FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT (XHSW BIRMINGHAM AND KRAPP •^* (XT \l afortttU 3llttioEr0ttH 3Itbrarjj BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF HENRY W. SAGE Cornell University Library arV14262 First lessons in speech improvement 3 1924 031 223 807 olin.anx Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924031223807 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT BY ANNA I. BIRMINGHAM TEACHER OF SPEECH IMPROVEMENT, NEW YORK CITY AND GEORGE PHILIP KRAPP PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH IN COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS NEW YORK CHICAGO BOSTON Copyright, 1922, by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS Printed in the United States of America B CONTENTS PAQSl I. Introduction vii II. Plan of the Book xv III. Model Lesson xviii IV. The Making of Speech xxiii V. Classification of Speech Sounds xxvii PART I VI. Exehcises in the Consonants 1. p 2 2. 6 4 3. m 6 4:. wh ... : 8 5. w . . 10 6. Substitution of 6 for p and p for b; w (or wh . . . 12 7. / . . 14 8. 2) ... 16 9. Substitution of v for w and w for v; f for v and v for/ . . 18 10. th as in thin . . . . . 20 11. th as in this 22 12. Substitution of t for th ; f for th and v iorth .... 24 n. t . . . . 26 14. d . . . . 28 15. Substitution of t for d and d for t ; d (or th . . . . 30 16. n .32 17. Final combinations — pt, ft, bd, md ; vd, thd, nth, mp, vn, dth ; nt, nd, in, dn . . . . . . .34 18. Substitution of n for m and m for n ... . . 37 19. s 38 20. Initial combinations — tw, sw . . ... 40 21. Substitution of th for s, and sioT th . . . ... 41 22. Initial and final combinations — st; sp,sm;sn. . . . 42 23. Final combinations — ps, fs, ths ; ts, sts, ns 46 IV CONTENTS 24. z 48 25. s as in raps 50 26. z as in buzz ... . . 51 27. Final combinations — bz, vz, thz; nz, mz, zn 52 28. s/i 54 29. Substitution of s for z and z for s ; s for sh and sh for s . 56 30. z^i . . . . 58 31. eft . .... 60 32. J ... 62 33. Final combinations — dz, zd, sht ...'... . 64 34. Substitution of sh for ch and ch lov j . . . . 65 35. Z . . . . . ... 66 36. Initial and final combinations — -pi, hi ; fl, si ... 68 37. Final combinations — ll, dl, zl, Iz, Ip, Im, If, Iv, Ith, It, Is, Id . 70 38. r as in run .72 39. ?• as in oar .... 74 40. Omission of a sound — r . 76 41. Addition of a sound — r . 77 42. Substitution of r for I ; w ior r . . . 78 43. Initial combinations — pr, br ; fr, thr ; tr, dr; sir, shr 80 44. fc . . ■ -84 45. s . . . . . . 86 46. Initial combinations — kr, gr ; shr, spr 88 47. Initial and final oombinations-^fci, gl; sk 90 48. Final combinations — kt, kn, ks, Ik; gz, gd .92 49. X ^ in extra . . 94 50. X as in examine . . 95 51. qu . . 96 52. ft . . . . 98 53. Substitution of k for g and g for k 100 54. Omission and addition of the sound — ft .... 101 55. 2/ . 102 56. ns ... 104 57. w as in bank 106 58. Substitution of n for ng 107 59. Addition of the sound oi k or p to the sound of ng . 108 60. Final combinations — ngd, ngz, ngk . . . 109 61. Words containing silent letters — k, g, b, w; I, t . . . 110 PART II VII. Exercises in the Vowels 1. i as in it . . .... .... 114 2. e as in end . . 116 3. Substitution of i as in it for e as in end . . . 118 4. Omission of a sound — e as in towel, i as in cabin . . . 119 CONTENTS V 5. a as in at . 120 6. as in odd 122 7. M as in up . .... 124 8. Substitution of a as in at for e as in end; o as in odd for « as in ■ up . . 126 9. 00 as in book 128 10. Substitution of e as in eve for i as in it; oo as in ooze for oo as in book ; e as in end for m as in up ; e as in eve for y as in lily 130 11. Addition of a sound — a as in among 133 12. a as in among 134 13. o as in arm 136 14. o as in orb 138 15. o as in ask 140 16. as in soft ... 141 17. Substitution of o as in odd for o as in orb 142 18. Words frequently interchanged . . . . . 143 19. e as in eve .... 144 20. 00 as in ooze . . 146 21. ai as in air 148 22. u as in urn . ... 150 23. a as in ate 152 24. o as in oak 154 25. Substitution of a as in sofa for o as in piano; u as in urn for oi as in air . 156 26. Omission of a vowel sound 158 27. Addition of a vowel sound 159 28. i as in ice . ... 160 29. u as in use . . . . 162 30. oi as in oil . . . .... , . 164 31. Substitution of oo as in ooze for w as in use; u as in urn for oi . as in oil . ... 166 32. ou as in out .... . . 168 33. Words stressed on the first syllable 170 34. Words stressed on the second syllable 171 PART III VIII. Selections for Memorizing 1. p, 6, and m , 174 2. w, wh, f, and v .... 177 3. th, t, d, and n 179 4. s and z 183 5. st, sh, ch, and J 186 6. i and r 188 7. A; and sf 191 8. ng and h 193 vi CONTENTS 9. i as in it, e as in end, a as in at 196 10. o as in odd, m as in up, and oo as in book 199 11. a as in arm, o as in orb, e as in eve, and oo as in moon 201 12. ai as in air, m as in urn, a as in ate, and o as in oak . 205 13. i as in ice, u as in use, cd as in oil, and ou as in out . . 209 INTRODUCTION This book is primarily a drill book of exercises with a two-fold purpose. The first is training in the manner of producing English sounds. Through such training, pupils learn to form the sounds of their speech effectively and distinctly. Just as for the best and most economical results in writing one must learn control of the muscles of the hand and arm, so for the best results in speaking one must learn control of the muscles of the throat, the tongue and the lips. The second purpose of the book is to give training to the ear in hearing and distinguishing shades of sound. No normal person probably has any difficulty in hearing any of the sounds of the Enghsh language, but it does not fol- low that every person can clearly distinguish all the sounds he has heard. In music, people sometimes say they can- not tell one sound from another. Now, since sound is merely the vibration of the air striking upon the sensitive parts of the ear, such persons, unless their hearing is de- fective, must receive these vibrations in exactly the same way as other persons. They hear the sounds, so far as the mere physical side of the production of sound is concerned, but they have not learned to distinguish in their minds the qualities of the several soimds. The ability to hear sounds so as to distinguish them is largely a matter of training. Any one who says he cannot tell, the difference between the initial consonants of thin and that can learn to do so. He must hear the difference, otherwise he would vii viii INTRODUCTION not be able to distinguish between wreath and wreathe when these two words are pronounced. These two purposes are equally important. Training in one results usually in training in the other. When one produces sounds sharply and distinctly, one is likely to feel and hear them so. And when one has a definite and clear impression of a sound, one is likely to produce the sound definitely and clearly. The ability to hear shades of sound clearly and distin- guishably is not always easy to acquire. This is true not because the hearing is imperfect, as has just been pointed out, but because the judgment of the sounds is confused in the mind by irrelevant considerations. Thus, one is some- times led to suppose a difference in sound between two words because there is a difference of spelhng, though as to sound the two words may be exactly alike. Fair and fare sound exactly alike, though they are spelled differ- ently, so also pear, pair, pare, are alike. The words doe and dough are exactly alike to the ear but they are different to the eye. The same is true of right, wright, rite, write, all of which have exactly the same pronunciation. Any one could find dozens of words like these in the English lan- guage. In all such words one must guard against allowing one's judgment of the sounds of the words to be confused by the form of the words as they appear to the eye. The principle involved here is of wide application. One may agree that to the ear, pear, pair, pare all sound alike, but some persons maintain that, being spelled differently, they ought to be made to sound differently. This raises the whole question of the determination of the right or correct pronunciation of words. Perhaps no reasonable person would expect to make pronunciation harmonize INTRODUCTION ix altogether with spelling. Thus one would have to pro- nounce indict with the c sounded and would have to pro- nounce other words in ways which the ordinary practise of cultivated speakers does not authorize. Where shall one go, then, for the correct pronunciation of the language? One may go to the dictionary. This does not really answer the question, for one must still ask, "Where did the man go who made the dictionary?" In many instances, unfortunately, he merely may have gone to a man who made a dictionary before him, and pronun- ciations handed on from one dictionary to another do often have a kind of dictionary life like this. But the real ques- tion is this. Did the dictionary make the language, or does the language make the dictionary? Obviously the latter. One must go to the ordinary use of the language to find how words are pronounced, and one goes to the dictionary only to supplement or enrich one's knowledge ^nd observa- tion of the language as ordinarily used. When one thinks of the language as ordinarily used, one means, of course, not the language as carelessly or vulgarly spoken, but as it is spoken by persons whose practises are worthy of respect and ' imitation. In ordinary use there is a difference, however, between Formal and Familiar Style. When one speaks in a conversational and rapid way, one makes certain sounds less fully and clearly than when one speaks slowly and emphatically. This is especially true of words which are sHghtly accented. The preposition of, for example, often becomes so slight that it loses its final con- sonant. When one speaks in Familiar Style of " a man of war," the first and third words of this phrase may sound exactly alike. For purposes of exercise and discipline, however, one does not take the Familiar Style as a foun- X INTRODUCTION dation. One takes rather the Formal Style, because the Familiar Style, being the result mainly of haste and negli- gence, does not call for special training. If the Formal Style is well taken care of, the Familiar Style will take care of itself. But the Formal Style itself needs to be carefully defined. In the phrase just mentioned, "a man of war," what would be the formal pronunciation of the third word ? The spell- ing does not offer much help, because f ordinarily stands for a breathed sound such as in loaf, yet the sound in this word, even in Formal Style, must certainly be a voiced sound, V. But what should be the sound of the vowel? Shall the sound of the vowel be determined by speUing, or shall it be determined by what an ordinarily cultivated person would speak in pronouncing this word in formal diction? Must it not be determined also partly by posi- tion? Wheo one says, " What are you thinking of ? " one pronounces the last word differently from of in the phrase " He thought of doing this." The conclusion seems in- escapable that even in the Formal Style words have varia- tions and shadings in pronunciation which must be deter- mined by observing their actual use in speech. We have spoken of unaccented words and their varia- tions, but even accented words are sometimes pronounced in several different ways by cultivated speakers. When such differences actually exist in cultivated speech, the pur- pose of this book has not been to iron them all out by the application of a dogmatic mechanical rule. In fact, it is part of the method of the book that when justifiable differ- ences of pronunciation exist, the particular one preferred may be chosen. Take, for example, the words hot, got, rob, dog, pond, cost, froth. These words are all spelled with o, INTRODUCTION xi but do all cultivated speakers pronounce them alike? Do all speakers have the same vowel in dog, pond, cost, froth that they have in hot? If not, shall they be compelled to have the same sound, or shall one permit the possibility here of two groups ? The latter is the method of this book. A group is made of words which are described as pro- nounced like odd, that is lot, got, not, rod, poxi, sod, rob, drop, stop, and another group described as pronounced Uke soft containing cost, froth, etc. For the words in the first group some speakers have a vowel like the accented vowel of father, only short, and for the words of the second group, a vowel like the vowel of caught, only short. Or some speakers may have the same vowel for both groups, either the vowel of father, shortened, or the vowel of caught, shortened. All these varieties of pronunciation actually occur with frequency in. cultivated American speech, and they could be set aside only by assuming in a dogmatic way that one pronunciation alone is permissible. This would be equiva- lent to saying that short o always has the same value and must be given this value whether the custom of a particu- lar group of speakers gives it this value or not. This would be a tyrannical and narrow rule such as no one has a right to make. Such a rule would discourage rather than encourage that closeness of observation which enables pupils to distinguish shades of sound, for instead of ob- serving what actually occurs, the pupils would merely apply a mechanical rule. In this book wherever words of the same type or group in spelling have different pronun- ciations in good use, they are presented in different groups. No statement is made of what the pronunciation of the words in these several groups ought to be, for the reason xii INTRODUCTION that it is desirable to permit a personal choice from the several accepted pronunciations. Furthermore, the book has avoided putting into the same group words almost but not quite the same in pro- nunciation. The vowel of feed is commonly described as long e, and the same sound is frequently said to appear in here, fear, peer, etc. But it is not altogether the same vowel, as any one can tell by listening closely to the vowels in feed and fear. To teach pupils that it is the same vowel inevitably would lead to a confusion and distrust of the whole subject of pronunciation. Another question is whether words like glass, fast, dance, etc., shall have the " Italian " a, or the " intermediate " a, or the so-called " flat " a, this last being the vowel of hat, mad, match, etc. This is so much a matter of opinion that there is no possibility of answering the question. Some cultivated speakers pronounce the words one way and some pronounce them another way, and such being the case, the obvious thing is to pronounce them as one feels inclined to pronounce them. So also with the pronunciation of r final or before conso- nants, as in star, hard, etc. In some parts of the United States this r is not pronounced, in others it is. The exer- cises in this book are so presented- that if one wishes to pronounce the r one may do so, but if one wishes to pro- nounce the words without r in the Eastern and Southern fashion, that also may be done. The pronunciation of words like dirt, pert, worth, etc., also varies a good deal among cultivated speakers, and here again no theoretical uniform pronunciation is prescribed. The conclusion is that in standard cultivated pronun- ciation, now and then we find that the same word may INTRODUCTION xiii have several pronunciations. When this is true, it is the purpose of this book to permit freedom of choice. Pro- nunciations which are not current in cultivated use, if they are treated at aU, should be considered as incorrect pronunciations. The authors wish to say that this book has been written in collaboration and that each is to be considered responsi- ble for all it contains. PLAN OF THE BOOK The purpose of this book is to furnish drill exercises in the production of speech sounds. It is designed for the use of the normal child in the last five years of the elemen- tary school. The. lessons will prove valuable also in teach- ing foreigners to speak English. Speech is best acquired through the ear by imitating a good model. It sometimes happens, however, that a child cannot make a sound correctly through imitation. In that case his attention should be directed to the position of the organs of speech. The illustrations and descriptions of sounds in this book will be found helpful for the purpose. In some cases a small mirror may be employed to advantage. Only one method of making a sound is given, but some sounds can be correctly produced in different ways. For instance, many speakers make s by raising the tip of the tongue, others by lowering it. The acoustic effect is the same in both cases. Generally speaking, if the sound seems right to the ear the method of making it should not be criticised.' The position of the mouth in the front views is that used in making the sound for drill purposes. This position is more exaggerated than for ordinary speech. The symbols shown at the beginning of each lesson are taken from Webster's New International Dictionary, Funk and Wagnalls' Standard Dictionary, Key I, and from the alphabet, with slight modifications, of the International Pho- netic Association. It is not to be expected that the pupils xvi PLAN OF THE BOOK will become familiar with all three symbols. Some mode of representing the sounds should be adopted, however, and the pupils should learn to associate one symbol with each sound studied. The vowel sounds employed in the drill exercises at the beginning of each lesson are — ah as m arm, a as in ate, ee as in eve, oo as in ooze, oh as in oak, and aw as in all. In the second line the sounds of the short vowels are used as — a in at, e in end, i in it, oo in book, u in up, and o in odd. So far as practicable the words selected for drill have been arranged as follows: The first and second columns contain the consonant for study combined with the vowel sounds used in the drill exercises as, papa, pay, peel, etc.; pat, pen, pill, etc. The words in the third line contain the vowel sounds of ai in air, u in ■urn, u in use, i in ice, oi in oil and ou in out. In the first line on the second page the consonant is combined finally with the short vowels, as rap, step, lip, etc., and the second and third lines illustrate the occurrence of the sound finally and medially. In the lessons on the vowels the drill exercises contain the vowel sound combined initially with the breathed and voiced stop consonants as pi, ti, ki, bi, di, gi. The second line combines finally voiced continuants including the nasal consonants as — ith, iz, il, im, in, ing. The words for drill in the lessons on the vowels illustrate the sound studied combined with the consonants in the order in which they appear in the consonant table as — pin, been, miss, whip, etc. The sound being studied should be stressed in drill exer- cises and words. Unnatural emphasis, however, should not be used in the sentences and in selections for reading and memorizing. PLAN OF THE BOOK xvii The sentences have been selected with reference to the frequent occurrence of the sound illustrated. No attempt has been made to select sentences dealing only with the present life of the child. The pupils' original sentences will be of this tj^e. The drill lessons on the substitution, omission, and addi- tion of a sound will prove helpful in correcting errors of pronunciation, as "wery" for "t;ery," "dis" for "this," etc. In arranging the quotations for reading and memorizing, those have been selected which contain the sound to be illustrated a number of times. The author and content have also been kept in mind. It is hoped that these ex- tracts will serve to revive selections already familiar and serve as a slight introduction to the works of standard authors whose acquaintance has not yet beefi made. Pupils should memorize at least one quotation, frequently one of their own selection, to illustrate each sound taught. MODEL LESSON Pupils should be taught to make a sound correctly before taking the words and sentences for drill printed under it. The following lesson is suggestive only. It is to be hoped that each teacher will use her originality in planning lessons on the different sounds. Each sound should be introduced through words, and the child should hear it correctly before attempting to make it. Aim: To teach the pupils: 1. To recognize and make the sound of p. 2. To distinguish the sound from the name of the symbol which, represents the sound. 3. To classify the sound (breathed or voiced). Teacher: How many of you have noticed that all people do not speak alike? Think of some one who speaks very well and tell why you think his speech is good. Pupils: He opens his mouth wide. He does not shout. He has a pleasing voice. He speaks loud enough to be heard. He pronounces the final consonants. He speaks distinctly. He speaks slowly. Teacher: All of these reasons for thinking one speaks well are very good, but probably the most important is: "He speaks distinctly." In order to speak distinctly one must make the different sounds which form words correctly. To-day we are going to study one of these MODEL LESSON xix sounds. Pronounce these words and listen for the sound that occurs in each — Paul, paid, nap, reap, ' apple, pepper (teacher pronounces each word and the pupils repeat). What is the sound? Pupil: The sound is (child makes the sound of p). (Be sure that pupils distinguish between the sound of the letter and the name of the symbol.) Teacher: Place the hand before the lips and make the sound of p. What do you feel ? Pupil : I feel air or breath. Teacher: Because p is made with breath alone it is called a breathed consonant. Combine the sound of p with the vowels used in the vocal drill. (The vocal drill on p. 25 should be taught before giving this lesson.) Pupil: pah, pa, pee, poo, poh, paw. Teacher: Place the sound after the short vowels. Pupil: ap, ep, ip, oop, up, op. Teacher: Pronounce these combinations and words — pah, papa. Pupil: pah, papa. Teacher: pa, paid. Pupil: pa, paid. Teacher: pee, peep^poo, pool — poh, post — paw, Paul (children pronounce each group after the teacher). What combination occurs in post? Pupil: The combination poh occurs in post. Teacher: In paid? inPa.ul? Pupil: pa — paw. Teacher: Give words containing the sound of p at the beginning, or initially, as pole. Pupil : pull, part, past, pump, etc. (Teacher writes words on the board.) XX MODEL LESSON Teacher: Words containing the sound at the end, or finally, as rap. Pupil: sleep, map, rope, leap, etc. (Teacher writes these words in a separate column.) Teachei*: Words containing the sound in the middle or medially. Pupil: vapor, captain, reaper, etc. Teacher: Give original sentences containing words in which the sound of p occurs. (Sentences should be written on the board.) PupU: Pussy will leap to the top of the pump. Did Paul put the rope on the stoop? etc. Teacher: You may pronomice the words in the first line, Rose. Pupil: pull, part, etc. Teacher: The second line, John. Pupil: sleep, map, etc. Teacher: the last line, James. Pupil: vapor, captain, etc. Teacher: Read the first sentence, Alice. Pupil: Pussy will leap, etc. Teacher: The second, Mary. Pupil: Did Paul put the rope, etc. Teacher: There are many words containing the sound of p. See how many you can find before our next lesson. Arrange them in three lines, the first containing the sound initially, the second finally, and the last medially. When the pupils can make the sound properly, drill on the words and sentences in the book should be given. This drill work will intensify the visual, auditory, and kin- esthetic images of the sound and strengthen the organs of MODEL LESSON xxi speech. It is a good plan to have pupils occasionally go through the motions of reading a sentence without mak- ing a sound. In this silent reading the mouth should be opened wide for the vowel soimds. Pupils should give original words and sentences to test their knowledge of the occurrence of the sound in speech. FiQXTRE 1. The Speech Ohqans. W, wind pipe. L, larynx. V, vocal cords. P, pharynx. N P, nasal pharynx. U, uvula. S, soft palate. H, hard palate. G, gums. T, teeth. F, front of tongue. M, middle of tongue. B, back of tongue. ?IGURE 2. The Vooai. Oobds. Position for breathing. V V, \ocal cords. W, wind pipe. FiGTTHE 3. The Vocal Cobds. Position for tone production.- V V, vocal cords. FiQTTBE 4. The Mouth. S, soft palate. U, uvula. P P, phar- ynx. T T, tonsils. Ton, tongue xxii THE MAKING OF SPEECH On the opposite page is a diagram of the organs of speech. (Fig. 1.) The front of the larynx or voice box is called the Adam's apple. It may be felt by placing the tips of the fingers on the throat. It moves up and down in swallowing. Stretched across the voice box from front to back are two bands of membrane called the vocal cords. (Fig. 2.) The ends and one side of these bands are fastened to the larynx but the inner edges are free. In quiet breathing these edges are far apart. The vocal cords are brought close together by the action of the muscles of the larynx. Air from the lungs passing between them causes the free edges to vibrate and produce voice. (Fig. 3.) By means of the muscles of the larynx the vocal cords can also be tightened and the free edges can be brought together so that only a part of their length vibrates. Each of these changes produces a change in the pitch of the tone. . The voice passes from the larynx into the back chamber of the mouth or pharynx. The upper part of this cavity is called the nasal pharynx. In making the nasal sounds (m, n, and ng) the voice passes into this cavity and out through the nasal passages. In making the other speech sounds all or nearly all of the sound passes into the front cavity or the mouth. It is in the mouth or " vowel chamber " that soimd is shaped into speech. The tongue, the lips, the teeth, the hard palate and the soft palate assist in this process but the tongue is the most important of all. It is a muscle and can be developed by use. xxiv THE MAKING OF SPEECH CONDITIONS FOR GOOD TONE PRODUCTION In order to speak well and be heard in a large room cer- tain conditions for producing voice are necessary. Among them are: 1.. Erect posture. 2. Open tone passage. 3. Voice support. As breath is the material of which voice is made it is essential for good tone production that the lungs have plenty of room to expand. The body should, therefore, be erect but not rigid. The head should be held up. The arms should hang easily at the sides. (To obtain this re- laxed condition of the arms raise them at the sides on a level with the shoulders, then quickly relax the muscles and allow the arms to fall and swing into position at the sides.) In order to produce a clear, pure carrying tone the voice passage should be open and free from constriction or tight- ness. The muscles of the throat and jaw should be relaxed. (The exercise of dropping the jaw quickly and allowing the mouth to " fall open," then slowly closing it, practised several times will aid in securing this relaxed condition.) The carrying power of a voice depends largely upon its support. Good voice support depends upon lung power and well developed muscles controlling the organs used in breathing. The support should be in the centre of the body, not in the throat. To develop voice support vocal exercise should be practised. The following drills for voice building with slight changes THE MAKING OF SPEECH xxv and additions are taken from " Manual of Speech Train- ing " by Dr. Frederick Martin, Director of Speech Im- provement, New York City, with his permission. These exercises are designed not only to produce better voice support, but also to develop the vocal organs. The lack of this voice training gives rise to many speech defects. Ah as in arm A " ate Ee " eel Oo " ooze Oh " old Aw " all These exercises should be practised in a clear low or medium pitched tone. The jaw should be relaxed, and for the ah and aw sounds the mouth should be opened wide. Each sound should be practised until it can be accurately and easily made. They should then be combined into groups of two, three, four, five and six as follows: Ah a — a ee — ee oo — oo oh — oh aw Ah a ee — a ee oo — ee oo oh — oo oh aw Ah a ee oo — a ee oo oh — ee oo oh aw Ah a ee oo oh — a ee oo oh aw Ah a ee oo oh aw Aw oh 00 ee a ah The sounds of each group should follow each other con- tinuously without break of any kind, as aha, ahaee, ahaeeoo, etc. When these groups can be given easily and accurately on xxvi THE MAKING OF SPEECH one breath the six sounds should be given on one breath twice, then three times and four times as Ah a ee oo oh aw ah a ee oo oh aw Ah a ee oo oh aw ah a ee oo oh aw ah a ee oo oh aw Ah a ee oo oh aw ah a ee oo oh aw ah a ee oo oh aw ah a ee oo oh aw Aw oh 00 ee a ah aw oh oo ee a ah aw oh oo ee a ah aw oh oo ee a ah After some practise the six sounds can be given easily five and six times on one breath. Practising these long groups in this way will not only develop voice support but also teach the child, unconsciously, to vocalize all breath. The following drills will develop flexibility of the lips and relaxation of the jaw and open mouth delivery. Lip Exeecise Ah aw, ah aw, ah aw, ah aw A oh, a oh, a oh, a oh Ee 00, ee oo,ee oo, ee oo Jaw Exercises In practising these exercises the jaw should drop for the ah and aw sounds. 00 aw, 00 aw, oo aw, oo aw ee aw, ee aw, ee aw, ee aw 00 ah, oo ah, oo ah, oo ah ee ah, ee ah, ee ah, ee ah CLASSIFICATION OF SPEECH SOUNDS There are two main classes of speech sounds — Vowels and Consonants. A vowel is a voiced sound made with the tone passage open and free from obstruction. A consonant is a sound made by obstructing the tone and not allowing it free passage through the mouth, y and w have the nature of a vowel and a consonant. There are two classes of consonants — Oral (those made in the mouth) and Nasal (those made in the nasal cavities). The oral consonants are also divided into stops and con- tinuants. They are again subdivided into breathed and voiced. The nasal consonants are all voiced continuants. The breathed consonants are felt by placing the hand before the mouth when they are being made. The vibra- tions of the voiced consonants are felt by placing the tips of the fingers on the sides of the throat, above the larynx, and the vibrations of the nasal consonants are felt by plac- ing the finger on the side of the nose. Every breathed consonant except h has a corresponding voiced one, thus: b corresponds to p, d to t, g to k, and w to wh. The voiced consonants should be compared with the corresponding breathed consonants. The following table shows the consonants arranged imder the above divisions, and also shows the organs used in their articulation: XXVIU CLASSIFICATION OF SPEECH SOUNDS ORGANS EMPLOYED IN ARTICULATION \oRAL NASAL STOPPED CONTINUANTS BREATHED VOICED BREATHED VOICED VOICED Lips Pf; B^ WHj^ WW Mw Lower lip and upper teeth F i v^^ Tip of tongue and teeth th9 TH^ Tip of tongue and upper gums T t Dei t r L R' Nn Front of tongue and up- per gums S SH/ ^R2 Z Zli •a. Middle of tongue and hard palate ^/ Back of tongue and soft paf&,te ■ K^^ s J. Throat ■■ hK 1 Initial R. 2 Final R." There are three classes of vowels: Front, Back, and Mixed. Front vowels are those in which the front and middle of the tongue is raised. Back vowels are those in which the back of the tongue is raised, and Mixed vowels are those in which the part of the tongue between the front and back is raised. They are also divided into High, those made with the tongue high in the mouth, as ee; Low, those made with the tongue low, as aw; and Mid, those made with the tongue neither high nor low, as oh. The raising and low- ering of the tongue is accompanied by the raising and lowering of the lower jaw. CLASSIFICATION OF SPEECH SOUNDS XXIX The following table shows the vowels arranged accord- ing to the above classifications : V FRONT 1 MIXED 1 BACK Hig& eve i: 1 itx I 1 u: ooze 1 u book High Mid ate e: 1 end e aire: , 8 urn 1 3 amoifg / o: oak obey A up Mid ' Low at se ask a- 1 1 dd d: orb 5 authentic Low arm a: a o ' The authors make grateful acknowledgment to Miss Jeanette Berner, a teacher in the public schools of New York City, who kindly posed for the illustrations on the following pages. PART I EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS p is a breathed consonant Press the hps to- gether, then quickly expel the breath, making a soft puff- ing sound. Webster, p Funk and Wagnalls, p Phonetic Sjonbol, p Drill: pah, pa, pee, poo, poh, paw ap, ep, ip, oop, up, op This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: papa pay peel pool pole pawn pat pen pill pull pun pod pear pearl pure pie point powder 1. 2. 3. 4. Papa placed Paul on the pony in the park. Patty polished the parlor lamp. Pussy put her paw into the pail of paint. Put a piece of pumpkin pie in the pantry for Patrick. 5. Paula paid Polly a penny for a piece of peach pudding. 6. Put the paper, pencils, and pens into the package. 2 EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS rap rope puppy step peep supper lip tape clapped sup soup maple top leap dimple ■pop ripe pumpkin 1. Percy's playmate can hop, skip, and jump. 2. "Hip, hop, pip, pop, tip, top, pop-corn." 3. Are the cup, the trap, and the strap in Papa's shop ? 4. Rupert pulled the hempen rope from the sloop. 5. Mr. Porter presented the diplomas to the pupils. 6. Philip Lathrop's box of pears came by parcel post. 7. Professor Piper's piano pupils play with expression. . 8. The dipper tipped and the sirup dripped upon her apron. 9. Philippa put the parson's parcel beside the pro- fessor's papers. 10. Parsnips, peppers, potatoes, and turnips were piled on the push-cart. 11. Mrs. Pope purchased apples and grapes for Pippa's porch party. 12. Peter stopped at the parsonage and gave the par- son a report on the poor of the parish. 13. Did the frog's leap from the lily-pad make ripples on the pickerel pond? 14. The president rapped repeatedly for order but the people clapped and clapped. 4 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT b is a voiced consonant Press the lips together as for p, and expel the breath with vibration of the vocal cords. Webster, b Funk and Wagnalls, b Phonetic Symbol, b Drill: bah, ba, bee, boo, boh, baw ab, eb, ib, oob, ub, ob This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: barn &an &are 6ay feell burn 6eet 6in bugle 6oom bull buy boat but boil ball bob bow 1. Buy buns, bacon, and butter for breakfast. 2. Beatrice baked the beans in Betty's brown bowl. 3. They blamed Bob for Bernard's bad behavior. 4. Bowser buried the bone beside the barrel. 5. The brown bear stole the bumblebee's honey, 6. A bluebird built her nest in the bird box. 7. Baskets and bottles were brought from the boat. • 8. The baggage man's back bent under the big box. 9. The Big Brothers Club bought bats and balls. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS sta6 ramble mobbed ebb thim&le rubbed cri6 nim&le babble tu& cabin hobble ro5 member suburb mo& October robber 1. The Arab beckoned the cab man to the curb. 2. Baby's rubber ball bounded into the crib. 3. A ribbon hung from the marble bust of Robert Burns. 4. Becky led the sobbing boy to the bakery. 5. Tabby robbed the warbler's nest in the shrubs. 6. Rob tumbled from the branch and fell into the berry bushes. 7. The able laborer objected to the bribe. 8. Will the boys bake the crabs and the lobsters? 9. Abraham stumbled over the rubber tube. 10. The bear observed the rabbit in the bushes. 11. Mr. Hubbard built a bungalow in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. 12. Deborah embroidered buttercups on Mabel's table cover. 13. Barbara and Rebecca belong to the Brookfield basket-ball club. 14. Bertie and her brother Bobby played with the peb- bles on the beach. 15. Elizabeth and Alberta sobbed when they read "Black Beauty." FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT m is a nasal consonant Press the lips to- gether as for -p, ex- pel the breath with vibration of the vo- cal cords, and turn the sound into the nasal cavities. Webster, m Funk and Wagnalls, m Phonetic Symbol, m Drill: mah, ma, mee, moo, moh, maw am, em, im, oom, um, om This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: mar may meet mood moan ikfaud man met mill mum mob mock mare myrtle mute mile moist mow 1. 2. May. 3. 4. 5. 6. sota. Many Americans made money in Mexican mines. Marian and Marvin were married in the month of Mother made a muffler and a muff for Mary. Mildred memorized "The Song of Marion's Men." Manama gave Millicent and Muriel mush and milk. L_.There are many flour mills in Minneapolis, Minne- EAERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS am foam summer hem dream humming whim room rumble hum dime command some tame tumult Tom home torment 1. America is the home of freedom. 2. Emma made some marmalade and some jam. 3. Maples, hemlocks, and ehns grow on Mr. Miller's farm. 4. Martin promised Mother he would come home with Tom. 5. September, October, and November are autumn months. 6. King Midas loved the merry little maiden named Marygold. 7. The meadow mouse used a moonbeam for a lamp. 8. Diagram as many sentences as time permits. 9. Maurice and Edmond tramped many miles over muddy roads. 10. Maude made some improvement this month in arithmetic and penmanship. 11. The farmer bought matches from the merchant and the merchant bought tomatoes from the farmer. 12. The Pilgrim Fathers made a settlement at Plym- outh, Massachusetts, in 1620. 13. My Mary's asleep by the murmuring stream. 14. ' ' Hum, hum ! honeybee ! Summer is coming, coming. ' ' FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT wh is a breathed consonant Push the Ups for- ward and blow through the small opening thus formed. Webster, hw Funk and Wagnalls, hw Phonetic Symbol, m Drill: whah, wha, whee, whoo, whoh, whaw This sound occurs initially and medially: whale whang where wheel whet whirl whoa whip why whari what whelk white when whisk whack whiz whiS 1. What whim led him to whisper, whimper, and whine ? 2. Where were the wharfmen loading wheat? The whirling wheel whirs with a whiz. Did the horse whinny when he neared the wharf? White knew not whence it came or whither it went. When the whistle blew the wheels stopped turning. While beating the white rug Bessie heard a whir- 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. ring sound. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 9 wheeze while horsewMp wMstie wheat nowhere whine whelm. meanwMle which whence somewhat whether wMnny bobiy/iite whisper whaling millwheel 1. The white snow whirled everywhere. 2. The wheezy old sailor has white whiskers. 3. Where did Will Wheeler buy the wheat? 4. The wherry was loaded with whelks. 5. Whatever the cost Whitney must have a wheelbar- row. 6. Whitaker left the whiffle-tree under the wagon wheel. 7. Mr. Whipple whet the scythe with a whetstone. 8. When did Paul Whitoian read Whittier's "Snow Bound"? 9. Wharton caught a whitefish whUe fishing on the wharf. 10. When whittUng the whistle he heard a bobwhite and a whip-poor-will. 11. While the wheel whirled round, The wheat was being ground. 12. "Where the blackbird sings the latest, Where the hawthorn blooms the sweetest. Where the nestlings chirp and flee, That's the way for Billy and me." 10 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT w is a voiced consonant Push the lips forward as for wh and expel the breath with vibration of the vocal cords. Webster, w Funk and Wagnalls, w Phonetic Symbol, w Drill: wah, wa, wee, woo, woh, waw This sound occurs initially and medially: wahoo wag wear way west were weed will wild wooi wood «;ound wold won wind walk wan u;illow 1. Will Wilbert wind Walter's watch? 2. The weaver's worn wallet was in the wardrobe. 3. The warden was waiting for the wedding party. 4. The wild winter winds shook the wide window. 5. Wolves vsdll watch around the wigwam. 6. The World War was ended in November. 7. The woodchuck was watching the wood-cutter. 8. Are the whale and the walrus water animals? 9. The wizard waved his wand underneath the weep- ing willow. 10. Wallace wanted to wade in the warm water, but Will wanted to wander about in the woods. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 11 reward uniyept unwind away awake wayward award beware wigwam bewitch inward stalwart windward woodwork silkworm wherewithal herewith whirlwind 1. Miss Wallace wore a warm woolen sweater. 2. Warren will swim to the wharf on Wednesday. 3. The warrior carried a worn wolf-skin robe. 4. Woodrow Wilson was our twenty-eighth President. 5. While walking through the wood Ward saw a weasel. 6. The widow and one of her sons waited near the window. 7. Did the woodsman say the wood was worth one dollar ? 8. The weary watchman and his wife walked slowly homeward. 9. Will Willard and Mr. Wells go to Washington this week? 10. Woodbine and wistaria covered the wall, bewitch- ing the bees and the wasps. 11. The kind women waiting and watching for the waif, were rewarded at last. 12. "Great, wide, beautiful, wonderful world. With the wonderful water round you curled, And the wonderful grass upon your breast. World, you are beautifully dressed." 12 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Substitution of One Sound for Another b for p p for b pah bah, pa ba, pee bee, poo boo, poh boh, paw baw, ap ab, ep eb, ip ib, oop oob, up ub, op ob Pronounce these words vertically, then horizontally: Say tub not tup Say tip not tib Paul pen pump pop park pill ball Ben bump bob bark bill rip rope ample staple pepper dapple rib robe amble stable pebble dabble 1. Ben gave Peter the bag of peanuts. 2. Put the beans and the peas on the back porch. 3. Bob placed the cup and paU beside the tub. 4. Please buy pretty boxes for baby's presents. 5. The beautiful butterfly flew to the purple pansy. 6. Bertha preserved blackberries, peaches, and plums. 7. The rabbit nibbled the parsnips, turnips, and cab- bages. 8. The big black bear and the prowling panther lived near a beautiful pool. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 13 Substitution of One Sound for Another w for wh wah whah, wa wha, wee whee, woo whoo, woh whoh, waw whaw Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say whip not wip wear where way whey wine whine were whir weal wheel wet whet wile while wight white witch which wither whither wail whale weather whether 1 . Which William won the watch ? 2. The wee whistler wailed when he was wheeled away. 3. Walter wheeled the wheelbarrow full of wild- flowers. 4. The whalers were wheezing when they reached the wet wharf. 5. Whither does the warbler fly in this wUd weather? 6. Whist ! Whist ! the whip-poor-will wings his way to the weeping willow. 7. Wanda watched the whirling windmill while the west wind whistled. 8. While the white wings were whirring above, the white waves were washing below. 14 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT f is a breathed consonant Equivalents: ph as in phone; gh as in laugh Press the upper teeth and lower lip firmly together and force the breath out, making a soft hissing sound. Webster, f Funk and Wagnalls, f Phonetic Symbol, f Drill: fah, fa, fee, foo, foh, faw af, ef, if, oof, uf, of This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. /arm /ame /eel food foe /awn /an fed /it foot /un fond /air /ir few five /oil fowl Fanny fed Flora's goldfish. Frank went to Florida and found fame and fortune. On Friday father and Frederick went fishing. Mr. Ford painted the fourth floor in February. The fine old furniture and the faded frock looked dim in the flickering flrelight. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 15 graph half wa/er dea/ cough ru^le sni^ lea/ so/ten sloufif/i loa/ ra/ter rougf/i triump/i hyp/ien tough enough orphan 1. The rough wind forced the skiff to the wharf. 2. The fifer and the fiddler found time to laugh. 3. The snuff-box and the cuffs were on the chiffonier. 4. Philip found the calf at the farther end of the farm. 5. Ralph left the rifle and the fife in the loft. 6. Francis put the scarf on the book shelf. 7. Sophie made muffins and waffles for breakfast. 8. Phyllis found the fan and the handkerchief on the sofa. 9. Rufus put the five fish into the refrigerator. 10. Frieda frightened the thief by telephoning for an oflBcer. 11. Alfred's friend lifted the rough tiirf and flung it on the faint fire. 12. The fawn jumped the fence and found refuge from her foes in the forest. 13. "Go forth to meet the shadowy future without fear." 14. "Full fathom five thy father lies. ' ' 15. "Where breathes the foe but falls before us, With freedom's soil beneath our feet, And freedom's banner streaming o'er us?" 16 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT V is a breathed consonant Equivalent: f as in of Press the upper teeth and lower hp firmly to- gether as for /, and expel the breath with vibra- tion of the vocal cords. Webster, v Funk and Wagnalls, v Phonetic Symbol, v Drill: vah, va, vee, voo, voh, vaw av, ev, iv, oov, uv, ov This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially : I'arnish ?;an t;erse t'ane rest riew real wm wee TOte milgar i;oid i^ault TOUey vow vine fat ?;owel 1. The visitor viewed the viaduct in the valley. 2. Vivian gathered violets for the Venetian vase. 3. Did the veteran visit the venerable vicar? 4. The vicious vagabond ventured into the vineyard. 5. Voice is produced by the vibration of the vocal cords. 6. Vote to remove evil and vice from the village. 7. Victor gave Victoria a viohn and Virginia a Vic- trola. 8. Mr. Vaile bought vichy, veal, and vegetables. iiiJUiKUiSJKS IJN THii CONSONANTS 17 hat;e cai^e viwd heaiy leat;e evade lit^e ali?;e hea2;en shoj^e roi'e revive love mowe every of resolve invalid 1. Steve drove twelve nails into the sieve. 2. Wave upon wave of vapor swept over the valley. 3. Gustavus invested his savings in a Victory note. 4. Strive to remove the vinegar from the shelves. 5. Resolve to improve your voice by practice every evening. 6. The vesper service is over at five. 7. Eva lived in a vine-clad villa. 8. Calvin's voice has more volume than David's. 9. Irving received seven dollars for moving the vase. 10. The thieves took Sylvia's vacation souvenirs. 11. The divers arrived at twelve and left at seven. 12. The valet put the five cravats into the valise. 13. The violinist lives on Vanderbilt Avenue. 14. The servant did not leave the shovel on the gravel walk. 15. Harvey proved that the event was a decisive vic- tory for the voters. 16. "With many a shout we mock the wind that in the pine top grieves, And slumber long and sweetly on beds of oaken leaves. ' ' 18 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Substitution of One Sound for Another V for w w for V wak vah, wa va, wee vee, woo voo, woh voh, waw vaw Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say voice not woice Say wait not vait west vest went vent wine vine wane vane weal veal wail vail wary vary vault Walt vend wend visor wiser verse worse viper wiper vicar wicker revert reward 1. Walter wore a violet vest trimmed with silver lace. 2. Vincent Watson's van overturned on Williams Avenue. 3. The villain won no welcome from the weary vil- lagers. 4. The wan woman viewed the venerable volume with wonder. 5. Will said : ' ' The valley will ring with shouts of vic- tory. ' ' 6. Winifred and Veronica walked toward the water to view the victorias. 7. On Wednesday the veterans went to Virginia to visit Mount Vernon, Washington's home. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 19 Substitution of One Sound for Another /for V V for/ fah vah, fa va, fee vee, foo voo, foh voh, faw vaw, af av,- ef ev, if iv, oof oov, uf uv, of ov Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say fair not vair Say vote not fote fan van fife five fain vain sheaf sheave face vase surf serve faU vale waif waive ferry very grief grieve fine vine wafer waver 1. Very fine grapes hung from the vines. 2. Oliver found the frame in the moving van. 3. Steve is suffering from a severe cold. 4. Fairy forms floated in the silvery vale. 5. Our valiant fighters proved their love for the flag. 6. The forester viewed the verdant foliage on the firs. 7. The vine was covered with feathery snowflakes. 8. Violet or Florence will remove the flowers from the vase. 9. From the veranda Frank had a fine view of the forest and valley. 20 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT th as in thin is a breathed consonant Broaden the tip of the tongue, place it between the teeth and blow softly. Do not protrude the tongue. Webster, th Funk and Wagnalls, th Phonetic Symbol, Drill: thah, tha, thee, thoo, thoh, thaw ath, eth, ith, ooth, uth, oth This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: thajie thank thermos tkevae theit thews thorax thick thigh. thsbW thumb i/iousand thimble thong theory thmnp thin. thorn 1. Theodora placed the thick thimble on her thumb. 2. Thehna and Theodore thanked the thoughtful youth. 3. The panther thrust his head from the thicket. 4. Mr. Thurston thwarted the plans of the three thugs. 5. Theobald hurt his thigh and his thumb when he fell through the thatched roof. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 21 hath truth author health tooth method myth path wealthy doth wrath panther Goth wreath pithy worth moth pai/ietic 1. Clean teeth and a clean mouth improve the health. 2. Kenneth found the sheath in the path. 3. Put the lath underneath the hawthorn. 4. Beth thought Ruth's fourth tooth came through slowly. 5. The traveler thanked the smith for the thong. 6. The thirsty youth took the broth and ran south- ward. 7. Mathew and Arthur are enthusiastic athletes. 8. The man hired the truthful and thrifty Timothy. 9. Methodical Martha took the wreath from the box. 10. The author thought Nathan thankless and thought- less. 11. Did Dorothea find the length and width of Al- thea's thistledown pillow? 12. Ruthless Judith threw Ethel's thread and Agatha's thimble through the door of the thatched cottage. 13. A soft answer turneth away wrath. 14. ' ' When the wind is in the north, The skillful fisher goes not forth; When the wind is in the south, It blows the bait in the fishe's mouth." 22 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT th as in this is a voiced consonant Place the tongue as for breathed th, and ex- pel the breath with vibration of the vocal cords. Webster, tii Funk and Wagnalls, ^ Phonetic Symbol,^ Drill: thah, tha, thee, thoo, thoh, thaw ath, eth, ith, ooth, uth, oth This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: they thsLO. with thee then blithe though. this scythe their thus . writhe thine them teethe thou that soothe 1. The scythe fell into the seething pool. 2. Their brother gathered the withered leaves. 3. The feather was wafted hither and thither. 4. Farther and farther they sailed into southern waters. 5. Another withered flower was found there. 6. The leather straps and the lathes are in the booths. 7. The brothers cut the heather with a scythe. 8. They sell clothing and leather goods there. 9. The blithe youths sheathed their knives and made the wreaths. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 23 other iurther feather either neither norf/iern PLURALS baths mouths truths youths • smooi/ier lather bother within wii/iout smothered PLURALS oaths paths sheaths wreaths farf/iing withered gathered rather weather bUi/iesome VERBS breathe bathe sheathe clothe 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. ered. 9. 10. mother, 11. pods. 12. 13. Their mother gave each of them a farthing. The hthe youths dived for the other bather. Sheathe thy sword and come hither. We bathed the wound and swathed it. The moths gathered on, the feathers. Mrs. Mather smoothed the withered leaf. They went bathing with their other brother. The animals breathed the smoke and were smoth- Father will bequeath the farm' to thee and thine. The Northern weather was rather severe for In the dry weather they gathered the withered Honor thy father and thy mother. "Thou must be true thyself If thou the truth wouldst teach." 24 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Substitution of One Sound for Another t for th tah thah,' ta tha, tee thee, too thoo, toh thoh, taw thaw at ath, et eth, it ith, oot ooth, ut uth, ot oth Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say throat not troat Say mouth not mout tin tank tick team till tug taught tie thin thank thick theme thiU thug thought thigh tongs thongs s tread thread true threw trust thrust hat hath toot tooth heat heath root Ruth 1. Tom threw the thorny stick into Teddy's tent. 2. Arthur and Timothy will walk to the theater. 3. Ruth saw a beautiful moth on the white cloth. 4. The tall tinker threw the tin into the tank. 5. The thoughtless teamster turned into Third Street. 6. Baby put the thimble on her tiny thumb and tried to thread the needle. 7. Toot ! toot ! thump ! thump ! Theo is tooting the horn and Tim is thumping the table. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 25 Substitution of One Sound for Another / for th as in thin V for th as in this fah thah, fa tha, fee thee, foo thoo, foh thoh, faw thaw av ath, ev eth, iv ith, oov ooth, uv uth, ov oth Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say think not fink Say those not vose fain thane vat that 'fill thill van than fin thin vine thine fought thought vow thou fret threat clove clothe fresh thresh rive writhe free three live lithe sheaf sheath breve breathe reef wreath brave bathe cough cloth loaves loathes laugh lath fervor further 1. The other deaf boy is Ruth's brother. 2. The little waif is safe with father and mother. 3. Did the brave bather save Fanny and her brothers? 4. Father and Mr. Smith gathered and threshed the sheaves of wheat. 5. Victor practises breathing and vocal exercises every day. 26 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT t is a breathed consonant Equivalents: ed as in missed, th as in Thomas Press the tip of the tongue on the gums behind the upper teeth then quickly force it away by expelhng the breath. In making the sounds of t, d, n, and I, be sure to place the tongue on the gums, not against the teeth. Webster, t Funk and Wagnalls, t Phonetic S5rmbol, t Drill: tah, ta, tee, too, toh, taw at, et, it, oot, ut, ot This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: iar tan tear iame tell torn team tin tone too took ffle toe ton toil tall tot tower 1. The tall traveler told the tale to Thomas. 2. The train turned into the tunnel. 3. Ten and ten and two are twenty-two. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 27 that habii vcmtteT let walked buiton &t patient pattern foot polite hitting shut faint until slot crossed Uttle 1. "Bright before it, beat the water." 2. Gilbert left his hat, coat, and net in the boat. 3. The artist bought ten tiny tubes of paint. 4. The teacher taught Tony to write neatly. 5. Put the pattern and the buttons into Matilda's basket. 6. Harriet bought a tan tassel for her belt. 7. The little pine tree wished to be tall and stately. 8. Martin asked Margaret to typewrite the letter. 9. Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is situated in On- tario on the Ottawa River. 10. Tin is a soft, lustrous, white metal which becomes brittle when heated. 11. Austin is the capital of Texas, the largest State in the Union. 12. Wilbert and Herbert walked to the tulip tree in the heart of the forest. 13. Birds twittered in the tree tops and a swift moun- tain stream tumbled over stones and roots. 14. "Under his slouched hat, left and right He glanced; the old flag met his sight." 28 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT d is a voiced consonant Press the tip of the tongue on the gums behind the upper teeth as for t, and expel the breath with vibration of the vocal cords. Webster, d Funk and Wagnalls, d Phonetic Symbol, d Drill: dah, da, dee, doo, doh, daw ad, ed, id, ood, ud, od This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: dart dad dare day dead dirt deed did duty do dumb dire dough dot doily dawn doll down 1. Dorothea did darn Daisy's doily. 2. Dare to do your duty ! 3. Don't drop the dainty dish, Dora. 4. Daniel Davis decided to descend into the dense wood. 5. Did Delia dust the dark mahogany desk? 6. Dr. Dunne drove directly to the dentist's. 7. The damsel decorated the dining-room with daisies. 8. Day dawned as the daring rider dashed down the road. 9. Dick Dawson made a pond for the ducks by dam- ming the ditch. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 29 fad child bidden head card ladder lid lead padding stood salad maiden mud hard radish pod reward leader 1. Ned heard the measured tread of the lads on deck. 2. ' ' Delaware, Dover, Rhode Island, Providence, ' ' an- swered Edward. 3. Dutch traders from Holland settled New Amster- dam. 4. A tadpole lived in the dark, deep, muddy pond. 5. Harold drew a design for Lydia's card-case. 6. Edgar divided the dainties among his friends. 7. The dancing doll delighted the toddling child. 8. Adelaide made a delicious pudding for dinner. 9. The dignified judge danced at his daughter's wed- ding. 10. Fred planted the dahlias and daisies beside the bed of daffodils. 11. The timid deer turned his lifted head, gazed toward the meadow and listened. 12. That cold December day Douglas and David waded through the deep drifts to the drug store. 13. "All that glitters is not gold. Often have ye heard that told. ' ' 14. "And the song from beginning to end, I found again in the heart of a friend. ' ' 30 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Substitution of One Sound for Another t for d d for t tah dah, ta da, tee dee, too doo, toh doh, tav/ daw at ad, et ed, it id, oot ood, ut ud, ot od Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally, making an aspirate after each t and voicing every d: Say day not tay Say little not liddle tin din tan Dan tick Dick tent dent tip dip time dime ten den 1. Do not put the pudding into the tin can. 2. Dora read the story to Tom and Dan. 3. The little lad put the tiny paddle on the mantel. 4. "Our band is few, but true and tried, our leader frank and bold; The British soldier trembles, when Marion's name is told." 5. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. laid late cold colt heed heat lid ht ladle later muddle mutter ladder latter EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 31 Substitution of One Sound for Another d for th as in this dah thah, da tha, dee thee, doo thoo, doh thoh, daw thaw ad ath, ed eth, id ith, ood ooth, ud uth, od oth Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say them not dem Say with not wid den then ride writhe day they read wreathe dare their rider writher dense thence header heather doe though seed seethe dye thy ladder lather dine thine reading wreathing 1. Then Dan did the daring deed. 2. Dick went farther and farther into the dense wood. 3. That day they drove to the northern end of the town. ■ 4. Dorothy's father took her to see the bathers, 5. Daisy's brother climbed the ladder and hung the wreathes. 6. Theodore and Dora went with mother to the leath'^r store. 7. Either father or David will gather the load of heather. 8. Though Dan is darker than Edmond he is lighter than his other brother. 32 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT n is a nasal consonant Equivalents: gn as in gnaw; kn as in knee Press the tip of the tongue against the gums, back of the upper teeth, expel the breath with vibration of the vocal cords and turn the sound into the nasal cavities. Webster, n Funk and Wagnalls, n Phonetic Symbol, n Drill: nah^ na, nee, noo, noh, naw an, en, in, oon, un, on This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: nard name neat noon no naught 1. Nelson's nephew gave the newsboy a nickel. 2. The neat nursemaid noticed her neighbor's new runabout. 3. Nancy, Nina, and Nanny are nick-names for Anne. 4. The knave found a keen knife among the nicknacks. 5. Nine knitting needles were in Nellie's new knitting bag. nap ne er net nerve nip new nut nice A;nob noise not noun EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 33 tan mean honor den ruin miner pin prune fonder ton clean sound sun brown dinner on coin mountain 1. The sign on the garden fence was blown down. 2. The man's keen eyes scanned the new machiuei 3. Nathan joined the Navy when he was nineteen. 4. Milton spent twenty cents for candy and popcorn. 5. Helen's cousin Nicholas will be twenty-one next Monday. 6. Mr. Norman did not increase the rents of his ten- ants. 7. The Declaration of Independence was written by Jefferson. 8. Herman had prunes, bananas, and nuts for lunch. 9. Benjamin found his fortune in a Nevada mine. 10. Benedict Arnold asked Washington for the com- mand of West Point. 11. The ships were named the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. 12. The cocoon opened one day in June and a fine Luna moth came forth. 13. "Run, little rivulet, run! Summer is fairly begun. ' ' 14. "Count that day lost whose low descending sun. Views from thy hand no worthy action done. ' ' 34 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Final Consonant Combinations apt, ept, ipt, oopt, upt, opt aft, eft, ift, ooft, uft, oft abd, ebd, ibd, oobd, ubd, obd amd, emd, imd, oomd, umd, omd Pronounce the final combinations distinctly: pt rapt leaped stepped wept crypt stripped stooped draped reaped striped stopped looped unkempt ft craft raft shaft cleft theft drift gift soft waft tuft puffed stuffed coughed bd ebbed webbed bribed jibed robed ribbed cribbed lobed sobbed daubed bobbed robbed rubbed md blamed aimed jammed crammed hemmed seemed chimed combed roamed foamed fumed roomed charmed 1. The boys hopped, skipped, jumped, and clapped. 2. Sophia left the soft silk in the loft. 3. The child sobbed when he stubbed his toe. 4. Enmia said that trimmed rhymed with rimmed. 5. ' ' He went to the windows of those who slept, And over each pane like a fairy crept. ' ' 6. ' ' From out the torrent's troubled drift Above the storm our prayers we lift." EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS Final Consonant Combinations avd, evd, ivd, oovd, uvd, ovd athd, ethd, ithd, oothd, uthd, othd amp, emp, imp, oomp, ump, omp anth, enth, inth, oonth, unth, onth avn, evn, ivn, oovn, uvn, ovn adth, edth, idth, oodth, udth, odth Pronounce the final combinations distinctly: 35 vd thd nth vn carved bathed month oven waved breathed plinth even grieved sheathed seventh given thrived wreathed eleventh raven roved writhed mp dth grooved loathed tramp width moved clothed pump breadth nerved mouthed hemp hundredth 1. The father braved the waves and saved his child. 2. The teacher believed that the boy had improved. 3. May soothed the child and smoothed his pillow. 4. September is the ninth month and November is the eleventh. 6. The tramp limped to the pimip in the stumpy swamp. 6. Stephen saved the seven cloven-footed animals. 7. "Thankful to work for all the seven, Trusting the rest to One in Heaven." 36 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMEJN i' Final Consonant Combinations ant, ent, int, oont, unt, ont and, end, ind, oond, und, ond atn, etn, itn, ootn, utn, otn adn, edn, idn, podn, udn, odn Pronounce the final combinations distinctly: nt nd tn dn saint land oaten sadden can't bound beaten hidden count pained threaten garden bent wand brighten gladden tint drowned forgotten maiden point yawned kitten leaden blunt swooned lighten widen hunt joined button ridden print ruined written sodden 1. "We know not whither the hunter went. Nor how the last of his days was spent. ' ' 2. Lena darned the socks and lined the hat. 3. The printer lent Tony ten cents. 4. The kitten had eaten the wheaten cakes. 5. Leyton meant to mend the torn tent. 6. The child was frightened but not bitten by the dog. 7. The maiden found the plant trodden into the ground. 8. Leland Haddon opened the gate for the laden gar- dener. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 37 Substitution of One Sound for Another n for m m for n mah nah, ma na, mee nee, moo noo, moh noh, maw naw, am an, em en, im in, oom oon, um un, om on Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: mail nail map nap met net might night mash gnash meat neat mock knock moon noon mum numb muse news motion notion mettle nettle fame fain boom boon dime dine comb cone game gain them then beam bean seem seen sum son loam lone foam phone coming cunning 1. Nine of the new mats are mine. 2. Marion heard the rain on the pane Monday night. 3. John gave ten dimes for the meat and nine cents for the meal. 4. Nathan made money selUng knitting machines. 5. Mildred and Nettie made nine neat aprons for the Belgian children. 38 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT s is a breathed consonant Equivalents: ps as in psalm; c as in cent; ss as in miss; sc as in scene; st as in glisten Place the sides of the tongue against the upper teeth and gums. Force the breath over the tip and between the closed or nearly closed teeth,making a soft hissing sound. Webster, s Funk and Wagnalls, s Phonetic Symbol, s Drill: sah, sa, see, soo, soh, saw as, es, is, oos, us, os This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: psalm sap say see soon sold saw cent sink soot sup sob sir suit sign soil sour sound Sylvia sold soda, salt, spice, and celery to Susan. Seven sisters sat on the steps sewing sweaters. Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee are Southern 1. 2. 3. States. 4. On Saturday Mr. Somers took Sadie and Sam to the circus. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 39 lass sister lesson stress hasten lassie this listen message puss lisped dresses fuss clasped fasten loss muscle rescue 1. Bess will make a dress for Jess. 2. Did the Prince find Cinderella's glass slipper? 3. Columbus sailed from Palos, Spain. 4. The servant placed the spoon beside the soup-plate. 5. "Is the city of St. Louis in Missouri ? ' ' said Rufus. 6. Bessie and her sister skated over the glassy ice. 7. Mr. Nicholson and Lester saw the salt works at Syracuse. 8. St. Augustine is the oldest town in the United States. 9. Russel received some silk socks for a Christmas present. 10. A Red Cross nurse stepped from the bus and entered the hospital. 11. Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Wilkesbarre, and Scranton are cities of Pennsylvania. 12. All the forest's fife was in it, All its mystery and its magic, All the lightness of the birch-tree, And the toughness of the. cedar. And the larch's supple sinews. .^ FROM HIAWATHA S SAILING. 40 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Initial Consonant Combinations twah, twa, twee, twoo, twoh, twaw swah, swa, swee, swoo, swoh, swaw tw sw twain twinkle swain swell tweed twelve swarm swing twin twaddle swoon swish twig twenty swore swoop twirl twine swamp sweep twinge twitch swine swift twice twilight sweater swim twill twiddle swallow sway- twang twelfth swindle switch 1. "If one of the twines of a twist do untwist, The twine that untwisteth, untwisteth the twist. ' ' 2. "Twitter, twitter, twitter," went the sweet voice of the swallow. 3. Twice we heard the sweet "tweet, tweet, tweet" in the twilight. 4. The sweltering Swede swayed and swooned. ■ 5. The swift swerved and swooped swiftly downward. 6. Mr. Swinton bought twenty tweed suits and twelve sweaters. 7. Swiftly the twittering swallows fly over swale and swamp. 8. "Swan swam over the sea. Swim, swan, swim, Swan swam back again. Well swum, swan. ' ' EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 41 Substitution of One Sound for Another th as in thin for s s for th as in thin thah sah, tha sa, thee see, thoo soo, thoh soh, thaw saw ath as, eth es, ith is, ooth oos, uth us, oth os Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say saw not thaw Say thumb not sum thaw saw sum thumb theme seem sink think thong song worse worth thigh sigh lass lath thin sin pass path thick sick moss moth thimble symbol miss myth 1. Three silver thimbles stood there on the shelf. 2. We saw the moth on Theodore's spring suit. 3. Simon saved the vase that Seth thought worthless. 4. The singing of the psalm thrilled the three soldiers. 5. The thrush sat in the thicket singing a sweet song. 6. The thoughtless sailor threw the salt into the thick sirup. 7. Arthur's sister Ruth saved her pennies to go to the moving pictures. • 42 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Initial and Final Consonant Combinations St stah, sta, stee, stoo, stoh, staw ast, est, ist, oost, ust, ost start stamp stair stay step stir steel still stew stoop stood sty stow stun stout stall stop store 1. Stanley Stafford strolled slowly down the street. 2. Stella stitched the strip to the striped stocking. 3. The strong steer stamped the straw in the stable. 4. Stewart stayed in the station during the storm. 5. The studious statesman strolled near the stadium. 6. Mrs. Stevens stirred the stew on the stove. 7. The stork was standing on a stick in the steeple. 8. Estelle stood on the stone steps and studied the marble statue. 9. Steve strapped on his skates and started for the store. 10. The tourist stood in the cavern and stared at the stalactites and stalagmites. 11. Did the students stand straight and still whUe the stars and stripes were lowered? EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 43 west vest burst nest list frost must first rust worst east most just least boast hoist oust roast thrust roost joist moist faced tossed leased passed massed missed erased pressed guessed dressed placed 1. Constance sang the first and last stanzas. 2. A moist mist hid most of the mast as they sailed past. 3. The stout stick was lost near the stable. 4. The host served the finest of feasts to his guests. 5. Mr. West and Ernest stepped from the fast express at its last stop. 6. Esther placed the strawberries and toast before Mr. Stanton. 7. A severe storm sent the vessel against the steep coast. 8. The stupid teamster insists that he must ride on the last step of the bus. 9. "There is a spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest. ' ' 10. "Halt! the dust-brown ranks stood fast. Fire ! out blazed the rifle's blast. ' ' 11. "And each flower and herb on earth's dark breast, Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest. ' ' 44 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Initial and Final Consonant Combinations spah, spa, spee, spoo, spoh, spaw smah, sma, smee, smoo, smoh, smaw sp sm spar asp smart smuggle spare rasp smear smelt speed hasp smooth smoulder spoon lisp smoke smithy spoke crisp smile snulax spawn grasp smack smother spat wasp smell smash speck clasp smith smatter spill wisp smock smirch spot gasp smudge smite She spilled a spoonful of soup on the spotless spread. Can the Spanish pupil spell spider, spoke,-and speech ? Spencer lisps when he says wasp, clasp, grasp, and Sport spied the sprawling spy under the spruce tree. The spinner spoke about the broken spoke and the 1. 2. 3. crisp. 4. 5. spindle. 6. He grasped a wisp of straw that clung to the aspen. 7. Mrs. SmilUe smocked her small daughter's frock. 8. The smith smashed the smooth spoke when he smote it. 9. The smoke from the smouldering fire made the small boy's eyes smart. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 45 Initial and Final Combinations sn snarl snake sneeze snood snow snare snipe snail snag snah, sna, snee, snoo, snoh, snaw asn, esn, isn, oosn, usn, osn snap snell snip snub snob ^nuff snug snatch sneer oxen lisfen fasten waxen flaxen mason person basin coarsen chasten moisten hasten loosen glisten parson lesson bison christen 1. The snail's snug home is under the snow. 2. The snuff made the mason sneeze. 3. She loosened the snood round her flaxen hair. 4. The vixen snipped the fish hook from the snell. 5. She hastened to moisten the dry earth. 6. Rover sniffed and snarled at the oxen. 7. The snapping turtle or the snipe was caught in the snare. 8. The Snyder boys fastened a ghstening sword to the snowman's belt. 9. "Whether we look, or whether we listen, We hear life murmur, or see it glisten. " 46 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Final Consonant Combinations aps, eps, ips, oops, ups, ops afs, efs, ifs, oofs, ufs, ofs aths, eths, iths, ooths, uths, oths Pronounce the final combinations distinctly: ps straps drapes steps rips stops Ups stoops romps ropes steeps sips fs reefs waifs roofs muffs sniffs chafes troughs cuffs chiefs coughs staffs ths deaths breaths myths growths heaths births depths fifths sixths sevenths hearths 1. Philip's club sent cups and pipes to the troops. 2. He leaps from the steps and trips on the ropes. 3. Ralph laughs as he climbs the bluffs. 4. Fido sniffs at the muffs near the troughs. 5. The two Smiths worked there for three months. 6. The waifs on the skiffs saw the sun on the roofs and the cliffs. 7. "And the leaves like little ships Sail about on tiny trips." EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 47 Final Consonant Combinations ats, ets, its, oots, uts, ots asts, ests, ists, oosts, usts, osts ans, ens, ins, oons, uns, ons Pronounce the final combinations distinctly: ts sts ns hats lasts mince frets beasts once beets posts fence rates wrists quince sits nests ounce writes masts lance oats joists rinse nuts bursts dunce hearts crusts sense habits tests prince paints roasts fence 1. "Amidst the mists and coldest frosts. With barest wrists and stoutest boasts, He thrusts his fists against the posts, And still insists he sees the ghosts. ' ' 2. Lucy bastes the vests and the waists. 3. Lawrence and Clarence had a chance to go to France. 4. "Ten thousand saw I at a glance. Tossing their heads in sprightly dance." 48 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT z is a voiced consonant Equivalents: x as in Xenophon; s as in was; cz as in czar. Place the tongue as for s and expel the breath with vibration of the vocal cords. Webster, z Funk and Wagnalls, z Phonetic Symbol, z Drill: zah, za, zee, zoo, zoh, zaw az, ez, iz, ooz, uz, oz This sound occurs, initially, finally, and medially: C2ar zephyr sinnia aany zinc zealot zeal zest Zenobia zoo zebra Zachary zone zenith Xavier zero Zeppelin Xerxes 1. Zenobia played the zither -vfith zest. 2. Isidore's razor fell on the zinc. 3. Moses sowed zinnia seeds. 4. Zachary was amazed at the size of the zeppelin. 5. A zephyr stirred the leaves on the azalia bush. 6. There was a reason for the zigzag paths. 7. Rosamond can locate Zanzibar, Zambezi, and Zuider Zee. 8. His friends chose crackers and raisin cookies. 9. The blaze caused much confusion among the graz- ing herds. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 49 has reason measles says visit season is breezy frozen his usurp lazy does music because was geyser please graze wisdom preside 1. It is easy but not always wise to criticize. 2. John's present position is not a pleasant one. 3. The zebra grazed on the edge of the desert. 4. Rosalind's brothers visited the museum. 6. The flags fluttered in the whizzing breeze. 6. Susan gazed at the crimson clouds. 7. Hazel and Eliza squeezed the lemons. 8. The physician raised the wheezing child in his arms. 9. The sign reads, "Business Men's Lunch." 10. The busy bees buzzed and buzzed and buzzed. 11. Jane's cousin was pleased with the prize, a beauti- ful bronze easel. 12. The boys took pictures of the frozen falls and streams. 13. That season the crimson leaves and the music of the birds made our visit to the chasm & pleasant one. 14. "September bears her golden sheaves, October strews her russet leaves. ' ' 15. "I bring fresh showers for the thirsting flowers From the seas and the streams." 50 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The sound of s as in raps as, es, is, oos, us, os raps capes muffs roofs sacks cliffs laughs puffs racks 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. France, 11. racks. 12. hats sticks boats coats rates eats bites depths grapes mice niece race peace geese lace loose mass thrice nice rice puss miss this pass less thus goose Jess gave the rusks to us. Miss White's horse eats the oats. The muffs and hats are with the capes. This nice goose will not hiss at us. The dog sniffs at the rabbit's footprints. Bats and chinmey swifts eat insects. Clarice makes deUcious rice cakes. This horse stepped on a piece of the harness. Jesse Joyce left the coats and the caps in the boats. Miss Price sent her niece a piece of lace from Beatrice picks up the books and puts them on the ' ' Now for a madcap galloping chase ! I'll make a commotion in every place!" sees gives ways sneeae gause goes lose buzz EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS The sound of z as in buzz az, ez, iz, ooz, uz, oz 51 rays buys corns boys hers eyes plays stays wise knees freeze size maiae please toys seize always because arouse phrase wheeze tease amaze exercise 1. Please excuse those who sneeze. 2. Joe's nose and toes are frozen. 3. Sarah's mother cans plums, pears, and peaches. 4. Tears ooze from his eyes. 5. What is the size of his gloves and his shoes? 6. James says the boys teased the cows as they grazed. 7. On rainy days Rose reads or sews. • 8. Mrs. Wise says she saw clouds, birds, trees, and flowers. 9. Close the window or the breeze will freeze the rose. 10. Isidore hears the noise of the buzz-saw in the woods. 11. Close your eyes and doze until Daisy brings the crackers and cheese. 12. "Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives. Followed the Piper for their lives." 52 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Final Consonant Combinations abz, ebz, ibz, oobz, ubz, obz avz, evz, ivz, oovz, uvz, ovz athz, ethz, ithz, oothz, uthz, othz Pronounce the final combinations distinctly: hz vz thz cabs moves mouths ebbs gives lathes robes paves oaths globes lives smoothes cubes weaves tithes crabs hives writhes babes sleeves truths webs strives soothes shrubs proves clothes tribes roves seethes 1. The squirrel robs the corn cribs. 2. Put the tubes and the knobs into the tubs. 3. The cabs were hidden by the shrubs. 4. Rose wears Steve's gloves when she drives. 5. There were no stoves in the caves. 6. lives. The life-saver dives beneath the waves and saves 7. The youths cut the grass along the paths with scythes. 8. The athlete breathes deeply and bathes frequently. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 53 Final Consonant Combinations anz, enz, inz, oonz, unz, onz amz, emz, imz, oomz, umz, omz azn, ezn, izn, oozn, uzn, ozn azm, ezm, izm, oozm, uzm, ozm Pronounce the final combinations distinctly: 1. 2. tory. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. nz trains lines bones cans pens pins tunes canes wrens stuns buns climbs homes looms limbs rooms lambs hems alms times dreams palms zn raisin prison risen blazon poison reason zm spasm • prism chrism enthusiasm Are the men's lanterns in the mines? The teams drew many tons of beans to the fac- Mrs. Holmes bought buns and raisins. Helen's cousin washed the spoons and the pans. The robins search for worms on the lawns. A dozen frozen desserts were chosen. During the winter season the streams are frozen. The prisoners in the chasm proved their heroism. 54 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT sh is a breathed consonant Equivalents: s as in sugar; si as in excursion; ce as ocean; ci as in delicious; ch as in Chicago; ti as nation. Place the sides of the tongue as for s, raise the front and force the breath over the obstruc- tion thus formed through the nearly closed teeth. in in Webster, sh Funk and Wagnalls, Sb. Phonetic Symbol, S Drill: shah, sha, shee, shoo, show, shaw ash, esh, ish, oosh, ush, osh This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: shark shad shaxe shaide sheR shirk she ship shine shoe should shy- show shut shout shawl shop shower 1. Charlotte showed the shopper the shining shuttle. 2. The shepherd sheared the sheep with a sharp shears. 3. Shirley shared the sherbet with Miss Sherman. 4. She said that she was sure that the sugar was on the shelf. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 55 das/i ocean deliaous mesh militia mac/iine fis/i bus/ies blus/iing hush crushed usher slush pension splas/iing was/i mofo'on prea'ous squas/i vicious vacation 1. Do you wish the fresh fish placed in the dish? 2. Mrs. Fisher finished crocheting the tam-o'-shanter. 3. FeUcia showed the Persian shawl to Marcia. 4. Horatio pushed the squash under the bush. 5. Sam polished his shoes with the brush until -they shone. 6. Lucretia wished to become a musician. 7. The fisherman showed the shell fish to Mr. Ashmore. 8. The sheet of still water shimmered and shone in the moonshine. 9. The physician sent shaving-soap and brushes to the official and his associates. 10. The shattered ship on the ocean showed no signs of life to the patient watchers on the shore. 11. Washington, Michigan, and New Hampshire are in the northern section of the United States. 12. Shaking and shivering, she waded the shallow stream, holding a string of fish over her shoulder. 13. Jove ! Jove ! this Shepherd's passion Is much upon my fashion. — SHAKESPEARE . 56 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Substitution of One Sound for Another s for z z for s sah zah, sa za, see zee, soo zoo, soh zoh, saw zaw as az, es ez, is iz, oos ooz, us uz, os oz Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say zone not sone Say size not sise sink zinc seal zeal sou zoo ice eyes race rays hiss his fuss fuzz buss buzz mace maize peace peas face phaze loose lose price prize muscle muzzle 1. Susan sowed zinnia and azalia seeds. 2. Ehza sold six zuzu snaps to Ezra. 3. The boys will race for the prize on Saturday. 4. "Show your tickets, please," said Sam to the trav- elers. 5. Mrs. Jones buys rice and raisins at the grocer's. 6. The fragrance of the sweet peas was wafted to the. piazza. 7. Bessie gazed at the policeman as he assisted the dazed soldier to rise from the ice. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS Substitution of One Sound for Another s for sh sh for s sah shah, sa sha, see shee, soo shoo, soh shoh, saw shaw as ash, es esh, is ish, oos oosh, us ush, os osh Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: 57 Say she not see Say gas not gash save shave class clash sigh shy plus plush sell shell puss push sip ship lass lash sole. shoal lease leash sort short mess mesh sour shower Russel Russia subtle shuttle parcel partial 1. She (Said she saw ships sailing on a shining sea. 2. "Should such shapely sashes shabby stitches show ? ' ' 3. Shakespeare, Tennyson, Keats, and Shelley were English poets. 4. Susan Sheridan sold six tickets for the show. 5. Mr. Sherman sought shelter from the sun's rays under the sycamore. 6. The fisherman saw some shady nooks along the shallow stream. 58 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT zh is a voiced consonant Equivalents : si in vision, zi in glazier, su in treasure, z in azure, g in mirage Place the tongue in the position for sh, and expel the breath with vibration of the vocal cords. Webster, zh Funk and Wagnalls, 3 Phonetic Symbol 3 Drill: zhah, zha, zhee, zhoo, zhoh, zhaw azh, ezh, izh, oozh, uzh, ozh This sound occurs finally and medially: miragre adhesion allusion rou^e elusion explosion decision corrosion intrusion collision seizure measure explosion pleasure composure 1. Shall we tread a measure? Yes, with greatest pleasure. 2. The explosion caused much confusion among that division. 3. Their seclusion in the inclosure prevented the seizure of the treasure. 4. The account of the invasion hastened his decision. 5. He said that a mirage was an optical illusion. 6. Mrs. Frazer's azure eyes danced with pleasure as she showed the osier basket to us. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 59 Vision invasion azure precision usual delusion usury persuasion revision evasion erosion visionary- division confusion 1. The division was made with precision. 2. The visionary poet's composition was read with pleasure. 3. We will measure the wheat as usual when we have leisure. 4. Did the allusion to the event destroy the Hoosier's composure ? 5.. The unusual seizure of the Parisian gown caused great confusion. 6. After much persuasion Mr. Mosher gave his deci- sion as to the cause of the collision. 7. Shouts of derision followed his evasion of the ex- planation of the intrusion. 8. Unusual provision was made at the menagerie to avoid an explosion. 9. King Midas spent his leisure time in seclusion with his golden treasure. 10. The judge in his decision made provision for the division of the property. 11. "Overwealthy in the treasure Of her own exceeding pleasure." 60 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT ch is a compound breathed consonant (t + sh) Equivalents: tch as in watch; c as in cello Make the sound of t and quickly run it into sh. Webster, ch Funk and Wagnalls, dh Phonetic Symbol, tS Drill: chah, cha, chee, choo, cho, chaw atch, etch, itch, ootch, utch, otch This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: chart chap chair chain check churn cheat chick chimes choose chum. child choke chub choice c/ialk chop chowder 1. Charles cheered the champion. 2. Do not chide the chilly child. 3. The chaplain in the chapel heard the chimes. 4. The cheery Chinese ate his chop suey with chop sticks. 5. The children played checkers and roasted chestnuts in the chimney corner. 6. A chickaree and a chickadee were in the old chest- nut tree. 7. The cow chewed and chewed and the chipmunk chattered and chattered. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 61 latch urcMn stitched etch pitcher orc/iard pitch watcher parc/ied touch catcher preached botch starc/ied searched reach merc/iant peaches 1. Leave the starch and the match in the kitchen. 2. Miss March will stitch the patch. 3. Richard and the merchant pitched their tent on the beach. 4. A chubby child sat on a bench eating a peach. 5. The chandler exchanged the chow-chow for the cheese. 6. Blanche saw the woodchuck in the orchard. 7. Chirping chats perched in the birch-tree. 8. Which child touched the chair and the couch ? 9. The artist sketched the ancient Scotch church. 10. Put the chisel, the wrench, and the chain into the chest. 11. A branch of luscious cherries was in the' china dish. 12. Mr. Cratchet and Chester searched the forest for beech and birch trees. 13. Did the teacher reprove the mischievous urchin for breaking the chalk? 14. Miss Beach ordered chowder, chops, chow-chow, and chocolate pudding for lunch. 15. Archie left the torch, the match, and the latch- key on Miss Pritchard's porch. 62 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT j is a compound voiced consonant (d + zh) Equivalents: g as in gem; dg as in edge Make the sound of d and run it into zh. j is the sound of ch voiced. Webster, j Funk and Wagnalls, ds Phonetic Symbol, ds Drill: jah, ja, jee, joo, joh, jaw aj, ej, ij, ooj, uj, oj This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: jar jam grerm jade grem jibe jeer jib joist jute judge joy jolt jot journey iaw job juicy 1. John Jones joined the junior Jeffersonian Club. 2. George studied geography, geometry, and geology, 3. During June and July Juha made jelly and jam. 4. Jessie gave orange juice and junket to Gerard. 5. Mrs. Jackson and Miss James spent January in Georgia. 6. The joUy juggler jumped over the large jar. 7. Marjorie and her aged father journeyed from Ger- many to Egypt. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 63 badfife urge agrent hedge edge rag'mg hhdge couragre reject trudge dredge edged iudge sledge injury dodge sage religrion 1. Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2. Jack jumped when he heard the huge giant. 3. Eugenia and Madge made chocolate fudge. 4. Jane gave the soldiers grapejuice, rolls, and jelly. 5. A large jackal jumped from the edge of the ladge. 6. James and Eugene took Joseph's jar of jam. 7. The enraged giant tried to injure the gentle midget. 8. Geoffrey gave the gentians and geraniums to Jeanette. 9. Genevieve arranged the pages of the journal. 10. Juicy oranges and large pears were in Gerald's basket. 11. The jury rejoiced at the justice of the judge. 12. The joyful jockey and the jobber enjoyed Jerome's joke. 13. The gentleman bought the gem from a Japanese jeweler. 14. The general rejoined the major and the engineer, and they trudged on to the fort. 15. Mr. Johnston gave Sedgwick a copy of JuUus Caesar and Justin a copy of EvangeUne. 16. The gjrmnast misjudged the distance from the barge to the margin of the lake. 64 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Final Consonant Combinations adz, edz, idz, oodz, udz, odz azd, ezd, izd, oozd, uzd, ozd asht, esht, isht, oosht, usht, osht Pronounce the final combinations in these words dis- tinctly : dz zd sht heads amazed cashed lids sneezed wished plods aroused flashed sides teased crushed leads abused fished rides praised hushed hoods poised lashed crowds advised mashed bids dozed blushed avoids prized threshed The lads brought sbc loads of hides to the dock. Edmond's cries roused the soldiers from their beds. Did the maids pick the buds, pods, and seeds? Mrs. Rhodes shops early and avoids the crowds. Fred mused while the cows grazed and the bees 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. buzzed. 6. He used a lantern when he closed the sides of the tent. 7. The car crashed into the stand and pushed it over. 8. Thomas washed his face and brushed his teeth. 9. Rover dashed through the crowd and Jack rushed after him. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 65 Substitution of One Sound for Another sh for ch ch for j shah chah, sha cha, shee chee, shoo choo, shoh choh, shaw chaw ash ach, esh ech, ish ich, oosh ooch, ush uch, osh och ■ Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say chain not shain Say joy not choy share chair cheer jeer shoes choose chug jug sheep cheap chin gin shear cheer chest jest sheaf chief chill gUl ship chip etch edge dish ditch batch badge wash watch rich ridge crush crutch beseech besiege 1. Charles thought the shoes in the shop were cheap. 2. Julia washed the china dish and put it on the shelf. 3. The chip from the birch struck George on the chin. 4. 'Which badge did the teacher give to John? ' 5. The engineer watched the huge machine crush the stones. . 6. Jane shared the cherries with Charles, George, and 'Joseph. 66 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 1 is a voiced consonant Place the tip of the tongue on the gums, back of the upper teeth, as for t, and expel the breath with vibra- tion of the vocal cords, allowing the voice to es'cape at the sides of the tongue. "Webster, 1 Funk and Wagnalls, 1 Phonetic Symbol, 1 Drill: lah, la, lee, loo, loh, law al, el, il, ool, ul, ol This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: Zark lay lea looTp load law Zamp let M Zook Zump lot ■ Zair Zearn Zute Zine Zoin Zoud The luckless Luke lost his luggage in the lake. The lion and the leopard leaped from the ledge. Lettie left London for Liverpool on the last day of 1. 2. 3. July. 4. Lillian led the little lame lad to a low bench under the lilacs. iiAiJKUlSES IN THE CONSONANTS 67 stisdl animaZ siZver tell school eteven will cameZ alley puZZ cereaZ deZight skuZZ annuaZ isZand knoZZ shoveZ oZive 1. Phil will fill the pail at the well. 2. The Nile valley is very fertile. 3. Laura left the library at eleven o'clock. . 4. La Salle and his little band explored Louisiana. 5. The miller will sell the old millwheel. 6. Alexander Hamilton was killed in a duel. 7. Did Longfellow love little children? 8. The thistle is flowering on Scotland's hills. 9. The beautiful city of Burlington is on Lake Cham- plain. 10. The lady will lend her lantern to the lonely traveler. IL Mildred spent April in Colorado and California. 12. Lafayette helped the Colonists during the Revolu- tion. 13. The purple lilacs looked well on the large old mantel. 14. Lottie and Eliza live in a low valley among the hills. 15. Beautiful Lake Killarney lies in Ireland, the Em- erald Isle. 16. Walter and WiUiam labored early and late during the last Liberty Loan Drive. 17. "The long light shakes across the lakes, And the wild cataract leaps in glory." 68 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMEJN i plaza play plum plead plume plan pledge plinth plow Initial and Final Consonant Combinations plah, pla, plee, ploo, ploh, plaw apl, epl, ipl, oopl, upl, opl blah, bla, blee, bloo, bloh, blaw abl, ebl, ibl, oobl, ubl, obi pi steeple people maple dimple ripple sample crumple dapple staple U blarney Bible blade able bleak nibble blew babble blow pebble blithe humble block feeble blink stable blubber treble 1. Please place the purple plums on the plate. 2. There was ample room in the temple for the people. 3. Mabel planted the plum pits near the apple tree. 4. The playful brook rippled under the maple. 5. A bleak blast blighted the blooms and the blossoms. 6. The plaid blanket was blue and black. 7. A blinding blizzard blew over the plain. 8. ' ' Bluets bloom on the bluff, ' ' said Blanche. 9. The crippled rabbit hobbled over the stubble to nibble the clover. 10. "Double, double, toil and trouble. Fire burn and caldron bubble. ' ' EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 69 Initial and Final Consonant Combinations flah, fla, flee, floo, floh, flaw afl, efl, ifl, oofl, ufl, ofl slah, sla, slee, sloo, sloh, slaw asl, esl, isl, oosl, usl, osl fl flame flee flow flaw flat fled flint flush flour float baffle stifle ruffle piffle raffle shuffle waffle rifle trifle scuffle si slave muscle sleeve bristle slow jostle slaw tussle slept gristle slim rustle slot whistle slush hustle slate apostle slip trestle 1. The fly flew to the flickering flame. 2. Flora bought flowers at the florist's for Florence 3. The flicker flapped his wings and flew. 4. The flamingo fled at the muffled report of the rifle. 5. The slave slipped on the slippery sloop. 6. A slender Slav was sleeping on the sledge. 7. Sly Slawson slew six slim snakes in the slimy swamp. 8. Sam's sled slid slowly down the sleety slope. 9. Tall thistles and nettles grow around the old castle. 10. The whistle was heard above the hustle and bustle of the street. 70 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Final Consonant Combinations atl, etl, itl, ootl, utl, otl adl, edl, idl, oodl, udl, odl azl, ezl, izl, oozl, uzl, ozl alz, elz, ilz, oolz, ulz, olz Pronounce the final combinations distinctly: tl nettle cattle "beetle bottle shuttle whittle settle battle mettle scuttle dl curdle muddle riddle paddle peddle hurdle middle puddle waddle girdle zl Iz hazel toils drizzle nails fizzle heels puzzle spools nozzle hills dazzle yells easel owls sizzle mules guzzle girls embezzle boils 1. There is a little turtle soup in the kettle. 2. Do not meddle with the saddle and the bridle. 3. Did the rats bite the babies in the cradle And lick the soup from the cook's own ladle? 4. The. weasel lives where the teasel and hazel grow. 5. How Bowser removed his muzzle was a puzzle to Basil. 6. Miles and Giles left the pails near the falls. 7. ' ' Children, you are very little And your bones are very brittle." EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 71 Final Consonant Combinations alp, elp, ilp, oolp, ulp, olp aim, elm, ilm, oolm, ulm, olm alf, elf, ilf, oolf, ulf, olf alv, elv, ilv, oolv, ulv, olv alth, elth, ilth, oolth, ulth, olth alt, elt, ilt, oolt, ult, olt als, els, ils, ools, uls, ols aid, eld, ild, oold, uld, old Pronounce the final combinations distinctly: Ip If kelp delf pulp pelf scalp shelf Im Iv elm valve reahn solve whelm delve 1. Ralph helped his father at the hehn. 2. A wolf lived by the tall ehn near the gulf. 3. Sylvia put twelve rolls of fihns on the book-shelf. 4. Health is better than wealth. 5. Arnold knelt beside the chilled child. 6. The wealthy man dwelt in an old mansion. 7. Thou shalt not bear false witness. 8. "And green and blue his sharp eyes twinkled, Like a candle flame where salt is sprinkled." Ith Is health false stealth pulse wealth else It Id halt yield belt oiled built mild 72 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT r is a voiced consonant Draw the tongue back slightly and raise the sides so that they press against the upper teeth and gums. Curve the tip up- ward toward the front of the hard palate, expel the breath with vibration of the vocal cords, allowing the sound to escape over the tip of the tongue. Webster, r; Funk and Wagnalls, r; Phonetic Symbol, r Drill: rah, ra, ree, roo, roh, raw This sound occurs initially, as in run, between vowels, as in forest, and after consonants, as in try. raja rat rare ray red ripe reed rim rye roof rook roil road run round raw rod ruin 1. The reapers are reaping the ripe rye. 2. Will the rippling rill reach the rushing river? 3. The rough ranger reached for the red ruby. 4. Resolve to read, recite, and reproduce in a rich, ringing voice. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 73 very merrily train error currant dream every hurry freeze horror cereal throw torrid serene prince errand sorry shrank 1. Rachel has returned from her trip to Russia. 2. Ralph and Rover ran a race in the orchard. 3. Roy rolled the rope and returned to the ranch. 4. Robert rowed merrily with the current. 5. Laura put raisins into the rice-pudding. 6. Rare, red raspberries grow in the ravine. 7. Robin red-breast hurried to the cherry-tree. 8. Richard corrected the error in his arithmetic prob- lem. 9. On Friday Vera returned the borrowed umbrella. 10. Rose read a story to Caroline and Russel. 11. Rows of radishes grow by Grandpa's asparagus bed. 12. The trapper roamed at random through the forest. 13. Raymond's favorite fruit is ripe red cherries. 14. Oranges and grape-fruit grow in Florida. 15. The- St. Lawrence River drains the Great Lakes. 16. The wrecked raft was rushed to the bridge by the roaring torrent. 17. Ex-President Roosevelt travelled in Africa and South America. 18. Harry likes carrots, but Rebecca and Frances pre- fer Brussels sprouts. 74 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT r as in oar is a voiced consonant Raise the sides of the tongue until they touch the upper teeth and gums. Draw the tip back, raise the front slightly and expel the breath with vibration of the vocal cords. Webster, r Funk and Wagnalls, r Phonetic Symbol, i Note: In some parts of the East and South and in southern England this sound is omitted by many speakers. Thus are is pronounced ah and lord, laud. Drill: ahr, ar, eer, oor, ohr, awr This sound occurs finally, as in hear, and before con- sonants, as in hard. far air fair care here her ear fear pure poor ever fire oar where our bar year there 1. There was a wicker rocker in the parlor. 2. Spencer told the hunter not to scare the deer. 3. Did Eleanor enter the boat and go to the farther shore ? EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 76 arm quart burn hurt hard heard word lark forty form word thirty- barn fern birch firm George girth 1. Many flowers were beaten to the earth by the storm. 2. Martha and Bertha turned toward the river. 3. Brother and sister were hard at work in the garden. 4. Herbert heard the farmer churning the butter this morning. 5. Flowers and ferns grow in a fertile valley near here. 6. A large fir log was burning in the fireplace. 7. In the early morning George heard the song of the lark. 8. Our girls learned to knit during the World War. 9. Robert Bruce learned the lesson of perseverance from a spider. f 10. By Saturday the tired laborer had earned thirty- four dollars. 11. After dinner Pearl and her mother worked on their sweaters for more than an hour. 12. "Oh hark, oh hear, how thin and clear, and thinner, clearer, farther going. ' ' 13. "A year or more with rush and roar the surf had rolled it over. ' ' 14. "The breeze comes whispering in our ear, That dandelions are blossoming near. ' ' 76 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Omission of a Sound T as m oar Say here not he nor heerr stow store sigh sire row roar high hire lye lyre you your sea sear moo moor he here mow more she shear my mire me mere tie tire tea tear two tour flow floor shoe sure show shore sow sore 1. There is better air here than over there. 2. The fire was on the lower floor. 3. Four shots were fired at the foe. 4. Mrs. Moore will hire Mr. Ayre to shear the sheep. 5. Did your friend sell two touring cars? 6. The tired sower was sure his shoe was in the mire. 7. The mower cut more than four acres of clover. 8. We could hear the roar more distinctly as we drew near the shore. 9. Did the careless driver puncture a tire when he ran into the corner store? 10. "Honor to her ! and let a tear Fall for her sake on Stonewall's bier." 11. "I breathed a song into the air, It fell to earth I know not where." EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 77 Addition of a Sound r as in oar Do not pronounce an r after these words. Say saw not sawer Say Emma not Emmer awe America lava Ida gnaw banana mica Anna draw Arizona idea Ada saw umbrella llama drama law Augusta sofa vanilla raw Havana papa China paw Argentina duma arena shaw Bermuda India aroma straw Louisiana Iowa piano caw Jamaica Lima iota thaw Florida Java puma 1. Papa found a flaw in the umbrella. 2. Henrietta and Georgiana travelled by water from Havana. 3. The llama and puma are found in America. 4. Lena's kimona came from China. 5. Irma saw no sharp claws in Tabby's soft paws. 6. Montana and Minnesota border on Canada. 7. Mamma bought a vanilla soda and a banana for Eva. 8. Colombia, Venezuela, and Argentina are in South America. 9. Enuna and Hannah visited Cuba, Java, and the Bermuda Islands. 78 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Substitution of One Sound for Another r for I rah lah, ra la, ree lee, roo loo, roh loh, raw law, ar al, er el, ir il, cor ool, ur ul, or ol Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say little not rittle race lace rack lack rpad lead raw law rest lest wrist list robe lobe wrung lung reeling filing peeling stealing failing ailing feeling paling rearing firing peering steering faring airing fearing paring 1. Lucy and Rose were paring apples. 2. Last February Uncle Ralph sent Arnold a box of oranges from Florida. 3. Hearing a light step Rob turned and saw Lawrence and Russel. 4. ' ' Row, row, row the boat. Gently down the stream, Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily. Life is but a dream. ' ' 5. ' ' Lightly row ! Lightly row. O'er the glassy waves we go. ' ' EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 79 Substitution of One Sound for Another w for r wah rah, wa ra, wee ree, woo roo, woh roh, waw raw Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say rap not wap wad wage wake ware wiU woe witch wait waft tweet twill twist twice rod rage rake rare rill row rich rate raft treat trill tryst trice wade raid wag rag wail rail west rest wed red wise rise wing ring wipe ripe wind rind won run twain train tweed treed twig trig 1. Did Rose wind the ribbon around the rod? 2. Walter taught brother Harold to weave. 3. A pretty red rose grew near the walk. 4. The winter wind raged and the waves roUed high. 5. Richard went to the grocer's to buy rice and raisins. 6. Winifred arid Rebecca reached 'Washington' on Wednesday at one o'clock. 80 FIRST. LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT pr Initial Consonant Combinations ' prah, pra, pree,"proo, pro, praw brat", bra, brep, broo, bro, braw br pray. prim , Brahma brim preach press braid bright prove prank breathe brag prone prod brood bronze prawl ; prairie broke brush prow prance broad brook pride proof brawn bracket price prop brine bramble 1. The priest preached in the prison to the prisoners. 2. The printer produced the proof printed on his own press. 3. Priscilla prized the precious present and proceeded to protect it. , 4".. The professor presented the problem in a precise and proper manner. 5. Please break a branch from the bramble. 6. Is the bric-a-brac on the bra,cket made of bronze or brass? 7. Bring brightr briar roses for the bride's breakfast table. •'8. Brian broke the brown bread and brought it to his brother. 9. Did Brodefick bring the broadcloth and braid to the tailor ? EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 81 fray free fro fraud fright frame frisk frown friend Initial Consonant Combinations frah, fra, free, froo, froh, fraw thrah, thra, three, throe, throh, thraw fr frUl fret frank front frock fritter freeze frond fringe thr three thrill threw thread throw thrash thrall throb throne thrush thrift throng throat thrive threat thrice thrum thrust 1. Frieda fried fresh fritters. 2. Jack Frost froze the fresh fruit. 3. The three millers approached the throne. 4. Did the Frenchman frown at the frugal fare? 5. Frank and Fred enjoyed the freedom from study. 6. There were frills and fringe on the French frock. 7. The frost nipped the fragrant flowers and the fruit. 8. Frances brought the fragments of the fragile frame to her friend. 9. The thresher thrust his throbbing thumb into the thick salve. 10. They rooted up the three thorn bushes and threw them through the gateway. 82 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT tr Initial Consonant Combinations trah, tra, tree, troo, troh, traw drah, dra, dree, droo, droh, draw dr tray trip drama drip tree tread drain dress true trap dream drank troll trolley droop drop trout trust drove drum try truth drawl drench treat troop drown droll trail tropic drive dragon tried trowel drift drowsy trill triumph drugs driver 1. Trailing vines and large trees grow in the tropics. 2. The trickster tried to deceive the truthful treasurer. 3. The tramp traced the trail from the tree to the trout stream. 4. The truck broke down on the trolley track. 5. The traveler tripped over the trunk while trying to reach the train. 6. Dora Drake drew the drab dress from the dresser drawer. 7. The drover drowsed while his drove were drinking. 8. Daniel Drew dreamed of droning dragon flies and droll dromedaries. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 83 Initial Consonant Combinations strah, stra, stree, stroo, stroh, straw shrah, shra, shree, shroo, shroh, shraw sir- stray street strew stroll straw strike stroke straight stranger strive strip stress strand strop struck strap string strove strength stream shr shrill shrink shred shroud shrank shrub shrug shrine shrift shrunk shrike shrew shriek shrivel shrive shrapnel shrimp shrubby shrewd shrunken 1. Stanley lost the strap while strolling on the strand. 2. Stephen stretched the string across the street. 3. Did he strew strips of bark along the stream? 4. The strong farmer strapped the straw to his back. 5. The striped streamer was streaked by the rain. 6. Strive to find a straw hat for the stranger. 7. The shrewd fox shrank into the shrubbery. 8. The shell shocked soldier had a shrapnel wound in his shoulder. 9. We shivered and shuddered at the shrew's shrill shriek. 10. The shrivelled worshipper at the shrine was shrouded in black. 84 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT k is a breathed consonant Equivalents: c as in cat; ch as in echo; qu as in queue Press the back of the tongue against the soft palate. Lower the tongue quickly and expel the breath at the same time, making an explosive sound. Webster, k Funk and Wagnalls, k Phonetic Symbol, k Drill: kah, ka, kee, koo, koh, kaw ak, ek, ik, ook, uk, ok This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: car can care A;ale A;ept curl key kit cute cool cook A;ind cold cut coil call cot cow 1. "Katy-did, Katy-didn't, " called the katj^dids. 2. Claiide, carry the can of corn to the kitchen, please. 3. The cat and her kittens could not catch the canary. 4. Kenneth's curiosity caused him to kick the crate over. 5. The courteous clerk called a cab for the colonel and the captain. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 85 lack ache . American neck hasque escape sick echo drinA;ing nooA; sc/iool picture ducA; clicMng knucA;le lock liquor picnic 1. Mrs. Cook took the cocoanut cake out of the box. 2. ' ' Did the hawk fly to the oak ? " asked Miss Park. 3. Dick and Conrad walked to the lake. 4. When Frank called, Jack heard the echo. 5. Tick, tock ! ticked the old kitchen clock. 6. Christopher Columbus discovered America. 7. The cuckoo catches many destructive insects. 8. Kind Santa Claus filled Becky's stocking. 9. Cora's uncle took a picture of the Country Club. 10. Oscar saw the clown and the camel at the circus. 11. The sound k occurs in Kentucky, Kansas, and Nebraska. 12. Did the jackal and the camel cross the current? 13. " Does the Yukon rise in Canada and flow through Alaska?" asked Clinton. 14. The cricket chirped, the kettle hummed, the fire crackled, and still Christina rocked and rocked. 15. In October Catherine and Caroline left Connecti- cut and crossed the continent to visit their uncle and cousins in California. 16. "Fear not each sudden sound and shock 'Tis of the wave and not the rock. ' ' 86 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT g is a voiced consonant Equivalent: gu as in guard; gh as in ghost Press the back of the tongue against the soft palate as for k. Expel the breath with vibra- tion of the vocal cords. Webster, g Funk and Wagnalls, g Phonetic Symbol, g Drill: gah, ga, gee, goo, goh, gaw ag, eg, ig, oog, ug, og This sound occurs initially, finally, and medially: ^arb gf/iastly g'irdle gay guest guide geese giit guise goose gulls going gold got gown gaudy gasp goxit 1. Gussy gave the guitar to the gifted girl. 2. The gardener grafted the green gooseberry bush. 3. The .Governor gazed at the great gulls. 4. Grace's governess guided the girls to the art gallery. 5. Did the old gray goose gaze at the ugly duckling? 6. "Goosey, goosey gander digs in the ground for grubs. ' ' 7. The guide's face gleamed when we guessed the glad news. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 87 \&g egg giggle heg clog frigate g^g drag gurgle dug tug agony dog irog rugged log vague bugle 1. Olga put the mug beside the jug. 2. Grandfather frog sat. on a log in the bog. 3. The frigate struck the brig in the fog. 4. Mr. Ogden sold the bag of figs to the grocer. 5. Peggy dragged the rug from the buggy. 6. The bugler called to the guide in the glen. 7. Margaret gave the hungry dog some meat. 8. Gilbert gathered the eggs for his grandmother. 9. Leaning against the gate was a ragged beggar. 10. Gertrude's nagging guardian grumbled and grum- bled. 11. Gregory Flagg struggled to drag the log to the rugged rock. 12. Gladys Agnew hung the bag of carpet rags on the peg. 13. Agnes Wiggins made a gay girdle for Agatha. 14. Gus Higgins hurried from the druggist's, put the bag in the gig and was gone. 15. Gabriel Fargo's father built the garage between the garden and the grape arbor. 16. "He giveth little who gives but tears, He giveth best who aids and cheers." FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Initial Consonant Combinations krah, kra, kree, kroo, kroh, kraw grah, gra, gree, groo, groh, graw kr gr kraal • crop great grape crane crone gray grind cream crisp green grew croon cross grow graft crow cruel grotto grip crawl cricket group graze crimp cradle grief grumble crowd crumb groan ground crank crocus grant grain cress crochet grill grocer cripple crescent grade grammar crook croquet gruff graduate 1. Christopher crushed the cranberries into the crate. 2. Did the goose crop the crisp cress in the creek ? 3. On Christmas Eve Kriss Kringle crawled down the chimney. 4. Christina cried when the cross critic scolded her. 5. The greedy grouse ate the green grasshopper. 6. Green moss and gray lichens grew on the old roof. 7. The graceful gazelle grazed on the grassy slope. 8. Grace says that grapes and green gages grow in grandfather's garden. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 89 Initial Consbnant Combinations skrah, skra, skreie, skroo, skroh, skraw sprah, spra, spree, sprdo, sproh, spraw skr spr scrape screw spray sprig scream scrim sprawl sprat scruple screak spruce sprite scroll scrunch sprout spring scrawl scribble Sprague sprint scribe scrimp spry spruce scrap scramble spread sprit screen scratch sprain sprue script scripture sprung spreader screech scrutiny sprightly sprocket scrub scrimmage sprinkle springbok 1. Did the screech owl screak in the scrubby pine? 2. The scribe's script on the scroU was large. 3. The carpenter fastened the screen with screws. 4. Mrs. Scott sci-ubbed the "floor and hung the scrim curtains. 5. Asparagus sprouts in the spring. 6. The gardener sprinkled and sprayed the sprawHng vine. 7. The spry cricket sprang toward the sprightly grass- hopper. 8. The acrobat sprained his ankle when he sprang from the spring-board. ■90 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Initial and Final Consonant Combinations klah, kla, klee, kloo, kloh, klaw glah, gla, glee, gloo, gloh, glaw kl gi Clark- ankle clay wrinkle ' cleave tackle clue, uncle clove pickle claw tinkle climb trickle clap buckle cleft circle cliff knuckle clock article cloud . twinkle 1. Claud and Clifford climbed the cliff. 2. ' ' The clumsy kitchen clock clicked and clicked. ' ' 3. Clara he9,rd the clinking, clanging, clanking bells. 4. Clarence read an article on the Ku Klux Klan. . 5. Did uncle buckle the strap around his ankle? . 6. Gladys, glided through glen and glade. 7. Glassy glaciers gleamed in the glowing Ught. 8, In the gloom the robber smuggled the glass to the glazier. ■ 9. . " One good puff more where the^ last was bred. And glimmer, glimmer, glum will go the thread! V glacier bugle gleam wiggle glue struggle glow haggle glare smuggle glaze giggle glen eagle glib inveigle glad snuggle glottis. beagle gloom straggle glide wriggle EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 91 scar scale scheme school scold scorch sky scour skate skid Initial and Final Consonant Combinations sk skah, ska, skee, skoo, skoh, skaw ask, esk, isk, oosk, usk, osk skiff sketch scalp scoff scuffle scare skirt skewer scowl ski ask cask desk risk dusk musk frisk tusk mask flask brisk whisk husk rusk bask task disk basque casque masque 1. man. 2. 3. 4. 6. 6. 7. The clever sculptor skillfully sketched the Scotch- At dusk the brisk, skillful skater returned. The hungry boy asked for a rusk. The frisky squirrel scampered among the husks. It was no easy task to move the desk and the cask. The new scholar wore a scarlet scarf. Did Miss Schofield say the star in the sky or the star on the screen? 8. "For eschewing books and tasks, Nature answers all he asks." 92 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Final Consonant Combinations akt, ekt, ikt, ookt, ukt, okt akn, ekn, ikn, ookn, ukn, okn aks, eks, iks, ooks, uks, oks alk, elk, ilk, oolk, ulk, oik Pronounce the final combinations distinctly: U baked raked liked looked backed wrecked kicked knocked rocked protect subject detect kn darken shaken taken weaken token spoken blacken mistaken chicken liken broken thicken ks aches leaks lacks racks licks oaks hawks likes dikes sticks cheeks speaks Ik elk whelk bilk sulk milk bulk hulk skulk bulky sulky silky bulky 1. The roof leaked and the cloaks are soaked. 2. The peddler liked the baked beans and the leeks. 3. Did Clara spill the milk on her silk dress? 4. Patrick's bulky package is in the sulky. 5. "So on it went, capering and playing its pranks, Whistling with reeds on the broad river banks." 6. ' ' Odours when sweet violets sicken. Live within the sense they quicken." EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 93 Final Consonant Combinations agz, egz, igz, oogz, ugz, ogz agd, egd, igd, oogd, ugd, ogd lags begs gigs jogs jugs sags jigs pegs figs frogs bugs 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Pronounce the final combinations distinctly: gz ■ gd flags dregs brigs logs tugs tags rags rogues twigs bogs rugs lagged begged rigged flogged plugged sagged pegged jigged clogged lugged hugged leagued jogged bagged shrugged plagued tugged flagged tagged fagged fatigued intrigued The buyer tags the bags of figs. Slugs and bugs were under the logs. The rogues took the jugs and the rugs. Listen to the croaking of the frogs in the bogs. The fatigued traveler begged for a drink. Old Meg's reins sagged as she jogged along. Guy Griggs tagged the bags and the boxes. The fagged men lugged and tugged the chest. The eggs and the mugs were packed in bags. The pedagogues consulted the catalogues to find the price of the drugs. 94 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT X as in extra is a compound breathed sound (k + s) Make the sound of k and quickly run it into the sound of s. Webster, ks Funk and Wagnalls, ks Phonetic Symbol, ks Drill: ex, ex, ix, oox, ux, ox This sound occurs finally and medially: flax ^ecks flicfe boofcs rusks locks lilacs hawfc fix coax hoax antigwes oxen vexed sexton exchange excursion exhibition expect exercise extinct excite expense excellent 1. Six and sixty are sixty-sbc. 2. The antics of the oxen vexed the plow-boy. 3. Flocks of ducks were on the lakes. ^4. It was six blocks from the barracks to the docks. 5. Frank's cousin thanks Jack's uncle for the books. 6. Mike's oxen drew the bricks to the docks. 7. The smith takes an ax and breaks the locks on the box. 8. The Mexican woman mixes the cakes and bakes them on the bricks. 9. Mr. Wicks sent the box of wax candles to the monks by express. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 95 X as in examine is a compound voiced consonant (g + z) Make the sound of g and quickly run it into the sound of z. Webster, gz Funk and Wagnalls, gz Phonetic Symbol, gz Drill: agz, egz, igz, oogz, ugz, ogz This sound occurs finally and medially: sa^s eggs eajist exact lag's dogs ea;alt exert begrs tugs ea;empt exhort figs rags ea;ample examiner rufifs pegs examine luxurious fogs twigs exhaust auxiliary logs crags executive pedagogues 1. The rogues left the mugs on the rag rugs. 2. The drugs in the bags weighed exactly ten ounces. 3. The executor examined the luxurious rugs. 4. Gus exerted his influence to promote the exhibit. 5. The examiner counted the kegs and the bags on the brigs. 6. The students were exhausted when the examina- tion was over. 7. The woodpecker eats the bugs and eggs on the twigs. 8. Gordon Griggs claimed exemption from the exam- ination because all of his examples were correct. 96 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT qu is a compound consonant (k + w) Make the breathed consonant k and quickly round the lips for the voiced w. Webster, kw Funk .and Wagnalls, kw Phonetic Symbol, kw Drill: quah, qua, quee, quoo, quoh, quaw This sound occurs initially and medially: qualm quack quirk quail quest quire queen quibble quiet quote quince quench quart gitantity quoit quill quarrel quaver quick g-wality quartette 1. A quadrant is a quarter of a circle. 2. Miss Quinn made a quart of quince conserve. 3. The girls were dressed in quaint, queer costumes. 4. "Quack, quack, quack," said the duck to the quadruped. 5. The quiet hunter started in quest of quail. 6. Mrs. Quickly finished the quilt at a quarter past six. 7. The squad left the quagmire and marched to the quarry. 8. Mr. Quay quickly quenched the fire and quelled the fears of the quivering people. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 97 squeal inquire liquid squeeze eguator eg-wality squirt irequent bequest sgwirm request require squaw eloquent acquaint sgwash • equal ingitisitive 1. The squire squinted at the squadron. 2. Be quick and quiet and you may see the squirrel. 3. The quorum requested that the quotations be read. 4. The inquirer requited him for doing as requested. 5. The organist quailed when the choir quarrelled. 6. His acquaintance quoted the requirements again. 7. The quarrier frequently quenched his thirst. 8. He acquired the quarry and acquitted the debt. 9. The queer bequest was bequeathed to Queenie De Quincy. 10. The eloquent lecturer requested the quartette to sing. 11. Which grocer had quantities of squash and only one quart of peas? 12. The quiet Quakers were in a quandary when they heard the squaws squabbling. 13. Quentin quietly inquired the whereabouts of the queer questioner. 14. The goose squawked and the mouse squealed and squeezed into a hole. 15. Quickening her pace the quivering child questioned the May Queen in a quavering voice. 98 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENi h is a breathed consonant Place the mouth in position for the vowel fol- lowing the h and expel the breath. Webster, h Funk and Wagnalls, h Phonetic Symbol, h Drill: hah, ha, hee, hoo, hoh, haw This sound occurs initially and medially: /larm hack hair /lay hen her he Mp hew hoot hook high hoe /lum hoist /laul hot how 1. The horse held his head high. When he heard the hound's cry. 2. The humming-bird hurried to the honeysuckle. 3. Hugh hewed the huge hemlock. 4. Henrietta had hominy and honey for lunch. 5. A heavy harness hung on the high hook. 6. He has hauled the holly and the hemlock for half a mile. 7. Henry Hudson sailed from Holland in the Half Moon. 8. The horseman held the hempen rope in his hand as he hurried up the hill. 9. "Ho there! ye hunters! hie ye hence over the high hills!" EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 99 ahoy behead up/ieaval un/iappy behave some/iow in/ierit be/iind inhale abhor behoove en/iance rehearse un/iarness upAold pro/iibit in/iuman in/iabit un/iealthy neighbor/iood un/iook The herdsman heard the hounds and the hunters. Hilda held to the hammock with both hands. Hardy hyacinths grow behind the hawthorn hedge. Harold hunted the house for his hunting hat. Harry Howard's father owns the house in the hoi- Hiram held the halter and Herman unharnessed the Helen behaved nicely when Hazel was rehearsing. , Hold the head high and inhale and exhale slowly. Harvey and Horace hid the hammer in the hunter's 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. low. 6. horse. 7. 8. . 9. hut. 10. Horses hauled the heavy hay from Hawley to Honesdale. 11. Herbert bought a hoe, a hatchet, a hinge, and some hooks in the hardware store. 12. The hucksters huddled together when they heard the horses' hoofs on the hard pavement. 13. ' ' Hark ! hark ! Now home and dream till morn Of the bold, sweet sound of the hunter's horn. The horn ! the horn ! Oh, the sound of all sounds is the hunter's horn. ' ' 100 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Substitution of One Sound for Another k for g kah gah, ka ga, kee gee, koo goo, koh goh kaw gaw ak ag, ek eg, ik ig, ook cog, vik ug, ok og Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say keep not geep cold gold kill gill call gall cap gap clad glad cape gape coast ghost 1 . Dick lugged the heavy keg to the dock. 2. Did the gold diggers use pickaxes? 3. Pegs, tacks, and tags were locked in the big box. 4. Jack and Gustave took the next car for Newark. 5. The roof leaked and the flax and figs were damaged. 6. Six pecks of hickory nuts were in the bag. ' 7. Was the mug found in the youngest brother's sack? 8. Conrad saw the pig digging in the back yard. 9. The girls picked a quart of green gooseberries. 10. The dog on the rug was awakened by the striking of the clock. 11. Clara gave Gladys an ice-cream cone. Say dog not dock lack lag luck lug peck peg wick wig leak league clock clog frock frog EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 101 Omission and Addition of the Sound of h Drill: ah hah, a ha, ee hee, oo hoo, oh hoh, aw haw Pronounce these words vertically, then horizontally: Say egg not hegg Say home not ome awe haw old hold own hone ail hail ill hill at hat it hit and hand ate , hate air hair eve heave earl hurl all hall I high eat heat is his Ellen Helen am ham elm helm eel heel Was Alexander Hamilton an American statesman? The Atlantic Ocean is east of North America. Albert and Harry will eat ham and eggs. In October Howard left New Orleans for Havana. Harold and his father went to Albany in an auto- 1. 2. 3. • 4. 5. mobile. 6. Hannah's handsome uncle is an officer in the Ameri- can army. 7. Europe, Asia, Africa, and Austraha are in the East- ern Hemisphere. 8. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edward Everett Hale were American authors. 102 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT y as in yet is a voiced consonant Equivalent: i as in junior Raise the middle of the tongue as for ee and force the breath through the narrow space with vibration of the vocal cords. Webster, y Funk and Wagnalls, y Phonetic Symbol j Drill: yah, ya, yes, yoo, yoh, yaw This sound occurs initially and medially: yard yak yearn yea yet i/outh year yucca yowl you yacht yeast yoke ^/ellow 2/ourig yawl yield year 1. yard. 2. 3. fore? 4. 5. 6. young agam. The yarrow and the yellow daisy grow in Yetta's Miss Youmans yearned to visit her young friends. Were the yaks in the yard yonder ever yoked be- The yokel yelled when the yellow-jacket stung him. Mrs. Yeates bought a yard of silk and some yarn. "Youth yearns to be old while age yearns to be EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 103 gemus jumor companion union familmr domimon milk'on peculiar bei/ond om'on champion bullion gem'al WilKam opinion senior Darnel civilian pimons clothier spaniel 1. William's pigeon flew beyond the yew tree. 2. Cecilia bought a yeast cake and some onions. 3. The lawyer and his young companions greeted the champion. 4. "Yes, yes," shouted the Yankee youth from the yacht. 5. Delia, Julian, and Amelia voted ' ' yea. ' ' 6. The Hawaiian bought the spaniel from a clothier in Youngstown. 7. The Italian and the Spaniard moved the biUiard table. 8. Daniel works in the colliery beyond the canyon. 9. The rude youth yawned when the young yeoman gave his opinion. 10. Julia will use the yellow yolks and the onions when making the salad. 11. When did the genius and his peculiar companion leave Yonkers for New York? 12. Julius visited the Yosemite Valley, Yellowstone Park, and the Grand Canyon. 13. ' ' Meanwhile thy spirit lifts its pinions. In music's most serene dominions." 104 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT ng is a nasal consonant Equivalent: n as in bank Press the back of the tongue against the soft palate, ex- pel the breath with vibration of the vocal cords, and turn the sound into the nasal cavities. Care should be taken to keep the tongue and the palate in this position all sound has ceased, thus avoiding the addition of a A; sound, as ngk or ngg. until or g Webster, g Funk and Wagnalls, q Phonetic Sjonbol, r) Drill: ang, eng, ing, oong, ung, ong This sound occurs finally and medially : stingr swing' morning sang Sing laughingr strung^ lung runningr tongue youn^ leaving strong long reading 1. 2. gong. 3. Long strings of drying apples hung from the ceiUng. "Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong," rang the fire- " Clang, clang, the massive anvils ring. Clang, clang, a hundred hammers swing. ' ' EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 105 length strengfth wringrer hringer stingfer dinger Ringing swinging singing sl&nging clinging twanging hanging ringing stinging wringing springing bringing Pronounce these words horizontally : smgr bring springr fling singer bringer springer flinger singing bringing springing flinging The sleigh-bells ring. " Ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling. " The girs spent the evening knitting and crocheting. The singer was swinging under the bending bough. Franklin went coasting on Mr. Singer's long hill. Duncan was listening to the song of the nightingale. The youngster was singing and ringing the bell. After the battle Frank was clinging to the swaying 1. 2. 3. 4. 6. 6. 7. tank. 8. She lingered by the laughing brook on her way to the bubbling spring. 9. The pupils are studying the kingfisher, the mocking bird, the humming-bird, and the bunting. 10. ' ' The world is so full of a number of things I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings." 11. "Joyous" as morning. Thou art laughing and scorning. ' ' 106 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of n as in bank Drill: ang, eng, ing, oong, ung, ong sink banker hunger single brink clinker linger wrangle rank sinker finger angle bunk anchor jungle tangle think conquer shingle longer zinc tincture mingle stronger trunk function dingle younger drank monkey dangle angler uncle distinct anger youngest ankle ranking angry longest tinkle blinking hungry strongest 1. Frank went to the bank to thank his uncle. 2. Duncan visited England in the spring. 3. The younger brother is the stronger. 4. Did the old moon sing a song to Wynken, Blynken, and Nod? 5. The keys dangled from a ring on Mrs. Banke's finger. 6. 7. 8. 9. boat. 10. The Mongolian thanked the monk and drank the refreshing spring-water. Mr. Jenkins from Bangor is our Congressman. Did the hungry angler linger longer by the brook? Many monkeys hung from trees in the jungle. The young man hurt his ankle while anchoring the EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 107 Substitution of One Sound for Another n for ng Notice that n is made with the tip of the tongue and the hard palate; ng with the back of the tongue and the soft palate. an ang, en eng, in ing, oon oong, un ung, on ong Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally : win wing ban bang thin thing ton tongue sun sung run rung clan clang bun bung stun stung gone gong pin ping sin sing fan fang pan pang ran rang Lynn ling tan tang Hun hung clan clang thin thing 1. Ben flung the can into the ring. 2. Is the sun stronger than the wind? 3. The man sprang from the brink and saved his son. 4. The toad was winking and blinking in the morning sunshine. 5. "Others shall sing the song, Others shall right the wrong, Finish what I begin And all I fail of, win. ' ' 108 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Addition of the Sound of k or g to the Sound of ng In pronouncing k and g press the back of the tongue against the soft palate, then quickly lower it, forcing the breath out at the same time. In pronouncing ng press the back of the tongue against the soft palate and keep it there until all sound has ceased. ank ang, enk eng, ink ing, oonk oong, unk ung onk ong angg ang, engg eng, ingg ing, oongg oong ungg ung, ongg ong Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say swing not swingk think thing sunk sung brink bring bank bang tank tang rink ring winking winging banking banging clanking clanging Say sung not sungg rug rung lug lung rag rang dig ding slug slung fag fang logging longing rigging ringing hagging hanging 1. Uncle says to bring the blanket here. 2. I think Duncan likes to play ping pong. 3. "Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilUng your ring?" 4. Hear the clanging and the clanking and the jin- gling and the tinkling of the bells. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS 109 Final Consonant Combinations Pronounce the final consonants distinctly: angd, engd, ingd, oongd, ungd, ongd angth, ength, ingth, oongth, ungth, ongth angz, engz, ingz, oongz, ungz, ongz angk, engk, ingk, oongk, ungk, ongk ngd ngz ngh hanged gongs thank wronged lungs blank winged clangs brink clanged things drink banged prongs trunk belonged tongues •shrunk thronged songs monk prolonged fangs sink ngth hangs bunk length pangs link strength thongs drank 1. The boys banged the drum and clanged the bell. 2. The youth longed to try his strength by swimming the length of the tank. 3. Do the frogs drink the water in the springs? Bessie clings to the water wings and does not sink. I think the anchor sank because a link broke. The ink upset in the trunk and stained the mink 4. 5. 6. muff. 7. Frank sank to the ground when he turned his ankle on the river bank. no FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Words containing silent letters. k 9 b w knead gnu thumb toward knack gnome dumb sword knee gnarled comb write knave gnat climb wrath knell gnash limb wring know gnaw bomb wrong knife feign lamb wrap knight deign tomb wreck knit reign doubt wreath knot foreign debt wrinkle knuckle design subtle wrought knapsack sovereign plumber wrangle 1. I know he left the knife and the knapsack here. 2. The knight tied a knot in the knitted scarf. 3. The knave knocked his knee and his knuckle against the tree. 4. Without doubt, the best design was the foreigner's. 5. The squirrel climbed the gnarled limb of the oak. 6. The poor lamb was numb with cold. 7. The wronged knight knelt before his sovereign. 8. The plumber's thumb was injured in the wreck. 9. Did Mrs. Wright wrap the wreath in the wrinkled cloth? 10. She wrung the water from her handkerchief and wrapped it around her wrist. EXERCISES IN THE CONSONANTS Words containing silent letters. Ill stalk balm often Christmas walk palm soften chestnut balk salve gUsten christen psalm calf moisten crochet yolk halve wrestle bouquet calm should whistle hasten talk would listen hostler chalk almond chasten depot alms salmon fasten apostle half Lincoln hustle bustle 1. Mrs. Palmer moistened the leaves of the palm. 2. The cook put the yolks into the almond cake. '3. The horse balked when he saw the calf on the walk. 4. The calm reading of the psakn was bahn to the weary listeners. 5. Stella often read the epistle of Paul the Apostle. 6. Mrs. Lincoln fastened the glistening whistle to the Christmas tree. 7. The. hostler hastened to fasten the bridle on the chestnut horse. 8. The hustUng, bustling, jostHng, talking crowd left the depot. 9. The colonel sat in the castle listening to the whis- tling wind and the rustling leaves. PART II EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS The Sound of i as in it 1^ r^ iLquivalents ee as in been M|^ '*^' 1 ui " " build 1 C*-*' 1 " " women \f^^- y " " myth ie " " sieve u " " busy Webster, i ^ Funk and Wagnalls, i Phonetic Symbol, i pi, ti, ki, bi, di, gi ith, iz, il, im, in, ing inch inner instant /ndian infant interest incident indolent been busy miss mint whip whim wish film fish vinegar thimble thither this timber tinkle 1. Will's sister has been to Richmond, Virginia. 2. Tillie is busy with her knitting. 3. The kingfisher is sitting in the big hickory. 4. Liverpool and Plymouth are in England. 5. Milk is shipped long distances to cities and villages. 114 EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 115 dig ship quill nibble shift quince h'nk chin quick k'mb chip quibble riddle gypsie king sister kitchen sing simple kindle ring zinc gmlt hidden 1. The sick musician made a quick trip to his physi- cian. 2. Mr. Smith visited the mill in the village. 3. Willard read about Lincoln and Wilson in his history. 4. The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi. 5. Jim injured his wrist when he slipped on the hill. 6. The women will bring the sieves and the quilts into the building. 7. Philip read fifteen pages in his English hterature and six in his physical geography. 8. Nicholas is studying civics and wishes to become a citizen. 9. The silver buckle on the little pink slipper in the window glistened. 10. Did the Pilgrims invite the Indians to a Thanks- giving dinner? 11. "Ah, soon on field and hill, The wind shall whistle chill. "... 12. "Caesar, now be still: I killed not thee with half so good a will." 116 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of e as in end Equivalents a as in any ai ay ea ei ue said says feather friend guest Webster, e Funk and Wagnalls, e Phonetic Symbol, e pe. te. ke, be, de. ge eth ez , el, em. en , eng ebb pet ' fell- edge bend vent every belt theft eldest many them emblem whelk temple engine wend dentist 1. Mexico is northwest of Central America. 2. The medal is made of yellow metal. 3. Spend ten cents for bread and twenty cents for lemons and lettuce. 4. On "Wednesday Helen and Henry entertained many friends. 5. Emma and Elliott enjoyed the president's jest. 6. Endeavor to spell all the words in the sentence cor- rectly. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 117 nest never lettuce letter read rest sent sell zest zealot shed shepherd chest check gem gentle yet yellow kept keg get gMest exempt executor quest" quench length strength held head 1. Clement went to the dentist's yesterday. 2. The veteran left his nephew a small legacy. 3. Ethel mended the hem on Rebecca's velvet dress. 4. Edmond left the wet net on the bench. 5. The secretary's pens and pencils were on the desk. 6. Nettie says she hasn't any letters for them. 7. Teddy mended the tent before he went to bed. 8. The tired guest felt better when he had rested.. 9. The intelligent lieutenant looked at the engine. 10. Edna said that she left Fred's leather belt to be mended. 1 1 . Edward addressed the envelope with his friend's pen. 12. Ben says that the wren's nest is lined with hen's feathers. 13. The Independence Bell is held in reverence by the residents of Philadelphia. 14. In her attic window the staff she set, To show that one heart was loyal yet. . . . — ^WHITTIEE. 118 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Substitution of One Sound for Another i in it for e in end pi pe, ti te, ki ke, bi be, di de, gi ge, ith eth, iz ez, U el, im em, in en, ing eng Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say them not thina pin pen bit bet him hem wrist rest din den rich wretch hst lest injure engine miss mess insight ensign been Ben invoice envoy sit set timber tender bitter better ribbon rebel whither whether insist incense 1. Listen to the restless wind in the belfry. 2. Winnie sent two tin cups to the tent. 3. During the Revolution many Americans were min- ute-men. 4. In the spring wild birds wend their way to this meadow. 5. Timothy sent a letter to his friend thanking him for the etching. 6. The eighteenth amendment prohibits the selling of intoxicating beverages. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 119 Omission of a Sound e in towel; i in cabin Be sure to sound the vowel before the final consonant in these words: towel gruel angel Mabel vowel fuel marvel label trowel cruel gravel newel jewel hovel travel crewel 1. Mabel and Helen will travel to Lowell. 2. Noel and Owen labeled the boxes of crewel. 3. The traveler's towel was in her satchel. 4. We marveled at the number of trowels near the gravel walk. 5. The man found some fuel in the hovel and made the gruel. The vowel sound before the final consonant in these words is the sound of i in it. cabin heroine mountain masculine satin foreign fountain handkerchief ruin mischief engine favorite Latin carriage genuine certain 1. Martin and Austin study Latin. 2. Did the engine stop near the mountain cabin? 3. The foreigner examined the ruined fountain. 4. Sound the last vowel in angel, mountain, and ruin. 5. A mischievous boy removed the curtains from the carriage. 6. The heroine wore a satin dress and a coral necklace. 120 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of a as in at Webster, a Funk and Wagnalls, a Phonetic Symbol, se pa, ta, ka, ba, da, ga ath, az, al, am, an, ang add ashes ankle otom adverb annual accident ancestor paddle band back match manage whack whang wagon fad fact vanish thank thatch than tack damp 1. Alice and Agnes sat in the hammock. 2. "The Amazon rises in the Andes," answered Anne. 3. On Saturday grandpa planted the radish seeds. 4. There are lamps and wax candles in the chapel. 5. Tabby was napping in the cabman's hat. 6. Harold can manage the black horse. 7. Alma, Nancy, and Harriett attend the Hamilton school. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 121 narrow nopkin latch lamp rabbit rack sack saddle shadow shall chat chapter jam jacket yank captive gallon garret exact examine quack sang habit hammer I. Albert and Adam saw the animals at the menagerie. 2; Patsy planted pansies and nasturtiums in the box. 3. Abigail wore a black caUco dress and a drab sash. 4. The captain took the hatchet and ran up the ladder. 5. Samuel played the banjo and Mandy sang. 6. Harriett put the matches into the package. 7. The rancher captured the animal in the quagmire. 8. The jackal and the rabbit ran along the bank. 9. Dan packed the apples and Jack packed the jam. 10. Hattie Pratt creamed the carrots and the cabbage. II. The trapper heard the angry animals snapping. 12. Nat put down the lantern and ran to help Daniel carry the can of sap. 13. In January Sally's ancestors left Kansas and came back to Massachusetts. 14. The band at the camp played the Star Spangled Banner as the flag was lowered. 15. ' ' Blessings on thee, little man, Barefoot boy with cheek of tan." 122 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of o as in odd Most Americans pronounce this sound similar to a as in arm but shorter. Some speakers, however, pronounce the sound similar to a as in all but shorter. The latter pronunciation prevails in England. Equivalent a as in was Webster, o Funk and Wagnalls, e Phonetic Symbol, a po, to, ko, bo, do, go oth, oz, ol, om, on, ong oxen poppy volume office bonnet tonsil olive monitor dollar oblong what dodge onward wand knob object forest novel 1. Lottie is fond of hot chocolate. 2. Polly's bonnet bobbed when she nodded. 3. Olive dropped her doll on the dock. 4. A flock of swans was on the pond. 5. Mr. Roberts, Oscar, and John play golf. 6. The shopper lost the box of socks on the trolley. 7. The odd hostler hopped to the top of the omnibus. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 123 lodge jockey- holly lock jocund hobble romp yonder hominy rod yacht blot soggy college frock sob cotton frog shock gondola flock shop goggle plod chop gossip prod chopper goblet stock 1 . The pollen fell from the poppy to the sod. 2. The robber did not unlock the doctor's box. 3. Thomas and Robert took a snapshot of the yacht. 4. An orange, a watch, and a wallet were in Donald's pockets. 5. The oxen plodded onward and Roger followed. 6. The cobbler stopped tapping and watched the clock. 7. Mrs. Swan gave Oliver a dollar for doing odd jobs. 8. Warren followed the dog to the hollow log. 9. The honest scholar did not keep the volume. 10. Dorothea wanted to go to the opera with Con- stance and Conrad. 11. Dolly put the hot -waffles and the chocolate pot on Molly's copper tray. 12. A drop of ink dropped on the college catalogue and blotted the top line. 13. Otto saw a rod, a box, a lock, a clock, and many odd objects in the shop. 124 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of u as in up 1 ^% 1 Equivalents as in son oe " " does ^j„^an^ ^ 00 " " blood i ^^j^ ou " " touch Webster, u Funk and Waghalls, u Phonetic Symbol, a pu, tu, ku, bu, du, gu uth, uz, ul, umj un, ung oven other wtter wnder utmost upper punish butler mother money wonder funnel vulgar thunder thus tumble donkey dungeon 1. Uncle trudged up the rough bluff. 2. The hungry monkey ate a number of nuts. 3. Mr. Young's son won the sum of money. 4. Duncan studied about the Dutch Governors. 5. Under the umbrella sat Augustus and Humphrey. 6. Mother left the cup and the bucket near the pump. 7. Russel bumped into the stump and fell into the mud with a thud. EXERCISES IN THE -VOWELS 125 none chubby bung nothing juggler rung Iwster young among lumber yucca lung rttmble country tongue rust cunning hunter some gumbo hull shuttle gushing honey 1. The duck dug among the scrubby shrubs for bugs. 2. There is enough lumber to construct the hull. 3. In summer salmon come to the Columbia River. 4. Mrs. Nun's cousin sent her some butter and some plums from the country. 5. The dusky hunter gave the gun to his trusty chum. 6. The cunning skunk will run under the brushwood. 7. Bunny did not jump or move a muscle when he heard the hunter's gun. 8. Justin jumbled the rusty nails, buckets, pumps, and other rubbish in the junk shop. 9. Does a bubbling brook come tumbling down from the upland country? 10. The honey bees hummed and hummed all through the sunny summer months. 11. The Governor and the Judge rushed from the subway tunnel to the public meeting. 12. Joy! Joy! she cried; my task is done, The gates are passed and heaven is won. . . . — MOORE. 126 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Substitution of One Sound for Another a as in at for e as in end pa pe, ta te, ka ke, ba be, da de, ga ge ath eth, az ez, al el, am em, an en, ang eng Say let not lat mat tan back pan land patty band manned batter mallow met ten beck pen lend petty bend mend better mellow ham pat man Dan gas sand fallow cattle lattice paddle hem pet men den guess send fellow kettle lettuce peddle 1. Emma is "Hannah's best friend. 2. Ned handed the pen to Frank. 3. Jack and Harry slept in the tent. 4. Yesterday Mrs. Grant made bran bread. 5. Dan Denison carried the can to the well. 6. Sally and Bessie sat under the elm tree. 7. Fanny helped Alice with her spelhng lesson. 8. The beggar thanked Nancy for the pennies. 9. Pat bought a head of lettuce and a head of cabbage. 10. The traveler left for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at ten o'clock. EXERCISES IN T^HE VOWELS 127 Substitution of One Sound for Another as in odd for u as in up po pu, to tu, ko ku, bo bu, do du, go gu oth uth, oz uz, ol ul, om um, on un, ong ung not don sop cod jot hob bog clock shot robber nut dun sup cud jut hub bug cluck shut rubber Say up not op cot hot wan pomp dock fond crotch poppy bonny conning cut hut won pump duck fund crutch puppy bunny cunning 1. John shut the shop door. 2. Bunny hopped upon the stump. 3. The puppy runs to Donald. 4. Polly hung the cup on the pump. 5. "Cluck, cluck, cluck," said the mother hen. 6. The hunter shot the duck near the dock. 7. Poppies, sunflowers, and bachelor's buttons grew near the cottage. 8. Tom Dunning cut a notch in the trunk of the Cot- tonwood. ' 9. Robert McDuffee gave his father a watch and his mother a clock. 12S FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMiiJN i The Sound of oo as in book Equivalents o as in wolf u " " full ou " " would Webster, oo Funk and Wagnalls, u Phonetic Symbol, u poo, too, koo, boo, doo, goo ooth, ooz, ool, oom, oon, oong pull pwss push piiUey pwdding pttlpit bush book hull bushel bullet butcher would wolf woman worsted foot fullness 1. Mr. Fuller couldn't get a Pullman seat. 2. The cook made a good pudding for the butcher. 3. Mr. Brooks stood at the foot of the pulpit. 4. The woodsman mistook the wolf for a bush. 5. The brook flows through Mr. Wolsey's wood. 6. The woman put the woolen hood on the hook. 7. Mr. Bull shook fully a bushel of berries from the bushes. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 129 fuller soot goodly Mly shook hood took Si/gar hooked nook cottld crooked look cushion forsooA; rook cooking mistooA; 1. Woodbine grows in a nook in the wood. 2. Look ! Look at the pussy willows by the brook. 3. The woodchuck shook when he saw the wolf. 4. The good woman put a cushion under the crooked foot. 5. Put the bulletin and the book on the wooden bench. 6. Mother looked at the cook book thoughtfully. 7. The woman's pail was full of sugar. 8. "Could he cook a bushel of corn at once?" asked Hester Hooker. 9. Fred Foote stood by the brook in the wood baiting his hook. 10. Will Crooke pulled the rope from the pulley and took it to Mr. WoKe. 11. "I would if I could; if I couldn't, how could I? I couldn't unless I could, could I?" 12. "Little fishes in the brook. Brother catch them with a hook." 13. "May's in all the Italian books, She has old and modern nooks. "... 14. "Grove and lane and meadow full Sparkle with their shining wool. ' ' 130 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT ^ ■ Substitution of One Sound for Another y^ e as in eve for i as in it s^J^ 00 as in ooze for oo as in book pee pi, tee ti, kee ki, bee bi, dee di, gee gi eeth ith, eez iz, eel il, eem im, een in, eeng ing Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say hit not heet Say good not goode beet bit sleet slit deed did peel pill feet fit reel rill steel still weak wick 1. Gilbert will weed the beets. 2. The weeping willow limb dipped into the stream. 3. Sweet Williams grow in Eva's sister's garden. 4. Lucy Hood searched the room for her book. 5. The goose looked at the minnows in the brook. 6. Luke threw the hook into a pool in the woods. 7. Lee will feed the chickens and the geese at six o'clock. 8. Rufus Cook and Reuben Crook took the books to the book room. Luke look fool full pool pull hoop hood noon nook whom hook tool took boom book EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 131 Substitution of One Sound for Another e as in end for u as in up pe pu, te tu, ke ku, be bu, de du, ge gu eth uth, ez uz, el ul, em um, en un, eng ung Pronounce these words vertically, then horizontally: Say study not stedy bet but net nut wren run hem hum jest just . bet but fend fund peg pug desk dusk rest rust flesh flush beck buck guest gust mesh mush ready ruddy petty putty wrestle rustle thresh thrush peddle puddle many money 1. Texas is west of the Gulf of Mexico. 2. Many bunnies were running in the meadow. 3. Janette's mother made buns and crullers. 4. The rudder broke just as Ned left the deck. 5. A gust of wind sent Ben's hat into the dust. 6. Brother gave twenty-seven cents for the honey. 7. "Did you study your spelling lesson?" said Miss Mund. 8. By November Gus Wells had all the butternuts and chestnuts stored in the shed. 132 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Substitution of One Sound for Another e as in eve for y as in lily Say lily not lillee empty any lily hurry shanty many truly fairy naughty honey lively carry duty penny gayly quarry pretty cleanly fully very unity county ruddy merry pity money glassy worry roomy steady lovely mercy swampy ready parsley celery 1. Harry hurried to the busy factory. 2. Milly picked fully twenty quarts of cherries. 3. "They took some honey and plenty of money." 4. The pony pulled the heavy buggy over the hilly country. 5. Mary Barry tcld a fairy story to the primary class. 6. The peony and the poppy bloomed after the lily. 7. Happy Tony hid the honey in the empty shanty. 8. Polly saw parsley and celery at the greengrocery. 9. January snowy, February flowy, March blowy ! April showery, May flowery, June bowery ! July moppy, August croppy, September poppy, October breezy, November wheezy, December freezy. RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN.'*'^'' EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 133 Addition of a Sound a as in among Say little not littel little kettle mettle settle ladle saddle cradle middle thistle whistle cotton button wooden sweeten lighten whiten bitten eaten beaten written Say elm not elum elm film helm realm whelm alarm Eden oven iron haven cloven raven seven heaven eleven Stephen laden maiden garden sadden 1. The iron kettle was in the oven. 2. Many little beetles were on the wooden bench. 3. Stephen has driven eleven miles for the films. 4. The maiden will sweeten the beaten batter. 5. Thistles and nettles grow in the garden. 6. Seven pounds of mutton were eaten by eleven men. 7. The man at the helm was alarmed when he looked at the heavens. 8. Susan put the button and the cotton into the basket. 9. The little lad in the saddle tightened the reins of the bridle. 10. The kitten has eaten a dozen wheaten cakes. 134 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of a as in among This sound occurs only in unaccented syllables. In formal speech words containing e as in moment, o as in atom, and u as in circus are frequently pronounced with the short sounds of these letters instead of the sound of a as in among. Equivalents e as in moment o " " atom u " " circus io " " nation e " " the, preceding a word beginning with a consonant, as the book. The word a when unstressed, as a desk. Webster, a, e, 6, U Funk and Wagnalls, a Phonetic Symbol, a pa, ta, ka, ba, da, ga ath, az, al, am, an, ang apart ago soda about arise Cuba adopt akin extra alarm agree zebra avail alike aroma award avoid piazza abound away comma amount afraid algebra 1. Is Atlanta the capital of Georgia? 2. The infant was asleep on the sofa. 3. Rebecca lost her diainbnd necklace at the opt EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 135 valise salivd! farina parol bazar maroon cadet variety solute * parade gazette canary pathetic oral giant rival finally social plural Indian Iceland diamond separate cinnamon dialogue contradict morsel sorrel laurel lion bishop weapon cannon canopy alum column medium autumn action 1. The cadet saluted the lieutenant. 2. Does the Indian Ocean bound Australia? 3. The principal awarded the medal to Nathan. 4. Thomas drives Mr. Bryant's special delivery wagon. 5. The Italian and the German went to Brazil. 6. Bering Strait separates Alaska and Siberia. 7. Lydia picked the verbenas, dahlias, and petunias. 8. The Erie Canal was built from Albany to Buffalo. 9. In the autumn Enuna and Laura travelled from Indiana to Florida. 10. Caroline left her umbrella and her diary on the veranda. 11. Ada bought vanilla, marmalade, bananas, and lemons at the grocery. 12. Nora saw a white organdy dress and a maroon parasol in the merchant's window. 136 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of a as in arm Equivalents ea as in heart ua " " guard e " " sergeant Webster, a Funk and Wagnalls, a Phonetic Symbol, a: pa, ta, ka, ba, da, ga ath, az, al, am, an, ang alms arch argue arbutus armory ardent armistice park parlor pardon bargain market marvel Wah-wah father varnish tardy darling darted darken gnarled 1. Margery put lard in the tarts. 2. The farmer started for the market in his cart. 3. Starving sharks darted after the little bark. 4. Mark parsed "hark," "charge," and "bombard." 5. Mrs. Barber thought the yarn was a bargain. 6. Papa drove the car into the farther yard. 7. Martha calmly put the balm on her father's smart- ing arm. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 137 large sharp calm lark shark cargo larch charm carpet larva chart garden rajah jar guard .sarcasm jargon qualm sergeant yard harvest Czar card hearth 1. Father bought a large farm in Arkansas. 2. Arnold and Arthur darted under the arbor. 3. The silver star sparkled on the dark carpet. 4. In March we embarked with a large cargo of palm. 6. The artist sketched the arch in Mr. Arden's garden. 6. Marcus said, "The cards and the charts are in the barn." 7. Barbara and Margaret were charmed with the large farmhouse parlor. 8. The hart jumped the bars and crossed the marsh in the darkness. 9. On Arbor Day the children marched to the park and planted a larch. 10. Archibald argued with Harvey about the quality of the khaki scarf. 11. The guard in the army led the parson and the sergeant through the yard to the arsenal. 12. "Hark ! Hark ! the lark at heaven's gate sings. ' ' 13. But the kitten, how she starts, Crouches, stretches, paws and darts. . . . WORDSWORTH. 138 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMEJNT The Sound of o as in orb Equivalents a as in all au " " haul aw " " law Webster, 6 Funk and Wagnalls, e Phonetic Symbol, o: po, to, ko, bo, do, go oth, oz, ol, om, on, ong aw\ orbit alter awger organ orphan always pawn Paul ball born Maud walked warden fawn fall vault thaw thorn torch tortoise 1. Aubrey hauled straw all day. 2. The hawk caught the warbler in his claws. 3. The auditor and the author called on the lawyer. 4. Almost all of the salt was on the walk. 5. In August Laura had a lawn party in the orchard. 6. Mrs. Shaw and her daughter motored from Auburn to Albany. 7. One morning at dawn Claud saw a fawn walking along by the wall. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 139 dawn sauce gauze daub shawl gaudy nattghty short quart gnaw George quarter lawn Jordan quartz laud yawn hall TOW yawl haughty raucous cattght Hawthorne 1. "Of all the saws I ever saw saw, I never saw a saw saw as that saw saws." 2. The squaws gathered the corn in the autumn. 3. Miss Hall bought lawn and gauze from Paula. 4. The saucy squirrel, gnawed the walnut. 5. Austin taught the little orphan to draw. 6. Paul was authorized to talk to the haughty autocrat. 7. Maurice saw a ball, some chalk, and a piece of cord on the hall table. 8. "The Baltic Sea does not border on Norway," said Maud. 9. The tall Austrian bought augers and awls at the auction. 10. Laura Dalton ordered cauliflower, corn, and a quart of strawberries. 11. The audience applauded the auburn haired daugh- ter who played the organ in the orchestra. 12. "See the kitten on the wall. Sporting with the leaves that fall. "... 13. "I gazed — and gazed — but Httle thought What wealth the show to me had brought. ' ' 140 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of a as in ask This is a sound between a as in arm and a as in at. But the sound used by the ma- jority of speakers in these words is either that of a in arm or a in at. Equivalent au in laugh Webster, a Funk and Wagnalls, a Phonetic Symbol, a: after asked answer pasture basket master waft fast vast task dance last raft staff shaft chance cast gasp quaff prance branch trance class glance 1. Blanche left the fancy basket on the grass. 2. The chaff was wafted upward to the rafters. 3. The masked lass danced to the clicking of castanets. 4. At last he granted what they asked. 5. His master grasped the rasping branch. 6. They took the path near the grassy lawn and passed on to the pasture. 7. "Fast on the soldier's path Darken the waves of wrath. ' ' 8. And come he slow, or come he fast. It is but death who comes at last. . . . — scott. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 141 The Sound of o as in soft This is a sound between o as in odd and o as in orb. But the sound used by the majority of speakers in these words is either that of o in odd or o in orb shortened. Webster, o often toss loss broth Boston dog floss scoff boss lost . froth strong moss wrong frost cloth moth soft throng cross thong cough trough gloss tongs gone dross lacross 1. "The days are cold, the nights are long, The north wind sings a doleful song." . . . 2. James has gone to look for the lost prong. 3. Moths often spoil woolen cloth. 4. While in Boston Mr. Goff drank strong coffee. 5. They found the trough and the tongs in the loft. 6. The scoffer was bound with a strong thong. ' 7. The broth and the coffee soiled the white cloth. 8. He fastened the long thong to the wrong dog. 9. The soft cloth was embroidered with glossy floss. 10. Eleanor Ross tossed the ball into the trough. 11. The dog barked softly in the frosty night as he crossed the long trail. 142 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Substitution of One Sound for Another as in odd for o as in orb po paw, to taw, ko kaw, bo baw, do daw, go gaw, oth awth, oz awz, ol awl, om awm, on awn, ong awng Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say daughter not dotter cot caught nod gnawed not nought box balks clod clawed watcher water wallet Walter trolley trawler 1. "Haw!" called Walter to the oxen. 2. That knotty tree near the cot ought to be cut. 3. Tom sawed the wood and Polly brought the water. 4. The horse balked at hauling the shocks. 5. The naughty boy could not solve the knotty prob- lem. 6. The lawyer and the doctor were caught in the squall. 7. John bought a small watermelon and some pop corn. 8. The odd caller put her bonnet and shawl on the box. 9. Mrs. Scott taught her daughter to make collars for frocks. pod pawed cod cawed frock fraud sod sawed Poll Paul squab squall stock stalk plodded plaudit EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 143 Words Frequently Interchanged Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: lion our quiet vial fairy real just except riot pitcher line are quite vile ferry reel jest accept right picture celery royal pillow phial diary Brian ivory liable Hungary hennery salary roil pillar file dairy brine ivy libel hungry Henry A line of people were waiting to see the lion. All except John will accept the invitation. Many people in Hungary were hungry. Mary's dress is ivory white trinuned with real lace. Does ivy grow around the pillars of the royal Is it quite right to say it was a quiet riot? The lawyer said the editor was liable to be sued for . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. palace ? 6. I'm not jesting — the ferry leaves in just two min- utes. 7. 8. Ubel. 9. Brian writes the amount of the proceeds from his dairy in his diary. 10. The phial in the drawer and the letter on the file belong to Henry. 144 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of e as in eve ■F""' '^jpJB Equivalents fKA #^ 1 ee as in feet l4*-* 1 ea " " beam 1^4 J ei " " receive ^fc ^H^^ i " " police W^i. ^- ie " " field Webster, e each east eager easy faster evening Funk and Wagnalls, i Phonetic Symbol, ii pe, te, ke, be, de, ge eth, ez, el, em, en, eng peel bead mean meet wheel weed field veal thief thee teamster dealer i. I believe he has no sweet pea seeds. 2. In the evening Lena reads to Deha. 3. The chief will lead his people into the deep ravine. 4. Did Edith feed the three greedy geese? 5. The reapers in the wheat field feel the heat. 6. Hear the pewee call ' ' Pe-ah-whee, pee-wee. ' ' 7. Eva is eating sweetmeats on the beach beside the S3a. 8. The sheep were feeding on the steep hill by the cedar tree. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 145 neat seal keenly need zeal geese m'ece zebra queen leave sheaf heal least cheap heed reach genius heap seem yield green 1. We greeted the team with cheers. 2. The queen bee feeds on sweet honey. 3. Jean eats peas, beans, and beets. 4. Mrs. Reed and Eli will meet us at three. 5. Celia's seat seems to lean toward the east. 6. Mrs. Lee's niece made cream cheese for tea. 7. The queen said, "Sweets to the sweet." 8. Will Leon see the weaver on Beaver Street? 9. Peter treated Ethan, Theodore, and me to peach ice- cream. 10. The bleak breeze will freeze the tender green leaves on the trees. 11. In the evening we will sail down the stream be- tween the green banks. 12. The pohce found the queer machine and the in- trigue was revealed. 13. "Creeping where no life is seen A rare old plant is the ivy green. ' ' 14. "It is not growing like a tree In bulk doth make man better be. ' ' 15.' '^ 'Still cheerily the chickadee, .Singeth to me on fence and tree." 146 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of oo as in ooze Equivalents as in do u " rude ou " group ui " juice ue " blue ew " chew Webster, oo Funk and Wagnalls, ii Phonetic Symbol, u: poo, too, koo, boo, doo, goo ooth, ooz, ool, oom, oon, oong ooze oolong pool poor boon boot moon wound food too? tooth tour doom noon noose loop lose root TOOSt rule soon 1. The spool of thread is true blue.- 2. Toot, toot, toot, toot went Reuben's flute. 3. Remove the food from the dish with a spoon. 4. The group in the canoe saw a loon on the lake. 5. Who said the soup was too coot? 6. Rufus insured all the tools in the room. 7. Mr. Lucy trailed the moose through the spruce woods. 8. In June Judith and Susan gathered the smocith, juicy fruit. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 147 ZOO shoe chew jmce you cool raccoon goose who whose hoop hoot broom brm'se flute grew plume prune spoon spool true truth threw shrewd 1. 2. 3. 4. noon. 5. 6 7. Did the goose find food in the cool pool? Ruth soon moved the loom into another room. Juliette brought the cocoon to school. The blue bloom drooped in the heat of the July Sue sat on the stool while Julia shampooed her hair. Luke and the cartoonist were cruising in a canoe. Mr. Drew begged the groom to shoot the poor wounded brute. 8. The raccoon scooped the egg from the coop. The prudent balloonist concluded to use the para- 9. chute. 10 11 Were you reproved at school for losing the rule ? The sloop and the pontoon were doomed when caught in the typhoon. 12. Louis was excluded from the junior room because of whooping cough. 13. "Oh for boyhood's time of June, Crowding years in one brief moon!" 14. ' ' Glorious flag, red, white and blue, Emblem of the brave and true. ' ' 148 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of ai as in air Equivalents a as in care e " " there ea " " bear ei " " their Webster, k, ^ Funk and Wagnalls, a Phonetic Symbol, e: pair, tair, kair, bair, dair, gair airth, airz, airl, airm, airn, airng airy heir oiring heirloom airman airship pair pear bare mare where wear fairy there tare dare daring ne'er 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. fully. Where are their cliairs? The daring heir seldom saw the fair Clare. Forbear tearing their rare laces. The chair is upstairs in the spare room. Be careful not to wear garish jewelry. Hair, fair, pair, and lair end like stair. He declared that he was scared at the turn of affairs. The girl aired the room and dusted the chairs care- EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 149 lair rare share chair care gorish hair hare blare flare glare spare stair stare scare square prepare compare repair aware beware forbear affair whene'er 1. He will share his pears with you. 2. The hare did not care to meet the bear. 3. He stared and glared at the square on the stair. 4. Mr. Fair will repair the old chair carefully. 5. They stared at the child's bare feet and fair hair. 6. The fresh air and rare scenes drove their despair away. 7. Come to the fair prepared to share your fare with the fair pair. 8. The soldiers received care after the wear and tear of battle. 9. Hattie Hare looked scared as she stared at the sign, "Beware of the dog." 10. Erelong there was a blare of trumpets and a flare of torches where their hero stood. 11. "I shot an arrow into the air It fell to earth I knew not where." 12. ' ' There gently lay the roots, and there Sift the dark mold with kindly care." 150 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of u as in \im Equivalents e as in her i " " fir " " work y " " myrtle ea " " earn ou " " journal Webster, A Funk and Wagnalls, u Phonetic Symbol, d pur, tur, kur, bur, dur, gur urth, urz, url, urm, urn, urng earn earth earnest urchin irksome /rving perch hum bwrst bird mi/rtle whirl work firm iuT verdant third thermos 1. Her verses were blurred by the surf. 2. Nurse said the worm was not a germ. 3. While Bertha churned, her sister stirred the curd. 4. The kitten curled up on the berth and purred. 5. Earl hurled the burning curtain to the curb. 6. Bertram told Herman that the pearl was sterling. 7. Ferns grow in the damp earth near the fir tree. 8. In a curt speech Percy urged the searchers to dis- perse. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 151 tenn sir yearn turn search curl dirge surly curd dearth shirk girl nerve churn girdle lurk chirp hurt leam jersey heard 1. Ernest preferred to learn the first and third words. 2. The alert clerk gave Bernard the birth certificate. 3. Gertrude, Earl, and Merton sit in the third row. 4. The girl held her purse firmly when the car lurched. 5. The whirling wheel hurled the dirt with a jerk. 6. The servants searched for little Pearl's turtle. 7. A herd of Jerseys grazed on the verdant hill. 8. The brook purled and swirled and curled among the pearly pebbles. 9. The Colonel turned his horse with a jerk and struck the earth with his quirt. 10. In the early morning Percival heard the hermit thrush and the myrtle bird. 11. Ferdinand and Herbert pressed the earth firmly around the roots of the little birch. 12. The mirthful urchin found turning turf irksome, so he shirked his work and earned little. 13. "He could foretell the weather at a word. He knew the haunt of every bee and bird. ' ' JAMES RUSSELL LOVeLL. 152 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH lMPitUVEMJi.iM- The Sound of a as in ate When final and stressed this sound tends to become diphthongal (a + i in it). Equivalents ey as in they ai " " pain ay " " day ea " " break ei " " veil Webster, a Funk and Wagnalls, e Phonetic Symbol, e :, ei pa, ta, ka, ba, da, ga ath, az, al, am, an, ang age payer weigh aye bake wade aim bale fate aid main vale ace make they ache whale tale 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. malade Nathan Hale was a brave patriot. Amos gave the lame patient a cane. Potatoes are raised in the State of Maine. Abe made the home base and won the game. Daisy baked a raisin cake for Ray's birthday. Mrs. Gray gave her aged neighbor some grape mar- EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 153 toble race Jane daily same Yale danger sale coke name zany chaotic nail shade gave lake shake gait lane chain quail rain jade hate 1. May basted the lace on Kate's cape. 2. It rained and rained on that gray April day. 3. The mail train was delayed on the plains. 4. James ate the steak and Clayton ate the bacon. 5. Amy stayed at Cape May until the eighth of April. 6. Which States border on the Great Lakes? 7. The pale lady waited patiently for the late stage. 8. Mabel made a maid's apron for the sale. 9. Raymond and Jacob played in the lane all day. 10. Baylis Mason skated straight across the lake. 11. Grace delayed the game till her favorite playmate came. 12. Jane sailed from Naples on the twenty-eighth of May. 13. They waited for the rain to abate before separat- ing for the day. 14. Rachel placed a table under the maples and served lemonade and cake to the ladies. 15. The unwearied sun from day to day Doth his creator's power display. ADDISON. 154 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of o as in oak When final and stressed this sound becomes diphthongal (o + GO in foot). Equivalents oa as in roam oe " " foe ow " " grow ew " " sew ou " " soul au " " chauffeur Webster, 5 Funk and Wagnalls, 5 Phonetic Symbol, o: ou po, to, ko, bo, do, go oth, oz, ol, om, on, ong ■MfsAr- poem foam over postal vote ocean bold those obey heefSr toad omit moan don't lOration wove dough 1. Show Sophy how to sew the sofa piUow. 2. Joe enjoyed Flora's vocal solo. 3. Noah rode the colt to the post-office. 4. Tony hoed the potatoes and the tomatoes. 5. Don't open the window, it's too cold. 6. The noted poet hoped to go to Rome. 7. It was no joke when Jerome broke the kodak. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 155 noble show holy lood chose home loom Joseph hold wrote yolk hope soar- — ' cold hoed sow goat hoard- zone quote host 1. Homer drove over the cold snowy road to Dover. 2. Roland and Rover rolled in the clover. 3. The voters will go to the polls in November. 4. Cora put more dough into the molds. 5. Mr. Jones sold the go-cart to Mrs. Holmes. 6. Over the billowy ocean go the soldiers. 7. ' ' Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean, roll. ' ' 8. Yellow goldenrod grows by the lonely road. 9. Over in the meadow lived a toad and a mole. 10. Joan and Rhoda are going to row to the old fort. 11. The Baltimore oriole will fly to the oak. 12. The policeman noticed the open window and noti- fied the owner of the store. 13. In days of old, as they strolled over the wold, Owen quoted many poems. 14. A bolt broke when the chauffeur ran the automo- bile into the stone wall. . 15. Come and trip it as you go On the light fantastic toe. ^ MILTON. 156 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMEJNi Substitution of One Sound for Another a as in sofa for as in piano Say piano not plana piano window echo widow cello meadow borrow shadow calico yellow harrow follow mellow pillow tallow willow follow yarrow sorrow bellow narrow sallow mallow billow shallow swallow borough tomorrow. 1. Otto left the harrow in the fallow. 2. Orlando plays the cello and Alfonso the piano. 3. Antonio put the yellow candle in the window. 4. We saw the willow's shadow in the shallow stream. 5. To-morrow we will follow the rabbit to his burrow in the hollow. 6. Lorenzo Bellows knows the yarrow, the mallow, and the meadow rue. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 157 Substitution of One Sotmd for Another M as in urn for ai as in air Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say stairs not stirs burrs blurs furs hers purrs stirs spurs firs were curd churn shirrs whir bears blares fares hares pears stairs spares fairs wear cared chair shares where 1. There were burrs in the bear's fur. 2. Mrs. Blair shirred Pearl's silk skirt. 3. The tiger lurked near his lair. 4. The scared hare heard the whir of wings. 5. Claire dropped her purse on the stairs. 6. The daring rider did wear spurs. 7. The girls moved the chairs and the churn. 158 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMEJNT Omission of a Vowel Sound Do not omit a vowel sound in these words: Say ruin not roon Say history not ruin history poem memory poetry library J police literary polite usually violet regular violin general because violent begin diamond family temporary surround February balloon Saturday geography discovery different government 1. The balloon was ruined by the storm. 2. The literary critic praised the poem. 3. Mr. Sanders took his family to the theater on Sat- urday. 4. The polite lady thanked the policeman for directing her to the library. 5. In February the pupils began the study of history and civil government. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 159 Addition of a Vowel Sound Do not add a vowel sound in these words: Say gold not goald Say Henry not Henary gold Henry hold umbrella sold athletic mold chimney fold grievous jolt bronchial colt gymnasium hall stabling tall rambling call trembUng shawl assembling ball medieval 1. Henry will hold the folded shawl. 2. Mr. Hall sold the old umbrella. 3. Nora called at Mrs. Ball's home. 4. The tall boy rolled the ball to Paul. 5. The trembhng child stood in the cold hall. 6. The classes in athletics were assembling in the gym- nasium. 7. The servant thought the gold was hidden away in the old chimney. 8. "If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath Caesar answered it. ' ' 160 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of i as in ice This sound is a diphthong (a in ask + i in it) Equivalents y as in my ei " " height ai " " aisle ye " " rye ui " " guise Webster, i Funk and Wagnalls, ai Phonetic Symbol, ai pi, ti, ki, bi, di, gi ith, iz, il, im, in , ing I P2/thon wide idle bwy wild icy- bison fiber iris mile vine oisle minor thigh iodine while thine 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. The tired miner lighted his pipe. Ira piled the tiles beside the fireplace. I will ride a mile on my bicycle. Jeremiah likes to study science. The kind guide buUt a fire of pine knots. I like to climb a wild height at night. Isaac sold pineapple at five cents a slice. On Friday Lyman Wyatt sold nine tires. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 161 tzde nght giant dtve rice kite diary sigh gmde knife silent quire night shine quiet like chide height lime chime hygiene 1. Place the fife and the rifle side by side. 2. Try to find Ohio, Iowa, and Idaho on the map. 3. We put nine piles of corn into Mr. Bryan's silo. 4. Inez will find my knife if Viola hides it. 6. Did Hiawatha spy the firefly in the twiUght? 6. The buyer thought the price of the rye too high. 7. Hiram and Cyrus were grinding their scythes near the ice house. 8. Irene tried to find a common divisor for ninety-nine and twenty-five. 9. The fireman cUmbed and climbed toward the crying child. 10. Michael held the lines tightly and spoke kindly to the frightened animal. 11. The kite went high and higher Up in the bright blue sky; The eyes grew wide and wider Of Ida standing by. 12. "Come one, come all, this rock shall fly From its firm base as soon as I." 162 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of u as in use This sound is a combination of y plus oo in ooze Equivalents eau as in beauty pew view cue feud suit Webster, ii Funk and Wagnalls, iii Phonetic Symbol, ju pu, tu, ku, bu, du, gu uth, uz, ul, um, un, ung unite beauty fuse culinary usual bureau fuel human unity mutual fume humor usury mucilage view huge uvula furious cure Hugh universe fumigate queue adieu Puritan fusion cupola acute i: Hugh hewed the hug e log into fuel. 2. Eunice left the uniform in the bureau drawer. 3. In the future put the cubes with the pewter pot. 4. Eustace and Eugene rejoined the pupils in Utica. 5. It was futile to light the fuse in the humid atiiios- phere. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 163 In these words the sound of y is less marked than m the preceding group: tune due numerous sue twbe duty . neuter suet tulip dupe neutral suitor tuber dutiful netyspaper suitable twmult during nuisance suicide tutor duplicate lute ensue tunic durable lurid resume Tuesday dubious lure assume 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. stitute. 7. The multitude. 8. Has The tulips and the tube-rose are wet with dew. The beauty of the statue impressed the student. The duke did his duty and paid tribute to the king. Hearing the pure notes of the bugle, they saluted. The lieutenant was dressed in a beautiful new suit. Mr. Stewart has assumed his new duties at the In- lucid explanation subdued the fears of the the superintendent a duphcate key to the studio ? 9. The musician mused as he gazed at the mural paintings. 10. Seward could think of no suitable rebuke for the stupid steward. 11. After hearing the news Hubert could not be in- duced to renew the suit. 12. ' ' The stupid student at first sat mute, They saluted the duke with a tune on the lute. ' ' 164 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMElNT The Sound of oi as in oil This sound is a diphthong (a in all + i in it) Equivalent oy as in boy- Webster, oi Funk and Wagnalls, ei Phonetic Symbol, oi poi, toi, koi, boi, doi, goi oith, oiz, oil, oim, oin, oing oily oyster ointment point poison boiling moist foil voice voyage toys toiler doily noise SbJinoy anoint loiter loin 1. The oil soiled the doily. 2. Avoid speaking in a boisterous voice. 3. The spoiled boy destroyed the toys. 4. Choice coins were in the adjoining room. 5. Mrs. Boyd employed Mr. Doyle to till the soil. 6. Roy McCoy anointed the bruised finger with cool ointment. 7. The loiterer joined Floyd long after the appointed time. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 165. loyal joist goiter alio?/ ' jotnt quoit roil enjoj/ quoin royal rejoice hoist soil adjoin broil choice coyly adroit joyous coiling Floyd joined coined exploit 1. The joiner ordered the joists to be hoisted. 2. Poison soiled the point of the foil. 3. Mr. Boyce tossed the quoit into the boiler. 4. Did Joyce say boiled oysters or broiled oysters? 5. Lloyd pointed to the coin poised on the boy's finger- tip. 6. The voice outside the cloister caused her to drop the oil and the ointment. 7. Said the Crab unto the Oyster, "Do not loiter in this cloister; Join me in a voyage rare, Up into the moist salt air. ' ' "Noise and turmoil would annoy me, Toil and trouble, too, would cloy me. Should I leave this royal cloister, ' ' Adroitly rejoined the oyster. 8. "From my heart I give thee joy. I was once a barefoot boy. ' ' 166 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Substitution of Sounds 00 as in ooze for u as in use After j and r and after I preceded by a consonant u = oo as in soon. Illustrations: juice, rude, blue. poo pu, too tu, koo ku, boo bu, doo du, goo gu ooth uth, ooz uz, ool ul, oom um, oon un, oong ung Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say duke not dook moot mute doom duke who hue ooze use tool t-wne booty beauty 1. Two hundred pupils attend the new school. 2. Julia put pure water into the soup and the stew. 3. Luke continued to pursue his studies at the univer- sity. 4. Mr. Stewart gave a tube of blue paint to the poor pupil. 5. "A tutor who tooted the flute. Tried to tutor two tooters to toot: Said the two to the tutor, 'Is it easier to toot or To tutor two tooters to toot ? ' " noon news do due poor ■pure food ieud loot lute two tune EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 167 Substitution of Sounds u as in urn for oi as in oil pur poi, tur toi, kur koi, bur boi, dur doi, gur goi urth oith, urz oiz, url oil, urm oim, urn oin, urng oing Pronounce these words vertically then horizontally: Say soil not serl. earl . curl turn burly first dift kernel furl oil coil toil boil foist doit coin foil verse voice learn loin bird Boyd purrs poise burrs boys journey joiner adjourn adjoin inverse invoice 1. The gir. found a pearl in the oyster. 2. Herbert joined Mr. Boyd on Third Avenue. 3. Alberta embroidered ferns on her doily. 4. Learn, loiter, earn, and destroy are verbs. 5. Irving held the coin firmly in his soiled httle hand. 6. The boys purchased the oHve oil on First Avenue. 7. The girls learned to fry oysters and boil turnips. 8. In a firm voice Earl told the boys to unfurl the flag. 9. The toiling hermit dug the herbs from the moist earth. 168 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT The Sound of ou as in out This sound is a diphthong (a as in arm + oo as in foot) Equivalent ow as in cow Webster, ou Funk and Wagnalls, au Phonetic Symbol, au pou, tou, kou, bou, dou, gou outh, ouz, oul, oum, oun, oung out oust ounce hour ours owlet pound poiyer bough bower mouse mound bound found iowl vouch thou tou;n 1. 2. 3. powder 4. 5. bough. 6. 7. around The bower was surrounded by flowers. The wind howled around our house. Ira Townsend found a pound and six ounces of He was astounded at the amount of the account. The owl in the tower shouted to the owl on the We saw lowering clouds an hour before the shower. Loud howls came from Towser as he bounded the brow of the hill. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 169 tower rouse cowl down round cow dower sound gown now sour gout noun shower how loud chowder howl lower yowl hottnd 1. Howard Powers frowned when he found that the apple was sour. 2. At the sound of the cow-bell the plowman turned around. 3. The lady in the brown gown was caught in the shower. 4. Tabby, our big cat, crouched, then pounced upoQ the mouse. 5. At an early hour there were sounds from the fowls in the hen-house. 6. The hound ran over the ground to the mound and there found the scent. 7. From his couch in the tower the count looked upon flowering boughs and a spouting fountain. 8. ' ' Pound ! Pound ! Pound ! Pound ! That is Howard walking round. How his bootheels hit the ground!" 9. ' ' Merrily, merrily, shall I live now Under the blossom that hangs on the bough." 10. "Littered the stalls and from the mows. Raked down the herd's grass for the cows." 170 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Words Stressed on the First Syllable ancestors eczema inference Andes envoy- lo-wa admirable engine lamentable adverse excellent mischievous applicable exquisite opposite assets explicable orchestra armistice favorite orator cerebrum formidable positively- cemetery- gondola preferable champion genuine relative chastisement hospitable requisite combatant hygiene reputable conversant impious syringe deficit inventory- theater despicable integral theory- desultory- interesting vegetable disputant industry vehement 1. Is the leader of the orchestra a relative of yours? 2. The mischievous child put the syringe into the iodine. 3. Did the hospitable farmer serve excellent vegetables to his guests? 4. Our favorite anthem -was rendered in an admirable manner by the ne-w organist. 5. The carpenter thought it preferable to obtain the requisite amount of money before starting for lo-wa. EXERCISES IN THE VOWELS 171 Words Stressed on the Second Syllable acclimate divan nocturnal address enthusiasm plebeian adept estate portray annex excess pretense antipodes executive recourse appellant finance remiss autumnal giraffe remediable burlesque hotel research cadet horizon reverse calliope idea robust cement inquiry romance cognomen lyceum routine condolence maternal transact curator municipal triumphal defect museum superb demonstrative mustache umbrella 1. Pauline will address the letter of condolence. 2. The curator showed Ulysses the giraffe in the museum. 3. The vagaries of his ally made research work impos- sible. 4. The acute pain caused Eugene's robust opponent to make a grimace. 5. Professor Parnell's address in the lyceum was re- ceived with enthusiasm. 6. Upon inquiry the judge reversed his decision in favor of the appellant. PART III SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING SELECTIONS FOR READING AND MEMORIZING In these extracts do not stress the sound illustrated, but endeavor to express the author's thought. Quotations Containing the Sounds of p, b, and m 1. And that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth. — LINCOLN. 2. While I nodded nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping As if someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. — POE. 3. Round about them orchards sweep, Apple and peach tree fruited deep. — whittieb. 4. The roadside blackberries growing ripe And in the wood the Indian pipe. RICHARD STODDARD. 5. Oh, for a trap, a trap, a trap ! Just as he said this what should hap At the chamber door but a gentle tap? — "the pied piper," browning. 6. For my sport the squirrel played. Plied the snouted mole his spade. — ^whittier. 174 SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 175 7. It trips over the pebbles, It tinkles and trebles, It slides and it glides in its fetterless glee. It doubles And bubbles. It rimples And dimples, And so it goes racing adown to the sea. — CLINTON SCOLLARD. 8. "Black bough and bent twig budding out anew." 9. A beautiful behavior is better than a beautiful form. EMERSON. 10. Break, break, break. At the foot of thy crags, O sea ! But the tender grace of a day that is dead Will never come back to me. — tennyson. 11. While at our feet the voice of crystal bubbles Charms us away from all our troubles. — keats. 12. I chatter over stony ways. In little sharps and trebles, I bubble into eddying bays, I babble on the pebbles. — tennyson. 13. On the banks their clubs they buried, Buried all their warlike weapons. — "the peace-pipe," longeellow. 176 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 14. Seems, madam! Nay, it is; I know not seems. 15. Remember March, the ides of March remember. — SHAKESPEARE . 16. Down lay the Wind, and slumbered soon, Muttering low, "I've done for that Moon." — ^MCDONALD. 17. I come, I come! ye have called me long; I come o'er the mountain with hght and song. — "spring," hemans. 18. Moon on the field and the foam. Moon on the mount and the wold. Moon, bring him home ! bring him home ! 19. That orbed maiden with white fire laden Whom mortals call the moon, Glides glimmering o'er my fleece-like floor By midnight breezes strewn. — shelley. 20. My Mary's asleep by the murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream. — BURNS. 21. To-morrow '11 be of all the year the maddest, merri- est day, For I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. — tennyson. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 177 Quotations Containing the Sounds of w, wh, f, and v 1. Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. PROVERB. 2. Willful waste makes woeful want. — proverb. 3. The western wind was wild and dark wi' foam, And all alone went she. — kingsley. 4. Away with weary cares and themes ! Swing wide the moonlit gate of dreams ! Leave free once more the land which teems With wonder and romances. — whittier. 5. Water, water everywhere And all the boards did shrink, Water, water everywhere Nor, any drop, to drink. COLERIDGE. 6. When wake the violets, winter dies. — holmes. 7. From out the torrent's troubled drift Above the storm our prayers we lift. — whittier. 8. And long they fought and firm and well, And silent fought and silent fell. — ^joaqxjin miller. 9. Filled the marshes full of wild-fowl, Filled the rivers full of fishes. — LONGrELLOW. 10. Who overcomes by force, hath overcome but half his foe. MILTON. 178 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 11. By friendly deeds is friendship won. If you want a friend you must first be one. 12. Oh lift me as a wave, a leaf, a cloud ! I fall upon the thorns of life ! I bleed ! — shelley. 13. He that hath found a faithful friend hath found a treasure. — bible. 14. Oh long may it wave, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. KEY. 15. Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practise to deceive. 16. The silkworm in the dark green mulberry leaves His winding sheet and cradle ever weaves. 17. And here and there a foamy flake Upon me, as I travel. With many a silvery water break Above the golden gravel. — tennyson. 18. To them his heart, his love, his griefs were given, But all his serious thoughts had rest in heaven. — GOLDSMITH. 19. Stand ! the ground's your own, my braves ! Will ye give it up to slaves? ' Will ye look for greener graves? Hope ye mercy still? — john pieepont. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 179 Quotations Containing the Sounds of th, t, d, and n 1. Put up again thy sword into its place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. — bible: 2. He prayeth best who loveth best, All things both great and small. For the dear God who loveth us He made and loveth all. — coleeidge. 3. Life evermore is fed by death, In earth and sea and sky; And that a rose may breathe its breath, Something must die. 4. To thee of all things upon earth. Life's no longer than thy mirth. — cowley. 5. In fact there's nothing that keeps its youth So far as I know, but a tree and truth. 6. She has a world of ready wealth. Our minds and hearts to bless — Spontaneous wisdom breathed by health, Truth breathed by cheerfulness. — woedsworth. 7. Whither midst falUng dew- While glow the heavens with the last steps of day, Far through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue Thy solitary way? — beyant. 180 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Together 8. When Crew and Captain understand each other to the core, It takes a gale and more than a gale to put their ship ashore; For the one will do what the other commands, al- though they are chilled to the bone, And both together can live through weather that neither can face alone. — kipling. 9. With that he shook the gathered heath, And spread his plaid upon the wreath. — scott. 10. But come rather, thou, good weather. And find us in the fields together. — leigh hunt. 11. Don't you love to lie and listen, Listen to the rain. With its Uttle patter, patter, And its tiny clatter, clatter. And its silvery spatter, spatter, On the roof and on the pane? — CLINTON SCOLLARD. 12. For, so swiftly it flew the sight Could not follow it in its flight. — LONGrELLOw. 13. I therefore beheve it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies. — william tyler page. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 181 14. 'Tis a fearful thing in winter To be shattered by the blast, And to hear the rattling trumpet Thunder, ' ' Cut away the mast. ' ' JAMES A. FIELDS. 15. Wah-wah-taysee, little firefly, Little flitting white fire insect. Little dancing white fire creature, Light me with your little candle. — longfellow. 16. We hold these truths to be self-evident — that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happi- ness. — declaration of independence. 17. The wretched parents all that night Went shouting far and wide: But there was neither sound nor sight To serve them for a guide. — Wordsworth. 18. Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever; Do noble things, not dream them, all day long: And so make life, death, and that vast forever. One grand, sweet song. — kingslet. 19. Our band is few but true and tried, our leader frank and bold. The British soldier trembles when Marion's name is told. —BRYANT. 182 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 20. 21. 22. Breathes there the man, with soul so dead, Who never to himself hath said This is my own, my native land; Whose heart hath ne'er within, him burned. As home his footsteps he hath turned From wandering on a foreign strand? — SCOTT. Noon descends, and after noon Autumn's evening meets me soon. I love all that thou lovest. Spirit of Dehght ! The fresh Earth in new leaves dressed And the starry night: Autumn evening and the morn When the golden mists are born. 23. Man's inhumanity to man Makes countless T,housands mourn. 24. Oh many a shaft at random sent Finds mark the archer Uttle meant ! And many a word at random spoken May soothe or wound a heart that's broken. 25. If we sit down at set of sun, And count the things that we have done, And, counting, find One self-denying act, one word That eased the heart of him who heard, One glance most kind. That fell like sunshine where it went. Then we may count that day well spent. -SHELLEY. -SHELLEY. -BURNS. -SCOTT. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 183 Quotations Containing the Soxxnds of s and z 1. Who steals my purse steals trash: 'tis something, nothing ; 'Twas mine, 'tis his and has been slave to thousands. SHAKESPEARE. 2. Within the master's desk is seen, Deep scarred by raps official. — whittier. 3. Over the roofs of the pioneers Gathers the moss of a hundred years. ■ 4. And, sir, where American liberty raised its first voice, and where its youth was nurtured and sustained, there it still lives in the strength of its manhood, and full of its original spirit. — Webster. 5. In peace and in war we must spend and be spent in the endless battle for right against wrong: deeds, not words alone shall save us. ROOSEVELT. 6. Lord of the Universe ! shield us and guide us, Trusting Thee always through shadow and sun ! Thou hast united us, who shall divide us ? Keep us, O keep us the many in one ! — holmes. 7. I steal by lawns and grassy plots, I slide by hazel covers; I move the sweet forget-me-nots That grow for happy lovers. — tennyson. 184 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 8. From my wings are shaken the dews that waken The sweet buds every one, When rocked to rest on their mother's breast, As she dances about the sun. — shelley. 9. Fair dewy roses brush against our faces, And flowering laurels spring from diamond vases. KEATS. 10. O, softly on yon banks of haze Her rosy face the summer lays ! 11. They made some rude answer to the sentinel. There was a dispute or perhaps a scufile. Other soldiers heard the noise and ran hastily from the barracks to assist their comrades. — "the boston massacre," NATHANAEL HAWTHORNE. 12. Hark ! hark ! the lark at heaven's gate sings. And Phoebus 'gins arise. His steeds to water at those springs. On chaliced flowers that lies: And winking Mary-buds begin To ope their golden eyes: With everything that pretty is My lady sweet, arise; Arise, arise ! — Shakespeare. 13. It is twice blessed; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes; 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest. — Shakespeare. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 185 14. 15. 16. 17. With the sunshine on thy face, Through thy torn brim's jaunty grace. — whittier. As thus we sat in darkness, Each one busy with his prayers, "We are lost!" the captain shouted, As he staggered down the stairs. But his Uttle daughter whispered, As she took his icy hand, "Isn't God upon the ocean Just the same as on the land?" — james fields. The year's at the spring And day's at the morn; Morning's at seven; The hillside's dew pearled; The lark's on the wing; The snail's on the thorn; God's in His heaven — All's right with the world. -BROWNING. Orpheus with his lute made trees And the mountain tops that freeze Bow themselves when he did sing; To his music plants and flowers, Ever sprung as sun and showers. There had made a lasting spring. -SHAKESPEARE. 18. He who reigns within himself and rules passions, de- sires, and fears, is more than a king. — milton. 186 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Quotations Containing the Sounds of st, sh, ch, and j 1. Boughs where the thrush with crimson breast Shall haunt, and sing, and hide her nest. ' "' — BKYANT. 2. Weary wind who wanderest. Like the world's rejected guest, Hast thou still some secret nest On the tree or billow? — shelley. 3. Stay, stay at home, my heart, and rest; Home-keeping hearts are happiest. — longfellow. 4. The little toy dog is covered with dust. But sturdy and staunch he stands. — ^exjgene field. 5. Higher still and higher, from the earth thou springest Like a cloud of fire; the blue deep thou wingest. And singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest. ^SHELLEY. 6. And showed the names whom love of .God had blessed, And, lo ! Ben Adam's name led all the rest. — ■ — LEIGH HUNT. 7. With deep affection and recollection I often think of those Shannon bells. 8. A shade of sadness, a blush of shame Over the face of the leader came. — ^whittiek. 9. It shivered the window pane and sash. It rent the banner with seam and gash. — ^whittier. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 187 10. Deep in the tangled underbrush FUts the shadowy hermit thrush. —MAURICE THOMPSON. 11. Now 'tis an ocean Of clear emotion, A heaven of serene and mighty motion. 12. And folks who put me in a passion May find me pipe to another fashion. -SHELLEY. -BROWNING. 13. Charge! Chester, Charge! On, Stanley, on! SCOTT. 14. And in the corner, a revolting shape, Shivering and chattering, sat the wretched ape; It was no dream; the world he loved so much Had turned to ashes at his touch ! — longfellow. 15. Chippy, Chippy, Chirio Chippy, Chippy, Chirio Not a man in Dario Can catch a Chippy, Chippy Chirio. —burroughs. 16. Faster than fairies, faster than witches, Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches. STEVENSON. 17. And spanning the water from edge to edge A rainbow stretched like a golden bridge. — cary. 188 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Quotations Containing the Sounds of 1 and r 1. Lead, kindly Light, amid the encirchng gloom. — NEWMAN. 2. Louder, louder chant the lay, Waken lords and ladies gay ! — scott. 3. Hear the sledges with the bells — silver bells — What a world of merriment their melody foretells. POE. 4. Lovely art thou, O peace ! and lovely are thy children and lovely are the prints of thy footsteps in the green valleys. — ^athen^um. 5. The alder by the river Shakes out her powdery curls: The willow buds in silver For httle boys and girls. — celia thaxteb. 6. The splendor falls on castle walls And snowy summits old in story; The long light shakes across the lakes. And the wild cataract leaps in glory. Blow, bugle, blow, set the wild echoes flying ! Blow, bugle, answer echoes, dying, dying, dying. — TENNYSON. 7. I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills. When all at once I saw a crowd, A host of golden . daffodils. — Wordsworth. 8. Clear and cool, clear and cool. By laughing shadow and dreaming pool. CHARLES KINGSLEY. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 189 9. While the first stars twinkle, twinkle, And the little leaves crinkle, crinkle. Low as a rill Clear as a bell Down from the hill. Up from the dell. — Clinton scollakd. 10. Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight, And all the air a solemn stillness holds, Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight, And drowsy tinkhngs lull the distant folds. — gray. 11. I lived first in a little house, And lived there very well, I thought the world was small and round, And made of pale-blue shell. 12. Great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats. Brown rats, black rats, gray rats, tawny rats. — BROWNING. 13. It was just a very Merry fairy dream ! All the woods airy With the gloom and the gleam; Crickets in the clover Clattered clear and strong; And the bees droned over Their old honey-song. — ^J. w. riley. 190 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 14. I murmur under moon and stars In brambly wildernesses; I linger by my shingly bars ; I loiter round my cresses. — tennyson. 15. Heaped in the hollow of the grove, the autumn leaves lie dead; They rustle to the eddying gust and to the rabbit's tread; The robin and the wren are flown, and from the shrubs the jay, And from the wood-top calls the crow through all the gloomy day. 16. Each purple peak, each flinty spire Was bathed in floods of living fire. — scott. 17. A breeze comes whispering in our ear, That dandelions are blossoming near. — lowell. 18. Run, little rivulet, run ! Carry the perfume you won From the lily, that woke when the morning was gray. To the white waiting moonbeam awake on the bay; Run, little rivulet, run ! — lucy larcom. 19. The red-top clover here, and the white-whorled daisy there. And the bloom of the wilding brier that attars the upland air. — clinton scollaed. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 191 Quotations Containing the Sounds of k and g 1. Bobolink He is here Spink-a-chink ! — clinton scollard. 2. Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick. 3. He spoke not a word but went straight to his work And filled all the stockings and turned with a jerk. — CLEMENT CLARK MOORE. 4. And bright where summer breezes break. The green wheat crinkles like a lake. TROWBRIDGE. 5. Robert of Lincoln is gayly dressed, Wearing a bright black wedding coat; White are his shoulders, and white his crest, Hear him call in his merry note, Bob-o-link, bob-o-link, Spink, spank, spink. — bryant. 6. Still the same magical tink, tink, tink came gayly from the workshop of the Golden Key. — DICKENS. 7. Crack ! crack ! begins the hemlock branch. Snap ! snap ! the chestnut stick; And up the wide old chimney now The sparks are flying thick. — "song of the kettle." 8. But ere his fleet career he took. The dew-drops from his flanks he shook. — scott. 192 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 9. Plunged in the battery smoke, Right thro' the Una they broke. — tennyson. 10. How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, in the icy air of night ! While the stars that oversprinkle All the heavens seem to twinkle with a crystalline delight. — POE. 11. Away to the hills, to the caves, to the rocks; Ere I own a usurper, I'll couch with the fox. SCOTT. 12. For eschewing books and tasks Nature answers all he asks; Hand in hand with her he walks. Face to face with her he talks. — ^whittier. 13. A giddy, giggling girl, her kinsfolks plague, Her manner vulgar, and her converse vague. 14. The gay green grass comes creeping, So soft beneath their feet; The frogs begin to ripple, A music clear and sweet. — celia thaxter. 15. Do men gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles ? 16. Pray the gods to intermit the plague That needs must light on this ingratitude. SHAKESPEARE. 1. 4. 5. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING Quotations Containing the Sounds of ng and h Like a peal of broken bells — Kling, klang, kling, — Par and high the wild geese cry- Spring ! It is spring ! 193 — CELIA THAXTER. The oldest and youngest Are at work with the strongest; The cattle are grazing, Their heads never raising. There are forty feeding like one. — ■WORDSWORTH. Springlets in the dawn are steaming, Diamonds on the brake are gleaming. — scott. Some are laughing, some are weeping; She is sleeping, only sleeping. Round her rest wild flowers are creeping; There the wind is heaping, heaping, Sweetest sweets of summer's keeping. There was a rustling that seemed like a bustling Of merry crowds justling at pitching and hustling; Small feet were pattering, wooden shoes clattering, Little hands clapping, and little tongues chattering. And like fowls in a barnyard, when barley is scat- tering. Out came the children running. — browning. 194 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 6. In an attitude imploring, Hands upon his bosom crossed, Wondering, worshiping, adoring, Knelt the monk in rapture lost. 7. Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing. Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. — fob. 8. Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail UnwUlingly to school. — shakespeake. 9. Bobolink, Linger long ! There's a kink In your song. — clinton scollard. 10. And shining and twining, and rattUng and battling And shaking and quaking, and pouring and roaring. And waving and raving, and tossing and crossing. And flowing and going, and running and stunning, And foaming and roaming, and dinning and spinning. And dropping and hopping, and working and jerking. And guggling and strugghng, and heaving and cleav- ing, And moaning and groaning. The Cataract of Ladore. — sotjthey. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 195 11. Ko-ling, ko-lang, kolinglelingle Way down the darkening dingle The cows are coming home. — agnes e. Mitchell. 12. My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here; My heart's in the Highlands achasing the deer. — BTJKNS. 13. Hence: home, you idle creatures; get you home. 14. O horrible ! O horrible ! most horrible. ' ' HAMLET. ' ' 15. His hair is crisp, and black, and long. His face is like the tan; His brow is wet with honest sw^at, He earns whate'er he can. — longfellow. 16. And loyal hearts are beating high; Hats off ! The flag is passing by ! — henry holcom bennett. 17. Hark ! Hark ! what sound on the wind is borne? 'Tis the conquering voice of the hunter's horn ! The horn ! the horn ! The merry, bold voice of the hunter's horn. — BARRY CORNWALL. 18. Hounds are in their couples yelling. Hawks are whistling, horns are knelUng. — "hunting song," SCOTT. 19. Hark ! hark ! the lark at heaven's gate sings. 20. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 196 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT Quotations Containing the Sound of i in it, e in end, and a in at 1. She leaned far out on the window-sill And shook it forth with a royal will. — ^whittiee. 2. A primrose by the river's brim A yellow primrose was to him, And it was nothing more. — ^woedsworth. 3. Now men of death, work forth your will, For I can suffer and be still. — scott. 4. The war pipes ceased; but lake and hill Were busy with their echoes still. 5. I wonder what spendthrift chose to spill Such bright gold under my window sill ! Is it fairy gold? Does it glitter still? Bless me, it is but a daffodil. — celia thaxter. 6. With thy red hp, redder still. Kissed by strawberries on the hill. — ^whittier. 7. Fib, and Tib, and Pinck, and Pin, Tick, and Quick, and Jill, and Jin, Tit, and Nit, and Wap, and Win, The train that wait upon her. — "queen mab." 8. The day is cold and dark and dreary, It rains and the wind is never weary. — LONGFELLOW. 9. Think before you speak; pronounce not imperfectly, nor bring out your words too hastily, but orderly and distinctly. — ^Washington's rules of behavior. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 197 10. Only reapers, reaping early In among the bearded barley, Hear a song that echoes cheerly From the river winding clearly, Down to tower'd Camelot. — tennyson. 11. On the crossbeam under the Old South bell, The nest of a pigeon is builded well. 12. I sate beside a sage's bed. And the lamp was burning red. Near the book where he had fed. — shelley. 13. And laid her head on the strawberry bed, To hear what the red-cheeked berries said. 14. A little nonsense now and then Is relished by the wisest men. — anonymous. 15. Lord, God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget, lest we forget. — kipling. 16. How the tortoise bears its shell. How the woodchuck digs his cell And the ground mole sinks his well. — whittier. 17. Behind shut the postern, the Ughts sank to rest. And into the midnight we galloped abreast. — BEOWNING. 18. Pleasures are like poppies spread. You seize the flow'r, its bloom is shed; Or like the snow-falls in the river, A moment white — then melts forever. — btxrns. 198 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 19. The owl awakens from her dell, The fox is heard upon the fell. — scott. 20. But the straw rustled as he turned his head, There were the cap and bells beside his bed. "king ROBERT OF SICILY," LONGFELLOW. 21. He clasps the crag with crooked hands; Close to the sun in lonely lands, Ring'd with the azure world, he stands. TENNYSON. 22. I sprang to the stirrup, and Joris and he, I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three. BROWNING. 23. I know it is a sin For me to sit and grin At him here; But the old three-cornered hat And the breeches and all that Are so queer. — holmes. 24. In the furrowed land The toilsome and patient oxen stand. 25. Joy ! Joy ! see Freedom lead her bands Through western wilds, o'er desert lands. 26. Last scene of all That ends this strange, eventful history. Is second childishness and mere oblivion; Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. — SHAKESPEARE. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 199 Sounds of o in odd, u in up, and oo in foot 1. He had caught the nodding bukush tops, And hung them thickly with diamond drops. LOWELL. 2. Now in humbler, happier lot This is all remembered not. ■ — shelley. 3. How strange it seems with so much gone Of life and love, to still live on. — ^whittier. 4. So while the poet stood in this sweet spot. Some fainter glimmerings o'er his fancy shot. — KEATS. 5. Sometimes goldfinches one by one will drop From low-hung branches; little space they stop. KEATS. 6. And doubly dying shall go down To the vile dust from whence he sprung, Unwept, unhonored and unsung. — scott. 7. For freedom's battle once begun, Bequeathed by bleeding sire to son, Though baffled oft, is ever won. — byron. 8. Our spoil is won, Our task is done. We are free to dive, or soar, or run. 9. Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just, And this be our motto, "In God is our trust." — FRANCIS SCOTT KEY. 10. I love the brook, and love Cloud ships floating from above. — CLINTON SCOLLARD. 200 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 11. The swarming insects drone and hum, The partridge beats his throbbing drum. — TROWBKIDGE. 12. The woodland rings with laugh and shout, as if a hunt were up. And woodland flowers are gathered to crown the soldier's cup. — bryant. 13. There is no friend so faithful as a good book. There is no worse robber than a bad book. ITALIAN PROVERB. 14. And with a child's undoubting wisdom look. On all those pages of God's book. — lowell. 15. Where are the flowers, the fair young flowers, that lately sprang and stood In brighter Ught and softer airs, a beauteous sister- hood? 16. "How," cried the mayor, "d'ye think I'll brook Being worse treated than a cook ? ' ' — browning. 17. Seekest thou for bliss? Lo ! here it is — In a quiet nook. With well-loved book. 18. Rose up where sty and corn crib stood Or garden wall or belt of wood. — whittier. 19. Then Roderick with impatient look From Brian's hand the symbol took. — scott. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 201 Quotations Containing the Sounds of a in arm, o in orb, e in eve, and oo in moon 1. O Nightingale ! thou surely art A creature of a fiery heart ! — ^Wordsworth. 2. Two men look out through the same bars; One sees the mud and one the stars. 3. And we sail on away, afar, Without a course, without a star. — shelley. 4. There are maidens in Scotland more lovely by far, That would gladly be bride to young Lochinvar. — SCOTT. 5. Your call was like a winged car, Driven on whirlwinds fast and far. 6. Have ye leisure, comfort, cahn, Shelter, food, love's gentle balm? — shelley. 7. And evermore its clustered stars Are pledge of broken prison-bars. —"our flag," MARGARET SANGSTER. 8. Once more: speak clearly if you speak at all; Carve every word before you let it fall: Don't hke a lecturer or dramatic star, Try overhard to roll the British R. — ^holmes. Thy fate is the common fate of all, Into each life some rain must fall. Some days must be dark and dreary. -LONGFELLOW. 202 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 10. Mourning when their leaders fall, Warriors carry the warrior's pall, And sorrow darkens hamlet and hall. — tenntson. 11. It whispered to the fields of corn, "Bow down, and greet the coming morn." — LONGFELLOW. 12. At eve cool shadows fall Across the garden wall. — G. Arnold. 13. The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls; He watches from his mountain walls, And like a thunderbolt he falls. — tenntson. 14. Hark, hark ! Who calleth the maiden Morn, From her sleep in the woods and the stubble corn? The horn ! the horn ! The merry sweet notes of the hunter's horn. — Barry Cornwall. 15. All things bright and beautiful. All creatures great and small. All things wise and wonderful The Lord God made them all. CECIL F. ALEXANDER. 16. What though in solenm silence all Move round the dark terrestrial ball? — ^JOSEPH ADDISON. 17. Oh rose, out of the heart of brier and thorn. All thy sweet loveKness was born. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 203 18. Here are cool mosses deep, And through the moss the ivies creep, And in the stream the long-leaved flowers weep, And from the craggy ledge the poppy hangs in sleep. TENNYSON. 19. There oft as mild evening sweepfe over the lea, The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me. BURNS. 20. The anchor heaves ! The ship is free ! Our sails swell full ! To sea ! To sea ! 21. Thought is deeper than all speech; Feeling deeper than all thought; Souls to souls can never teach What unto themselves was taught. C. p. CEANCH. 22. Waking or asleep Thou of death must deem Things more true and deep Than we mortals dream, Or how could thy notes flow In such a crystal stream? ■ — shelley. 23. Like the leaves of the forest when summer is green, That host with their banners at sunset was seen. BYRON. 24. The fisher is out on the sunny sea. And the reindeer bounds o'er the pastures free. And the pine has a fringe of softer green. And the moss looks bright where my step hath been. HEMANS. 204 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 25. Round yon snowy house, greenwoods dream: 'Twixt the giant boughs moonbeams stream. 26. The sea ! the sea ! the open sea ! The blue, the fresh, the ever free. , BARRY CORNWALL. 27. Keep thou my feet: I do not ask to see The distant scene — one step enough for me. — NEWMAN. 28. Singing the bridal of sap. and shoot, The tree's slow life between root and fruit. 29. The glory has passed from the goldenrod's plume; The purple-hued aster still lingers in bloom. HOLMES. 30. Health that mocks the doctor's rules. Knowledge never learned in schools. — whittier. 31. Beautiful hands are they that do Work that is earnest, brave, and true. Moment by moment the whole day through. 32. She left the web, she left the loom. She made three paces thro' the room. She saw the water hly bloom. She saw the helmet and the plume. — tennyson. 33. And, darkly circled, gave at noon A sadder hght than waning naoon. — ^whittier. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 205 Quotations Containing the Sounds of e in there, u in um, a in ate, and o in oak 1. Come, swallows, and stir the air, For the buds are bursting unaware. — gosse. 2. Oft to his frozen lair Tracked I the grizzly bear, While from my path the hare Fled like a shadow. — Longfellow. 3. Lithe squirrels darted here and there, And wild birds filled the echoing air With songs of liberty. 4. Beautiful faces are those that wear — It matters little if dark or fair — Whole-souled honesty printed there. 5. thou child of many prayers, Life hath quicksands, life hath snares. Care and age come unawares. 6. Her eyes like stars of twilight fair, Like twiUght, too, her dusky hair. — ^wordsworth. 7. Its webs of living gauze no more unfurl — Wrecked is the ship of pearl ! — holmes. 8. Bards of passion and of mirth. Ye have left your souls on earth ! — keats. 206 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 9. Boys flying kites haul in their white-winged birds; You can't do that when you're flying words. 10. Earth-day or birth-da,y — Which the true mirth-day? Birth-day or earth-day — Which the well-worth-day? 11. There the river eddjr whirls And there the surly village churls And the red cloaks of market girls, Pass onward from Shalott. — tennyson. 12. Ye may trace my steps o'er the waking earth, By the winds which tell of the violet's birth. 13. Below they lie, their sails are furled. The ships that go about the world. — stoddard. 14. Beautiful lips are those whose words Leap from the heart like the songs of birds, Yet whose utterance prudence girds. 15. Wind of the sea, sweep over the bay, And bear me away ! away ! — ^riley; 16. The sun that brief December day. Rose cheerless over hiUs of gray. — whittier. 17. But ere he ahghted at Netherby gate. The bride had consented, the gallant came late. SCOTT. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 207 18. Sweet Auburn ! loveliest village of the plain, Where health and plenty cheered the laboring swain, Where smiUng spring its earliest visit paid And parting summer's lingering blooms delayed. GOLDSMITH. 19. And at the closing of the day She loosed the chain, and down she lay; The broad stream bore her far away, The Lady of Shalott. — tennyson. 20. Set all things in their own peculiar place. And know that order is the greatest grace. DRYDEN. 21. Blow high, blow low; not all thy snow Can quench our hearth fire's ruddy glow. -WHITTIEK. 22. O'er the high and o'er the lowly. Floats our banner bright and holy. — schiller. 23. What way does the wind come? What way does he go ? He rides over the water and over the snow» 24. Only a brave old maple Shorn of its scarlet and gold, And traced in the scroll of sunset As a handwriting black and bold. 25. Open afresh your round of starry folds. Ye ardent marigolds. — keats. 208 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 26. Not blither is the mountaui roe: With many a wanton stroke Her feet dispersed the powdery snow, That rises up like smoke. — ^wokdsworth. 27. Through every hollow cave and valley lone, Round and round the spicy downs the yellow Lotos-dust is blown. — tennyson. 28. Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul, As the swift seasons roll ! Leave thy low vaulted past ! Let each new temple nobler than the last Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, Till at length thou art free. Leaving thine outgrown shell by Ufe's unresting sea. HOLMES. 29. Oh velvet Bee ! you're a dusty fellow — ■ You've powdered your legs with gold. Oh brave marsh marybuds rich and yellow. Give me your blossoms to hold. — jean ingelow. 30. Our echoes roll from soul to soul, And grow forever and forever. — tennyson. 31. Wilt thou not ope thy heart to know What raiabows teach, and sunsets show ! — EMERSON. 32. ■ — and all in a moment his roan Rolled neck and croup over, lay dead as a stone. —BROWNING. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 209 Quotations Containing the Sounds of i as in ice, u as in use, oi as in oil, and ou as in out 1. On either side of the river he Long' fields of barley and of rye. 2. 3. 4. 6. TENNYSON. Strike — till the last armed foe expires; Strike — for your altars and your fires; Strike — for the green graves of your sires, God, and your native land. Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright, The bridal of the earth and sky, The dew shall weep thy fall to-night, For thou must die. Where the bee sucks, there suck I: In a cowslip's bell I lie; There I couch when owls do cry. -HALLECK. I hear the cry Of their voices high Falling dreamily through the sky. Music that gentler on the spirit lies Than tired eyelids on tired eyes. -SHAKESPEARE. -LONGFELLOW. -TENNYSON. A mighty wind went raging by — It was a wondrous sight — Stout trees bent down their branches high, Dark clouds of dust wheeled through the sky, And naught around me could I spy But trophies of its might. 210 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPEOVEMENT 8. And the brave foemen side by side Lay peaceful down like brothers tried, And slept until the dawning beam Purpled the mountain and the stream. — scott. 9. A man severe he was and stern to view, I knew him well and every truant knew. GOLDSMITH. 10. He spoke of wrongs too long endured, Of sacred rights to be secured. 11. Like a glow-worm golden In a deU of dew. Scattering unbeholden Its aerial hue Among flowers and grass, which screen it from the view. SHELLEY. 12. The union of lakes, the union of lands. The union of States none can sever; The union of hearts, the union of hands. And the flag of the union forever. GEORGE p. MORRIS. 13. And flowers put forth a fairer hue. And everything was strange and new. ^ — BROWNING. 14. Year after year beheld the silent toil That spread his lustrous coil ! Still as the spiral grew. He left the past year's dwelling for the new. HOLMES. SELECTIONS FOR MEMORIZING 211 15. Then sweet the hour that brings release from labor and from toil; We talk the battle over and share the battle's spoU. BRYANT. 16. Has there any old fellow got mixed up with the boys? If there has take him out without making a noise. HOLMES. 17. All the world I saw or knew Seemed a complex Chinese toy Fashioned for a barefoot boy. — ^whittier. 18. Oh blithe newcomer ! I have heard, I hear thee and rejoice: cuckoo ! shall I caU thee bird ? Or but a wandering voice? — ^Wordsworth. 19. The holy silence is His voice ! 1 lie and listen, and rejoice. — Trowbridge. 20. Thou, child of joy, Shout round me; let me hear thy shouts. Thou happy shepherd boy ! — Wordsworth. 21. A paradise of vaulted bowers. Lit by downward gazing flowers. — shelley. 22. Till Uke one in slumber bound, Borne to ocean, I float down, around, Into a sea profound of everlasting sound. — SHELLEY. 212 FIRST LESSONS IN SPEECH IMPROVEMENT 23. Let the loud trumpet sound, Till the rocks all around The shrill echoes rebound. 24. It shouted through the beKrey tower "Awake, O bell! proclaim the hour." —LONGFELLOW. 25. Nothing is lost in this world of ours; Honey comes from the idle flowers. 26. Our clocks are the flowers; and they count the hours Till we can mellow in sun and showers. 27. From winding glen, from upland brown, They poured each hardy tenant down. — scott. 28. I have breathed on the South and the chestnut flowers. By the thousands have burst from the forest bowers. — BEMANS. 29. Our hearts, our hopes are all with thee: Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears. Our faith triumphant o'er our fears, 4re all with thee, are all with thee. — Longfellow.