"the amount of fun"  Is "the" pronounced as "thee" before a schwa?
22618
Although there are rather simple rules determining the pronunciation of "the", native speakers quite often deviate from these rules (including, e.g., TV shows). According to the Longman Pronunciation Dictionary,     The EFL learner is advised to use [ðə] before a consonant sound (the   boy, the house), [ði] before a vowel sound (the egg, the hour). Native   speakers, however, sometimes ignore this distribution, in particular   by using [ðə] before a vowel (which is in turn usually reinforced by a   preceding ʔ), or by using [ði:] in any   environment, though especially before a hesitation pause. Furthermore,   some speakers use stressed [ðə] as a strong form, rather than the   usual [ði:].   My question is: when native speakers use [ðə] instead of [ði] before a vowel sound, do they do it on purpose or accidentally? If it is on purpose, how do they (typically) decide which pronunciation to use? What is a valid reason to use [ðə] before a vowel sound?
10569
My friend and I got into an argument about English grammar, so I was hoping maybe you could help us out. Okay so we want to know if the following part of the sentence is correct, "People who are satisfied and feel self-fulfilled like I" rather than "People who are satisfied and feel self-fulfilled like me". I have already provided many sources to my friend showing that the first way is a formal and a grammatically correct way, however he wants an answer with this specific part of the sentence.   Please help us out  Thank you
49104
Considering phrases of the form "I left [the] X", what causes some words to need a "the" before them, while it sounds awkward with others?  Needs "the":   I left the office I left the bank I left the house I left the courthouse   Awkward with "the":   I left work I left social media I left New York   Either way works:   I left [the] school I left [the] church
25208
Q: "Do you have any juice?"   A: "Yes, there's some in the fridge."   Sounds perfectly fine to me, but:     Q: "Do you have any towels?"   A: "Yes, there's some in the closet."   Does not.  I asked for towels - plural - so wouldn't "Yes, there're some in the closet," in which there are is turned into a contraction be the correct way to say it?  Spellcheck, however, doesn't like "there're", and I think I'm the only person I've ever heard use the word "there're".  Even folks who I know say "there are" shorten it to "there's" when possible.  Am I saying it wrong, or are both forms acceptable?
69910
I have observed some English speakers in North America who seem to produce this assimilation in words like running /ˈrʌnɪŋ/ (as [ˈrʌnin]) or winning /ˈwɪnɪŋ/ (as [ˈwɪnin]). I'm specifically interested in when the final vowel becomes [i] or [iː] and not /ɪ/ (as in some Southern American English accents, which produce [ˈrʌnɪn] and [ˈwɪnɪn]). Is this a regional accent? I found some additional anecdotal discussion at the following links:   (a site for English learners)
98466
According to , the schwa /ə/ doesn't occur in stressed syllables. But , Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary and Longman Pronunciation Dictionary say otherwise: the word "because" has been variously transcribed as /bɪˈkəz/ or /bəˈkəz/. So in which source should I believe? Or is there any error in transcription going on here? Or is "because" the only exception? And are there others?
80213
What rules of the English language allow the first t in patient to make an sh sound?  Why is it /ˈpeɪʃənt/ and not /ˈpeɪtənt/?  Are there any other words where t behaves in this way?
35248
I've seen that some words in English are pronounced with the /ɪ/ sound when the vowel is not stressed.  Some examples include: pocket /ˈpɒkɪt/, comet /ˈkɒmɪt/. But hundred /ˈhʌndrəd/.  Is there any pronunciation rule here when the words end in /t/?
83467
Consider the th in thistle versus the th in this: the former is unvoiced, while the latter is voiced.  Is there a rule or reason for the differences?
83670
I caught myself pronouncing the "c" in "grocery" as an "sh" sound.  Is this commonplace/accepted, or is it perhaps geographic?  Does this occur with "c" in other words?  As background, I was raised in Cincinnati, OH and now live in western New England.
13864
I have been listening to a podcast where the host pronounces the word solder as "sodder" or "sod-der", even "saw-der". Same thing happened when the lecturer of one of my EE classes pronounced the word solder. As for me I pronounce the word solder as "sole-der" with a distinct L and a longish O.
68254
I'm sorry for too many items below. I'm really confused. The question is really about whether to use "a", "the" or nothing in front of "news" and "television".        A small crowd is keenly watching the news on television.   A small crowd is keenly watching a news on television.   A small crowd is keenly watching news on television.   A small crowd is keenly watching the news on a television.   A small crowd is keenly watching a news on a television.   A small crowd is keenly watching news on a television.   A small crowd is keenly watching the news on the television.   A small crowd is keenly watching a news on the television.   A small crowd is keenly watching news on the television.
27751
We use "the news is good" instead of "the news are good."  What is the rationale behind this? Are there similar situations in English?
90290
I'm writing up my dissertation and I'm really confused where to use "the". Examples:     In this experiment, (the?) heat transfer coefficient was calculated, allowing to estimate (the?)frost thickness.    And:     Firstly, (the?) air properties are defined.   And:     As (the?) crystals grow in radius, the amount of air in (the?) ice is reduced, due to (the?) ice becoming more packed.   None of the nouns mentioned above have been used for the first time, so I rule out the use of "a".   Would appreciate any help.
61345
At first I thought it is "at the beach" then after a quick Google search I found out that it is flat out "on the beach". However, I have found one instance where a woman, presumably a native speaker, uses "at the beach". I have not done a thorough search to check for more.  What I want to know is whether you consider "at the beach" wrong, or acceptable but uncommon? I am asking you because the  a slightly growing trend of using "at the beach" since around 1947.
279
when the phrase "Can't complain" is pronounced [ˈkænt kəmˈpleɪn] I think that the T is dropped in fast speech because of the alveolar plosives. Right? I read that when T comes before these letters: / s, f, n, l, p, k / it's silent.  I know that in American English the T is held in "I can't do it" but above I'm talking about dropping it completely. I recorded myself:  Does it sound okay?
63547
I want to know the difference between “then” and “than”, when i use it and how, because the pronounce is very similar?