Prestige? — Choose the option that has the same consonant sound as the one represented by the underlined…

Analyze the question: The word is "prestige," and the underlined letter(s) were not shown in your question. In this JAMB question, the underlined part is normally "-ge" at the end of the word. In "prestige" /prɛˈstiːʒ/, that "ge" is pronounced as the sound /ʒ/.

Concept: The /ʒ/ sound is a voiced palato-alveolar fricative. It is the sound in "measure," "vision," "treasure," and "leisure." It is different from /dʒ/, the affricate in "judge" and "badge."

Step-by-step check of the options:

• A. bag /bæɡ/ ends in the hard /ɡ/ sound. No match.
• B. badge /bædʒ/ ends in /dʒ/. This sounds close, but it is an affricate (a "d" plus "zh"), not the pure /ʒ/ sound.
• C. reggae /ˈrɛɡeɪ/ has a hard /ɡ/. No match.
• D. leisure /ˈlɛʒə/ has /ʒ/ in the middle. This is an exact match for "prestige."

Answer: D. leisure

Note on the underlined letters: Because the underlined part was not shown, I assumed it was "ge." If the underlined letters were something else, such as the "s" in "prestige," the answer would need to be checked again.

Tip: Words borrowed from French often end in /ʒ/ when spelled "-ge": prestige, garage, massage, mirage, camouflage. Remember that /ʒ/ is the "zh" sound, while /dʒ/ is the "j" sound in "judge." Always ask whether the sound starts with a "d" push. If it does not, it is /ʒ/.