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Is there a rule that would help me to learn when to pronounce the letter c as an "s" sound or a "k" sound?
For example:
- cat (kat)
- center (sinter)
Are there any rules, or is it all memorization?
user4812
Posted 2014-03-01T14:46:35.497
Reputation: 33
4
Assuming you mean "pronounce" rather than spell, since it all depends on sounds, here are some simple rules to follow.
"c" is pronounced like "k" when it is not immediately followed by the letters "e", "i" or "y"
Examples:
Car, cat, cabin, curtail, curfew, curb, court, cool, mucus
"c" is pronounced like "s" when it comes directly before "e" or "i" or "y".
Examples:
city, cinch, certain, cyan, embrace, receive, dance
There are odd difficult words, like "soccer", where "double c" counts as a "k" sounds, and words like "muscle" where the "s" takes precedence, rendering the "c" unsounded.
JMB
Posted 2014-03-01T14:46:35.497
Reputation: 7 354
Actually, the edit belongs to @user4812 – that user suggested adding the "y"; I merely added an extra word in the examples.
Well the answer seems to make sense, but using "cyan" spoiled it, in "cyan" 'c' does take the pronunciation of 'k', I guess there is an exception to every rule. – NANDAGOPAL – 2014-03-05T09:00:34.390
7No it doesn't. "Cyan" is pronounced with an "s" sound. – JMB – 2014-03-05T10:15:12.910
7Do you mean pronounce rather than spell? – Jim – 2014-03-01T14:49:47.513
I have edited the post to reflect that it's for pronunciation. – CoolHandLouis – 2014-03-01T16:33:52.277