wash — Choose the word that has the same CONSONANT SOUND as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined

Analyze the question: The word is "wash", and the underlined letters are presumably "sh" (the last sound). The sound is /ʃ/ (the "sh" sound), as in "ship."

Concept: In English, the /ʃ/ sound can be spelled in different ways: "sh" (wash), "ti" (nation), "ci" (special), "ssi" (mission). Be careful: "s" can also make the voiced /ʒ/ sound, as in "treasure" or "vision," which is different from /ʃ/.

Solution: Let's check each option:

• A. treasure /ˈtreʒə/: the "s" is /ʒ/ (voiced), so it does not match.
• B. occasion /əˈkeɪʒn/: the "s" is /ʒ/, so it does not match.
• C. nation /ˈneɪʃn/: the "ti" is /ʃ/, so it matches "wash."
• D. equation /ɪˈkweɪʒn/: the "t" is pronounced /ʒ/ here, so it does not match. (Equation is one of the tricky ones: /ɪˈkweɪʒən/.)

Answer: C. nation

Tip: Remember the pair /ʃ/ vs /ʒ/. The /ʃ/ sound is voiceless (put your hand on your throat: no vibration, like "shh"), while /ʒ/ is voiced (vibration, as in "vision" or "measure"). Words ending in "-sure" or "-sion" after a vowel (treasure, occasion, vision) usually take /ʒ/. Words ending in "-tion" like "nation" usually take /ʃ/. The exception to watch for is "equation", which takes /ʒ/.