Introduction to Phonetics
Introduction
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) chart is an excellent tool to help you improve your
pronunciation, both inside and outside the classroom. This lesson will introduce and explain the IPA
chart, and it will provide some practice of using it to transcribe commonly mispronounced vocabulary.
Explanation of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) Chart
Have a look at the charts and notes below to learn why the IPA sounds are arranged in such a way.
Listen and repeat after your teacher as they demonstrate the correct pronunciation of each symbol. As
they speak, watch the movement of their mouth to learn the correct mouth and tongue position for
each sound.
Vowel Sounds / Monophthongs
There are 5 vowel letters in English, but there are
many ways to pronounce these vowels. First, we
will look at single vowel sounds (monophthongs).
There are short and long vowel sounds. Wherever
you see ː after the symbol, it indicates a long
vowel sound. The long sounds (ɪː uː ɜː ɔː and ɑː )
are shaded in the chart on the right.
Mouth Position: Tongue Position:
Vowel sounds in the first row are made with the mouth The vowel sounds are also arranged
almost closed and, so, the sound comes out of the top of in columns based on the position
the mouth. This is why they’re arranged in the top row. of the tongue when pronouncing
Vowel sounds in the second row are made with the mouth each sound.
slightly more open and, so, the sound comes out of the For the first column, the tongue is
middle of the mouth. This is why they’re in the middle row. positioned at the front of the
Vowel sounds in the third row are made with the mouth mouth.
completely open and, so, the sounds come out of the For the following three columns, the
bottom of the mouth. This is why they’re on the bottom tongue is positioned further back a
row. little for each column.
Exercise 1: Can you guess the words from their phonetics spellings below?
Introduction to Phonetics
Diphthongs
Diphthongs are two vowel sounds that appear together in the
same syllable and produce a new sound.
Diphthongs are arranged according to the second sound. The
first column sounds end with /ə/, the second column sounds end
with /ɪ/, and the third column sounds end with /ʊ/.
The symbols in the second column are often pronounced as the
long sound ɪː although they aren’t followed with ː
Exercise 2: Can you guess the words written in the phonetics below?
Consonant Sounds
There are 24 consonant sounds but only 21 letters. Most sounds are voiced, meaning we use our vocal
cords when making the sound, but there are 9 unvoiced sounds (shaded in the chart). Unvoiced
sounds are aspirated, which means a puff of air comes out of your mouth when you pronounce these
sounds correctly.
The first two rows are made up of the consonant pairs (on the right). Consonant Pairs:
The shape of the mouth when pronouncing these pairs is the same, but
/p/ and /f/ and
the /b/ /v/
difference is that one sound is voiced and the other is unvoiced. You can
/t/ and /d/ /θ/
feel the difference when practising these sounds by holding your throat. and /ð/
/tʃ/
You should feel some vibration when pronouncing the voiced sounds. and /dʒ/ /s/ and
Single consonants, which do not have a pair, are arranged in the bottom /z/
/k/ and
row.
Exercise 3: Can you guess the words written in the phonetics below? /g/ /ʃ/
and /ʒ
Stress & Syllables
The stressed syllable in a word is shown by placing the symbol ˈbefore the primary stressed syllable.
There can be a secondary stress in some words, which is shown by placing the symbol ˌbefore the
secondary stressed syllable.
Syllables are shown with spacing when a word is written phonetically. See the examples below:
/en tə ˈ
teɪn /dɪ ˈ
pləʊ /ˌ
ɪn stɪ ˈ
tjuː /ˈ
ɔːgən aɪz d/
mənt/ mə/ ʃən/
(organised)
(entertainment) (diploma) (institution)
Exercise 4: Underline the primary stressed syllables in the words below.
Compare your answers with your partner and/or use a dictionary to check if you are correct.
Exercise 5: Vocabulary & Phonetics Matching Race
In pairs, race your classmates to be the first to match the vocabulary with its correct phonetic spelling.
Refer back to the IPA Chart when needed.
ɒˈ
streɪ kʌ bəd
ˈ 1. afternoon 1. castle
liːə en ɪ ˌ
ˈ bɒ diː 2. although 2. comfortable
feɪvərɪt
ˈ ev rɪ bɒ diː
ˈ 3. answer 3. communication
bʊk keɪs
ˈ brə ˈ
zɪl 4. anybody 4. component
deɪn
ˈ kə ˌ
mjuːnɪ ˈ
keɪ ʃən 5. architectur 5. cupboard
e
ʤrəs ˈ
ɑːn biːn 6. dangerous
6. aren’t
sə ɪ lek ˈ
trɪ ʃən 7. daughter
7. Asia
bɪs kɪts
ˈ bɜːθ deɪ
ˈ 8. depends
8. Australia
ɪˈ
ʤɪp daɪ nɪŋ
ˈ 9. dining room
9. being
ʃən ɑːnt ruːm ɔːl 10. early
10. been
kɑːsl
ˈ ðəʊ
ˈ 11. Egyptian
11. biology
kəm ˈ
pəʊ en ʤɪ ˈ
ˌ nɪə 12. electrician
12. birthday
1 nənt ˈ
eɪ ʒə kʌmf(ə) tə
ˈ 13. engineer
13. biscuits
ɜːliː
ˈ bl baɪ ˈ
ɒ lə 14. equipment
14. bookcase
ɑːf tə ˈ
ˈ nuːn ʤi 15. everybody
15. Brazil
dɔːtə
ˈ ɪˈ
kwɪp 16. famous
16. building
biːɪŋ
ˈ mənt ˈ
bɪl 17. favourite
17. busy
dɪˈ dɪŋ
pendz feɪ məs
ˈ
bɪ zi
ˈ ɑːkɪt ek ʧə
ˈ
Exercise 6: Guess the Word!
In pairs/small groups, try to guess the word from the phonetics. Refer back to the IPA Chart when
needed.
1. fɒ rɪn
ˈ 1. kiː
2. fraɪ deɪ
ˈ 2. kɪld
3. frend 3. læŋ gwɪʤ
ˈ
4. fɜːnɪ ʧə
ˈ 4. lɑːf
5. gæ rən ˈ
ˌ tiː 5. lɪt ərɪ ʧə
ˈ
6. gɪ ˈ
tɑː 6. mæ njʊ ˈ
ˌ fæk ʧə
7. heə 7. me niː
ˈ
8. hɑːf 8. mɪn ɪt
ˈ
9. he deɪk
ˈ 9. mʌnθ
10. hɑːt 10. maʊn tɪn
ˈ
11. haɪt 11. mju(ː) ˈ
zɪəm
12. həʊ ˈ
tel 12. əˈ
keɪ ʒnə li
13. ɪm ɪʤ
ˈ 13. wʌns
14. ɪn dɪ ˈ
ˌ pen dənt 14. ɒ pə zɪt
ˈ
15. ɪn trɪs tɪŋ
ˈ 15. ɒ rɪn ʤɪz
ˈ
16. aɪ lənd
ˈ 16. peə rənts
ˈ
17. ʤə ˈ
pæn 17. fə ˈ
tɒ grə fə
Exercise 7: Transcription Tasks
A. Can you read the text below and transcribe it back into the English alphabet form?
ɪf juːkæn riːd ðɪs, kənˌ
grætjʊˈ
leɪʃənz! juːʃʊd naʊ hæv ə gʊd ˌ
ʌndəˈ
stændɪŋ ɒv ði ˌ
ɪntə(ː)ˈ
n æʃənl fəʊˈ
netɪk
ælfəbɪt. ðɪs wɪl help juːə lɒt wenˈ
ˈ evə juːlɜːn ə njuːwɜːd ænd wɒnt tuːʧ ek ðə kəˈ
rekt prəˌ
nʌnsɪˈ
eɪʃən. ɔːl ðə
best ɒn jɔːˈ
lɜːnɪŋ ˈ
ʤɜːni!
B. Try to write a short secret message to your partner, and have them guess what you’ve
written.
Exercise 8: Extra Practice / Homework Task - Vocabulary to Phonetic Transcription
Try to write the words below phonetically. Refer back to the IPA Chart.
Pronunciation contd.
Lesson: Introduction to Phonetics Level: Beginner Time: 1 hour
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Exercise 5 (Option 2) – Vocabulary & Phonetics Matching Game
Lesson: Introduction to Phonetics Level: Beginner Time: 1 hour
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