Syllables with no vowel you can hear

1. 1
   button/ˈbʌtən/

   noun

   A switch you press to make a machine work.
2. 2
   listen/ˈlɪsən/

   verb

   Pay attention to what you can hear.
3. 3
   often/ˈɔːfən/iAlso said ˈɔːftən.

   adverb

   Many times.
4. 4
   whistle/ˈwɪsəl/iAlso said ˈhwɪsəl.

   verb

   Make a high sound by blowing through your lips.
5. 5
   sudden/ˈsʌdən/

   adjective

   Happening quickly with no warning.
6. 6
   hidden/ˈhɪdən/

   adjective

   Out of sight.
7. 7
   bottle/ˈbɑːtəl/

   noun

   A tall container with a narrow neck, used for holding a drink.
8. 8
   people/ˈpiːpəl/

   noun

   Human beings as a group.
9. 9
   rhythm/ˈrɪðəm/

   noun

   The pattern of strong and weak beats in spoken words.
10. 10
    mountain/ˈmaʊntən/

    noun

    A very high piece of land that rises well above everything around it.

The sentences

1. Which button do I press to start it?

2. Listen, I think I heard someone at the door.

3. How often does the bus come here?

4. Can you whistle? I never learned how.

5. The rain was so sudden we got soaked.

6. The key is hidden under the mat by the door.

7. Could we get a bottle of water, please?

8. There were so many people at the station.

9. I can hear the rhythm but not the words.

10. We drove up the mountain to watch the sunset.

Pronunciation

• button/ˈbʌtən/

  The last syllable is a quick, weak "n", not a full "ton".

• listen/ˈlɪsən/

  The t is silent: /ˈlɪsən/.

• often/ˈɔːfən/

  Most people leave out the t, so it sounds like "offen".

• whistle/ˈwɪsəl/

  The t is silent, so it rhymes with "missile" said quickly.

• bottle/ˈbɑːtəl/

  The o sounds like 'ah', not like the o in boat.

• rhythm/ˈrɪðəm/

  Two syllables, RITH-uhm, with the soft th of "the" and no h sound after the r.

• mountain/ˈmaʊntən/

  MOUN-tn, with a weak second syllable; it doesn't end like 'main'.

Good to know

tip

In the United States a tip of around 15 to 20 % is usual in restaurants, and service is normally not included in the bill. Tipping is also common for taxis and delivery.

sales tax

Prices on shelves and menus usually do not include sales tax, which is added at the register and varies by state. The total is often higher than the price you saw.

tap water

Restaurants usually bring a glass of tap water, often with ice, if you ask or sometimes without asking. It is normally free.

Questions

How do you pronounce the t in listen and whistle?

The t is silent in both. Listen sounds like /ˈlɪsən/, and whistle rhymes with "missile" said quickly.

How do you say the last syllable of button?

It is a quick, weak "n", not a full "ton". You can practise it with "Which button do I press to start it?"

Is the t in often pronounced?

Most people leave it out, so it sounds like "offen". Try "How often does the bus come here?"