Endings that swallow a syllable

1. 1
   vegetable/ˈvedʒtəbəl/

   noun

   A plant grown to be eaten.
2. 2
   chocolate/ˈtʃɔːklət/

   noun

   A sweet brown food made from cocoa.
3. 3
   different/ˈdɪfərənt/iAlso said ˈdɪfrənt.

   adjective

   Not the same.
4. 4
   business/ˈbɪznəs/

   noun

   Work done to make money.
5. 5
   family/ˈfæməli/iAlso said ˈfæmli.

   noun

   The people you are related to.
6. 6
   camera/ˈkæmərə/iAlso said ˈkæmrə.

   noun

   A device for taking photographs.
7. 7
   interest/ˈɪntrəst/iAlso said ˈɪntərəst or ˈɪntərɪst.

   noun

   A wish to know more about something.
8. 8
   average/ˈævərɪdʒ/iAlso said ˈævrədʒ or ˈævrɪdʒ.

   adjective

   Ordinary, neither high nor low.
9. 9
   restaurant/ˈrestərˌɑːnt/iAlso said ˈreˌstrɑːnt.

   noun

   A place where you pay to eat a meal.
10. 10
    evening/ˈiːvnɪŋ/

    noun

    The end of the day, before night.

The sentences

1. Is there a vegetable dish on the menu?

2. She brought chocolate back for the whole office.

3. This is a different room from yesterday.

4. I am here on business for a week.

5. My family is coming over this weekend.

6. The camera on this phone is very good.

7. He showed no interest in the idea.

8. It was an average day at work.

9. The restaurant near the station is closed.

10. Are you free later this evening?

Pronunciation

• vegetable/ˈvedʒtəbəl/

  Three syllables, not four: VEJ-ta-bl. The second E is gone.

• chocolate/ˈtʃɔːklət/

  Two syllables: CHOK-lit. Nobody says the middle O.

• different/ˈdɪfərənt/

  Two syllables in speech: DIF-rent.

• business/ˈbɪznəs/

  Two syllables: BIZ-nis. The middle I disappears entirely.

• family/ˈfæməli/

  Usually two syllables: FAM-lee.

• camera/ˈkæmərə/

  Two syllables: CAM-ra.

• interest/ˈɪntrəst/

  Two syllables: IN-trist. The middle E vanishes.

• average/ˈævərɪdʒ/

  Two syllables: AV-rij.

• restaurant/ˈrestərˌɑːnt/

  Two syllables: REST-ront. The AU in the middle is skipped.

• evening/ˈiːvnɪŋ/

  Two syllables: EEV-ning, not three.

Questions

What do you say when something is ordinary, neither good nor bad?

You say average, as in 'It was an average day at work'.

How do you pronounce restaurant?

REST-ront, in two syllables; the AU in the middle is skipped.

What word do you use to say you have no curiosity about something?

Interest, as in 'He showed no interest in the idea'.