Ui

ɪ

build /bɪld/

uː

fruit /fruːt/

Together with the article on decoding difficulties, this page sets out some common (or not...) words teachers can use to help their students become more aware of how they can sound out more correctly the different sounds corresponding to words containing "ui", basically /uː/ with many exceptions.

Examples

• /uː/: bruise - cruise - fruit - juice - recruit - suit - suitable

• "u" as /w/

/wɪ/: acquisition - anguish - distinguish - equipment - equivalent - liquid - penguin - quick - quit - quiz

/wiː/: suite

/waɪ/: quiet - quite

• silent "u"

/ɪ/: biscuit (cf. Limp Bizkit) - build - built - circuit - guilt - Guinea - guitar

/aɪ/: guide

/iː/: mosquito - quiche - quinoa /ˈkiːnwɑː/

Different syllables

• /uːɪ/: altruism - fluid - ruin - suicide - suing

• /juːɪ/: arguing - genuine

"uir"

• "u" as /w/

/waɪə/: acquire - enquire - require

/wɜː/: squirt

squirrel: /ˈskwɪrəl/^BrE, /ˈskwɜːrəl/^AmE

• Silent "u":

/ɪ/: daiquiri

Homophones

• build - billed; cruise - crews; suite - sweet;