Introduction:
Understanding the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is extremely useful for ESL learners who want to master English pronunciation. This comprehensive guide provides a detailed list of IPA symbols for 50 English sounds, complete with example words to help you improve your pronunciation skills. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner, this guide can serve as an essential resource for accurate and confident English speech.
In addition to the sounds, IPA symbols can also help us understand how to break a word into syllables /./ and where the stress belongs /’/. For example, the word “practice” has 2 syllables, with stress on the first one. Using IPA symbols, it looks like /หprรฆk.tษชs/
While the IPA can be a helpful tool for mastering English sounds, remember that the “correct” IPA representation of any word will ultimately depend on the accent of the speaker.
1. Plosives
Plosives are sounds made by blocking the airflow completely and then releasing it. They can be voiceless (no vibration of vocal cords) or voiced (vocal cords vibrate).
Voiceless
1. /p/ – pen, spin, tip
2. /t/ – tap, sting, kicked
3. /k/ – cat, skill, back
4. /ส/ – button, mountain, uh-oh
Voiced
5. /b/ – bat, bubble, rib
6. /d/ – dip, add, bed
7. /ษก/ – get, giggle, bag
8. /ษพ/ – water, better, city
2. Fricatives
Fricatives are sounds made by partially blocking the airflow, creating friction. They can be voiceless or voiced.
Voiceless
9. /f/ – fat, coffee, leaf
10. /ฮธ/ – think, author, bath
11. /s/ – sip, sister, gas
12. /ส/ – ship, ensure, push
13. /h/ – hat, ahead
Voiced
14. /v/ – vat, give, save
15. /รฐ/ – this, other, smooth
16. /z/ – zip, music, buzz
17. /ส/ – measure, vision, beige
3. Affricates
Affricates are sounds made by combining a plosive with a fricative. The airflow is blocked and then released with friction.
Voiceless
18. /tส/ – chin, church, match
Voiced
19. /dส/ – judge, gin, edge
4. Nasals
Nasals are sounds made by letting the airflow pass through the nose. They are always voiced.
- /m/ – man, lemon, sum
- /n/ – no, dinner, sun
- /ล/ – sing, finger, long
5. Liquids
Liquids are smooth, flowing sounds made by partially blocking the airflow. They are always voiced.
- /l/ – lip, battle, feel
- /ษซ/ – full, call, milk (dark L)
- /r/ – red, carry, star
6. Glides (Approximants)
Glides are sounds made by moving the tongue or lips to or from a vowel. They are always voiced.
- /w/ – will, duet, quick
- /j/ – yes, quiet, convenient
7. Vowels
Vowels are sounds made without blocking the airflow. They can be monophthongs (single sound) or diphthongs (two sounds combined).
Monophthongs
28. /iห/ – fleece, see, machine
29. /ษช/ – kit, inhibit, gym
30. /e/ – dress, bed, head
31. /รฆ/ – trap, cat, hand
32. /ษห/ – father, daughter, bra *
33. /ษห/ – thought, awesome, draw *
34. /ษ/ – lot, odd, wash (British English)
35. /ส/ – foot, good, put
36. /uห/ – goose, two, blue
37. /ส/ – strut, mud, love
38. /ษห/ – nurse, stir, learn
39. /ษ/ – about, comma, banana
* NOTE: In my California accent, I personally do not distinguish between the /ษห/ and /ษห/ sounds
Diphthongs
40. /eษช/ – face, day, break
41. /aษช/ – price, my, high
42. /ษษช/ – choice, boy, joy
43. /aส/ – mouth, now, cow
44. /ษส/ – goat, show, no (British English)
45. /oส/ – goat, show, no (American English)
46. /ษชษ/ – near, here, weary
47. /eษ/ – square, fair, various
48. /สษ/ – cure, tour, sure
49. /aษชษ/ – fire, wire, tire
50. /aสษ/ – our, power, hour
This guide aims to improve your pronunciation by providing clear examples and for each sound. Start practicing these sounds to achieve more accurate and confident English speech.
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