Vowels and Diphthongs |
Phonemes |
Word Examples |
Description |
iy |
feel, eve, me |
front close unrounded |
ih |
fill, hit, lid |
front close unrounded (lax) |
ae |
at, carry, gas |
front open unrounded (tense) |
aa |
father, ah, car |
back open rounded |
ah |
cut, bud, up |
open mid-back rounded |
ao |
dog, lawn, caught |
open-mid back round |
ay |
tie, ice, bite |
diphthong with quality: aa + ih |
ax |
ago, comply |
central close mid (schwa) |
ey |
ate, day, tape |
front close-mid unrounded (tense) |
eh |
pet, berry, ten |
front open-mid unrounded |
er |
turn, fur, meter |
central open-mid unrounded |
ow |
go, own, town |
back close-mid rounded |
aw |
foul, how, our |
diphthong with quality: aa + uh |
oy |
toy, coin, oil |
diphthong with quality: ao + ih |
uh |
book, pull, good |
back close-mid unrounded (lax) |
uw |
tool, crew, moo |
back close round |
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Consonants and Liquids |
Phonemes |
Word Examples |
Description |
b |
big, able, tab |
voiced bilabial plosive |
p |
put, open, tap |
voiceless bilabial plosive |
d |
dig, idea, wad |
voiced alveolar plosive |
t |
talk, sat |
voiceless alveolar plosive |
g |
gut, angle, tag |
voiced velar plosive |
t |
meter |
alveolar flap |
g |
gut, angle, tag |
voiced velar plosive |
k |
cut, ken, take |
voiceless velar plosive |
f |
fork, after, if |
voiceless labiodental fricative |
v |
vat, over, have |
voiced labiodental fricative |
s |
sit, cast, toss |
voiceless alveolar fricative |
z |
zap, lazy, haze |
voiced alveolar fricative |
th |
thin, nothing, truth |
voiceless dental fricative |
dh |
then, father, scythe |
voiced bilabial plosive |
sh |
she, cushion, wash |
voiceless postalveolar fricative |
zh |
genre, azure |
voice postalveolar fricative |
l |
lid |
alveolar lateral approximant |
l |
elbow, sail |
velar lateral approximant |
r |
red, part, far |
retroflex approximant |
y |
yacht, yard |
palatal sonorant glide |
w |
with, away |
labiovelar sonorant glide |
hh |
help, ahead, hotel |
voiceless glottal fricative |
m |
mat, amid, aim |
biliabial nasal |
n |
no, end, pan |
alveolar nasal |
ng |
sing, anger |
velar nasal |
ch |
chin, archer, march |
voiceless alveolar affricate: t + sh |
jh |
joy, agile, edge |
voiced alveolar affricate: d + zh |
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