2.6: The Consonant Sound [g]

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Overview of the Consonant Sound [g]

You can hear the sound [g] at the beginning and end of gag.

The sound [g] can be spelled a number of different ways, including <g>, <gg>, or <gh>.

Examples

Underline the letter(s) that spell [g] in each word.

grade
lagged

Review

In the words below, the sound [g] is spelled <g>, <gg>, or <gh>. Underline the letter(s) that spell [g] in each word.
\begin{align*} &\text{dogging} && \text{biggest} && \text{again} && \text{ghost}\\ &\text{goods} && \text{spaghetti} && \text{language} && \text{bigger}\end{align*}

Sort the words that contain [g] into these three groups:

Words in which [g] is spelled ...
<g>	<gg>	<gh>

Three ways to spell [g] are _______, _______, and _______.

Show Answer

\begin{align*} & do\underline{gg}ing && bi\underline{gg}est && a\underline{g}ain && \underline{gh}ost \\ & \underline{g}oods && spa\underline{gh}etti && lan\underline{g}uage && bi\underline{gg}er \end{align*}

Words in which [g] is spelled ...
<g>	<gg>	<gh>
again	dogging	ghost
goods	biggest	spaghetti
language	bigger

Three ways to spell [g] are <g>, <gg>, and <gh>.

Explore More

You may be confused by the <g> at the end of according and the second <g> in language. Neither of these <g>'s spells the sound [g]. The <g> in according teams up with <n> to spell a single sound that most dictionaries symbolize as [ng] but that linguists usually symbolize with the symbol they call eng, [ŋ].

The second <g> in language is the soft <g> that students may be familiar with from reading class, the [j] sound that <g> usually spells when it is followed by <e>, , or <y>. Language is an interesting word in that it contains both hard and soft <g>'s. The general point here is that the letter <g> does not always spell the sound [g].

Spelling [g]

Usually the sound [g] is spelled <g>. It is spelled that way nine times out of ten.

Examples

The following words have the sound [g] spelled <g>:

gate program girl pilgrim guitar

Review

Underline the letters that spell [g] in the following words:
\begin{align*} &\text{recognize} && \text{disagreement} && \text{graduate} && \text{agriculturist}\\ &\text{resignation} && \text{angled} && \text{polliwog} && \text{delegate}\\ &\text{poltergeist} &&\text{gasoline} && \text{magazine} && \text{glorious}\\ &\text{gloomiest} &&\text{designate} && \text{regularly} && \text{debug}\\ &\text{gluey} &&\text{argued} && \text{ingredient} && \text{groceries}\\ &\text{suggestion} &&\text{angrily} && \text{alligator} && \text{greasy}\end{align*}

Sort the words into these three groups:

Words with [g] ...
at the front	in the middle		at the end

How is [g] spelled in all of these words? ________

Show Answer

\begin{align*} & reco\underline{g}nize && disa\underline{g}reement && \underline{g}raduate && a\underline{g}riculturist \\ & resi\underline{g}nation && an\underline{g}led && polliwo\underline{g} && dele\underline{g}ate \\ & polter\underline{g}eist && \underline{g}asoline && ma\underline{g}azine && \underline{g}lorious \\ & \underline{g}loomiest && desi\underline{g}nate && re\underline{g}ularly && debu\underline{g} \\ & \underline{g}luey && ar\underline{g}ued && in\underline{g}redient && \underline{g}roceries \\ & su\underline{gg}estion && an\underline{g}rily && alli\underline{g}ator && \underline{g}reasy \end{align*}

Words with [g] ...
at the front	in the middle		at the end
gloomiest	recognize	angrily	polliwog
gluey	resignation	magazine	debug
gasoline	poltergeist	regularly
graduate	suggestion	ingredient
glorious	disagreement	alligator
groceries	angled	agriculturalist
greasy	designate	delegate
	argued

How is [g] spelled in all of these words? <g>

When [g] Is Spelled <gg>

Sometimes [g] is spelled <gg> because the prefix ad- has assimilated to ag- before a stem that starts with <g>, as in aggression.

Sometimes [g] is spelled <gg> because of twinning, as in plugged

Sometimes [g] is spelled <gg> because of the VCC pattern, as in stagger.

Examples

Each of the following words contains a <gg> spelling of [g] because of assimilation, twinning, or the VCC pattern.

Word	= Analysis
shrugged	= shrug + g + ed
aggression	= ad + g + gression
reggae	= VCC

Review

Analyze the words in which the <gg> is due to assimilation or twinning to show where the <gg> comes from. For words in which the <gg> is due to the VCC pattern, just write “VCC” in the Analysis column.

Word	= Analysis
jogger	=
shrugged	=
aggression	=
luggage	=
snuggies	=
aggravate	=
waterlogged	=
maggot	=
reggae	=
baggage	=
toboggan	=
bowlegged	=
debugging	=
jiggish	=
draggy	=

Now sort the fifteen words into these three groups.

Assimilation	Twinning		VCC

When a consonant sound has <le> right after it, the two patterns VCle and VCCle come into play, as in the following examples.

VCle Pattern with a Long Vowel	VCCle Pattern with a Short Vowel
gable	gabble
rifle	riffle
ruble	rubble
cradle	straddle
idle	riddle

There are some [g] words with the VCle and VCCle patterns. Mark the VCle and VCCle patterns in the following words.
\begin{align*} &\text{jiggle} && \text{bugle} && \text{jungle} && \text{bedraggled}\\ &\text{joggle} && \text{smuggle} && \text{angle} && \text{single}\\ &\text{struggle} &&\text{wriggle} && \text{ogle} && \text{boondoggle}\end{align*}

Sort the words above into this matrix:

Words with [g] spelled ...
	<g>	<gg>
Words with a short vowel sound before the [g]
Words with a long vowel sound before the [g]

In words with a [g] followed by <le>, the [g] will be spelled ______ if it has a short vowel in front of it; if it has a long vowel or a consonant in front of it, it will be spelled ___________.

Answer

Word	= Analysis
jogger	= jog + g + er
shrugged	= shrug + g + ed
aggression	= ad + g + gression
luggage	= lug + g + age
snuggies	= snug + g + y + i + es
aggravate	= ad + g + gravate
waterlogged	= waterlog + g + ed
maggot	= VCC
reggae	= VCC
baggage	= bag + g + age
toboggan	= VCC
bowlegged	= bowleg + g + ed
debugging	= debug + g + ing
jiggish	= jig + g + ish
draggy	= drag + g + y

Words with [g] spelled <gg> because of ...
Assimilation	Twinning		VCC
aggression	jogger	bowlegged	maggot
aggravate	shrugged	debugging	reggae
	luggage	jiggish	toboggan
	snuggies	draggy
	waterlogged
	baggage

\begin{align*} &\text{jiggle} && \text{bugle} && \text{jungle} && \text{bedraggled}\\& vccle && vcle && vccle && vccle\\ &\text{joggle} && \text{smuggle} && \text{angle} && \text{single}\\& vccle && vccle && vccle && vccle\\ &\text{struggle} &&\text{wriggle} && \text{ogle} && \text{boondoggle}\\& vccle && vccle && vcle && vccle\end{align*}

Words with [g] spelled ...
	<g>	<gg>
Words with a short vowel sound before the [g]	jungle angle single	jiggle joggle struggle smuggle wriggle bedraggled boondoggle
Words with a long vowel sound before the [g]	bugle ogle

In words with a [g] followed by <le>, the [g] will be spelled <gg> if it has a short vowel in front of it; if it has a long vowel or a consonant in front of it, it will be spelled <g>.

[g] Spelled <gu> and <gh>

Usually when a <g> is followed by the letters <e>, , or <y>, it is pronounced [j] and is called soft <g>.

Sometimes when a [g] sound has an <e>, , or <y> right after it, the [g] sound will be spelled <g> with an insulating standing between the <g> and the <e>, , or <y> to keep the <g> from looking as if it should be pronounced [j].

Originally these words were spelled with no in English. The was added in the 16th century, probably to reflect an older French spelling with <gu>, pronounced [gw].

Also there is one common element that means “speech” and that contains the <g> spelling of [g] with an insulating . The element is logue. Remember that logue means “words or speech,” and be ready to discuss these questions:

If dia- means “two,” what is a dialogue?

If mono- means “one,” what is a monologue?

If pro- means “before,” what is a prologue?

What is a travelogue?

If cata- means “complete,” why is a catalogue called a catalogue?

Words that end <logue> can usually also be spelled <log>. Dialog, monolog, prolog, travelog, catalog, epilog are all correct spellings, too.

Examples

Examples of <gu> before an <e>, , or <y> include the following.

guy guide intrigue

There are also a few words where [g] is actually spelled <gu> in front of <a>.

guarantee guard safeguard guardian

In a very few words, the sound [g] is spelled <gh>, as in ghost.

Review

Underline the letters that spell [g] in the following words.
\begin{align*} &\text{gluey} && \text{colleague} && \text{disguise} && \text{guys} && \text{aghast}\\ &\text{ghastly} && \text{ghoulish} && \text{ghetto} && \text{ghosts} &&\text{spaghetti}\\ &\text{plague} &&\text{agriculture} && \text{agreements} && \text{guilty} && \text{dinghy}\\ &\text{baggage} &&\text{luggage} && \text{toboggan} && \text{aggressive} && \text{ingredient}\\ &\text{league} &&\text{suggestion} && \text{angles} && \text{bedraggled} && \text{boondoggle}\end{align*}

Sort the above words into these groups.

Words in which [g] is spelled . . .
<g> with an insulating <u>	<g>	<gh>	<gg>

Show Answer

\begin{align*} & \underline{g}luey && collea\underline{g}ue && dis\underline{g}uise && \underline{g}uys && a\underline{g}hast \\ & \underline{g}hastly && \underline{g}houlish && \underline{g}hetto && \underline{g}hosts && spa\underline{g}hetti \\ & pla\underline{g}ue && a\underline{g}riculture && a\underline{g}reements && \underline{g}uilty && din\underline{g}hy \\ & ba\underline{gg}age && lu\underline{gg}age && tobo\underline{gg}an && a\underline{gg}ressive && in\underline{g}redient \\ & lea\underline{g}ue && su\underline{gg}estion && an\underline{g}les && bedra\underline{gg}led && boondo\underline{gg}le \end{align*}

Words in which [g] is spelled . . .
<g> with an insulating <u>	<g>	<gh>	<gg>
colleague	gluey	aghast	baggage
disguise	agriculture	ghastly	luggage
guys	agreements	ghoulish	toboggan
plague	ingredient	ghetto	aggressive
guilty	suggestion	ghosts	bedraggled
league	angles	spaghetti	boondoggled
		dinghy

Pronunciations of <gh>

In very few words [g] is spelled <gh>. But <gh> is not always pronounced [g]. Sometimes it is pronounced [f], and sometimes it is not pronounced at all.

Examples

The following words have <gh> pronounced [f]:

cough laugh trough enough

Review

Carefully read the following words with <gh>. Be sure you know how each one is pronounced. Mark each word to show what the <gh> spells as we have done with ghastly, freight, and toughness. Use the zero sign, Ø, if the <gh> is not pronounced at all. Then sort the words into this matrix:
\begin{align*} &\text{although} && \text{coughed} && \text{delightful} && \text{eighth} && \text{enough} && \text{freight}\\ &\text{ghastly} && \text{ghetto} && \text{ghosts} && \text{ghoulish} && \text{height} && \text{knight}\\ &\text{laughter} &&\text{overweight} && \text{overweight} && \text{roughen} && \text{tightest} && \text{toughness}\end{align*}

	[g]	[f]	[Ø]
Words in which <gh> is at the front of the element
Words in which <gh> is at the end of the element with a short vowel in front of it
Words in which <gh> is either in the middle of the element or has a long vowel in front of it

When <gh> comes at the beginning of an element, how is it pronounced? _________. When <gh> spells the sound [f], is it at the front, middle, or end of the element it is in? _________. When <gh> spells the sound [f], does it have a short vowel in front of it, or a long vowel? _________ If there is a long vowel sound right in front of <gh>, is it pronounced or not pronounced? _________.

Show Answer

Words in which <gh> spells . . .
	[g]	[f]	[Ø]
Words in which <gh> is at the front of the element	ghastly ghosts ghoulish ghetto
Words in which <gh> is at the end of the element with a short vowel in front of it		coughed toughness roughen enough laughter
Words in which <gh> is either in the middle of the element or has a long vowel in front of it			freight neighbor tightest although eighth delightful knight overweight height

When <gh> comes at the beginning of an element, how is it pronounced? [g] . When <gh> spells the sound [f], is it at the front, middle, or end of the element it is in? end. When <gh> spells the sound [f], does it have a short vowel in front of it, or a long vowel? short If there is a long vowel sound right in front of <gh>, is it pronounced or not pronounced? not pronounced

Explore More

Word Find. This Find contains at least twenty-three words that contain the spelling <gh>. As you find them, sort them into the groups described below:

Words in which <gh> spells . . .
[g]	[Ø]		[f]

Show Answer

Words in which <gh> spells . . .
[g]	[Ø]		[f]
spaghetti	delightful	eight	laughing
gherkin	tightest	neighbor	toughness
ghetto	freight	brightening	roughen
aghast	overweight	right	coughed
ghosts	height		trough
ghastly			rough
ghoulish			enough

<x> When You Hear [g]

Sometimes the letter <x> spells the combination [ks], and sometimes it spells the combination [gz].

Sometimes a word can be pronounced either with a [ks] or [gz].

Almost always the <x> that spells [gz] is in the prefix ex-, and the stem that follows the prefix begins with a vowel.

Examples

Some people pronounce exit with a [ks], [éksit], and some people pronounce it with a [gz], [égzit]. Either pronunciation is correct.

Review

Analyze each of the following words, all of which contain the prefix ex-.

Word	= Formula	= Analysis
1. exercised	= Prefix + stem	=
2. inexactly	= Prefix + prefix + base + suffix	=
3. explosion	= Prefix + stem	=
4. extensive	= Prefix + stem	=
5. exhaustive	= Prefix + base + suffix	=
6. exhibit	= Prefix + stem	=
7. examined	= Prefix + stem	=
8 .exposure	= Prefix + base + suffix	=
9. exclude	= Prefix + stem	=
10. extended	= Prefix + base + suffix	=
11. executive	= Prefix + stem	=
12. exorbitant	= Prefix + stem	=
13. exclusive	= Prefix + stem	=

Show Answer

Word	= Formula	= Analysis
1. exercised	= Prefix + stem	= ex + ercised
2. inexactly	= Prefix + prefix + base + suffix	= in + ex + act + ly
3. explosion	= Prefix + stem	= ex + plosion
4. extensive	= Prefix + stem	= ex + tensive
5. exhaustive	= Prefix + base + suffix	= ex + haust + ive
6. exhibit	= Prefix + stem	= ex + hibit
7. examined	= Prefix + stem	= ex + amined
8. exposure	= Prefix + base + suffix	= ex + pose+ ure
9. exclude	= Prefix + stem	= ex + clude
10. extended	= Prefix + base + suffix	= ex + tend + ed
11. executive	= Prefix + stem	= ex + ecutive
12. exorbitant	= Prefix + stem	= ex + orbitant
13. exclusive	= Prefix + stem	= ex + clusive

Explore More

Some other things about [g] and <g>:

One other common word in which <x> spells [gz] is auxiliary.

The only word that ends in <gg> is egg.

In the word mortgage, the [g] is spelled <tg>. The word mortgage is a compound that contains two bases: mort, which means “death” (as in words like mortal and mortuary), and gage, which means “promise or pledge.” When we try to pronounce [t] and [g] together, we find it difficult, and to simplify the pronunciation, the [t] sound is left out. So in mortgage [g] is spelled <tg>.