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The names of some of the numbers in English can cause some confusion. The number 1 is spelled 'one' and is pronounced like 'wun' but there is no such word. gun, sun, fun, bun and run rhyme with 1 (one) and with ton (2000 pounds) and won (was victorious in a fight or contest). How did 'one' come to be pronounced 'wun'? I don't know. Next is the number 2, spelled 'two' and pronounced tu. 'To' and 'do' are also pronounced as if they were spelled tu and du, but 'go' and 'so' are pronounced with a Long O sound. How is a person to know how to pronounce or spell such words? Practice, practice, practice. Then there is the number 4, spelled 'four' and pronounced the same as fore and for. The number 8 is spelled 'eight' (pronounced 'ate') which puts it in the same family as 'weight' and 'freight' (words that rhyme with wait and crate). |
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