Sound: Final Consonants
Pronounce the last consonant clearly.
Examples
- bed vs bet
- back vs bag
Key rules
- Pronounce the final consonant clearly in English, because dropping it can change the word
- Pairs such as bed/bet and back/bag differ only in the final consonant
- Voiced final consonants are often shorter in speech
Common mistakes
- bed pronounced /bet/ → Say /bed/ with the final d voiced
- back pronounced /bæɡ/ → Say /bæk/ with a clear final k
Use cases
- Speaking clearly
- Pronouncing past tense verbs
- Reading aloud
💡 Tip: Say the word and let the final sound stop your voice clearly before the next word.