Words That Begin with Soft "C"
Have you ever wondered why some words that start with "c" sound like "s", while others have a hard "k" sound? This is because of the phenomenon called "soft c" and "hard c". In this article, we'll delve into the world of words that begin with the soft "c" sound.
What Makes a "C" Soft?
The "c" sound is influenced by the vowel that follows it. If a "c" is followed by the letters "i," "e," or "y," it usually produces a soft "s" sound. Let's look at some examples:
- City: The "c" is followed by "i" and makes a soft "s" sound.
- Cent: The "c" is followed by "e" and makes a soft "s" sound.
- Cycle: The "c" is followed by "y" and makes a soft "s" sound.
Common Words With Soft "C"
There are numerous words in the English language that begin with the soft "c" sound. Here are a few examples:
Common Words:
- Ceiling
- Certain
- Celebrate
- Celery
- Center
- Century
- Circle
- Cinema
- City
- Civilization
- Clam
- Clean
- Clever
- Climate
- Clock
- Close
- Cloud
- Clown
- Coat
- Cold
- College
- Color
- Come
- Comfort
- Common
- Concert
- Conclusion
- Condition
- Confident
- Congress
- Connect
- Control
- Cook
- Cool
- Copy
- Correct
- Cost
- Cotton
- Count
- Country
- Couple
- Course
- Court
- Cover
- Crack
- Create
- Credit
- Cry
- Culture
- Cute
Words Related to specific areas:
- Chemistry: The "c" is followed by "i" and makes a soft "s" sound.
- Circuit: The "c" is followed by "i" and makes a soft "s" sound.
- Cylinder: The "c" is followed by "y" and makes a soft "s" sound.
Words with Double "C"
Even when a word has double "c", it may still have the soft "c" sound if the letters are followed by "i," "e," or "y."
- Ice Cream: The double "c" in "cream" still makes the soft "s" sound.
How to Remember?
It's easy to remember the soft "c" rule. Think of the words "ice," "eat," and "eye." These vowels trigger the soft "c" sound.
"C" Sound Exceptions
There are some exceptions to the "c" sound rule. For instance, in the word "cell," the "c" has a hard "k" sound, even though it's followed by "e." This is because of the "l" following the "e."
Another exception is the word "circus," where the "c" is followed by "i" but makes a hard "k" sound.
Conclusion
Understanding the rules of the "c" sound is essential for accurate spelling and pronunciation in the English language. Remember, the soft "c" sound is usually triggered by the vowels "i," "e," and "y," while the hard "c" sound is usually triggered by the other vowels.