2.6: The Consonant Sound [g]
- Page ID
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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
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- \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*}
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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>, <i>, 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
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- \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*}
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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 | = a |
| 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
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Word = Analysis jogger = jog + g + er shrugged = shrug + g + ed aggression = a d+ g + gressionluggage = lug + g + age snuggies = snug + g + y+ i + esaggravate = a d+ g + gravatewaterlogged = 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*}
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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
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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>.
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[g] Spelled <gu> and <gh>
Usually when a <g> is followed by the letters <e>, <i>, or <y>, it is pronounced [j] and is called soft <g>.
Sometimes when a [g] sound has an <e>, <i>, or <y> right after it, the [g] sound will be spelled <g> with an insulating <u> standing between the <g> and the <e>, <i>, or <y> to keep the <g> from looking as if it should be pronounced [j].
Originally these words were spelled with no <u> in English. The <u> 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 <u>. 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>, <i>, 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
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- \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*}
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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
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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
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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:
| [g] | [Ø] | [f] | |
|---|---|---|---|
- Show Answer
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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
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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 + pos e+ ure9. 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>.