Exercise 1-19: Spelling and Numbers CD 1 Track 28
Just as there is stress in words or phrases, there is intonation in spelling and numbers. Americans seem to spell things out much more than other people. In any bureaucratic situation, you'll be asked to spell names and give all kinds of numbers—your phone number, your birth date, and so on. There is a distinct stress and rhythm pattern to both spelling and numbers—usually in groups of three or four letters or numbers, with the stress falling on the last member of the group. Acronyms (phrases that are represented by the first letter of each word) and initials are usually stressed on the last letter. Just listen to the words as I say them, then repeat the spelling after me.
Acronym Pronunciation
IBM Eye Bee Em MIT Em Eye Tee Ph.D. Pee Aitch Dee MBA Em Bee εi LA Eh Lay IQ Eye Kyu RSVP Are Ess Vee Pee TV Tee Vee USA You Ess εi ASAP εi Ess εi Pee CIA See Eye εi FBI Eff Bee Eye USMC You Ess Em See COD See Oh Dee SOS Ess Oh Ess X,Y, Z Ex, Why, Zee
Spelling Pronunciation
Box Bee Oh Ex Cook See Oh Oh Kay Wilson Dubba You Eye El, Ess Oh En
Numbers Pronunciation
Area Code 213 Zip Code 94708 Date 9/6/62 Phone Number 555-9132
