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International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) Guide
This International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) guide explains the symbols used to represent English speech sounds. The IPA is a standardized system of phonetic notation designed to show how words are pronounced, regardless of spelling.
This guide covers consonants, vowels, and diphthongs, along with stress patterns and sound length. Each IPA symbol includes English examples and corresponding sounds to help you understand and apply pronunciation accurately.
By linking IPA symbols to words across the site, this guide helps learners recognize pronunciation patterns and pronounce unfamiliar words with confidence. It is intended for students, language learners, and anyone looking to improve their understanding of English pronunciation.
CONSONANTS
IPA symbol | English Example | Sound Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
/ b / | bat | b |
/ t / | tap | t |
/ d / | dog | d |
/ k / | cat | k |
/ g / | go | g |
/ f / | fun | f |
/ v / | van | v |
/ θ / | think | th (voiceless) |
/ ð / | that | th (voiced) |
/ s / | sit | s |
/ z / | zoo | z |
/ ʃ / | shoe | sh |
/ ʒ / | measure | zh |
/ tʃ / | chop | ch |
/ dʒ / | judge | j |
/ m / | mat | m |
/ n / | no | n |
/ ŋ / | sing | ng |
/ l / | let | l |
/ r / | run | r |
/ w / | win | w |
/ j / | yes | y |
/ h / | hot | h |
/ p / | pat | p |
VOWELS AND DIPTHONGS
IPA Symbol | English Example | Sound Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
/ ɪ / | sit | i |
/ e / | bed | e |
/ ɑ / | father | ah |
/ ɔ / | thought | aw |
/ o / | go | o |
/ u / | food | oo |
/ ʊ / | book | u |
/ ə / | sofa | uh |
/ ʌ / | strut | uh |
/ ɒ / | pot (UK) | o |
/ ɜː / | bird (UK) | Ur |
/ æ / | cat | a |
/ aɪ / | ride | eye |
/ aʊ / | loud | ow |
/ ɔɪ / | boy | oy |
/ eɪ / | say | ay |
/ oʊ / | go | o |
/ ɪr / | near | eer |
/ ɛr / | care | air |
/ ɑr / | car | ar |
/ ɔr / | more | or |
/ ʊr / | sure | ur |
/ i / | see | ee |
STRESS, LENGTH, AND ARTICULATORY FEATURES
Symbol | Description | Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
/ ˌ / | Secondary stress marker | electricity = /ɪˌlɛkˈtrɪsɪti/ | The second syllable "lɛk" has a secondary stress, while the third syllable "trɪ" has the primary stress. |
/ ː / | Length mark (lengthens the vowel or consonant) | fleece = /fliːs/ | The vowel "iː" in "fleece" is longer than the short "i" sound. |
/ ( ) / | Parentheses denote optional pronunciation | camera = /ˈkæm(ə)rə/ | Some people might pronounce it with two syllables, like "cam-ra" /ˈkæmrə/, while others might pronounce it with three, like "cam-er-a" /ˈkæmərə/. |
/ ˈ / | Primary stress marker | water = /ˈwɔ tər/ | The first syllable "wa" has the primary stress. |
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