The English language is a fascinating and complex system of communication, with its own set of sounds and pronunciation rules. To accurately represent these sounds, linguists and language enthusiasts use a system of symbols called phonetic symbols or phonemes. Phonetic symbols are essential for understanding and mastering the correct pronunciation of words in English, as they provide a visual representation of the sounds that make up the language.
In this article, we will explore the world of phonetic symbols, and their importance in English pronunciation, and provide examples to help you better understand how they work.
Understanding Phonetic Symbols
Phonetic symbols are visual representations of speech sounds, designed to describe the way words are pronounced. They are used to transcribe spoken language and make it easier to study and teach pronunciation. The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is the most widely used system of phonetic symbols, providing a standardized way to represent sounds across languages.
The IPA consists of a wide range of symbols, each corresponding to a specific speech sound.
Consonants Phonetic Symbols with Examples
n nice, funny, know, sun
z music, buzz, zero, roses
ŋ anger, sung, ring, thanks
p pen, happen, copy
j yet, beauty, use, few
ʔ (glottal stop) football, department,
ʒ vision, pleasure
b back, job, baby
d day, odd, ladder
ʃ ship, national, sure
tʃ church, nature, match
ð this, smooth, other
dʒ judge, soldier, age
m more, sum, hammer
f fat, rough, coffee, photo
w wet, when, one, queen
h hot, ahead, whole
t tea, button, tight
r right, sorry, wrong, arrange
s soon, sister, cease
θ thing, path, author
g get, ghost, giggle
l light, feel, valley
v view, move, heavy
k key, school, clock
Vowels Phonetic Symbols with Examples
ɜː nurse, learn, stir, refer
ɪə near, weary, here
ə about, standard, common
ɪ kit, hymn, bid, minute
n̩ cotton, suddenly,
ˈ (stress mark)
ɑː father, start
e dress, head, bed, many
ɒ lot, wash, odd
eə square. fair, various
iː fleece, machine, sea
əʊ goat, no, show
eɪ face, break, day
ʊə poor, cure, jury
aɪ price, try, high
l̩ middle, metal
ɔː thought, north, law, war
æ trap, bad
u thank you, situation, influence
aʊ mouth, now
uː goose, blue, two, group
ʊ foot, put, good
i happy, glorious, radiate
ɔɪ choice, boy
ʌ strut, love, mud, blood
Long Vowel Phonetic Symbols
| IPA Symbol | Word examples |
| ɜ: | third, heard, turn. Nurse |
| ɑ: | hard, car, bath. Fast |
| ɔ: | jaw, bored, law, yawn, Talk |
| i: | team, beat, Need |
| u: | fruit, lose, boot, gloomy, Few |
Short Vowel Phonetic Symbols
| IPA Symbol | Word examples |
| ɒ | watch, Rob, squat, top |
| e | send, Went, letter, intend |
| ə | mother, Alive,, again |
| æ | nap, Cat, flat, hand |
| ʌ | money, Fun, one, love |
| ʊ | should, Put, cook, look |
Diphthong Vowel Phonetic Symbols
| IPA Symbol | Word examples |
| aɪ | flight, My, pride, sight, kind |
| ɪə | Beer, Near, clear, ear, tear, fear |
| aʊ | out, Mouth, brown, house, cow |
| əʊ | hole, No, stones, don’t, alone |
| eə | pear, Hair, care, there, stairs |
| eɪ | eight, Face, rain , space, case |
| ɔɪ | oyster, Joy, toy, employ, coil |
Phonetic symbols in English | Image
