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2.15: The Consonant Sound [m]

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Spelling [m]

The consonant sound [m] is usually spelled <m>. More than nine times out of ten [m] is spelled this way. 

Review

  1. Underline the letters that spell [m] in the following words:
    crumblemotionlesscomparedumbrellaresembleexclaimcostumemortalelementminnowmeddleeconomicshandsomepoemdiamondschemicaleminentjudgmentsmoothestenormous
  2. How is [m] spelled in all of these words? ________. 
  3. 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
  1. crum_blem_otionlesscom_paredum_brellaresem_bleexclaim_costum_em_ortalelem_entm_innowm_eddleeconom_icshandsom_epoem_diam_ondschem_icalem_inentjudgem_entsm_oothestenorm_ous
  2. How is [m] spelled in all of these words? ‘m’
  3. 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

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].

angercomprehendimmigratemorningankleemigrantinstructingnibblingavenuefloatingislandpoetrybubblingfriendlinessjudgementscribblebundlinggamblejuniorsmokingcharminghandsomemeaningsummoningcommittinghumblingmiddlesupposecommotionhusbandminingyour

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 = 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 n + m + migrant 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:

commadilemma dummygimmick  VCCglimmerhammermammalmammothmummypersimmonstammersummer

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 + mediate Assimilation
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 n + m + mortal Assimilation
7. slammed slam + m + ed Twinning
8. summon su b + m + mon Assimilation
9. immune n + m + mune Assimilation

10.

commadilemma dummygimmickvccvccvccvccglimmerhammermammalmammothvccvccvccvccmummypersimmonstammersummervccvccvccvcc

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.

  1. column
  2. crumb
  3. palm

Review

Underline the letters that make the [m] sound in each word.

  1. autumn
  2. limb
  3. tomb
  4. condemn
  5. climb
  6. hymn
  7. numb
  8. womb
  9. damn
  10. solemn
  11. comb
  12. lamb
  13. thumb
  14. 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.
  15. embalm
  16. alms
  17. psalm
  18. almond
  19. salmon
Show Answer

Underline the letters that make the [m] sound in each word.

  1. autumn
  2. limb
  3. tomb
  4. condemn
  5. climb
  6. hymn
  7. numb
  8. womb
  9. damn
  10. solemn
  11. comb
  12. lamb
  13. thumb
  14. 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.
  15. embalm
  16. alms
  17. psalm
  18. almond
  19. salmon

Explore More

  1. 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? ____________
  2. 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    
  3. 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  
  4. 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>
         
         
         
         
         
  5. 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 =  
  6. The word thumb is related to the word thimble. In thimble how is the <mb> pronounced? ________
  7. 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 salmonbalm/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  
  8. 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
  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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  
  5. 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]
  6. The word thumb is related to the word thimble. In thimble how is the <mb> pronounced? [mb]
  7. 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 salmonbalm/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
  8. 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  

 


This page titled 2.15: The Consonant Sound [m] is shared under a CC BY-NC license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by CK-12 Foundation via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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