The spelling of the word "were bigot" might seem confusing at first glance. The key to understanding this spelling is to break down the pronunciation using phonetic transcription. In IPA, it would be written as /wɜr ˈbɪɡət/. The first part, "wer," is pronounced like "were," as in the past tense of "to be." The second part, "bigot," is pronounced with a short "i" sound and a hard "g." By breaking down the pronunciation, the seemingly confusing spelling becomes easier to understand.