The problem with the "E": Is it estudent or student?

 

 

     

The extra “e”

This error is called epenthesis: adding an /e/ sound at the beginning of words. Since many Spanish words start with “es,” Spanish speakers often add an unnecessary “e” at the beginning of English words. For example, in Spanish we write especial, específico, España, etc., while in English the words are special, specific, and Spain. That’s why it’s common to hear an extra sound added to English words like esport, eschool, or estreet—but they should be sports, school, and street! 

It is very common among Spanish speakers because in Spanish there are no words that begin with S + consonant without an initial vowel.

Examples:

student → “estudent”
street → “estrit”
school → “eschool”

Why does this happen?
In Spanish, all S + consonant clusters are written with a vowel in front:
escuela, especial, estrella

The Spanish-speaking brain automatically applies the same rule to English.

How should it sound?
The S is pronounced directly together with the following consonant, without adding a vowel:

student → /ˈstuː.dənt/
street → /striːt/
school → /skuːl/

It is important to practice the S + consonant connection and not separate the sounds.

 It's time to practice!

Exercise 1

Instructions: Make a long, snake-like sound: “ssssss…” Then, without stopping the sound, add the rest of each word. Remember to start the word with /s/.

1. sssss + mile → smile
2. sssss +now → snow
3. sssss + nack → snack
4. sssss + wing → swing
5. sssss + tone → stone
6. sssss + tore → store
7. sssss + cale → scale
8.  sssss + core → score
9. sssss + kin → skin
10. sssss + pend → spend        

Exercise 2

Instructions: Practice pronunciation by carefully reading the word list twice, avoiding mispronunciations. Then read the 10 mini tongue twisters that include the previously read word list.                                            

school	stop
scarf	strong
screen	start
small	stay
smoothly	Steve
speak	swim
space	sweet
spot	swing
special	sweep
spirits	spring
sport	spray
student	sprint
study	split
street	stripe

1. The student studies in the street to stay strong.
2. Steve speaks in a special spot in space.
3. Sky skaters skip steps with skill.
4. Spring sports start strong on sunny streets.
5. Sara scanned the school screen for a small scarf.
6. Swimmers sweep and swing sweetly in the spring.
7. The star student stopped to study the stripes.
8. Splashing spirits sprint and spray sparkling water.
9. Skilled skaters skate smoothly under the sky.
10. Space sports specialists speak strongly on screen.