Spelling the sound [
]
The spelling of a sound may be influenced by several factors:
•
syllable structure:
open
or
closed
•
environment
•
the position of the sound within a word: initial, middle, final
•
a combination of two or more of the above
Conversely, how letters and letter groupings are pronounced may depend on different
factors:
•
syllable structure:
open
or
closed
•
environment
•
the position of the letter within a word: initial, middle, final
•
a combination of two or more of the above
For the sound [
] , spelling is based on position and environment
How to spell it?
The sound [
] can be represented by the following letters:
•
"n", in initial or middle position
nous, amener
•
"nn" in middle position
année
•
"mn" in a few words:
automne, damner
Remember that the sound [
] can never be represented by the combination of
a vowel and the letter n in a final position or when followed by a consonant.
In that case, this letter combination is pronounced as a nasal vowel:
pain, ton, bien
plaindre, fonte