The Difference between 13 and 30
Whenever I speak to people who are learning the English language, one of the most common things people find difficult is the difference between the 'teens' and their partners with a zero after them.
This is not surprising because when they are spoken there is very little difference between the sound of the two numbers. In Fact, when they are said quickly, they sound Exactly the same!
There is however a subtle difference.....the difference between them isn't to do with the sound, it is the where the stress is put in the word.
If you imagine that the two words are spelt like this: thirTEEN and THIRty and that when you say the two words you say the part in big letters louder and longer than the other part of the word!
Next time you hear someone saying these numbers, listen out for which half of the word is louder and more important and this should tell you which number they are saying.
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