a8b1) | leader [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-leader.mp3?v=842de760daea) | [Rule 1](https://clear-english.rw/rules/say-every-t.md) |
| writing | **rai**-ting [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-writing.mp3?v=53d2ef25c857) | **rai**-ding [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/us/mc-writing-us.mp3?v=9fefe9de4af7) | riding [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-riding.mp3?v=6f6de2a72b76) | [Rule 1](https://clear-english.rw/rules/say-every-t.md) |
| putting | **pu**-ting [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-putting.mp3?v=537e320d759e) | **pu**-ding [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/us/mc-putting-us.mp3?v=39f6656cea5b) | pudding [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-pudding.mp3?v=7c04a6a3a95e) | [Rule 1](https://clear-english.rw/rules/say-every-t.md) |
| metal | **me**-təl [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-metal.mp3?v=28b1d1d5838e) | **me**-dəl [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/us/mc-metal-us.mp3?v=fa412b863c05) | medal [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-medal.mp3?v=a8e9730155f4) | [Rule 1](https://clear-english.rw/rules/say-every-t.md) |
| thirty | **thəə**-ti [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-thirty.mp3?v=92b3be428c0f) | **thər**-di [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/us/mc-thirty-us.mp3?v=de5a661bb81b) | no other word | [Rule 1](https://clear-english.rw/rules/say-every-t.md) |
| hot | hot [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-hot.mp3?v=1d127ebd067c) | haat [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/us/mc-hot-us.mp3?v=c6606a11083f) | heart [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-heart.mp3?v=fe3b3fcb7d5f) | [Rule 5](https://clear-english.rw/rules/short-o.md) |
| not | not [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-not.mp3?v=37e2dd062f92) | naat [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/us/mc-not-us.mp3?v=135ebbc9e7b2) | nut [audio](https://clear-english.rw/audio/gb/mc-nut.mp3?v=54fc9d4ec514) | [Rule 5](https://clear-english.rw/rules/short-o.md) |

Words such as tomato, schedule or the letter Z are said differently in American and Standard English, but listeners
understand either version, so this guide leaves them out.

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From Clear English Rwanda: https://clear-english.rw/everyday-words

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