Note that, in the passages below, the emboldened and same-coloured parts of words listed immediately after the phrase ‘Pronunciation tip’, are pronounced in the same way. For example, ‘Pronunciation tip: carton , about’ means the ‘o‘ in the word ‘carton’ sounds just like the ‘a’ in the word ‘about’.
cache
The word ‘cache‘ is pronounced in the same way as how you pronounce the word ‘cash‘.
carton
‘Carton’ means ‘box made of cardboard, that opens by flaps on top‘.
Pronunciation tip: carton , about.
catchphrase
A ‘catchphrase’ is a ‘phrase that has become a favourite saying of a sect or political group‘.
cesspool
A ‘cesspool’ is a ‘covered pit for receiving sewage or drainage‘.
Pronunciation tip: cesspool, bet.
change
The word ‘change’ has several meanings.
One of its meanings is ‘coins‘ as illustrated by the following sentence: ‘I have change jingling in my pocket.‘ When used in this context, ‘small change’ means ‘coins of low denomination’.
Another meaning of ‘change’ is ‘money of smaller denomination received or given in exchange for money of higher denomination‘.
Thirdly, ‘change’ also means ‘the balance of money returned when an amount given is more than what is due‘.
You can learn about all the other meanings from a good dictionary.
chaperon
A ‘chaperon’ is a ‘person who accompanies and supervises a young woman or a gathering of young people‘.
Pronunciation tip: chaperon , show, sad, about, tow.
chauffeur
A ‘chauffeur’ is a ‘person employed to drive a privately owned car‘.
Pronunciation tip: chauffeur, show, about.
clench
When used as a verb, the word ‘clench’ has two meanings.
One of its meanings is ‘hold in a tight grasp‘. The other meaning is ‘squeeze tightly together‘, as illustrated by the sentence ‘Don’t clench your jaw.‘.
cliché
‘Cliché’ means ‘remark that is obvious or overfamiliar through overuse‘.
Pronunciation tip: cliché, show, grey.
coerce
Pronunciation tip: coerce, burn.
come / go
It is okay not to use the word ‘to’ or ‘and’ in the following phrases: ‘come take us home‘, ‘come look for us‘, ‘come visit me at my place‘, ‘go visit you‘, ‘go see the doctor‘, ‘go eat lunch‘.
However, if the above phrases contain ‘comes’, goes’, ‘went’, etc. instead of ‘come’ or ‘go’, then ‘to’ will have to be used!
commotion
‘Commotion’ means ‘noisy disturbance‘.
Pronunciation tip: commotion, about, tow.
conceptual
Pronunciation tip: conceptual, about, chat. (Alternatively – conceptual, show)
consequence
Pronunciation tip: consequence, kid.
conspicuous
‘Conspicuous’ means ‘obvious to the eye or mind‘.
Pronunciation tip: conspicuous, about.
croissant
Pronunciation tip: croissant, wahoo, rot.