Choose the option that rhymes with the given word hurt

Analyze the question: You are asked to find the word that rhymes with "hurt". Rhyming words have the same ending sound, from the vowel sound onward.

Explain the concept: Rhyme is about sound, not spelling. The word "hurt" is pronounced /hɜːt/, so the rhyming part is /ɜːt/ (the "ert" sound). Words with different spellings, like "shirt", "dirt", "skirt", "alert" (in some accents) and "curt", can all share this sound.

Step-by-step solution:

1. Say "hurt" aloud and find its vowel and ending sound: /ɜːt/.
2. Check each option: • A. hot is /hɒt/. The vowel is the short "o" sound, which is different from the "ur" sound, so it does not rhyme. • B. cough is /kɒf/. It has a different vowel and a different ending consonant, so it does not rhyme. • C. coil is /kɔɪl/. It has the "oy" sound and ends in "l", so it does not rhyme. • D. shirt is /ʃɜːt/. The ending is /ɜːt/, the same as "hurt", so it rhymes.

Answer: D. shirt

Tip: In rhyme questions, ignore spelling and listen to the ending sound. "Hurt" and "shirt" are spelled differently ("ur" vs "ir"), but they sound the same. Quickly say each option aloud and compare it to the given word. If the vowel sound and ending consonant both match, it rhymes.