S or SH? Sip and ship

Compare the two English fricatives and use both fixed word models.

Read the cards, see the English task and listen to the narration or examples. Pause to think or say the words aloud. Captions include the spoken answers; turn them off for the listening challenge. Examples use General American English, synthesized with the Andrew voice.

General American English. Spoken examples are synthesized with Microsoft Azure Speech, the Andrew voice. Captions include the answers; leave them off for the listening challenge. About our audio.

Full lesson text and spoken examples · English captions

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Full lesson text and spoken examples

The listening answers appear in this text. Try the video first if you want to test yourself.

  1. S or SH? (0s–7s)
    /s/ and /ʃ/ change sip into ship. General American reference.
    Spoken example: Compare the first sounds in sip and ship. Both let air flow through a narrow gap..
  2. sip · /s/ (7s–14s)
    The narrow airflow is shaped farther forward. Listen to sip.
    Spoken example: sip.
  3. ship · /ʃ/ (14s–22s)
    The constriction is farther back; the lips may round. Listen to ship.
    Spoken example: ship.
  4. Compare, then choose (22s–30s)
    Replay both models. The words differ in their first sound.
    Spoken example: Replay both words. Compare the first sound rather than changing the vowel..
  5. Use a short phrase (30s–38s)
    a sip of water · a small ship
    Spoken example: Say a sip of water, then a small ship. Keep the first sounds distinct at your own pace..
  6. Your next step (38s–45s)
    Use the sound chart to compare S and SH.
    Spoken example: Open the sound chart. Compare S and SH, then try another sound contrast when useful..

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