soft c

Rule Core

The soft c rule states that the letter c is pronounced /s/ when followed by e, i, or y, instead of the hard /k/. Front vowels trigger a forward tongue position, shifting the sound from a stop to a fricative.

Articulation Guide

For /s/, place the tongue close to the upper alveolar ridge without touching it. Keep lips relaxed and let steady air flow through the narrow gap. Vocal cords remain unvoiced.

Word Analysis

accept: c+e → /s/; censor: c+e → /s/; cereal: initial c before e consistently produces /s/.

Pitfalls

Do not overgeneralize. Before a, o, u, c stays hard: cat, cold. Some borrowed words may break the pattern.