‘P’ rule: A ‘p’ at the beginning of a word followed by a consonant [ i.e. pneumonia] is silent, but If the ‘p’ is in the middle of a word and followed by a consonant [ i.e. dyspnea], it is pronounced.

‘G’ rule 1: a ‘g’ followed by i, e, or y is usually pronounced with a soft ‘g’ sound like a ‘j’ as in ‘giant, generate or gymnast’.

‘G’ rule 2: A ‘g’ followed by an a, o, u or a consonant is usually pronounced with at hard ‘g’ sound as in ‘gate, got, gut or ghost’.

‘C’ rule 1: A ‘c’ followed by i, e, or y is usually pronounced with a soft ‘c’ sound like an ‘s’ as in ‘city, cereal or cycle’.

‘C’ rule 2: A ‘c’ followed by an a, o, u, or a consonant is usually pronounced with a hard ‘c’ sound like a ‘k’ as in ‘cast, code, cut or truck’ [exception ‘ch’ like ‘church’]