A Course in Spoken English

English Spelling

The world’s international language is English. One of the reasons is that it is quite easy for speakers
of other languages; its grammar is easier. For instance, it has a single gender.

English: the little boy French: le petit garçon

the little girl la petite fille

English spelling, on the other hand, is so complicated and often illogical; you don’t say what you
see.

Why is English spelling so irregular?

English is a rich mixture of languages.

Spoken English came from Germanic languages brought by the Anglo-Saxons, mixed with other
languages like Norse from the Vikings and French from the Normans.
So, in English one sound does not always match one letter. Sometimes the same sound may be written
in more than one way in English, because words came from different languages. For instance, the
word ‘fern’ comes from the Anglo-Saxons and the first sound is spelt ‘f’. Whereas the word ‘phone’
comes from Greek and the same sound is spelt ‘ph’.
The word ‘chivalry’ comes from French and the first sound is pronounced /ᶴ/. The word ‘cello’ comes
from Italian and the first sound is pronounced /ʧ/.
In many cases in English letters do not match with sounds. For example:

• The same letters can be pronounced in different ways.

The letters –ough are pronounced in ‘bough’ /au/, ‘though’ /ǝu/, ‘trough’ /u:/ and ‘rough’ / ʌf/.

• The same letters can mean two different things depending on how they are pronounced. The letters
‘bow’ mean:

/b∂u/ → arc weapon

/bau/ → the front end of a ship

• In a number of cases in English, letters can be silent (not pronounced):

Silent b: bomb, climb, comb, debt, doubt

Silent k: knee, knife, knight, knit, knock, knowledge

Silent w: wrap, wreck, wrist, wright, wrote, wrinkle

Silent u: build, biscuit, guilt, guitar, guest, circuit

When a double consonant appears in a word, usually only one of the two consonants is sounded (as
in "ball" or "summer").

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The English language is a mess. The poem by Gerard Nolst Trenité which he calls The Chaos
illustrates the absurdity of the English spelling. It starts like this:
Dearest creature in creation
Studying English pronunciation,
I will teach you in my verse
Sounds like corpse, corps, horse and worse.

I will keep you, Susy, busy,

Make your head with heat grow dizzy;
Tear in eye, your dress you'll tear;
Queer, fair seer, hear my prayer.

Sword and sward, retain and Britain

(Mind the latter how it's written).
Made has not the sound of bade,
Say-said, pay-paid, laid but plaid.

Now I surely will not plague you

With such words as vague and ague,
But be careful how you speak,
Say: gush, bush, steak, streak, break, bleak,

In its fullest version, the poem runs through about 800 of the most vexing spelling inconsistencies in
English.

So to read English, to turn written words back into spoken words, it helps to be aware of all the sounds
or ‘phonics’ of spoken English and the several ways each sound may be written.

Letters vs Sounds

Letters or graphemes are written or printed, and sounds or phonemes are spoken or heard. It
is important that these functions are not confused. When we write in normal spelling, we are using
letters to convey sounds. In English, this relationship is only ever a rough guide to pronunciation, and
it is certainly not reliable.

When writing in English we use 26 letters of alphabet.

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Modern English Alphabet

In English, to use these 26 letters of alphabet in speech, we need 44 characters to represent them all. It
has some extra characters which represent the sounds in English for which there is no clear
equivalent letter or letters.

Writing with sound symbols

We can use these extra symbols to write out the pronunciation of words, and in many dictionaries
for the English language we will see the pronunciation written out. To show that what is written are
sounds and not letters, the transcriptions are written between slashes, / /. For example, the
pronunciation of the word 'pet' is written
/pet/.So to cope with these irregularities, we need a system for representing phonetic sounds with
symbols.

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

1.The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is an alphabet of phonetic notation designed to capture
all the different ways words in English can be pronounced, based on the Latin alphabet. It was
designed by the International Phonetic Association in the late 19th century as a standardized system
ofor representing sounds of spoken languages. The IPA is particularly useful when it comes to
describing individual sounds of spoken English. This is because in English there can be more way
of pronouncing the same graphemes. For example, in English, there are two main ways of producing
the ‘a’ sound: bath or grass with a long /a:/ or short /a/. People from the south of England tend to
pronounce the long /a:/ and people from the North pronunce the short /a/.

2. English Pronunciation
We use the term ‘accent’ to refer to differences in pronunciations. Pronunciation can vary with
cultures, regions, and speakers, but there are two major standard varieties in English pronunciation:
British English and American English.Within British English and American English there are also a
variety of accents. Some of them have received more attention than others from phoneticians and
phonologists. These are Received Pronunciation (RP) and General American (GP). (We will be
concerned with the British English pronunciation).

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3. Received Pronunciation (RP)

The standard form of spoken English or the reference accent for English is known as Received
Pronunciation (RP), and it is this accent of English upon which IPA is based. RP is also called
variously: BBC English, the Queen’s English and is the spoken form to which many learners of
English as an additional language aspire.

The sounds of English

1. IPA representation of English sounds

There are two types of sounds: vowels and consonants. The chart below contains all of the IPA
symbols to represent the sounds of the English language.

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Vowels are made without any obstruction of the airstream. The air flows relatively unimpeded
through the mouth or the nose. Differences in vowel sounds are made by different positions of the
tongue and the lips.

Consonants are made by a definite interference with the airstream by the vocal organs. Because of
this, they are easier to describe than vowels.

2. Vowel sounds

Types of vowels
• Monophthongs

Where the sound of a vowel remains constant throughout its pronunciation, it is sometimes called
a pure vowel (monophthong).

Short: /i/, /u/, /ʌ/, /o/, /e/, /a/, /ə/

Long: /i:/, /u:/, /ɑː/ , /ɜː/

• Diphthongs (double sounds).

In pronouncing some vowels, the tongue or lips move from one position to another. This change is
sometimes called a glide, and the technical name for these vowels is diphthongs. The change is very
smooth, and so diphthongs sound like single long vowels rather than like two vowels. Diphthongs are
described with two letters or symbols: ‘I say go now boy’

/aɪ/: time; /əʊ/: load; /eɪ/: face; /ɔɪ/: voice; /au/: house; /ɛə/: bear; /iə/: beard; /uə/: tour

Vowels

IPA Spelling Examples

e, e…e, i, i…e, a, ea, ee, ei, be, cede, ski, machine, beach, bee, deceit, people, key,
/iː/
eo, ey, ie field

bit, myth, orange, chocolate, bargain, pretty, breeches,

i, y, a, a...e, ai, e, ee, ei, i...e,
/i/ counterfeit, medicine, carriage, sieve, women, busy,
ia, ie, o, u, u...e, ui
minute (RP), build

u...e, oo, o, o…e, oe, ou, flute, too, to, lose, shoe, soup, though, coup, true,
/uː/
ough, oup, ue, ui, wo fruit, two

/u/ oo, u, o, or, ou, oul look, full, wolf, worsted, courier, should

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a, a…e, ai, ai...e, aig, aigh,

bass, rate, rain, cocaine, arraign, straight, hay, played,
/eɪ/ ais, ay, aye, ea, ei, ei...e,
steak, veil, beige, reign, eight, weighed, they, obeyed
eig, eigh, eighe,ey, eye,

a, e, i, o, ai, au, eig, eu, o...e, tuna, oven, pencil, icon, gunwale, mountain, aurora,
/ə/
ou, foreign, amateur (RP), awesome, callous

o, o…e, au, eau, ew, oa, oe so, bone, mauve, beau, sew, boat, foe, oh, soul,
/əʊ//oʊ/
oh, ou, ough, ow, owe though, know, owe

met, many, aesthetic, said, says, deaf, friend, bury,

/ɛ/ e, a, ae, ai, ay, ea, ie, u, ue
guess

/æ/ a, ai, al, ea, hand, plaid, salmon, poleax

/ʌ/ u, o, o…e, oe, oo, ou, sun, son, come, does, flood, touch

o, a, al, au, au...e, augh,

flora, bald, talk, author, cause, caught, overslaughed,
/ɔː/ aughe, aw, awe, oa, oo, ou,
jaw, awe, broad, flooring, pouring, bought
ough

or, ore, aor, ar, aur, oar, oare, or, fore, extraordinary, war, dinosaur, oar, soared,
/ɔː/
oor, oore, our, oure, door, floored, four, poured

watch, lock, yacht, sausage, bureaucracy, cough,

/ɒ/ a, o, ach, au, eau, ou, ow
acknowledge

father, garage, salaam

/ɑː/ a, a...e, aa, au, er, ea,
aunt , sergeant, heart

/ɑː/ ar, aar, are, arre, uar car, bazaar, are, bizarre, guard

i…e, ae, ais, ay, aye, eigh,

fine, maestro, aisle, kayak, aye, height, eye, diaper,
/aɪ/ ey, ia, ie, ig, igh, ighe, is,
tie, sign, high, sighed, isle, guide, buy, type, bye
ui, uy, y...e, ye

/ɔɪ/ oi, oy, awy, oye, avoid, toy, lawyer, enjoyed

ou, ow, ao, aow, aowe, ough,

/au/ out, now, cacao, miaow, bough, ploughed, vowed
oughe, owe

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are, air, aire, ar, ayer, ayor, bare, hair, millionaire, scarce, prayer, mayor, yeah,
/ɛə/
eah, ear, eir, ey're bear, heir, where, they're,

ere, e're, ea, ear, eare, eer,

here, chimaera, we're, idea , ear, feared, beer, peered,
/iə/ eere, eir, eor, er, ers, ier, iere,
weird, theory , series, revers, pier, premiere, souvenir
ir,

er, ir, ur, ear, ere, err, erre, defer, fir, fur, earl, were, err, interred, stirred, worst,
/ɜː/
irre, or, ueur, liqueur

/uə/ oo, ou, u, moored, tour, sure

u, u…e, ew, eau, eo, eu, iew, music, use, few, beauty, feodary, feud , view, cue,
/juː/
ue, ueue, ui, ut queue, nuisance, debut

•Triphthongs

A triphthong is a glide from one vowel to another and to a third, all produced rapidly and without
interruption. For example, a careful pronunciation of the word ‘hour’ begins with a vowel quality
similar to /ɑ:/ goes on to /u/ then to /ə/, it says /auə/.

IPA Spelling Examples

ayer Player
/eiə/ ayer Layer

yre Tyre
uyer buyer
ie science
/aiə/ ire fire
iro iron
iar liar
igher higher
ia giant

/ɔɪə/ oya loyal

employer
oyer

/əuə/ ower lower

ower Power
/auə/ our Hour

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 A Course in Spoken English

Transcribe the following words using the IPA symbols.

1.our 7.sour
2.inspire 8.pure
3.dire 9.ireland
4.mayor 10.destroyer
5.lawyer 11.attire
6.mower 12.bower

Transcribe the following words using the IPA

people word date retire

some rider ship borrow
child save vote enter
hook nice keep deaf
find horse warm recite
throw scene now prepare
corner ˈ shoes slow build
such game busy knew
queer back key short
year sail hire lock
about time camp piece

Sound Distinction

i: mi: Me
I It it

/i:/ and /i/

1. seat → sit → 6. feet → fit→
2. fill → feel → 7. reason → risen →ˈ
3. ship → sheep → 8. field → filled→
4. hill → heel → 9. sleep → slip→

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5. leaves → lives → 10.grin → green→

e get get
a at at

/e/ and /a/

1. bad → bed → 6. lend → land→
2. bend → band → 7. man → men →
3. dad→ dead→ 8. pen → pan→
4. guess → gas → 9. said → sad→
5. had → head → 10.set → sat→

ʌ ʌp up
a sat sat

/ʌ/ and /a/

1. bag → bug → 6. lump → lamp→
2. but → bat → 7. match→ much→
3. cap → cup→ 8. rag → rug→
4. cut→ cat→ 9. run → ran→
5. hat → hut→ 10.sang→ sung→

a: a: are
o: o:l all

/a: / and /o:/

1. art → ought → 6. born→ barn→
2. Arthur → author → ˈ 7. pork→ park→
3. court→ cart → 8. part→ port→
4. darn→ dawn → 9. shore→ Shah→
5. four→ far → 10. star→ store→

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 A Course in Spoken English

əu nəu no
O o not

/ əu / and /o/
1. coast → cost→ 6. on→ own→
2. cot → coat → 7. road→ rod→
3. code→ cod→ 8. want → won’t→
4. holly→ ˈ holy → 9. alone→ lock→
5. hop→ hope→ 10.close→ clop→

iə iə ear
ɛə ɛə air

/ iə / and / ɛə /
1. bear→ beer→ 6. pair→ peer→
2. cheers→ chairs → 7. spear→ spare→
3. dear→ dare→ 8. stare → steer→
4. fare→ fear → 9. tear→ tear→
5. hair→ here→ 10.weary→ wary→

ʌ ʌp up
E get get

/ʌ/ and / e/
1. bet→ but→ 6. many→ money→ ˈ
2. bud→ bed → 7. muddle→ meddle→
3. blood→ bled→ 8. puddle→ pedal→
4. deck→ duck → 9. ton→ ten→
5. fled→ flood→ 10.treble→ trouble→
ʌ ʌp up
o not not

/ʌ/ and / o/
1. boss→ bus→ 6. gone→ gun→

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2. collar→ ˈ colour → ˈ 7. hut→ hot→

3. cuff→ cough→ 8. lost→ lust→
4. cot→ cut → 9. not→ nut→
5. dock→ duck→ 10.shot→ shut→

u put put
u: du: do

/u/ and /u:/

1. wool → rude → 6. fool → full→
2. afternoon→ butcher→ 7. look → blue→
3. pool→ bull → 8. tooth→ good→
4. hood→ new→ 9.should → cute→
5. fuse→ to → 10. choose → soon→

ei sei say
e/ set set

/ei / and / e/,

1. ate→ eight→ 6. met→ mate→
2. date→ debt → 7. pen→ pain→
3. gate→ get→ 8. raid→ red→
4. let→ late→ 9. sail→ sell→
5. main→ men→ 10.tell→ tail→

ɛə ɛə air
ɜː hɜː her

/ ɛə / and / ɜː /
1. err→ air→ 6. stair→ stir→
2. care → cur → 7. were→ where→
3. fur→ fair→ 8. serve → scare →
4. hair→ her→ 9. care→ girl→
5. pair→ purr→ 10.first→ stare→

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Transcribe the following words using the IPA symbols.

Word Transcription Word Transcription

1. locker 19. Indian

2. stolen 20. almost

3. shore 21. factor
4. station 22. liquid
5. worry 23. pardon
6. all 24. duty
7. garden 25. product
8. tailor 26. travel
9. wave 27. southern
10. reachable 28. customary
11. ordinary 29. address
12. merchant 30. about
13. haunt 31. phone
14. water 32.together
15.marble 33.sauna
16. window 34. aunt
17. broken 35. mortar
18. calendar 36. carpet

From the RP transcription, write the following words with their ordinary spellings:
1. /griːn / 11. /ɑːm/
2 ./gəuld / 12. /ɪə/
3. /bluː/ 13. /aɪ/
4. /ɒrɪndʒ/ 14. /feɪs/
5. /braun/ 15. /fut /
6. /jeləu/ 16. /heə/
7. /greɪ/ 17. /hænd/
8. /pɜːpl̩ / 18. /mauθ/
9. /waɪt/ 19. /nəuz/
10./dʒækɪt/ 20./ʃəuldə/

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