This list contains the main sounds of standard British English (the one thats associated with southern

England, also often called Received Pronunciation). See the bottom of the page for some important notes. CONSONANTS The following letters have their usual values in English: b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w, z.

IPA

Text g dZ N D Z

Examples

IPA

Text tS x T S j

Examples

  G     

get, go, guard judge, soldier sing, ring, finger then, bathe, lather pleasure, vision

W  [    M

chip, chin, nature Scots loch thin, thick, strength she, sugar, machine yet, use, beauty

SHORT VOWELS
IPA Text a @ i V Examples IPA Text e I Q U Examples

  L 

cat, bad, trap about, comma happy, glorious dug, run, strut

      

bed, net, dress kit, bid, hymn hot, odd, wash book, put, foot

LONG VOWELS
IPA Text A: 3: O: Examples IPA Text i: u: Examples

      

cart, arm, father her, nurse, learn port, saw, thaw

L  X 

meet, see, fleece boot, too, group

DIPHTHONGS/TRIPHTHONGS
IPA Text Examples IPA Text Examples

D H   D

    

aI eI

bite, my, price

fate, day, break I@ pier, near, weary U@ tour, cure, jury aU@ sour, cower, flour

D   H D

    

aU @U

brow, how, mouth

goat, show, no OI boil, choice, boy e@ hair, dare, various aI@ fire, buyer, liar

OTHER SYMBOLS
IPA Text , () ? Purpose

      

Precedes the syllable which has the primary stress Precedes a syllable which has a secondary stress Surround an optional sound Glottal stop

SOME FRENCH VOWEL SOUNDS

IPA Text 2 9 a~ o~ Examples IPA Text O y e~ 9~ Examples

   

jeu oeuf, soeur banque, sans bonbons, son

 \  

bottes, bol sucre, tu cinq, saint un, lundi, brun