You can use the following :
$query = "SELECT * FROM tbl_name WHERE soundex(fieldname) LIKE soundex('%element%')";
Or
$query = "SELECT * FROM tbl_name WHERE soundex(fieldname) LIKE soundex('element')";
Or
$query = "SELECT * FROM tbl_name WHERE fieldname SOUNDS LIKE '%element%'";
Or
$query = "SELECT * FROM tbl_name WHERE fieldname SOUNDS LIKE 'element'";