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French loanwords

English absorbed thousands of French words and kept their spelling while approximating their sound, so final consonants are usually silent: rendezvous, faux pas, buffet. Stress typically lands on the last syllable, the opposite of native English habit. Watch for the silent endings.


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The words

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Keep practising

Browse every practice list or the word index, hear two accents back to back on Compare, or test your ear with the listening quiz.

To read the rules behind these words, see the pronunciation guides — including silent letters, word stress and American vs British. Or hear each accent on its own page: American, British, Australian.