Phonemes and graphemes
Source: https://englishphonetics.net/english-phonetics-academy/the-44-sounds-of-english-based-on-the-IPA.html
English vowel letters and their sounds
A vowel is a particular kind of speech sound made by changing the shape of the upper vocal tract, or the area in the mouth above the tongue. In English it is important to know that there is a difference between a vowel sound and a letter in the alphabet.
English Consonant letters and their sounds
A consonant letter usually represents one consonant sound. Some consonant letters, for example, c, g, s, can represent two different consonant sounds.
| Phoneme | IPA Symbol | Graphemes | Examples | Voiced? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | b | b, bb | bug, bubble | Yes |
| 2 | d | d, dd, ed | dad, add, milled | Yes |
| 3 | f | f, ff, ph, gh, lf, ft | fat, cliff, phone, enough, half, often | No |
| 4 | g | g, gg, gh,gu,gue | gun, egg, ghost, guest, prologue | Yes |
| 5 | h | h, wh | hop, who | No |
| 6 | dʒ | j, ge, g, dge, di, gg | jam, wage, giraffe, edge, soldier, exaggerate | Yes |
| 7 | k | k, c, ch, cc, lk, qu ,q(u), ck, x | kit, cat, chris, accent, folk, bouquet, queen, rack, box | No |
| 8 | l | l, ll | live, well | Yes |
| 9 | m | m, mm, mb, mn, lm | man, summer, comb, column, palm | Yes |
| 10 | n | n, nn,kn, gn, pn, mn | net, funny, know, gnat, pneumonic, mneumonic | Yes |
| 11 | p | p, pp | pin, dippy | No |
| 12 | r | r, rr, wr, rh | run, carrot, wrench, rhyme | Yes |
| 13 | s | s, ss, c, sc, ps, st, ce, se | sit, less, circle, scene, psycho, listen, pace, course | No |
| 14 | t | t, tt, th, ed | tip, matter, thomas, ripped | No |
| 15 | v | v, f, ph, ve | vine, of, stephen, five | Yes |
| 16 | w | w, wh, u, o | wit, why, quick, choir | Yes |
| 17 | z | z, zz, s, ss, x, ze, se | zed, buzz, his, scissors, xylophone, craze | Yes |
| 18 | ʒ | s, si, z | treasure, division, azure | Yes |
| 19 | tʃ | ch, tch, tu, ti, te | chip, watch, future, action, righteous | No |
| 20 | ʃ | sh, ce, s, ci, si, ch, sci, ti | sham, ocean, sure, special, pension, machine, conscience, station | No |
| 21 | θ | th | thongs | No |
| 22 | ð | th | leather | Yes |
| 23 | ŋ | ng, n, ngue | ring, pink, tongue | Yes |
| 24 | j | y, i, j | you, onion, hallelujah | Yes |
English vowel letters and their sounds
A vowel is a particular kind of speech sound made by changing the shape of the upper vocal tract, or the area in the mouth above the tongue. In English it is important to know that there is a difference between a vowel sound and a [letter] in the [alphabet]. In English there are five vowel letters in the alphabet.
| Phoneme | IPA Symbol | Graphemes | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | æ | a, ai, au | cat, plaid, laugh |
| 26 | eɪ | a, ai, eigh, aigh, ay, er, et, ei, au, a_e, ea, ey | bay, maid, weigh, straight, pay, foyer, filet, eight, gauge, mate, break, they |
| 27 | e | e, ea, u, ie, ai, a, eo, ei, ae | end, bread, bury, friend, said, many, leopard, heifer, aesthetic |
| 28 | i: | e, ee, ea, y, ey, oe, ie, i, ei, eo, ay | be, bee, meat, lady, key, phoenix, grief, ski, deceive, people, quay |
| 29 | ɪ | i, e, o, u, ui, y, ie | it, england, women, busy, guild, gym, sieve |
| 30 | aɪ | i, y, igh, ie, uy, ye, ai, is, eigh, i_e | spider, sky, night, pie, guy, stye, aisle, island, height, kite |
| 31 | ɒ | a, ho, au, aw, ough | swan, honest, maul, slaw, fought |
| 32 | oʊ | o, oa, o_e, oe, ow, ough, eau, oo, ew | open, moat, bone, toe, sow, dough, beau, brooch, sew |
| 33 | ʊ | o, oo, u,ou | wolf, look, bush, would |
| 34 | ʌ | u, o, oo, ou | lug, monkey, blood, double |
| 35 | u: | o, oo, ew, ue, u_e, oe, ough, ui, oew, ou | who, loon, dew, blue, flute, shoe, through, fruit, manoeuvre, group |
| 36 | ɔɪ | oi, oy, uoy | join, boy, buoy |
| 37 | aʊ | ow, ou, ough | now, shout, bough |
| 38 | ə | a, er, i, ar, our, ur | about, ladder, pencil, dollar, honour, augur |
| 39 | eəʳ | air, are, ear, ere, eir, ayer | chair, dare, pear, where, their, prayer |
| 40 | ɑ: | a | arm |
| 41 | ɜ:ʳ | ir, er, ur, ear, or, our, yr | bird, term, burn, pearl, word, journey, myrtle |
| 42 | ɔ: | aw, a, or, oor, ore, oar, our, augh, ar, ough, au | paw, ball, fork, poor, fore, board, four, taught, war, bought, sauce |
| 43 | ɪəʳ | ear, eer, ere, ier | ear, steer, here, tier |
| 44 | ʊəʳ | ure, our | cure, tourist
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