Question

When the letter c is followed by a, o, or u, it spells its hard sound, ____ , as in cake, cut, and cook.

A) /s/
B) /k/
C) /tʃ/
D) /g/

Answer 1

The letter c spells the hard sound /k/ when it's followed by a, o, or u, as in words like cake, cut, and cook. The correct option representing this hard sound is B) /k/.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the letter c is followed by a, o, or u, it spells its hard sound, which is /k/, as in cake, cut, and cook. This contrasts with the soft sound /s/, which occurs when the letter c is followed by e, i, or y. Understanding the pronunciation of c is essential for correct English phonetics.

Correct pronunciation is determined by the letter that follows c. If c comes before a, o, or u, we say the hard sound /k/. For instance, words like cat, cop, and cup have the hard c sound. On the other hand, with words like cent, civic, and cyclone, where c is followed by e, i, or y, the soft sound /s/ is used. Therefore, the correct option that represents the hard sound of c when followed by a, o, or u is B) /k/.