How Do You Spell BACKED THE SALT MINES?
Pronunciation: [bˈakt ðə sˈɒlt mˈa͡ɪnz] (IPA) 
The phrase "backed the salt mines" is commonly used to describe someone who has worked long and hard. The pronunciation of this phrase is something like /bækəd ðə sɔlt maɪnz/, with the stress on the first syllable of "backed." The spelling of "backed" follows standard English rules, with the -ed suffix indicating past tense. "Salt mines" is spelled just as it sounds, with the -lt and -n sounds clearly pronounced. When spelled out in IPA, the pronunciation of this phrase is easy to decipher even for non-native speakers.
