English sound chart with audio

English has 26 letters but about 40 sounds, and spelling hides which is which: one starts with a w sound, and laugh ends in an f. This chart shows each sound of General American English with its IPA symbol. Click one to hear it in three real words and see how to make it.

IPA symbol picker

Choose chart symbols and stress marks to build your own note. This editor does not check pronunciation. Your note stays in this tab and is never submitted or saved.

Open the compact printable sound reference. It uses the same chart and accent caveats.

Consonants

no voice   voice on
Both lips Lip and teeth Tongue and teeth Tooth ridge Behind the ridge Roof of the mouth Back of the tongue Throat
Stops p b t d k ɡ
Fricatives f v θ ð s z ʃ ʒ h
Affricates tʃ dʒ
Nasals m n ŋ
Approximants w l r j

Vowels

Front vowels · The tongue is high or forward in the mouth

iːsheep ɪship ɛbed æbad

Back vowels · The tongue is pulled back; the lips often round

ɑːlock ɔːlong ʊbook uːfood

Central vowels · The tongue rests in the middle

ʌcup əabout ɝːbird

Diphthongs · Two vowels in one syllable: the tongue glides from one to the other

eɪrain aɪlight ɔɪboy aʊmouth oʊboat

Click any symbol to hear it in three words and see a drawing of the mouth making it. Each sound is played inside real words, never on its own: a sound is easier to copy in a word, and a synthetic voice asked for a bare sound is not reliable.

How to read the chart

Symbols between slashes are sounds, not letters

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) uses symbols to show pronunciation. Some sounds use two symbols together, such as /tʃ/ in chair and /dʒ/ in job. /k/ is the first sound of key, computer and the end of lock, however it is spelled. Dictionaries use the same symbols, so once you know them you can read the pronunciation of any word you look up.

Consonants: where and how

Each column is where in the mouth the sound is made, from the lips at the left to the throat at the right. Each row is how the air comes out: stopped and released, hissing through a gap, through the nose, or gliding. Many consonants come in pairs made the same way, one with your voice off and one with it on: /p/ and /b/, /s/ and /z/. Put a finger on your throat: you feel a buzz for /z/ and none for /s/.

Vowels: tongue, lips and length

Vowels change with the height of your tongue, how far forward it is and how round your lips are. Some are long (/iː/ in sheep, the colon marks length) and some short (/ɪ/ in ship), but length is never the only difference. Diphthongs glide from one vowel to another inside one syllable, as in boy and rain.

The mouth diagrams

Each card has a drawing of the mouth cut through the middle, seen from the side, with the lips on the left and the throat on the right, the same order as the chart's columns. The circle marks where the sound is made. The dashed arrow is the air: it stops where the mouth closes, and goes out through the nose for /m/, /n/ and /ŋ/. Zigzags at the throat mean your voice is on. For a vowel, the dot is the highest point of the tongue; for a diphthong, a dashed outline shows where the tongue starts.

What a drawing cannot show

  • They are simplified drawings to show the idea, not scans of a real mouth, and every speaker's mouth is a little different.
  • A side view shows only the middle of the mouth. For /l/ the air goes out around the sides of the tongue, which the drawing cannot show.
  • Americans make /r/ in two ways, with the tongue tip curled up or with the tongue bunched back. They sound the same, and the drawing shows only one.
  • Vowel positions are approximate and change from accent to accent. Your ear is a better guide than the picture: listen to the words and copy them.

Every sound, with examples

/p/ p as in pack

Stop, both lips, no voice

Lips pressed together; the air is stopped, then released. No voice.

Press your lips together, build up air, then release it with a small puff. At the start of a word the puff is strong.

  • pack /pæk/
  • happy /ˈhæpi/
  • stop /stɑːp/

/b/ b as in bed

Stop, both lips, voice on

Lips pressed together; the air is stopped, then released. Voice on.

The same lip closure as /p/, with your voice on and almost no puff of air.

  • bed /bɛd/
  • boat /boʊt/
  • job /dʒɑːb/

Practise this sound against a similar one

/t/ t as in table

Stop, tooth ridge, no voice

Tongue tip on the ridge behind the top teeth; the air is stopped, then released. No voice.

Touch the ridge behind your top teeth with the tip of your tongue, then release with a puff. Between vowels Americans often turn it into a quick tap (city, water).

  • table /ˈteɪbəl/
  • bit /bɪt/
  • bat /bæt/

/d/ d as in doctor

Stop, tooth ridge, voice on

Tongue tip on the ridge behind the top teeth; the air is stopped, then released. Voice on.

The same tongue position as /t/, with your voice on.

  • doctor /ˈdɑːktɚ/
  • sad /sæd/
  • said /sɛd/

/k/ k as in key

Stop, back of the tongue, no voice

Back of the tongue against the soft palate; the air is stopped, then released. No voice.

Raise the back of your tongue against the soft roof of your mouth, then release with a puff. It is spelled k, c, ck and more.

  • key /kiː/
  • computer /kəmˈpjuːtɚ/
  • lock /lɑːk/

/ɡ/ g as in garden

Stop, back of the tongue, voice on

Back of the tongue against the soft palate; the air is stopped, then released. Voice on.

The same position as /k/, with your voice on.

  • garden /ˈɡɑːrdən/
  • glass /ɡlæs/
  • guitar /ɡɪˈtɑːr/

/f/ f as in fill

Fricative, lip and teeth, no voice

Bottom lip against the top teeth; the air hisses through a narrow gap. No voice.

Rest your top teeth lightly on your bottom lip and blow. It can be spelled ph and gh too.

  • fill /fɪl/
  • phone /foʊn/
  • laugh /læf/

/v/ v as in very

Fricative, lip and teeth, voice on

Bottom lip against the top teeth; the air hisses through a narrow gap. Voice on.

The same position as /f/, with your voice on: you should feel your lip buzz. Do not press both lips together, or it becomes /b/.

  • very /ˈvɛri/
  • van /væn/
  • movie /ˈmuːvi/

Practise this sound against a similar one

/θ/ th as in think

Fricative, tongue and teeth, no voice

Tongue tip between the teeth; the air hisses through a narrow gap. No voice.

Put the tip of your tongue lightly between your teeth and blow. No voice.

  • think /θɪŋk/
  • thank /θæŋk/
  • mouth /maʊθ/

Practise this sound against a similar one

/ð/ th as in this

Fricative, tongue and teeth, voice on

Tongue tip between the teeth; the air hisses through a narrow gap. Voice on.

The same position as /θ/, with your voice on. It is in many small, common words: the, this, that, they.

  • this /ðɪs/
  • mother /ˈmʌðɚ/
  • weather /ˈwɛðɚ/

/s/ s as in sit

Fricative, tooth ridge, no voice

Tongue tip close to the ridge behind the top teeth; the air hisses through a narrow gap. No voice.

Keep the tip of your tongue just behind your top teeth, not between them, and hiss.

  • sit /sɪt/
  • city /ˈsɪti/
  • mouse /maʊs/

Practise this sound against a similar one

/z/ z as in zoo

Fricative, tooth ridge, voice on

Tongue tip close to the ridge behind the top teeth; the air hisses through a narrow gap. Voice on.

The same position as /s/, with your voice on: it buzzes. A single s between vowels is often /z/.

  • zoo /zuː/
  • music /ˈmjuːzɪk/
  • rose /roʊz/

/ʃ/ sh as in ship

Fricative, behind the ridge, no voice

Front of the tongue close to the roof just behind the ridge; lips a little rounded; the air hisses through a narrow gap. No voice.

Pull your tongue back a little from /s/ and round your lips slightly. It is also the -ti- sound in many words ending in -tion.

  • ship /ʃɪp/
  • machine /məˈʃiːn/
  • information /ˌɪnfɚˈmeɪʃən/

/ʒ/ s as in measure

Fricative, behind the ridge, voice on

Front of the tongue close to the roof just behind the ridge; lips a little rounded; the air hisses through a narrow gap. Voice on.

The same position as /ʃ/, with your voice on. It is rare at the start of English words and common in -sion and -sure.

  • measure /ˈmɛʒɚ/
  • decision /dɪˈsɪʒən/
  • usual /ˈjuːʒuəl/

/h/ h as in hill

Fricative, throat, no voice

Mouth open, nothing in the way; the air is breathed out. No voice.

Just breathe out through an open mouth, already shaped for the next vowel.

  • hill /hɪl/
  • home /hoʊm/
  • who /huː/

/tʃ/ ch as in chair

Affricate, behind the ridge, no voice

Front of the tongue against the roof just behind the ridge; the air is stopped, then released into a hiss. No voice.

Start with your tongue as for /t/ and release it into /ʃ/, as one sound.

  • chair /tʃɛr/
  • teacher /ˈtiːtʃɚ/
  • watch /wɑːtʃ/

/dʒ/ j as in job

Affricate, behind the ridge, voice on

Front of the tongue against the roof just behind the ridge; the air is stopped, then released into a hiss. Voice on.

The same as /tʃ/, with your voice on. A g before e, i or y often spells it.

  • job /dʒɑːb/
  • gym /dʒɪm/
  • bridge /brɪdʒ/

/m/ m as in mouth

Nasal, both lips, voice on

Lips pressed together; the soft palate is lowered and the air goes out through the nose. Voice on.

Close your lips and hum.

  • mouth /maʊθ/
  • music /ˈmjuːzɪk/
  • problem /ˈprɑːbləm/

/n/ n as in know

Nasal, tooth ridge, voice on

Tongue tip on the ridge behind the top teeth; the soft palate is lowered and the air goes out through the nose. Voice on.

Put your tongue where /t/ goes and hum. At the start of a word, kn is just /n/.

  • know /noʊ/
  • dinner /ˈdɪnɚ/
  • rain /reɪn/

/ŋ/ ng as in sing

Nasal, back of the tongue, voice on

Back of the tongue against the soft palate; the soft palate is lowered and the air goes out through the nose. Voice on.

Raise the back of your tongue as for /k/ and hum. There is no /ɡ/ after it in sing. Before k, the letter n is this sound: think.

  • sing /sɪŋ/
  • thing /θɪŋ/
  • think /θɪŋk/

/l/ l as in light

Approximant, tooth ridge, voice on

Tongue tip on the ridge behind the top teeth; the air flows out around the sides of the tongue. Voice on.

Touch the ridge behind your top teeth with the tip of your tongue and let the air pass around its sides.

  • light /laɪt/
  • lane /leɪn/
  • feel /fiːl/

Practise this sound against a similar one

/r/ r as in right

Approximant, tooth ridge, voice on

Tongue pulled back and up, touching nothing; lips a little rounded; the air flows freely. Voice on.

Pull your tongue back and up without touching anything, and round your lips a little. In American English the r after a vowel is said too (car, teacher).

  • right /raɪt/
  • rock /rɑːk/
  • wrong /rɔːŋ/

Practise this sound against a similar one

/j/ y as in yes

Approximant, roof of the mouth, voice on

Middle of the tongue raised close to the roof of the mouth; the air flows freely. Voice on.

Start as if to say /iː/ and glide into the vowel. It is hidden in the u of music and university.

  • yes /jɛs/
  • yesterday /ˈjɛstɚdeɪ/
  • university /ˌjuːnɪˈvɝːsəti/

/w/ w as in we

Approximant, both lips, voice on

Lips rounded, back of the tongue raised; the air flows freely. Voice on.

Round your lips tightly, as for /uː/, and glide into the vowel. Your top teeth do not touch your lip.

  • we /wiː/
  • window /ˈwɪndoʊ/
  • one /wʌn/

/iː/ ee as in sheep

Front vowel

The tongue is high and forward. Voice on.

Spread your lips as if smiling and keep your tongue high and tense. It is longer than /ɪ/.

  • sheep /ʃiːp/
  • beat /biːt/
  • seat /siːt/

Practise this sound against a similar one

/ɪ/ i as in ship

Front vowel

The tongue is high and forward. Voice on.

Relax your mouth: the tongue a little lower than for /iː/, the lips not spread. It is short.

  • ship /ʃɪp/
  • bit /bɪt/
  • sit /sɪt/

Practise this sound against a similar one

/ɛ/ e as in bed

Front vowel

The tongue is in the middle and forward. Voice on.

Open your mouth a little more than for /ɪ/, with your tongue forward.

  • bed /bɛd/
  • bet /bɛt/
  • said /sɛd/

Practise this sound against a similar one

/æ/ a as in bad

Front vowel

The tongue is low and forward. Voice on.

Drop your jaw and keep your tongue low and forward. Your mouth is more open than for /ɛ/.

  • bad /bæd/
  • bat /bæt/
  • laugh /læf/

Practise this sound against a similar one

/ɑː/ o as in lock

Back vowel

The tongue is low and back. Voice on.

Open your mouth wide with your tongue low and back, as when a doctor asks you to say ah.

  • lock /lɑːk/
  • rock /rɑːk/
  • father /ˈfɑːðɚ/

/ɔː/ o as in long

Back vowel

The tongue is low and back, lips rounded. Voice on.

Like /ɑː/, with your lips slightly rounded.

  • long /lɔːŋ/
  • wrong /rɔːŋ/
  • law /lɔː/

Many Americans say this vowel the same as /ɑː/, so caught and cot sound alike. Both ways are correct.

/ʊ/ oo as in book

Back vowel

The tongue is high and back, lips rounded. Voice on.

Round your lips loosely and keep the tongue relaxed. It is short.

  • book /bʊk/
  • put /pʊt/
  • could /kʊd/

/uː/ oo as in food

Back vowel

The tongue is high and back, lips rounded. Voice on.

Round your lips tightly and push them forward; the tongue is high and back. It is longer than /ʊ/.

  • food /fuːd/
  • blue /bluː/
  • two /tuː/

/ʌ/ u as in cup

Central vowel

The tongue is low and back. Voice on.

A short, relaxed sound with your mouth half open, in a stressed syllable.

  • cup /kʌp/
  • bus /bʌs/
  • love /lʌv/

/ə/ the weak a in about

Central vowel

The tongue is in the middle and central. Voice on.

The most common vowel in English: short, quiet and relaxed, in an unstressed syllable. Any vowel letter can spell it.

  • about /əˈbaʊt/
  • banana /bəˈnænə/
  • today /təˈdeɪ/

/ɝː/ ir as in bird

Central vowel

The tongue is in the middle and central, bunched back as for /r/. Voice on.

Say it as one sound with your tongue pulled back as for /r/. In unstressed syllables it is short and weak, written /ɚ/: teacher, doctor.

  • bird /bɝːd/
  • word /wɝːd/
  • return /rɪˈtɝːn/

/eɪ/ ai as in rain

Diphthong

The tongue glides from in the middle and forward (dashed outline) to high and forward. Voice on.

Start at /ɛ/ and glide up towards /ɪ/.

  • rain /reɪn/
  • lane /leɪn/
  • paper /ˈpeɪpɚ/

/aɪ/ igh as in light

Diphthong

The tongue glides from low and central (dashed outline) to high and forward. Voice on.

Start with an open mouth and glide up towards /ɪ/.

  • light /laɪt/
  • right /raɪt/
  • July /dʒʊˈlaɪ/

/ɔɪ/ oy as in boy

Diphthong

The tongue glides from low and back (dashed outline) to high and forward, lips unrounding. Voice on.

Start with rounded lips, as for /ɔː/, and glide towards /ɪ/.

  • boy /bɔɪ/
  • enjoy /ɪnˈdʒɔɪ/
  • coin /kɔɪn/

/aʊ/ ou as in mouth

Diphthong

The tongue glides from low and central (dashed outline) to high and back, lips rounding. Voice on.

Start with an open mouth and glide towards /ʊ/, rounding your lips as you go.

  • mouth /maʊθ/
  • mouse /maʊs/
  • now /naʊ/

/oʊ/ oa as in boat

Diphthong

The tongue glides from in the middle and back (dashed outline) to high and back, lips rounded. Voice on.

Start with rounded lips and round them further as you glide towards /ʊ/.

  • boat /boʊt/
  • vote /voʊt/
  • window /ˈwɪndoʊ/

Which accent is this?

The chart and every recording follow General American English. Other accents use mostly the same sounds with some differences: Many accents in England leave out the final r in car, while many Scottish accents pronounce it. Many Americans say caught and cot the same way. Where accents genuinely differ, the card says so. A sound you already say the way another accent says it is not a mistake.

Keep practising

Knowing a sound is one step; finding it in words is another. Look up IPA or annotate a short passage, test yourself with minimal pairs (ship or sheep, light or right), then try short dictation.