Ten that trip you up

thoroughˈθɜːroʊadjective

Complete with regard to every detail; not superficial.

Two syllables, not three — and it is not 'through'.

ruralˈrʊrəladjective

Relating to the countryside rather than the town.

Two r-sounds back to back with only a weak vowel between them.

colonelˈkɜːrnəlnoun

A senior officer in an army, above a lieutenant colonel.

Sounds identical to 'kernel'. The 'l' in the spelling is silent.

comfortableˈkʌmftərbəladjective

Providing physical ease and relaxation.

Natural speech drops a syllable: KUMF-ter-bul, not com-for-ta-ble.

squirrelˈskwɜːrəlnoun

A small tree-dwelling rodent with a bushy tail.

The 'skw' cluster runs straight into an r-coloured vowel.

clotheskloʊðznoun

Items worn to cover the body.

One syllable. The 'ðz' ending is what makes it hard, not the vowel.

sixthsɪksθadjective

Constituting number six in a sequence.

Three consonants close the word: k, s, then th.

entrepreneurˌɑːntrəprəˈnɜːrnoun

A person who sets up a business, taking on financial risk.

Borrowed from French — the stress lands on the final syllable.

scheduleˈskedʒuːlnoun

A plan listing events and the times at which they happen.

American 'sked-jool'; British speakers say 'shed-yool'.

Februaryˈfebruerinoun

The second month of the year.

The first 'r' is routinely dropped, even by native speakers.