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English phonetic sounds play a vital role to correct the pronunciation
As we have learned the English alphabet, where we only know about the 26 letters. But once we approach the advanced level of English. There are 44 sounds in English that we know with the name of International Phonetic Alphabet IPA.
Consonant sound IPA.
So, these 44 sounds further divide into two parts, the first voiced and the second is a non voiced sound.
Consonant | ||||
S.no | IPA Symbol | Graphemes /ˈɡræf.iːm/ | Examples | Voiced? |
1 | b | b, bb | bug, bubble | Yes |
2 | d | d, dd, ed | dad, add, milled | Yes |
3 | f | f, ff, ph, gh, lf, ft | fat, cliff, phone, enough, half, often | No |
4 | g | g, gg, gh,gu,gue | gun, egg, ghost, guest, prologue | Yes |
5 | h | h, wh | for example, hop, who | No |
6 | dʒ | j, ge, g, dge, di, gg | jam, wage, giraffe, edge, soldier, exaggerate | Yes |
7 | k | k, c, ch, cc, lk, qu ,q(u), ck, x | kit, cat, chris, accent, folk, bouquet, queen, rack, box | No |
8 | l | l, ll | live, well | Yes |
9 | m | m, mm, mb, mn, lm | man, summer, comb, column, palm | Yes |
10 | n | n, nn,kn, gn, pn | net, funny, know, gnat, pneumonic | Yes |
11 | p | p, pp | for example, pin, dippy | No |
12 | r | r, rr, wr, rh | run, carrot, wrench, rhyme | Yes |
13 | s | s, ss, c, sc, ps, st, ce, se | sit, less, circle, scene, psycho, listen, pace, course | No |
14 | t | t, tt, th, ed | tip, matter, thomas, ripped | No |
15 | v | v, f, ph, ve | vine, of, stephen, five | Yes |
16 | w | w, wh, u, o | wit, why, quick, choir | Yes |
17 | z | z, zz, s, ss, x, ze, se | zed, buzz, his, scissors, xylophone, craze | Yes |
18 | ʒ | s, si, z | treasure, division, azure | Yes |
19 | tʃ | ch, tch, tu, ti, te | chip, watch, future, action, righteous | No |
20 | ʃ | sh, ce, s, ci, si, ch, sci, ti | sham, ocean, sure, machine, | No |
21 | θ | th | Think, third, and thank | No |
22 | ð | th | the, those, that, this, than, and others. | Yes |
23 | ŋ | ng, n, ngue | ring, pink, tongue | Yes |
24 | j | y, i, j | you, onion, hallelujah | Yes |
Vowel sound IPA
Vowel | |||
S. no. | IPA Symbol | Graphemes /ˈɡræf.iːm/ | Examples |
25 | æ | a, ai, au | cat, plaid, laugh |
26 | eɪ | a, ai, eigh, aigh, ay, er, et, ei, au, a_e, ea, ey | bay, maid, weigh, straight, pay, foyer, filet, eight, gauge, mate, break, they |
27 | e | e, ea, u, ie, ai, a, eo, ei, ae | end, bread, bury, friend, said, many, leopard, heifer, aesthetic |
28 | i: | e, ee, ea, y, ey, oe, ie, i, ei, eo, ay | be, bee, meat, lady, key, phoenix, grief, ski, deceive, people, quay |
29 | ɪ | i, e, o, u, ui, y, ie | it, England, women, busy, guild, gym, sieve |
30 | aɪ | i, y, igh, ie, uy, ye, ai, is, eigh, i_e | spider, sky, night, pie, guy, stye, aisle, island, height, kite |
31 | ɒ | a, ho, au, aw, ough | swan, honest, maul, slaw, fought |
32 | oʊ | o, oa, o_e, oe, ow, ough, eau, oo, ew | open, moat, bone, toe, sow, dough, beau, brooch, sew |
33 | ʊ | o, oo, u,ou | wolf, look, bush, would |
34 | ʌ | u, o, oo, ou | lug, monkey, blood, double |
35 | u: | o, oo, ew, ue, u_e, oe, ough, ui, oew, ou | who, loon, dew, blue, flute, shoe, through, fruit, maneuver, group |
36 | ɔɪ | oi, oy, uoy | join, boy, buoy |
37 | aʊ | ow, ou, ough | for example, now, shout, bough |
38 | ə | a, er, i, ar, our, ur | about, ladder, pencil, dollar, honour, augur |
39 | eəʳ | air, are, ear, ere, eir, ayer | chair, dare, pear, where, their, prayer |
40 | ɑ: | a | arm |
41 | ɜ:ʳ | ir, er, ur, ear, or, our, yr | bird, term, burn, pearl, word, journey, myrtle |
42 | ɔ: | aw, a, or, oor, ore, oar, our, augh, ar, ough, | paw, ball, fork, poor, fore, board, four, taught, war, bought, sauce |
43 | ɪəʳ | ear, eer, ere, ier | ear, steer, here, tier |
44 | ʊəʳ | ure, our | cure, tourist |
There are eight diphthongs in English. They are: /eɪ/, /aɪ/,/əʊ/, /aʊ/, /ɔɪ/, /ɪə/, /eə/, and /ʊə/