Let's take a look at some Megila reading pitfalls...
First pasuk: ha-mo-LEICH (who reigns) is MILRA, accent on the last syllabe. Accenting on the first syllable sounds like an AVODA ZARA.
SHUSHAN - The name of the city appears 19 times in the Megila, 10 as Shushan HaBira and 9 times as Shushan. When the name is followed by HaBira, the second SHIN has a PATACH under it. When standing alone, the SHIN has a KAMATZ, which would sound like SHUSHAWN in Ash- kenazic (and Yemenite) pronunciation.
The first word in 1:5 is written uvim-LOT , and read as , uvim-LOT, the ALEF being virtually non-existent. In other words, not uvim-L'OT, but uvim-LOT, as if the ALEF weren't there.
In describing the opulence of Achashveirosh's palace, the flooring is described as...
...AL RITZFAT BAHAT VASHESH V'DAR V'SOCHARET:
a floor of alabaster, marble, mother of pearl, and precious stones. Two things about the word for floor. First, the SH'VA under the TZADI is NA. First syllable is RI. The TZADI with its SH'VA NA belongs to the second syllable. Second - and this involves a change in meaning, so it is very important - the FEI has no DAGESH. ri-TZ'FAT. Not ritz-PAT, which means a glowing coal. Thank you to Rabbi YM for the "heads up" on ri-TZ'FAT.

MORDECHAI - His name appears 58 times in the Megila (that's NO'ACH times). The CHAF is voweled with a PATACH except when the word is at an ETNACHTA or SOF-PASUK, in which case it is with a KAMATZ. Again, the difference is heard only in Ashkenazic pronunciation, CHOI instead of CHAI at the end. Once, in 4:12, it is CHOI not at an ETNACHTA or SOF-PASUK. The other interesting point about the name Mordechai is that we find in some texts there is a SH'VA NA under the DALET and in others there is a CHATAF-KAMATZ. Most people read the name with a SH'VA NA: mor-D'CHAI. Some say mor- Daw-CHAI. And some say mor-Daw-CHAI unless it is followed by the word HAYEHUDI (which it is six times in the Megila), in which case they say mor-D'CHAI. DALET/SH'VA is most common.
Note the difference between BA-a (she came, past tense) and ba-A (comes, present tense).

Tall. ga-VO-ahhh (Ashkenazi) or ga-VO-wah (S'faradi), but NOT ga-VO-ha (wrong). The PATACH under the HEI is just like the one under the CHET in ta-PU-ach (apple). We all know not to say TAPUCHA. Same applies to ga-VO-ahhh.
7:4, first word. v'i-LU (MILRA).

TEN SONS OF HAMAN: Even though we have the custom of reading their names in one breath, there is no necessity to read them quickly. In fact, rushing through them is accompanied by several problems. Each word has to be looked at when read. This is extra-difficult with the V'ET being on the other edge of the column from the names. TROP should not be ignored, as it often is by the speedy Baal Korei. V'ET often gets swallowed into VET when read too quickly. Bottom line - read the names in one breath, through the word HARAGU, but take your time (Baal Korei and each listener). Further reminder: Baal Korei - wait for the congregation to finish their "ten sons of Haman in one breath" before starting yours. (The hard copy of TT lists all the sons of Haman in Hebrew)

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