2.15: The Consonant Sound [m]
- Page ID
- 7064
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The consonant sound [m] is usually spelled <m>. More than nine times out of ten [m] is spelled this way.
Review
- Underline the letters that spell [m] in the following words:
\begin{align*}
& \text{crumble} && \text{motionless} && \text{compared} && \text{umbrella}\\
& \text{resemble} && \text{exclaim} && \text{costume} && \text{mortal}\\
& \text{element} && \text{minnow} && \text{meddle} && \text{economics}\\
& \text{handsome} && \text{poem} && \text{diamonds} && \text{chemical}\\
& \text{eminent} && \text{judgment} && \text{smoothest} && \text{enormous}
\end{align*} - How is [m] spelled in all of these words? ________.
- Now sort the twenty words into these three groups. One word will be in two groups:
Words in which [m] is... at the front of the word at the end of the word in the middle of the word
- Show Answer
-
- \begin{align*}
& cru\underline{m}ble && \underline{m}otionless && co\underline{m}pared && u\underline{m}brella \\
& rese\underline{m}ble && exclai\underline{m} && costu\underline{m}e && \underline{m}ortal \\
& ele\underline{m}ent && \underline{m}innow && \underline{m}eddle && econo\underline{m}ics \\
& handso\underline{m}e && poe\underline{m} && dia\underline{m}onds && che\underline{m}ical \\
& e\underline{m}inent && judge\underline{m}ent && s\underline{m}oothest && enor\underline{m}ous
\end{align*} - How is [m] spelled in all of these words? ‘m’
-
Words in which [m] is... at the front of the word at the end of the word in the middle of the word motionless handsome crumble diamonds minnow exclaim resemble smoothest meddle poem element umbrella mortal costume eminent economics judgment chemical compared enormous
- \begin{align*}
Explore More
Word Venn. Into circle A put only words that contain [m]. Into circle B put only words that contain [η]. Into circle C put only words that contain [n].
\begin{align*}
& \text{anger} && \text{comprehend} && \text{immigrate} && \text{morning}\\
& \text{ankle} && \text{emigrant} && \text{instructing} && \text{nibbling}\\
& \text{avenue} && \text{floating} && \text{island} && \text{poetry}\\
& \text{bubbling} && \text{friendliness} && \text{judgement} && \text{scribble}\\
& \text{bundling} && \text{gamble} && \text{junior} && \text{smoking}\\
& \text{charming} && \text{handsome} && \text{meaning} && \text{summoning}\\
& \text{committing} && \text{humbling} && \text{middle} && \text{suppose}\\
& \text{commotion} && \text{husband} && \text{mining} && \text{your}
\end{align*}
- Show Answer
-
[m] Spelled <mm>
Almost ninety-nine times out of a hundred the sound [m] will be spelled <m> or <mm>.
Sometimes twinning can cause [m] to be spelled <mm>: swimming = swim + m + ing. When the prefixes in- or sub- assimilate in front of a stem that starts with an <m>, they cause an <mm>: immigrant = i n + m + migrant and summon = su b + m + mon. When any element that ends with <m> joins another element that starts with <m>, they cause an <mm> through simple addition: roommate = room + mate
In cases where the [m] sound has a short vowel right in front of it and another vowel following it, the <mm> is necessary to fill out the VCC pattern that shows that the vowel in front of the [m] is short. For instance, if comma were spelled <coma>, it would look as if the <o> is long, as it is in the word coma.
Examples
| Words | Analysis | Cause |
|---|---|---|
| swimming | swim + m + ing | Twinning |
| immigrant | i |
Assimilation |
| roommate | room + mate | Simple Addition |
Review
Analyze each word to show where the two <m>s come from. Then in the “Cause” column write the cause for the <mm> in each word — either “Twinning,” “Assimilation,” or “Simple Addition.”
| Words | Analysis | Cause |
|---|---|---|
| 1. immediate | ||
| 2. brimming | ||
| 3. teammate | ||
| 4. gummy | ||
| 5. dimmest | ||
| 6. immortal | ||
| 7. slammed | ||
| 8. summon | ||
| 9. immune |
10. Words like the twelve below have <mm> spellings that are not due to twinning or assimilation or simple addition. In each word, label the vowel right in front of the <mm> with a V. Then label the <mm> CC, as we have done with comma:
\begin{align*}& \text{comma} && \text{dilemma } && \text{dummy} && \text{gimmick} \\ & \ \ \text{VCC} \\ \\ & \text{glimmer} && \text{hammer} && \text{mammal} && \text{mammoth} \\ \\ & \text{mummy} && \text{persimmon} && \text{stammer} && \text{summer}\end{align*}
11. What pattern did you find in all the words? ___________. Is the vowel in front of the <mm> always short? ___________
12. So far you have worked with two spellings of [m]. They are ______ and ______.
- Show Answer
-
Words Analysis Cause 1. immediate i n+ mediateAssimilation 2. brimming brim + m + ing Twinning 3. teammate team+mate Simple Addition 4. gummy gum + m + y Twinning 5. dimmest dim + m + est Twinnest 6. immortal i n+ m + mortalAssimilation 7. slammed slam + m + ed Twinning 8. summon su b+ m + monAssimilation 9. immune i n+ m + muneAssimilation 10.
\begin{align*}& \text{comma} && \text{dilemma } && \text{dummy} && \text{gimmick} \\ & \quad \text{vcc} && \quad \text{vcc} && \quad \text{vcc} && \quad \text{vcc} \\ & \text{glimmer} && \text{hammer} && \text{mammal} && \text{mammoth} \\ & \quad \text{vcc} && \quad \text{vcc} && \quad \text{vcc} && \quad \text{vcc} \\ & \text{mummy} && \text{persimmon} && \text{stammer} && \text{summer} \\ & \quad \text{vcc} && \quad \text{vcc} && \quad \text{vcc} && \quad \text{vcc}\end{align*}
11. What pattern did you find in all the words? VCC. Is the vowel in front of the <mm> always short? Yes
12. So far you have worked with two spellings of [m]. They are <m> and <mm>.
Unusual Spellings of [m]: <mn>, <mb>, and <lm>
When the letter <m> is combined with certain letters, those letters can be silent and the combination can still make the sound [m].
This can happen in the combinations <mn>, <mb>, and <lm>.
Note that for <lm>, many people hear and/or pronounce the <l>, but dictionaries usually show no [l] sound for the words used in this lesson.
Examples
Underline the letters that make the [m] sound in each word.
- column
- crumb
- palm
Review
Underline the letters that make the [m] sound in each word.
- autumn
- limb
- tomb
- condemn
- climb
- hymn
- numb
- womb
- damn
- solemn
- comb
- lamb
- thumb
- In the above words, where is the <mn> or <mb>? Is it at the beginning, the middle, or the end of each word? _________
Underline the letters that make the [m] sound in each word. - embalm
- alms
- psalm
- almond
- salmon
- Show Answer
-
Underline the letters that make the [m] sound in each word.
- autumn
- limb
- tomb
- condemn
- climb
- hymn
- numb
- womb
- damn
- solemn
- comb
- lamb
- thumb
- In the above words, where is the <mn> or <mb>? Is it at the beginning, the middle, or the end of each word? at the end
Underline the letters that make the [m] sound in each word. - embalm
- alms
- psalm
- almond
- salmon
Explore More
- The six words with <mn> in this lesson come from Latin.
English Word Latin Source autumn autumnus column columna condemn condemnare damn damnare hymn hymnus solemn solemnis
Is the <mn> in the beginning, end, or in the middle of the Latin source words? ____________ - When you add certain suffixes to these six words so the <mn> is in the middle as it is in Latin, you pronounce both the <m> and the <n>, so the <mn> is pronounced [mn]. Say each of the following words carefully to see how the <mn> is pronounced. Then analyze each of the words into its free stem word and suffix:
Words How is <mn> pronounced? Stem word + Prefix autumnal [mn] autumn + al columnist condemnation damnable hymnal solemnity - All words used in this lesson with <mb> come from Latin or Old English words. Fill in the blanks so as to show which modern words came from each of the Latin or Old English originals.
Original Words Modern Words with <mb> Latin, bombus Old English, climban Old English, comb Old English, cruma Old English, dumb Old English, lamb Old English, lim Old English, niman Old English, thuma Latin, tumba Old English, wamb - Sort the eleven English words from the table above into these three groups.
Words that come from ... a Latin word with an <mb> an Old English word with an <mb> an Old English word with no <mb> - Just as with <mn>, sometimes you can hear the <b> in <mb> if you add a suffix to the word so that the <mb> doesn't come right at the end. Put these words together and see how the <mb> is pronounced in the longer word you make.
Stem word + suffix = New Word How is <mb> pronounced in the new word? bomb + ard = crumb + le = - The word thumb is related to the word thimble. In thimble how is the <mb> pronounced? ________
- Below are the Old English or Latin words that the six words with <lm> come from. See if you can figure out which of the six came from each of the original words listed below, and fill in the blanks. As a reminder, the six used were salmon, balm/embalm, psalm, almond, palm, and alms.
Original Words Modern Words with <lm> Latin, balsamum Latin, psalmus Latin, salmo Latin, amandula Latin, palma Old English, ælmesse - Now sort the six modern words into these two groups.
Modern words with ... <lm> in the original word no <lm> in the original word
- Show Answer
-
- The six words with <mn> in this lesson come from Latin.
English Word Latin Source autumn autumnus column columna condemn condemnare damn damnare hymn hymnus solemn solemnis
Is the <mn> in the beginning, end, or in the middle of the Latin source words? in the middle - When you add certain suffixes to these six words so the <mn> is in the middle as it is in Latin, you pronounce both the <m> and the <n>, so the <mn> is pronounced [mn]. Say each of the following words carefully to see how the <mn> is pronounced. Then analyze each of the words into its free stem word and suffix:
Words How is <mn> pronounced? Free Stem + suffix autumnal [mn] autumn + al columnist [mn] column + ist condemnation [mn] condemn + ation damnable [mn] damn + able hymnal [mn] hymn + al solemnity [mn] solemn + ity - All words used in this lesson with <mb> come from Latin or Old English words. Fill in the blanks so as to show which modern words came from each of the Latin or Old English originals.
Original Words Modern Words with <mb> Latin, bombus bomb Old English, climban climb Old English, comb comb Old English, cruma crumb Old English, dumb dumb Old English, lamb lamb Old English, lim limb Old English, niman numb Old English, thuma thumb Latin, tumba tomb Old English, wamb womb - Sort the eleven English words from the table above into these three groups.
Words that come from ... a Latin word with an <mb> an Old English word with an <mb> an Old English word with no <mb> bomb climb crumb tomb comb limb dumb numb lamb thumb womb - Just as with <mn>, sometimes you can hear the <b> in <mb> if you add a suffix to the word so that the <mb> doesn't come right at the end. Put these words together and see how the <mb> is pronounced in the longer word you make.
Stem word + suffix = New Word How is <mb> pronounced in the new word? bomb + ard = bombard [mb] crumb + le = crumble [mb] - The word thumb is related to the word thimble. In thimble how is the <mb> pronounced? [mb]
- Below are the Old English or Latin words that the six words with <lm> come from. See if you can figure out which of the six came from each of the original words listed below, and fill in the blanks. As a reminder, the six used were salmon, balm/embalm, psalm, almond, palm, and alms.
Original Words Modern Words with <lm> Latin, balsamum balm Latin, psalmus psalm Latin, salmo salmon Latin, amandula almond Latin, palma palm Old English, ælmesse alms - Now sort the six modern words into these two groups.
Modern words with ... <lm> in the original word no <lm> in the original word psalm balm salmon almond palm alms
- The six words with <mn> in this lesson come from Latin.