• Consonant gradation only affects the following letters:

• k
• p
• t

• Consonant gradation only affects them in the last syllable of the basic form of the word!
• A double k, p, or t always reduces to one.  Thus:

• In consonant clusters, k changes if it is the last letter in the cluster, except for in the following cases:

• K is a problem letter in most cases, in some consonant clusters, it can either disappear or not change, thus making it difficult to guess what it does.  Please see The diabolical K for information as to when it disappears and when it doesn't.  For instance, k can do the following:

• In consonant clusters, p and t change if they are the last letters in the cluster, except for in the following cases:

• In the following cases, the consonant affected by gradation assimilates with the consonant preceding it:

• In the cases already mentioned, the consonant undergoing gradation either drops out, assimilates or does nothing.  In these cases thus, the basic form is considered the strong form and the gradated form the weak form.

• Words ending in -e or -Vs have reverse consonant gradation, meaning that their basic stem is considered weak, but the gradated form is thus strong:

• Remember that words ending in -uku and -yky replace the k with a v:

• Remember that words ending in -rki and -lki replace the k with a j and change the vowel to -e:

• Remember that words ending in -hje and -lje replace the j with a k:

NB.  These words ending in -hje and -lje end in -e and thus undergo reverse consonant gradation!!