muscle — choose the word that rhymes with the given word

Analyze the question: You are asked to find the word that rhymes with "muscle". Rhyme depends on sound, not spelling.

Explain the concept: "Muscle" is pronounced /ˈmʌsl/ (MUSS-ul). The "u" is the short vowel /ʌ/ as in "cup", followed by the /s/ sound and then the syllabic "-le". Note that the "c" is silent. So a rhyming word must end in the same sounds: /ʌsl/.

Step-by-step solution:

• A. tousle is pronounced /ˈtaʊzl/ (TOW-zul). The vowel is /aʊ/ as in "cow", and the consonant is /z/. This does not rhyme.
• B. puzzle is pronounced /ˈpʌzl/ (PUZ-ul). The vowel matches, but it ends in /z/, not /s/. This is close but not a true rhyme.
• C. tussle is pronounced /ˈtʌsl/ (TUSS-ul). The vowel /ʌ/, the /s/ sound and the "-le" ending all match "muscle". This is a perfect rhyme.
• D. dozen is pronounced /ˈdʌzn/ (DUZ-un). It ends in /zn/, so it does not rhyme.

Answer: The correct option is C. tussle.

Tip: When you answer rhyme questions, say each word aloud and compare the final sounds. Watch out for near-misses like "puzzle", which has the same vowel but a /z/ in place of /s/. Also remember that silent letters, like the "c" in "muscle", do not affect the sound.