General American English sound reference
This is the site's 40-sound teaching chart, not a list for every English accent. Symbols follow the interactive chart; /r/ is the chart's learner-friendly label. /iː, uː/ use length marks as labels, not a promise of fixed duration. Use the full chart for mouth diagrams, recordings and sound-specific tips.
Consonants
| IPA | Example words |
|---|---|
| /p/ | pack, happy, stop |
| /b/ | bed, boat, job |
| /t/ | table, bit, bat |
| /d/ | doctor, sad, said |
| /k/ | key, computer, lock |
| /ɡ/ | garden, glass, guitar |
| /f/ | fill, phone, laugh |
| /v/ | very, van, movie |
| /θ/ | think, thank, mouth |
| /ð/ | this, mother, weather |
| /s/ | sit, city, mouse |
| /z/ | zoo, music, rose |
| /ʃ/ | ship, machine, information |
| /ʒ/ | measure, decision, usual |
| /h/ | hill, home, who |
| /tʃ/ | chair, teacher, watch |
| /dʒ/ | job, gym, bridge |
| /m/ | mouth, music, problem |
| /n/ | know, dinner, rain |
| /ŋ/ | sing, thing, think |
| /l/ | light, lane, feel |
| /r/ | right, rock, wrong |
| /j/ | yes, yesterday, university |
| /w/ | we, window, one |
Vowels
| IPA | Example words |
|---|---|
| /iː/ | sheep, beat, seat |
| /ɪ/ | ship, bit, sit |
| /ɛ/ | bed, bet, said |
| /æ/ | bad, bat, laugh |
| /ɑː/ | lock, rock, father |
| /ɔː/ | long, wrong, law |
| /ʊ/ | book, put, could |
| /uː/ | food, blue, two |
| /ʌ/ | cup, bus, love |
| /ə/ | about, banana, today |
| /ɝː/ | bird, word, return |
| /eɪ/ | rain, lane, paper |
| /aɪ/ | light, right, July |
| /ɔɪ/ | boy, enjoy, coin |
| /aʊ/ | mouth, mouse, now |
| /oʊ/ | boat, vote, window |
Accent notes: some General American speakers merge cot and caught; the chart presents both as a teaching distinction. Rhotic vowels and /r/ are pronounced in this accent. Other accents can use different contrasts and symbols. A chart does not make an accent difference an error.
© 2026 EnglishLearning4U. Source: English sound chart, /tools/sound-chart. Original teaching reference. You may print and share this sheet for learning and teaching. Keep this notice.