Proper Pronunciation Guide

government

[gʌ vɚn mənt]

Tips:

  • Pronounce the vowel in the second syllable—spelled “er”—as the weak R-Vowel
    /ɚ/ 
      and not as a schwa
    /ə/.
  • In careful speech pronounce
    /n/ at the end of the second syllable.

Practice Sentence:

 He had worked for the government for ten years before he retired last year.

Notes:

The verb is govern [gʌ vɚn] . See the noun “governor” [gʌ və nɚ] in which the letters “er” are pronounced as the weak schwa vowel /ə/ and the letters “or” are pronounced as the weak R-Vowel /ɚ/   .

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