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American English Sound Chart
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Learning to pronounce words in English is difficult, partly because there are so many ways to spell the same sound. The charts below provide audio clips of each American English sound, as well as common and alternative spellings for that sound. Please use these charts as a guide, and be aware that while they provide many spelling variations, they do not include an exhaustive list.
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Consonants
| IPA | Listen | Common Spelling |
Alternative Spellings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| b |
 |
b belt |
bb rabbit |
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| d |
|
d dog |
dd add |
ed played |
tt letter |
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| f |
|
f flower |
ff stuff |
ph phone |
gh laugh |
lf half |
ft often |
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| g |
|
g goat |
gg egg |
gh ghost |
gu guest |
gue monologue |
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| h |
|
h horse |
wh who |
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| dʒ |
|
j joker |
ge age |
g giraffe |
dge edge |
di soldier |
gg exaggerate |
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| k |
|
k kite |
c cat |
ch Christmas |
cc acclaim |
lk polka |
qu quiz |
ck luck |
x fox |
| l |
|
l lamb |
ll tall |
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| m |
|
m monkey |
mm hammer |
mb plumber |
mn hymn |
lm palm |
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| n |
|
n neck |
nn winner |
kn know |
gn sign |
pn pneumonia |
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| ŋ |
|
ng ring |
n think |
ngue tongue |
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| p |
|
p pet |
pp happy |
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| r |
|
r risk |
rr berry |
rh rhyme |
wr wrestle |
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| s |
|
s sing |
ss lasso |
c lice |
sc science |
ps psychologist |
st listen |
ce mice |
se course |
| ʃ |
|
sh shower |
ce ocean |
s sugar |
ci special |
si tension |
ch machine |
sci conscious |
ti location |
| t |
|
t tadpole |
th Thomas |
ed focused |
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| tʃ |
|
ch child |
tch watch |
tu situation |
ti question |
te righteous |
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| θ |
|
th thing |
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| ð |
|
th the |
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| v |
|
v vase |
f of |
ph Stephen |
ve love |
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| w |
|
w walrus |
wh whistle |
u queen |
o choir |
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| j |
|
y yellow |
i dominion |
j hallelujah |
u unicorn |
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| z |
|
z zebra |
zz buzz |
s has |
ss scissors |
x xylophone |
ze haze |
se rose |
|
| ʒ |
|
s measure |
si vision |
z azure |
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Vowels
| IPA | Listen | Common Spelling |
Alternative Spellings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i |
|
y baby |
e be |
ea leaf |
ee seed |
ey key |
eo people |
ie believe |
ei deceive |
| ɪ |
|
i ill |
u business |
ui quick |
y hymn |
o women |
ee been |
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| ey |
|
ai |
a lady |
eigh eight |
aigh straight |
ay day |
ey they |
ea break |
ei vein |
| ɛ |
|
e yellow |
ea dead |
u bury |
ie friend |
ai said |
a many |
eo leopard |
ei heifer |
| æ |
|
a bat |
ai plaid |
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| ʌ * |
|
u cup |
o Monday |
a want |
ou Doug |
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| ə * |
|
a again |
i president |
e enough |
io lotion |
u campus |
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| ɑ ** |
|
o shop |
a watch |
au cauliflower |
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| u |
|
oo boot |
ew dew |
ue hue |
oe shoe |
ough through |
o who |
ui fruit |
u-e mute |
| ʊ |
|
oo book |
u bull |
ou would |
o woman |
bl table |
fl waffle |
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| o |
|
oa boat |
o-e phone |
o open |
oe hoe |
ow below |
ough though |
oo brooch |
ew sew |
| ɔ ** |
|
au caught |
o on |
a call |
aw hawk |
ou fought |
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| aɪ |
|
i spider |
y sky |
igh high |
ie die |
uy buy |
ye bye |
is island |
eigh height |
| aʊ |
|
ow cow |
ou doubt |
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| ɔɪ |
|
oi loin |
oy boy |
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| ɚ |
|
er matter |
ar dollar |
ir stir |
our journal |
or doctor |
re centre |
ur burn |
ear pearl |
| ɑɾ |
|
ar star |
er sergeant |
ear heart |
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| ɔɾ |
|
ore store |
or or |
oar oar |
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| ɛɾ |
|
air stair |
are dare |
ear pear |
ere there |
eir heir |
ayer prayer |
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* There is little to no phonological difference between /ʌ/ and /ə/; however, /ʌ/ is a full vowel, and /ə/ (i.e., "schwa") is a reduced vowel that falls only on unstressed syllables.
** Often referred to as the cot-caught merger, the phonemes /ɑ/ and /ɔ/ are indistinguishable to many Americans and merge into a sound similar, if not identical, to /ɑ/. See the Department of Linguistics at UPenn for a map and more information.
Note: An additional vowel, /ɒ/, is present in British English in words such as "lot," "stop," and "cloth."
© Every Voice. These charts were adapted from the original versions at DSF Literary Resources.
** Often referred to as the cot-caught merger, the phonemes /ɑ/ and /ɔ/ are indistinguishable to many Americans and merge into a sound similar, if not identical, to /ɑ/. See the Department of Linguistics at UPenn for a map and more information.
Note: An additional vowel, /ɒ/, is present in British English in words such as "lot," "stop," and "cloth."
© Every Voice. These charts were adapted from the original versions at DSF Literary Resources.