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2.17: The Consonant Sound 'Eng'

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The Consonant Sound Eng

You can hear the sound [m] at the end of rum. You can hear the sound [n] at the end of run. At the end of rung you can hear the sound [ŋ]. The sound [ŋ] is called eng.

When the sound [ŋ] has the sounds [g] or [k] right after it, it is spelled <n>. Everywhere else it is spelled <ng>.

Examples

In think the <k> spells [k], and [ŋ] is spelled <n>. And in tangle the <g> spells [g], and [ŋ] is spelled <n>. But in most words [ŋ] is spelled <ng> as in rung.

Review

  1. Underline the letters that spell [ŋ] and then sort the words into the matrix. (Be careful! When you get done, two squares should be empty!)
  2. Say the word think. There is a [k] right after the [ŋ]: [thiŋk]. Put an X beside each word that has a [k] right after the [ŋ]. Counting think, there are three.
  3. Say the word tangle. There is a [g] sound right after the [ŋ]. Put an X beside each word that has a [g] right after the [ŋ]. There are four.
  4. When there is a [k] or a [g] right after the sound [ŋ], [ŋ] is spelled ______, but everywhere else it is spelled ______.

Explore More

Word Squares

All but two of these words contain the sound [ŋ], spelled either <ng> or <n>.

Four-letter word: dark

Five-letter words: thank, going, uncle, being

Six-letter words: finger, single, uncles, thinker

Seven-letter words: sunning, monkeys, further, dogging, landing

Eight-letter words: language, hungriest 

The two words that do not contain [ŋ] are ______ and ______.

Show Answer

The two words that do not contain [ŋ] are dark and further.


This page titled 2.17: The Consonant Sound 'Eng' 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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