IPA chart: the 44 sounds of English, one at a time

What is IPA and why learn it?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a set of symbols that writes down how words sound. Every dictionary shows the IPA next to a word, for example "ship" /ʃɪp/ and "sheep" /ʃiːp/.

English spelling often does not match its sounds, so knowing the IPA lets you pronounce a new word correctly without anyone reading it to you, and spot the sounds your own language does not have.

The 44 sounds of English

• Single vowels: 12 sounds, including short and long pairs like /ɪ/ and /iː/, /ʊ/ and /uː/.
• Diphthongs: 8 sounds like /eɪ/, /aɪ/, /əʊ/.
• Consonants: 24 sounds, many of which learners often confuse, such as /θ/, /ð/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/.

A pronunciation lesson in English Town

1. Watch a video lesson on the sound (BBC Learning English, Sounds of English).
2. Read words: tap a word to hear it, tap the mic to say it.
3. Tell minimal pairs apart by ear: the app says one word and you choose between two, like ship / sheep.
4. Say the pairs: the app tells you if it heard the other word.
5. Repeat a sentence that contains the sound.

Sounds learners often get wrong

• /θ/ and /ð/ (think, this): put the tip of your tongue between your teeth, do not say "t" or "d".
• /ʃ/ and /s/ (she, see): round your lips for /ʃ/.
• Final /s/, /t/, /d/, /k/: many learners drop final consonants, but in English they matter.
• Long and short vowels: /ɪ/ and /iː/ (ship, sheep) change the meaning.