Sane English for KGU Students

Rowan E WagnerThe Letter ‘G’

Rule 2: C may soften to /j/ when followed by E,I or YOtherwise, G says /g/

/j/ germ ginger biology angelic agile allergy

G is the only single-letter phonogram which spells the sound /g/. Therefore in a few words, G retains its hard sound /g/ before E,I, or Y

/g/get gift gynecology anger begin argyle

When is not followed by E, I, or Y, it must say /g/- before the vowels A,O,U, gap goat begun cardigan archipelago configure

- before a consonant, glad granular magnet

- and at the end of the word egg crag leg

Italian words insert a silent letter h to separate the G from the E or an I to retain the hard /g/ sound, forming the advanced phonogram gh

/g/

ghetto spaghetti

French and Spanish words insert a silent letter u to support the G from E or I to retain the hard /g/ sound, forming the phonogram gu

/g/

plague guide guerilla guitar

This rule also helps to explain the multi-letter phonogram dge. G is followed by an E, causing the G to say /j/

/j/

wedge drudge bridge fridge

References •Uncovering the LOGIC of English; A Common-Sense Approach to Reading, Spelling and Literacy by Denise Eide• LANE’S ENGLISH Pronunciation Guide by Richard R. Lane, PhD•HOT WORDS for the SAT (5th Ed.) by Linda Carnevale, M.A.