Say That Again, But Write It Not !

[Canary42]

I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough.
Others may stumble, but not you
On hiccough thorough, slough, and through
Well done ! And now you wish, perhaps
To learn of less familair traps

Beware of heard, a dreadful word
That looks like beard and sounds like bird
And dead: it's said like bed, not bead;
For goodness sake, don't call it deed !
Watch out for meat and great and threat,
(they rhyme with suite and straight and debt)
A moth is not a moth in mother.
Nor both in bother, broth in brother

And here is not a match for there,
Nor dear and fear for bear and pear.
And then there's dose and rose and lose
Just look them up - and goose and choose.
And cork and work and card and ward
And font and front and word and sword.
And do and go, then wart and cart
Come come, I've hardly made a start.

A dreadful language ? Why, man alive !
I'd mastered it when I was five !
And yet to write it, the more I try,
I'll not learn how 'til the day I die.
(Anon)

[penelope2]

Excellent.

[Tilly2]

canary, I use to use that poem a lot when I taught. It's called 'Hints on Pronunciation for Foreigners'. You have missed out a verse.

I love it. Reading it aloud, without making any mistakes, is a good challenge for children.

[Tilly2]

I used to^

[Psybbo]

Thank you Canary

[Tilly2]

I'm sorry, canary. I , too, should have said, 'Thank you.' It was a nice reminder for me.

(Chastened by Sibs!)

[Psybbo]

Hey that wasn't my intention, Tilly. I wanted to say something apposite but too tired, xx

[Tilly2]

I know it wasn't your intention, Sibs, but It made me think. x