THE SOUNDS OF ENGLISH

PHONETIC CHART

Uses

• The IPA is used in dictionaries to indicate the pronunciation of words.
• The IPA has often been used as a basis for creating new writing systems for previously unwritten languages.
• The IPA is used in some foreign language text books and phrase books to transcribe the sounds of languages which are written with non-latin alphabets. It is also used by non-native speakers of English when learning to speak English.

Suggestions

• First read the words on the chart aloud for yourself.
• Read the words again by yourself.
• Repeat until you feel comfortable with the various sounds.
  

vowels IPA examples listen ʌ cup, luck Amer ɑ: arm, father Amer / Brit æ cat, black Amer e met, bed Amer 1 ə away, cinema Amer 2 ɜ:ʳ turn, learn Amer / Brit 2 ɪ hit, sitting Amer i: see, heat Amer ɒ hot, rock Amer / Brit 3 ɔ: call, four Amer / Brit 4 5 ʊ put, could Amer u: blue, food Amer aɪ five, eye Amer aʊ now, out Amer eɪ say, eight Amer oʊ go, home Amer 6 ɔɪ boy, join Amer eəʳ where, air Amer / Brit 1 7 ɪəʳ near, here Amer / Brit 7 ʊəʳ pure, tourist Amer / Brit 7

consonants IPA examples listen b bad, lab Amer d did, lady Amer f find, if Amer g give, flag Amer h how, hello Amer j yes, yellow Amer k cat, back Amer l leg, little Amer m man, lemon Amer n no, ten Amer ŋ sing, finger Amer p pet, map Amer r red, try Amer 8 s sun, miss Amer ʃ she, crash Amer t tea, getting Amer 9 tʃ check, church Amer θ think, both Amer ð this, mother Amer v voice, five Amer w wet, window Amer z zoo, lazy Amer ʒ pleasure, vision Amer dʒ just, large Amer DAYS AND MONTHS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQaq-9ZtisA sample videos: LEMON TREE   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oY4BtDAO7I OLD MCDONALD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XXSqbAQcAs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqGS81rFF4c http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcA3MMUVH60 ROLLY POLLY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRCtecySAkM