English pronunciation online

In order to pronounce English words correctly, you need to listen to the pronunciation of a native speaker. This section contains educational videos on the phonetics of the English language.

English pronunciation rules

English has 20 consonants (Consonants) and 6 vowels (Vowels).

Rules for reading consonants

Letter	Pronunciation
B[bi:]	B (b)
D[di:]	D(d)
F[ef]	F(f)
L[el]	L(L)
M[em]	M(m)
N[en]	N(n)
P[pi:]	P(p)
T[ti:]	T(t)
V[vi:]	V(in)

We have analyzed the rules for reading consonants that have one pronunciation. Now we will consider the rules for pronunciation of consonants that have two pronunciations.

Letter	Position	Pronunciation
C[si:]	before vowels e, i, y before vowels a, o, u; before all consonants; at the end of words	s(s) k(k)
G[dʒi:]	before vowels e, i, y before vowels a, o, u; before all consonants; at the end of words	dʒ (j) g(g)
S[es]	at the beginning of a word, before voiceless consonants and at the end of a word after voiceless consonants between vowels, at the end of words after vowels and voiced consonants	s(c) z(z)
X[eks]	before consonants and at the end of a word before a stressed vowel	ks(ks) gz(gz)

Examples:

one). Consonant C:

ceremony [ serimə ni] - the consonant with comes before the vowel e , therefore it is pronounced like a [ s] sound.

cry [ krai] - the consonant with stands before the vowel r , therefore it is pronounced like a sound [k].

2). Consonant S:

still [ stil] - the consonant s is at the beginning of the word, so it is pronounced like the sound [ s].

toys [ toiz] - the consonant s is at the end of the word after the vowel y , therefore it is pronounced like the sound [ z].

Rules for reading consonant combinations.

Letter	Position	Pronunciation
sh	Anywhere	[ʃ] (w)
ch	Anywhere	[ʧ] (h)
tch	After short vowels	[ʧ] (h)
ck	After short vowels	[k] (k)
th	At the beginning of pronouns, function words, between vowels In other words	[ð] (z-voiced, interdental sound) [θ] (s-soft, interdental sound)
wh	Before a vowel o At the beginning of a word before all vowels except o	[h] (x) [w] (uwe)
qu	Before vowels	[kw] (kv)
ng	At the end of a word	[ɳ] (n-nasal sound)
nk	Anywhere	[ɳk] (nk)
wr	At the beginning of a word before vowels	[r] (r)

Examples:

one). wr combination :

write [ rait] - the letter combination wr is at the beginning of the word before the vowel i , therefore it is pronounced like the sound [ r].

2). Sh combination :

shall [ʃӕ l] - the letter combination sh in any position is pronounced as the sound [ʃ].

Rules for reading stressed vowel combinations

letter combination	Pronunciation
ai ay	[ei] (hey)
ea ee	[i:] (i-long sound)
ew	[ju:] (yu-long sound)
oi oy	[ͻi] (oh)
oo+k	[u] (u)
oo	[u:] (u-long sound)
ou ow	[au] (au) [au]; [ou] (ou)
ai+r	[ɛə] (ea)
ee+r	[iə] (ie)
ou+r	[auə] (aue)
oo+r	[ͻ] (o)

Examples:

one). Combination ay: pay [ pei ] - the combination ay is pronounced like [ ei].

2). The combination oo + k: hook [ huk] - the combination oo + k is pronounced like [ u].

Rules for reading a combination of vowels with consonants

letter combination	Position	Pronunciation
al	Before k in a stressed syllable Before other consonants in a stressed syllable	[ͻ:] (o- long sound) 2. [ͻ: l] (ol- long sound)
wor	Before consonants in a stressed syllable	[wə:] (w- long sound)
wa	Before consonant r Before consonants other than r or combination of consonants	1. [wͻ:] (long sound) 2. [wͻ] (in)
igh	In any position	[ai] (ai)

Examples:

one). The combination wa: war [ wͻ:] - the combination wa before the vowel r is pronounced as the sound [ wͻ:]

2). The combination igh: high [ hai] - the combination igh in any position is pronounced like a sound [ ai]

Rules for reading vowels.

In English, there are 4 types of reading vowels.

I. First type

An open syllable, that is, a syllable ends in a vowel. In this case, the vowels are read as in the alphabet.

Example : fame [feim]

same[seim]

rose [rose]

II. Second type

A closed syllable, that is, a syllable ends in a consonant. In this case, the vowels are read briefly.

Example :dig [dig]

laptop[lӕptͻp]

duck [dʌk]

III. Third type

Combination of stressed vowel and consonant r . In this case, the consonant r is not read, and the vowel sound is pronounced for a long time.

Example : bar[ba:]

dark[da:k]

for [f ͻ:]

IV. fourth type

Combination of stressed vowel, consonant r and unstressed vowel.

Example : dare [dɛə]

fire[ faiɛ]

Consider a table. Find out what sounds make vowels in each type

Letter	I type	II type	III type	IV type
a	tape [ei]	black[ӕ]	scarf[a:]	dare [ɛə]
e	me[i:]	Ben[e]	her[ə:]	mere[iɛ]
i	mine[ai]	kit[i]	skirt[ə:]	fire[aiɛ]
y	fly[ai]	myth[i]	Byrd[ə:]	lyre[aiɛ]
o	bone[ou]	hot[ə]	short[ͻ:]	more[ͻ:]
u	June[u:]	duck[ʌ]	pur[ə:]	jury[juɛ]

In order to correctly pronounce sounds in English, one must not only learn them, but often train, listen to the speech of native speakers. Watch educational videos on phonetics and you will succeed.