Consonant Clusters

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beginning with voiceless alveolar fricative---- / s /

056---------sp (final) -------clasp, crisp, gasp, lisp, wasp

057---------st (final) -------chased, first, pursed-------* note rules for deletion of / t /

058---------sts (final) ------thirsts

059---------sk (final) -------ask, desk, dusk, risk-------or /sks/ (final) for plurals-------asks desks risks


/ m / / p / / b / / f / / v / / θ / / ð / / n / / t / / d /
/ s / / z / / l / / ʧ / / ʤ / / ʃ / / ʒ / / ŋ / / k / / g /

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Paste words containing consonant clusters into the search engine
of The British National Corpus [opens search engine window ].

/ *sp / -------asp cusp galliwasp handclasp lisp tsp wisp clasp enclasp gasp hasp rasp unclasp crisp esp grasp insp tbsp wasp

/ *st / -------Note that voiceless / s / is followed by voiceless / t / abased abscessed accessed accursed addressed amassed appressed aspersed assessed based biased biassed blessed bossed brassed burnoused bused bussed buttressed bypassed canvassed caressed cased ceased censed chased chassed chorused classed coinpassed collapsed condensed confessed conversed convulsed cornpressed coursed coversed creased crisscrossed crossed cursed cussed debased deceased declassed decompressed decreased degassed degreased deloused depressed digressed disbursed discoursed discussed disembarrassed dismissed dispensed dispersed dispossessed distressed dosed dossed doused dowsed dressed eclipsed elapsed embarrassed embossed embussed emersed encased enchased encompassed endorsed expressed finessed immersed impressed incased incensed increased indorsed intercrossed jessed kissed lapsed leased licensed loosed loused massed messed misaddressed missed mortised moused mussed nonplussed nonprossed noosed nursed obsessed oppressed outclassed outcrossed outgassed outguessed overdosed overdressed overimpressed passed possed possessed practised preaddressed preblessed precessed predeceased premised prepossessed pressed prestressed processed professed progressed prolapsed promised pulsed purchased purposed pursed engrossed readdressed reassessed recessed recompensed recrossed reexpressed redressed refocused refocussed reglossed regressed reharnessed rehearsed rehoused reimbursed relapsed released relicensed repassed repossessed repressed reprocessed repulsed repurchased retrogressed reversed rinsed sensed showcased soused stressed subleased submersed succussed surpassed teargassed tensed tossed traipsed traversed trespassed tressed trussed uantised unaddressed unassessed unbiased unblessed unconfessed uncrossed underassessed underdressed underleased undiffused undisbursed undistressed undressed unembarrassed unendorsed unexpressed unharnessed unhorsed unimpressed unindorsed unkissed unleased unlicensed unloosed unoppressed unpossessed unpractised unpressed unprocessed unprofessed unrecompensed unredressed unrehearsed.

/ *st / -------abiogenist abortionist abstentionist accompanyist accurst activist adventist aerobiologist aftermost aghast agriculturalist agronomist airpost alchemist alienist allodialist alodialist ablest abreast abstractionist accordionist achiest acupuncturist adventurist aerologist against agist agriculturist agrostologist airworthiest algebraist allegorist allopathist alpinist abolitionist absolutist accompanist accost acroblast adjust aerialist afforest ageist agonist agrobiologist airiest alarmist algologist allergist almost altruist bacteriologist baldest balloonist banjoist barmiest bast beadiest beast beefiest belfast bendiest biblicist bicyclist bimetallist biologist bioscientist bitterest baggiest balkiest balmiest baptist bassist battiest beakiest beastliest behaviourist belletrist bequest bibliopolist bigamist biocatalyst bionomist birchist bittiest bahaist ballast balneologist barest bassoonist bawdiest beanfeast bedpost behest bellicist best bicameralist biggest biochemist biophysicist bitchiest blackest blacklist blast bleariest blithest bloodtest blotchiest blowziest blurriest boldest boniest booklist boskiest botchiest brahmanist brambliest brassiest brawniest blandest blastocyst blest blondest bloodthirstiest blowiest bluest boast bolshevist bonist boost bossiest bottommost brahminist brashest bratwurst breakfast blankest bleakest blindest bloodiest bloomiest blowsiest bluntest boggiest bombast bonniest booziest botanist bounciest brainiest brashiest bravest breast ecclesiast ecologist economist edgiest educationist egoist eldest electrometallurgist elitist emancipist empathist enamellist encyst endocrinologist endoplast enthusiast entrust ecclesiologist ecomiast ectoblast editorialist eeriest egotist electrochemist electrophysiologist elocutionist embryologist empiricist encrust endmost endocyst endoscopist entoblast entryst ecdysiast econometrist ectocyst educationalist egest egyptologist electrologist electrotherapist emancipationist emotionalist emptiest encyclopedist endoblast endodontist enlist entomologist environmentalist exobiologist expansionist externalist fabulist faddist falangist fantast fascist fatalist faultiest feast feistiest fetishist fibroblast fideist filmiest finest exodontist experimentalist extortionist factionalist faintest fanciest farthermost fast fattest faust federalist feminist feudalist fictionist fiercest filthiest finniest exorcist expressionist extremist factualist fairest fantasist farthest fastest fattiest fauvist feeblest fencepost fewest fiddliest fieriest finalist firmest geodynamicist geophysicist gerontologist ghostliest glacialist glassiest glitziest glossiest glummest goldcrest goofiest goriest gradualist grammatologist grassiest greatest greyest geologist geoscientist ghastliest giddiest glaciologist gleamiest gloomiest glossist goalpost gongorist gooiest gothicist graffitist grandest gravest greediest grimiest geophagist geriatrist ghost gist gladdest glibbest glossarist gluiest godliest goodliest goosiest goutiest grainiest graphologist greasiest greenest grimmest gripiest grittiest grooviest grouchiest gruffest guidepost gummiest gustiest gymnast haematoblast hagiographist hairstylist handsomest hardiest harpsichordist harvest haziest grisliest grizzliest grossest groutiest grumpiest guiltiest gushiest gutsiest gymnosophist haematologist hagiologist hammiest happiest harmonist harshest hastiest headfast grist groggiest grottiest grubbiest guest guitarist gust gymnasiast gynaecologist haggadist hairiest handiest hardest harpist hartebeest haughtiest headfirst psalmodist psychanalyst psychobiologist psychometrist psychophysiologist publicist pulpiest purest pussiest quaintest queasiest querist quietest raciest radiobroadcast radiologist rainiest psephologist psychiatrist psycholinguist psychopathologist psychotherapist puffiest punchiest purist quadrigamist quakiest queenliest quest quirkiest racist radiochemist radiotherapist randiest psst psychoanalyst psychologist psychopharmacologist pteridologist pugilist puniest pushiest quaggiest quarterfinalist queerest quickest racialist radiobiologist radiodontist rainforest rangiest restrictionist retest reunionist reversionist revivalist rhapsodist rhinologist rigorist ripest ritziest rockiest rookiest ropiest roughcast rowdiest ruddiest runniest resurrectionist retinoscopist revanchist revest revolutionist rheologist richest rimiest riskiest roast romanist roomiest rosiest roughest royalist rudest runtiest retentionist retwist revelationist revisionist rhabdomantist rheumatologist rightist rinderpest ritualist robust romanticist roost rottenest roust rudderpost rummest ruralist silkiest silviculturist sincerest sitfast skinniest slatiest sleepiest slickest slimiest slipperiest sloshiest sludgiest smallest smeariest smokiest smuggest snappiest silliest simplest sinologist sketchiest slangiest sleaziest sleetiest sliest slimmest slippiest slouchiest slushiest smarmiest smelliest smoothest smuttiest snatchiest siltiest simulcast sitarist skimpiest slaphappiest sleekest slenderest slightest slinkiest sloppiest slowest slyest smartest smoggiest smudgiest snakiest snazziest sneakiest sniffiest snoopiest snowiest soapiest sociolinguist softest solidest somatist songfest sophist sorriest soupiest southeast southwest sovietologist specialist sneeziest snippiest snootiest snuffiest soberest sociologist soggiest solipsist somatologist soonest soppiest soundest sourest southeasternmost southwesternmost sparest spectroscopist snidest snobbiest snottiest snuggest socialist sociometrist solecist soloist somnambulist sootiest sorest soundpost sousaphonist southernmost sovietist sparsest speediest sternmost stiffest stinkiest stodgiest stormiest straightest streakiest strictest strongest stubbiest stumpiest stylist sudsiest suicidologist sunburst superoptimist supremac ist sternpost stillest stockiest stomatologist stoutest strangest streamiest stringiest stroppiest stubbornest stupidest subjectivist suffragist sulkiest sunniest supplest surest stickiest stingiest stockist stoniest straggliest strategist stretchiest stripiest structuralist stuffiest sturdiest subsist suggest sultriest superinsist supraprotest surliest vignettist violinist virologist viticulturist volcanologist vulcanologist wanderlust warmest waviest weakliest webbiest weepiest west wheeziest whist wieldiest wiliest vilest violist visagist vivisectionist voluntarist wackiest wannest wartiest waxiest wealthiest weediest weightiest westernmost whilst whitest wildebeest windiest viniculturist violoncellist vitalist vocalist voodooist waist wariest washiest weakest weariest weeniest weirdest wettest whiniest widest wildest winiest.

/ *sts / - Do not attempt to pluralize adjectives in the superlative form. You can pluralize countable nouns or add 's' (/s/ after /t/) to verbs to form the third person singular: activists acupuncturists adjusts beasts breasts ecologists enthusiasts enlists entrusts feasts finalists ghosts gusts harpists purists requests roasts roosts signposts sociolinguists specialists subsists suggests waists wastes

/ *sk /ask asterisk basilisk bask bosk brisk busk cask damask desk disk dusk fisk flask frisk fsk husk kiosk mask musk obelisk overtask risk rusk tamarisk task torsk tusk unmask whisk

/ *sks / (final) for plurals-------asks asterisks basks busks casks desks disks flasks frisks kiosks masks risks tasks tusks unmasks whisks


False Friends

Note that there are many words where the spelling ends in "***sed" where the ending is also pronounced /st/.

Note the deletion of / t / in "restless" / ˈres(t)ləs /, "wristwatch" / ˈrɪs(t)wɒʧ /, "first place" / ˈ fɜ:s(t) ˈpleɪs /, or "last week" / ˈlɑ:s (t) ˈwi:k /, when preceding consonant sound is also voiceless and following consonant sound is any other than / h /.

Reduction of the number of consonant sounds in a cluster: most speakers say / ˈæsmə / for "asthma". It is rarely pronounced as / ˈæsθmə / .


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