In English pronunciation, the letter “X” isn’t confined to a single sound; rather, it has four distinct pronunciations.

Firstly, in words like “extra,” “six,” and “maximum,” “X” is pronounced as /ks/, spread across two syllables. This pronunciation consists of the unvoiced sounds of /k/ and /s/.

Secondly, in words like “example” and “anxiety,” “X” takes on the voiced sounds of /g/ and /z/, forming /gz/.

Thirdly, when “X” begins a word, as in “xylophone” or “xenophobia,” it’s simply pronounced as /z/.

Lastly, in French loanwords such as “faux” and “bureaux,” “X” remains silent.

It’s important not to confuse the letter “X” with the sound symbol /x/, representing “CH,” a velar fricative not found in English but present in languages like German and Spanish. Despite this, some English dialects, like Scottish and Scouse, incorporate the /x/ sound in words such as “loch” and “look.”

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