5 exercises on the hard and soft sounds of the letters c and g.
0 / 5 completed
1 / 5
In "cache" the letter "c" gives which sound, and how is the whole word pronounced?
In cache the "c" is the hard /k/, and the whole word is pronounced "cash" /kæʃ/ — one syllable, exactly like money "cash." The final "e" is silent. So "clear the cash," "a cash hit." Do not say "cash-ay" (no French final vowel) or "kaysh." The hard c before "a" is the default; "cache" comes from French but in English tech speech it is simply "cash."
2 / 5
How does the "g" behave in "regex," and what are the accepted pronunciations?
regex (short for "regular expression") has two accepted pronunciations: hard g "REG-ex" /ˈrɛɡɛks/ (because "regular" has a hard g) and soft g "REJ-ex" /ˈrɛdʒɛks/. Both are widely used and understood; the hard-g form is often preferred since the source word "regular" uses a hard g. Stress is on the first syllable either way. Do not stress the second syllable. This is a classic hard-vs-soft-g debate in tech.
3 / 5
In "GIF" (the image format), what does the creator say about the "g," and what is the common pronunciation?
GIF is famously debated. The format's creator (Steve Wilhite) intended the soft g "jif" /dʒɪf/, but the hard g "gif" /ɡɪf/ is far more common in everyday use because the source word "graphics" has a hard g. Both are widely understood. It stands for "Graphics Interchange Format." Either "gif" or "jif" will be understood; just pick one and be consistent. Spelling out "G-I-F" is rare.
4 / 5
In "char" (the data type), what is the standard pronunciation given that "c" is hard here?
The data type char (short for "character") is commonly pronounced "care" /kɛər/ — like the first syllable of "character," with a hard /k/. The variant "char" /tʃɑːr/ (rhyming with "car," like burnt "char") is also widely heard. So "a care array" or "a char array." Both are accepted; "care" follows the parent word "character," while "char" reads the letters literally. Avoid "shar" (the "ch" is not /ʃ/ here).
5 / 5
The letter "c" before e, i, or y is usually "soft" /s/. Which word shows this soft c?
The letter "c" is soft /s/ before e, i, or y, and hard /k/ before a, o, u, or a consonant. "cell" (a spreadsheet cell) has a soft c — said "sell" /sɛl/ — because "c" comes before "e." By contrast "cookie" /ˈkʊki/, "compile" /kəmˈpaɪl/, and "cast" /kæst/ all have a HARD c /k/ because the next letter is o, o, and a respectively. This rule explains why "cache" (c+a) is hard "cash" but "cell" (c+e) is soft "sell."