Summary of spelling scheme

Letter values. Consonants (19): b (as in babe) d (as in dad) f (as in fluff) g (as in gag) h (as in hall) j (as th in then) k (as in kick) l (as in lull) m (as in mum) n (as in nun) takes modified sound in ring or bank. p (as in pep) r (as in rarity) s (as c and s in cease) t (as in tot) v (as in verve) w (as in wallowing) x (as th in thin) y (as y in yet) z (as z and s in zoos)

Vowels (7): a (as a in bat), ay (aisle), aw (as ou in house), ar (as in bark) c (as u in hut) e (set), ey (rein), er (heir), eqr (fairy) i (as i in pit), iy = y (ee as in deep), ir (ear) o (top), ow (o as in go), or (as in haul/port), oy (as oi in foil) q (e as in the, a in rota, the indefinite vowel), qr = r (as ur in fur) u (as u in put, oo in wood), uw = w (u as in truth), ur (as oor in poor)

The h also occurs in combinations: sh (as in dish), th (as ch in which), dh (as dge in ridge), zh (as ge in rouge). I also still favour using 'aa' for the long a in path, in reference to 'ar', when there is no rolled r, and similarly 'oo' for the sound in 'law' and 'caught' in preference to 'or', and analogously 'ee' for the sound before r, as in 'fairy' (c.f. 'ferry'). These are in preference to writing 'aq', 'oq', 'eq'.

The Word List

This list is made up of several, namely the 850 words of C. K. Ogden's "Basic English" and the 300 most frequent words in print, as listed by Steve Bett (in files on the saundspell forum), together with other words whose spelling might present problems. There were 1531 words at the last count. The current spelling is on the left and the new spelling on the right.

a (unstressed): q a (stressed): ey abattoir: abatwaa abdomen: abdowmen abhor: abhor abject: abdhekt able: eybql ablutions: ablwshqnz aborigines: aboridhinyz about: qbawt above: qbcv abscess: abses absolutism: absolwtizqm absolve: abzolv absorb: abzorb abstemious: abstymiycs abstruse: abstrws absurdity: absrdity abysmal: abizmql accept: aksept accident: aksident accommodate: akomodeyt accommodation: akomodeyshqn account: qkawnt acid: asid acme: akmy across: akros act: akt activity: aktivity addition: adishqn adhective: adhektiv adhust: qdhcst advertisement: advrtisment after: aaftr again: qgen against: qgeynst agreement: qgryment air: er aisle: ayl all: ool allegro: alegrow alms: aamz almost: oolmowst along: qlong also: oolsow always: oolweyz among: qmcng amount: qmawnt amusement: qmywzment an: an ancient: eynshqnt and: and angel: eyndhel anger: angr angle: angql angry: angry animals: animqlz annul: ancl annual: anyuwql another: ancjr answer: aansr ant: ant anxious: ankshcs any: eny apology: apolodhy apostrophes: apostrofyz apparatus: apareytcs apple: apql appoint: qpoynt approval: qprwvql arch: arth are: ar argument: argywment arm: arm army: army around: qrawnd art: art as: az asked: aaskd at: at attack: qtak attempt: qtemt attendant(s): qtendqnt(s) attendance: qtendqns attention: qtenshqn attraction: qtrakshqn authority: orxority automatic: ortomatik available: qveylqbql avoid: qvoyd awake: qweyk away: qwey awe: oo awesome: ooscm	baby: beyby back: bak backing: baking bad: bad bag: bag bake: beyk baking: beyking balance: balqns ball: bool ballet: baley banger: bangr bank: bank bare: ber barrel: barel base: beys basically: beysikqly basin: beysin basket: baasket bass (fish): bas bass (deep): beys bath: baax be: by bean: byn bear: ber beau: bow beautiful: bywtifql beauty: bywty because: bykoz bed: bed bee: by been: byn beer: byr beery: byry Beethoven: Beyt-howven before: byfor beg: beg began: bygan behavior: byheyvyr being: biying belief: bylyf bell: bel belly: bely below: bylow bent: bent berry: bery best: best better: betr between: bytwyn big: big bigamy: bigqmy bigger: bigr billow: bilow bird: brd birth: brx bit: bit bite: bayt bitter: bitr black: blak blade: bleyd blood: blcd blow: blow blue: blw board: bord boat: bowt bobbin: bobin body: body boiling: boyling bomb: bom bone: bown boo: bw book: buk boot: bwt booty: bwty both: bowx bottle: botql bought: boot bouquet: bwkey bow (bend down): baw bow (curve): bow box: boks boy: boy boys: boyz brain: breyn brake: breyk branch: braanth bras: braaz brass: braas breaches: brythez bread: bred break: breyk breath: brex breathe: bryj breeches: brythez brick: brik bridge: bridh bright: brayt British: British broken: browken brother: brcjr brought: broot brown: brawn brush: brcsh bubble; bcbql buck: bck bucket: bcket building: bilding bulb: bclb bull: bul burn: brn burst: brst bus: bcs bush: bush business: biznes but: bct butt: bct butter: bctr button: bcton by: bay	cafe: kafey cake: keyk calcium: kalsycm called: koold calm: kaam came: keym can: kan camera: kamerq canvas: kanvqs cars: karz card: kard care: ker carriage: karidh cart: kart castle: kaasql cat: kat catch: kath caught: koot cause: kooz cells: selz centre: sentr cents: sents certain: srtqn chain: theyn chalk: thook chance: thaans change: theyndh chaos: keyos chatter: tyatr chateau: shatow cheap: thyp cheer: thyr cheese: thyz chemical: kemikql chest: thest chew: thw chief: thyf child: thayld children: thildren chin: thin church: thrth circle: srkql city: sity claim: kleym clean: klyn clear: klyr clerk: klark climb: klaym climber: klaymr clime: klaym clock: klok cloth: klox clothe: klowj cloud: klawd co: kow coal: kowl coarse: kors coat: kowt coffee: kofy cold: kowld collar: kolr collage: kolaadh college: koledh colony: kolony colour: kclqr comb: kowm come: kcm comfort: kcmfqt comit: komit committee: komity common: komon company: kcmpqny comparison: komparison competition: kompetishqn complete: komplyt completion: komplishqn complex: kompleks concede: konsyd conceive: konsyv condemn: kondem condition: kondishqn connection: konekshqn conscious: konshcs control: kontrowl coo: kw cook: kuk coop (birdhouse): kwp co-op (cooperative): kowop coot: kwt copper: kopr copy: kopy cord: kord cork: kork cotton: koton cough: kof could: kud country: kcntry course: kors court: kort cover: kcvr cow: kaw crack: krak cream: krym creamy: krymy credit: kredit crime: kraym cruel: krwel crumb: krcm crummy: krcmy crush: krcsh cry: kray cup: kcp current: kcrent curtain: krten curve: krv cushion: kushqn cut: kct cute: kywt	dad: dad dam: dam damage: damidh damn: dam dance: darns danger: deyndhr dark: dark data: deytq date: deyt daughter: dootr dawn: doon day: dey days/daze: deyz dead: ded dear: dyr death: dex debt: det decision: dysizhqn deep: dyp defeat: dyfyt degree: dygry delicate: delikqt dependent: dypendqnt desert (n. sands): dezqt desert (n. award): dyzrt desert (v. leave): dizrt design: dyzayn desire: dyzayr dessert: disrt destruction: distrckshqn detail: dyteyl determine: dytrmin development: development dew: dhw dial: dayql did: did die: day different: diferent difference: diferens difficult: difikclt digestion: daydhesthqn dim: dim dimer: daymr dimmer: dimr dire: dayr direction: dayrekshqn dirty: drty discovery: diskcvery discretion: diskreshqn discussion: diskcshqn disease: dizyz disgust: disgcst distance: distqns distribution: distribywshqn division: divizhqn do: dw doddle: dodql does (acts): dcz does (deer): dowz dog: dog doll: dol don't: down't door: dor doubt: dawt double: dcbql dough: dow dove (bird): dcv dove (dived): dowv down: dawn drain: dreyn draw: droo drawer: droor dress: dres drink: drink drive: drayv driving: drayving drop: drop drove: drowv dry: dray duke: dywk dull: dcl during: dywring dust: dcst duty: dywty dye: day dyer: dayqr
each: yth ear: yr early: rly earth: rx east: yst eat: yt ebb: eb economics: ekonomiks edge: edh education: edhwkeyshqn eel: yl effect: efekt egg: eg eiderdown: eydrdawn eight: eyt either: ayjr elastic: elastik electric: elektrik eleven: eleven elite: elyt emit: ymit end: end engine: endhin England: Inglqnd English: Inglish enough: ynyf equal: ykwql error: erq ether: yxr etiquette: etiket euphony: ywfony European: ywropiyqn even: yven event: event eventual: eventywql ever: evr every: evry ewe: yw example: egzaampql except: eksept exchange: ekstyeyndh existence: egzistqns expansion: ekspanshqn experience: ekspyriyqns expert: eksprt eye: ay eyes: ayz	face: feys fact: fakt fairy: feery fall: fool false: fools family: family famous: feymcs far: far farce: faas farcical: faasikql farm: farm farmer: farmr fat: fat father: faajr faught: foot fault: foolt fear: fyr feat: fyt feather: fejr feeble: fybql feeling: fyling feet: fyt female: fymeyl ferry: fery fertile: frtayl feud: fywd fever: fyvr few: fyw fiction: fikshqn field: fyld fight: fayt find: faynd fined: faynd finger: fingr fire: fayr first: frst fish: fish five: fayv fixed: fikst flag: flag flame: fleym flat: flat flight: flayt floor: flor flour: flawr flower: flawqr fly: flay foe: fow fold: fowld following: folowing food: fwd foolish: fwlish foot: fut for: for force: fors foreign: foren foreigner: forenr fork: fork form: form fort: fort fortune: fortywn forward: forwqd found: fawnd four: for fowl: fawl frame: freym free: fry frequent (often): frykwqnt frequent (attend): frykwent friend: frend from: from front: frcnt fruit: frwt full: ful fuss: fcs future: fywthr	galaxy: galaksy gall: gool gallant: galant gallery: galery garden: garden gem: dhem general: dhenerql get: get gibberish: dhibqrish giddy: gidy gift: gift girl: grl give: giv glacier: glasiyr/gleysiyr glamour: glamr glass: glaas glove: glcv gneiss: nays go: gow goat: gowt going: gowing gold: gowld goo: gw good: gud goose: gws got: got government: gcvrnment grain: greyn grammar: gramr grand: grand grant: graant grass: graas grate: greyt gravity: gravity grey: grey great: greyt green: gryn grip: grip group: grwp growth: growx guess: ges guide: gayd gull: gcl gum: gcm gun: gcn gypsy: dhipsy	had: had hair: her hairy: heery half: haaf halt: hoolt hammer: hamr hand: hand handkerchief: hankqthyf hanging: hanging hanky: hanky happen: hapen happy: hapy harbour: harbr hard: hard harmony: harmony has: haz hat: hat hate: heyt have: hav he: hy head: hed health: helx healthy: helxy hear: hyr heard: hrd hearing: hyring heart: hart hearth: harx heat: hyt heavens: hevenz heifer: hefr held: held help: help her: hr herd: hrd here: hyr hero: hyrow herring: hering high: hay him: him himself: himself his: hiz history: history ho; how hoe: how hole: howl hollow: holow holt: howlt home: howm hood: hud hook: huk hope: howp horn: horn horse: hors hospital: hospital hour: awr houri: hwry house: haws how: haw however: hawevr hull: hcl humour: hywmr hurry: hcry hush: hcsh hut: hct hymn: him
I: ay ice: ays idea: aydiyq ideology: aydiyolodhy if: if ignition: ignishqn ill: il important: importqnt impulse: impcls in: in incident: insident increase: inkrys industry: indcstry infer: infr inferred: infrd initial: inishql ink: ink innate: ineyt innocuous: inokywcs insect: insekt instrument: instrwment insurance: inshwrens interest: interest into: intw invalid (wrong): invalid invalid (one ill): invqlid inveigle: inveygql invention: invenshqn ion: ayon iota: ayowtq iron: ayon is: iz island: aylqnd it: it item: aytem its: its it's: it's jelly: dhely jet: dhet Jew: Dhw Jewish: Dhuwish jewel: dhuwel joey: Dhowy join: dhoyn joke: dhowk journey: dhrny judge: dhcdh jump: dhcmp just: dhcst kaleidoscope: kalaydowskowp keep: kyp kettle: ketql key: ky kick: kik kind: kaynd kindred: kindred kiss: kis knee: ny knew: nyw knife: nayf knoll: nol knot: not know: now knowledge: nolidh	label: leybql lack: lak lake: leyk land: land language: langwidh large: lardh lark: lark last: laast late: leyt latter: latr laugh: laaf lavish: lavish law: loo lazy: leyzy lead (guide): lyd lead (metal): led leaf: lyf learn: lrn learning: lrning leather: lejr leave: lyv left: left leg: leg Leicester: Lestr leisure: lezhr lend: lend less: les Lester: Lestr let: let letter: letr level: levql lever: lyvr library: laybrqry life: layf lift: lift light: layt like: layk limb: lim limber: limbr limit: limit line: layn lined: laynd linen: linen lip: lip liquid: likwid list: list litany: litqny little: litql live (verb): liv live (adhective): layv liver: livr living: living loathe: lowj lock: lok long: long look: luk looked: lukd loom: lwm loon: lwn loony: lwny loose: lws lore: lor lose: lwz loss: los lost: lost lot: lot loud: lawd love: lcv low: low loyal: loyql Luke: Lwk lull: lcl	machine: mashyn made: meyd magician: madhishqn maid: meyd make: meyk male: meyl malt: moolt maltreat: maltryt man: man manager: manadhr many: meny map: map maple: meypql mark: mark market: market married: marid mass: mas match: math material: matyriyql matinee: matiney matter: matr may: mey me: my meal: myl means: mynz measure: mezhr meat: myt medical: medikql meet: myt meeting: myting memory: memory men: men mention: menshqn merry: mery metal: metql mews: mywz middle: midql might: mayt mighty: mayty miles: maylz military: military milk: milk mind: maynd mine: mayn minute: minit mission: mishqn mist: mist mite: mayt mixed: mikst mnemonic: nemonik moderate (adjective): moderqt moderate (verb): modereyt model: model modest: modest money: mcny monkey: mcnky month: mcnx moody: mwdy moos; mwz moon: mwn more: mor morning: morning most: mowst mother: mcjr motion: mowshqn mound: mawnd mountain: mawnten mourne: moorn mouth: mawx move: mwv mow: mow Mr (mister): Mr (mistr) much: mcth mud: mcd muddy: mcdy mull: mcl muscle: mcsql muse: mywz music: mywzik must: mcst mute: mywt my: may	nail: neyl name: neym narrow: narow nation: neyshqn natural: nathwrql near: nyr necessary: nesesary neck: nek need: nyd needle: nydql neighbour: neybr neither: nayjr nerve: nrv net: net never: nevr new: nyw news: nywz newt: nywt next: nekst nice: nays Nice: nys niece: nys night: nayt no: now noise: noyz normal: normql north: norx nose: nowz not: not note: nowt notice: nowtis now: naw nowhere: nower nu: nyw null: ncl number (quantity): ncmbr number (less feeling): ncmr nut: nct
o: ow observation: obzrveyshqn object: obdhekt odd: od of: ov off: of offer: ofr office: ofis often: often oh: ow oil: oyl old: owld omit: owmit on: on once: wcns one: wcn only: ownly ooze; wz open: owpen operate: opereyt operation: opereyshqn opinion: opinyon opposite: oposit or: or orange: orindh order: ordr organization: organayzeyshqn ornament: ornqment other: cjr others: cjrz our: awr out: awt oven: cven over: owvr own: own owner: ownr	page: peydh pain: peyn paint: peynt pair: per palace: palqs palm: paam paper: peypr parallel: parqlel parcel: parsel pare: per parent: perqnt parts: parts passion: pashqn past: paast paste: peyst payment: peyment peace: pys pear: per pearl: prl peer: pyr pen: pen pencil: pensil people: pypql peril: peril person: prsqn pet: pet pew: pyw pewter: pywtr physical: fizikql picture: pikthr pier: pyr pierrot: pyrow pitcher: pithr pianos: piyanowz pig: pig pin: pin pipe: payp pirouette: pirwet place: pleys plaid: plad plain: pleyn plane: pleyn plant: plaant plate: pleyt play: pley please: plyz pleasure: plezhr plough: plaw plumber: plcmr pocket: poket poet: powet point: poynt poison: poyzqn polish (shine): polish polish (national): powlish political: politikql politician: politishqn pony: powny poor: pwr porter: portr posh: posh position: pozishqn possible: posibql post: powst postage: powstidh pot: pot potatoes: poteytowz powder: pawdr power: pawr present (gift/now): prezqnt present (give): pryzent pressure: preshr pretty: prity prevalent: prevqlent price: prays print: print prison: prizon private: prayvit probable: probqbql proceed: prowsyd process: prowses produce (output): prodhws produce (make): prowdhws profit: profit project (noun): prodhekt project (verb): prowdhekt property: proprty prose: prowz protein: prowtyn protest: prowtest psychological: saykolodhikql public: pcblik pull: pul pump: pcmp punishment: pcnishment purpose: prpcs push: push put: put putt: pct pyrrhic: pirik	quality: kwolity quarter: kwortr queen: kwyn question: kwesthqn queue: kyw quick: kwik quiet: kwayet quite: kwayt rail: reyl rain: reyn range: reyndh rat: rat rate: reyt ratio: reyshyow ration: rashon raw: ror ray: rey reaction: riyakshon read (present): ryd read (past): red reading: ryding ready: redy real: ryl reality: riyality really: ryly reason: ryzon receipt: resyt receive: resyv record (noun): rekord record (verb): rykord refuse (waste): refyws refuse (object): ryfywz regime: rezhym region: rydhon regret: rygret regular: regywlar rein: reyn reign: reyn relation: releyshqn relevant: relevqnt relieve: relyv religion: relidhqn representative: reprezentativ request: rykwest respect (noun): respekt respect (verb): ryspekt responsible: responsibql rest: rest reward: ryword rhythm: rijqm rice: rays right: rayt ring: ring river: rivr road: rowd roar: ror robber: robr robin: robin rod: rod role: rowl roll: rowl roo: rw roof: rwf room: rwm root/route: rwt rough: rcf round: rawnd row (noise): raw row (line): row rue: rw rub: rcb rule: rwl run: rcn	sad: sad safe: seyf said: sed sail: seyl salt: soolt same: seym sand: sand saw: sor say: sey scale: skeyl scarce: skers scents: sents scherzo: skrtzow school: skwl science: sayens scissors: sizqz screw: skrw sea: sy seat: sit second: sekond secret: sykret secretary: sekretary see: sy seed: syd seem: sym seismograph: sayzmowgraaf seize: syz selection: selekshon self: self sells: selz send: send sense: sens sentence: sentens separate (adjective): sepqrqt separate (verb): sepqreyt separation: separeyshqn serious: syrycs servant: srvqnt set: set seven: seven sever: sevr several: severql sewer (one who sews): sowqr sewer (conduit): suwqr sex: seks shade: sheyd shake: sheyk shall: shal shame: sheym sharp: sharp shave: sheyv she: shy sheep: shyp shelf: shelf ship: ship shirt: shrt shock: shok shoddy: shody shoe: shw short: short shorten: shorten should: shud shoulder: showldr show: show shut: shct side: sayd siege: sydh sieve: siv sigh: say sign: sayn silent: saylent silhouette: siluwet silk: silk silly: sily silver: silvr simple: simpql simply: simply since: sins sister: sistr size: sayz skin: skin skirt: skrt sky: skay slav: slaav slave: sleyv slavish: sleyvish sleep: slyp sleeve: slyv slight: slayt slip: slip slope: slowp slow: slow small: smool smash: smash smell: smel smile: smayl smoke: smowk smooth: smwj
snake: sneyk sneeze: snyz snow: snow so: sow soap: sowp soar: sor soccer: sokr society: sosayety sock: sok socks: soks soft: soft soldier: soldhr solid: solid some: scm sometimes: scmtaymz something: scmxing son: scn song: song soon: swn sore: sor sort: sort sound: sawnd soup: swp sour: sawr south: sawx sovreign: sovren sow (ewe): saw sow (seed): sow space: speys spade: speyd spare: sper sparse: spars speak: spyk special: speshql speech: spyth sponge: spcndh spoon: spwn spring: spring square: skwer stage: steydh stake: steyk stamp: stamp star: star start: start statement: steytment station: steyshqn steak: steyk steam: stym steel: styl steeple: stypql stem: stem step: step stick: stik sticky: stiky stiff: stif still: stil stitch: stith stocking: stoking stomach: stcmqk stomp: stomp stone: stown stop: stop store: stor storm: storm story: story straight: streyt strange: streyndh stray: strey street: stryt stretch: streth strong: strong structure: strckthr study: stcdy sturdy: strdy substance: scbstans subject: scbdhekt such: scth sudden: scden suede: sweyd sugar: shugr suggestion: scdhesthqn summer: scmr sun: scn super: swpr support: scport sure: shwr surprise: srprayz swam: swam swamp: swomp swastika: swostikr swayed: sweyd swear: swer sweet: swyt swim: swim symbol: simbql system: sistem systematic: sistematik	table: teybql tail: teyl take: teyk talk: took tall: tool taste: teyst taught: toot taut: toot tax: taks taxi: taksy teaching: tything team: tym tear (rip): ter tear (drop): tyr tell: tel tendency: tendensy terminal: trminql tern: trn test: test than: jan that: jat the (unstressed): jq the (stressed): jy theatre: xiyetr their: jer them: jem then: jen theory: xiyory there: jer these: jyz they: jey thick: xik thin: xin thing: xing things: xingz think: xink this: jis those: jowz though: jow thought: xoot thread: xred three: xry throat: xrowt through: xrw thumb: xcm thunder: xcndr thyme: taym ticket: tiket tight: tayt till: til timer: taymr times: taymz tin: tin tired: tayrd to: tw today: twdey toe: tow told: towld tolled: towld too: tw took: tuk together: twgejr tomb: twm tomorrow: twmorow tongue: tcng tooth: twx top: top tort: tort touch: tcth tow: tow towards: tuwordz town: tawn trade: treyd train: treyn transport: tranzport tray: trey trick: trik trouble: trcbql troupe: trwp trousers: trawzrz true: trw truth: trwx try: tray turn: trn turned: trnd twist: twist two: tw	umbrella: cmbrelq under: cndq undermine: cndqrmayn unit: yuwnit unnatural: cnnathurql unnecessary: cnnesesqri until: cntil up: cp us: cz use (verb): yuwz use (noun): yuws used: yuwzd using: yuwzing usually: yuwzhuwqli u-tube: yuw-tyuwb value: valyuw variable: veyriyqbql vary: veyri vault: voolt vejl: veyl verse: vqrs very: veri vessel: vesql vestige: vestidh viable: vaiyqbql vicar: vikqr vicious: vishcs view: vyuw villa: vilq village: vilidh violent: vayolent visual: vizhuwql vital: vaytal voice: voys vow: vaw	waited: weyted waiting: weyting walk: wook wall: wool want: wont war: wor warm: worm warp: worp was: woz wash: wosh waste: weyst watch: woth water: wootr wave: weyv wax: waks way: wey ways: weyz we: wiy wear: weer weather: wejr web: web wedding: weding week: wiyk weigh: wey weight: weyt weird: wiyrd well: wel went: went were: wqr west: west wet: wet what: wot wheel: wiyl when: wen where: weer which: with while: wayl whinger: hwindhqr whip: wip whistle: hwisql white: wayt who: huw whoa: hwowq whole: howl whoopjng: hwuwping why: way wide: wayd will: wil wind (noun): wind wind (verb): waynd wined: waynd window: window wine: wayn wing: wing winger: wingqr winter: wintqr wire: wayr wise: wayz witch: with with: wij without: wijawt woe: wow woman: wumqn women: wimin won: wcn wonder: wcndqr woo: wuw wood: wud wooed: wuwd wool: wul word: wqrd words: wqrdz work: wqrk world: wqrld worm: wqrm would: wud wound (hurt): wuwnd wound (up/about): wawnd wow: waw write: rayt writing: rayting wrong: rong x-ray: eks-rey xylophone: zaylofown yacht: yot yea: yey year: yir years: yirz yellow: yelow yes: yes yesterday: yestrdey yet: yet you: yuw young: ycng your: yor zebra: zebrq zoo: zuw zoology: zuwolodhiy