Sounds of English

Tap any card to see, hear, and practice that sound.

Vowels

Simple Vowels

10 sounds
AH
/ɑ/
bob
AA
/æ/
bat
UH
/ə/
but
ER
/ɚ/
her
AW
/ɔ/
all
EH
/ɛ/
bed
IH
/ɪ/
sit
EE
/i/
seat
U
/ʊ/
good
OO
/u/
too

Vowel Combinations (Glides)

5 sounds
OW
/aʊ/
now
AI
/aɪ/
my
AY
/eɪ/
day
OH
/oʊ/
no
OY
/ɔɪ/
boy

Consonants

Plosives (popping sounds)

6 sounds
B
/b/
boy
D
/d/
day
G
/g/
give
K
/k/
local
P
/p/
speak
T
/t/
after

Plosive Variations

10 sounds
B
(end of word)
/b̚/
job
D
(end of word)
/d̚/
word
G
(end of word)
/ɡ̚/
leg
K
(end of word)
/k̚/
make
P
(end of word)
/p̚/
help
T
(end of word)
/t̚/
not
K
(start of word)
/kʰ/
case
P
(start of word)
/pʰ/
pay
T
(start of word)
/tʰ/
two
D
/ɾ/
water

Fricatives (hissing sounds)

9 sounds
F
/f/
for
V
/v/
voice
TH
(unvoiced)
/θ/
thing
TH
(voiced)
/ð/
this
S
/s/
see
Z
/z/
zoo
SH
/ʃ/
show
ZH
/ʒ/
asia
H
/h/
help

Affricates (pop + hiss)

2 sounds
CH
/ʧ/
cheap
J
/ʤ/
job

Nasal Sounds

5 sounds
M
/m/
more
M
(syllabic)
/m̩/
item
N
/n/
now
N
(syllabic)
/n̩/
woman
NG
/ŋ/
long

Smooth Sounds (approximants)

5 sounds
L
/l/
like
L
(syllabic)
/l̩/
final
R
/ɹ/
right
W
/w/
when
Y
/j/
yes