Introduction to phonetics

Phonetics is the branch of linguistics that examines sounds in a language. Phonetics describes these sounds using
the symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).
The IPA uses a single symbol to desribe each sound in a language. If a letter in a word is silent, there will be no IPA
symbol used in the transcriptions.
The IPA can be helpful for studying a language, especially languages that use letters that are silent or have
multiple pronunciations. Languages like Arabic and Spanish are consistant in their spelling and pronunciation
each letter represents a single sound which rarely varies. English is different. It has many letters with two or more
sounds and many letters that are silent.
This website uses the IPA to demonstrate how certain words are pronounced. To learn specifics about English
phonetics and pronunciation, go to the lessons below.
Phonetics ~ Vowels

Phonetics ~ Consonants

Voiced / Unvoiced Consonants

Phonetics: vowels
This table shows English vowel sounds with IPA symbols (International Phonetic Alphabet) and standard symbols
(std). The words in parentheses represent the IPA transcription. Standard symbols are used in most English
dictionaries.
For each sound there is a word that demonstrates where the sound occurs (word initial, middle, or word final) and
how the sound occurs (what letter or letter combinations). Click on the words to get an idea of these sounds. Pay
attention to the sound of the letters in bold.
English Vowel Sounds
IPA
std
examples
I

it
dish
(It)
(dI )
i

she
( i)
sunny
(s ni)

green
(g in

machine

ski
(ski)

(m
in)
please
(pliz)
said
(s d)

red
(
d)
any
( ni)

head
(h d)

and
( nd)

plaid
(pl d)

ho t
(h t

father

August

thaw

bought

( g st)
fall

b t)

(f
)

(f l)

put
(p t)

book
(b k)

should

room
(rum)

who
(hu)

through

you
(ju)

shoe

( ru)
July

few
(fu)

( u)
two
(tu)

(
uli)
blue
(blu)

up
( p)

tough
(t f)

d)

sofa
(s
f )

enemy
( n mi)

The

focus
(f
k
s)
symbol is called a schwa.

eI

incredible
(Inkr d
bl)

gallop
(g l p)

aI

ju

Diphthongs
gray
(g eI)
( eI)
ate
great
(eIt)
(greIt)
rsum
(r zumei)
they

fine
(faIn)
why
(waI)
buy
(baI)

aisle
(aIl)
bye
(baI)
guide
(gaId)

oi

toy
(t )

noise
(n z)

ou

cow
(k
)

house
(h
s)

snowing
(sn
wI)

sew
(s
)

hello
(h l

toe
(t
)

unite
(junaIt)
ewe
(ju)

humid
(hjumId
youth
(ju

aid
(eId)
freight
(freIt)

sight
(saIt)
lie
(laI)

though
(
)
soap
(s
p)
few
(fju)
eulogy
(jul gi)

Vowel sounds with "r" endings

arm
guard
heart
(
m)
(g
d)
(h
t)
ore
(
)
more
(m
)

foor
(f
r)

four
(f
)

near
(n )

here
(h )

cheers

hair
(h
)
merry
(m
I)

where
(w
)
their

mare
(m
)

burn
(b
n)
October
( kt
b
)

learn
(l
n)
worm
(w
m

s)

pier
(p )

)
sir
(s

Phonetics: consonants
Here is a table of English consonant sounds and their IPA symbols. The words in parentheses represent the IPA
transcription.
Note that the examples are in three columns. The first column provides an example of the sound when it is word
initial (at the beginning of the word). The second column provides an example of the sound when it is word internal
(in the middle of the word). The third column provides an example of the sound when it is word final (at the end of
the word). Note also that for each letter the examples show different spellings that produce the same sound.
Click on the words to get an idea of these sounds. Pay attention to the sound of the letters in bold.
English Consonant Sounds
IPA
initial
internal
p
please
purple
(p l i z )
(p
p l)
apple
( p l)

final
help
(h l p )
grape
(g re I p )

book
(b k)

noble
(n
b l)
cabbage
(k b I g)

web
(w b)

five
(faIv)

fifty
(f I ft i )
rafle
(r f l)
hyphen
(h a I f n )
roughly
(r f i )

gulf
(g lf)
of
( f)
nymph
(n I m f )
tough
(t f)

seven
(s v n)

five
(f a I v )

nothing

path

(n

(p

phone
(f
n)

vanilla
(v n I l

thirty
(

ti)

I)

they

father

( eI)

(f

ten
(t n)

autumn

breathe
)

( t m)
attain
( teIn)
eighty
(e I t i )

(b r i

hit
(h I t )
mitt
(m I t )
freight
(f re I t )
baked*
(b e I k t )
white
(w e I t )

*Pronunciation of simple past -ed

ending
d

dish
(d I

sir
(s

widow
(w I d
)

red
(r d)

adding
( dI)

guide
(g d)

thesis

books
(b ks)

scissors
(s I z
z)

( i s s)
massage
(m s
)

center
(s n t

December
(d I s m b

miss
(m I s )
ice
(is)

)
psychology
(s a I k l g i
)

six
(s I k s)
house
(h
s)

zero
(z

freezing
(f r i z I )
fuzzy
(f z i )

ooze
(u z )
jazz
(
z)
dishes

miser
(m a I z
xenophobe
(z n f
b
)

(d I
z)
please
(p l i z )

exit
( gzIt)
scissors
(s I z
z)

she

mushroom

radish

( i)
sure

(m
rum)
pressure

(r

(
)
schist

(pr
fascist

( Ist)

(f
Ist)
tuition

cache

(tuI

(k

genre
(
nr

n)

seizure
(s i
)

dI )

garage
(g r
)

fissure
(fI
)
vision
(v I
n)
leisure
(l i
)
cheers

artichoke

s)

March

tI

picture
(p I k
jump

major

(
mp)
gentle

(m e I
rigid

nt

l)

king
(kI)

cold
(k
ld)
queen
(kw i n )

(w

baker
(b e I k
)
rocket
(r k t
October
( kt
b
)
equal
(i k w l)

)
cage

(r I
Id)
badger
(b

(m
)
watch

(keI
)
bridge
)

(b r I
pink
(p I k )
black
(bl k)
attic
( tIk)

orchid
(
kId)
fix
(f I k s )
broccoli
(b r k
li)
g

good
(g d)

August

cake
(ke I k )

drag
(d r g)

( g st)
foggy
(f g i )
exotic
( gz tIk)

May
(m e I )

no
(n
)
pneumonia
(n m
nj
)
knife
(n a I f )

winter
(w I n t
what
(w t)

humid
(h j u m d)
summer
(s m
)

maam
(m m)
autumn

raining
(r a I n I )
sunny
(s ni)

green
(g r i n )
sign
(s n)

unknown
( n
n)

fine
(f a I n )

singer
(s I
)
pink
(pIk)

spring
(s p r I )

( t m)
lamb
(l m)

snowing
(s n
wI)
nowhere
(n
w
)

one
(w n)
j

yellow
(j l
)
unite
(j u n I t )

mayor
(meI
)
beautiful
(bj u t I f l)

hot
(h t)

mishap
(m I s h p)

look
(l k)
llama
(l m )

eleven
( l v n)
hello
(h l
)

cool
(k l)
fall
(f l)

red
(r d)

orange

or
(
)
purr
(p
)

(
n
merry
(m
i)

Consonants: voiced and unvoiced

Many consonant sounds come in pairs. For example, P and B are produced in the same place in the mouth with the
tongue in the same position.
The only difference is that P is an unvoiced sound (no vibration of the vocal cords) while B is a voiced sound (vocal
cords vibrate). Put your hand on your throat as you say the pairs below to feel the difference.
Note that the first pair of consonants in the table (p, b) is produced at the front of the mouth. Each pair shifts
further back with the last pair (k, g) being produced in the throat.
The consonant sounds are represented using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The words in parentheses
represent phonetic transcriptions. Click on the examples below to hear these consonant sounds. Pay special
attention to the letters in bold.
IPA example
IP
exampl
s
A
es
voiced
unvoiced
b
book
p
please
(pliz)
(b k)
v

vanilla
(v nIl )

they

thirty

( eI)

(
)

dish

zero
(z

ten
(t n)

sir
(s

genre
(
nr
)

she

jump

cheers

(
p)
g

ti

(dI )
z

five
(faIv)

( i)

good
(g d)

(
k

king
(kI)

s)