English Pronunciation Guide
Hear every sound of English, see how your mouth makes it, and train your ear. Free, no account.
- 44 sounds with audio
- 20 listening games
- Help for 16 first languages
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Consonants 24
In a pair: voice off, then voice on
| LipsBilabial | Lip + teethLabiodental | TeethDental | RidgeAlveolar | Behind ridgePost-alveolar | PalatePalatal | Soft palateVelar | ThroatGlottal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StopPlosive | ||||||||
| Stop + hissAffricate | ||||||||
| NoseNasal | ||||||||
| HissFricative | ||||||||
| GlideApproximant | ||||||||
| SidesLateral approximant |
- StopPlosive
- Stop + hissAffricate
- NoseNasal
- HissFricative
- GlideApproximant
- SidesLateral approximant
Practise
Questions
What is the fastest way to improve English pronunciation?
Work on the errors that change word meaning, such as vowel contrasts like ship/sheep, consonant voicing, l/r, v/w and word endings, rather than chasing a native accent. Train your ear first with minimal-pair listening, then drill production with feedback, a little every day.
Do I need to lose my accent to be understood, or for IELTS?
No. Accent and intelligibility are different things, and heavily accented speech is often perfectly clear. IELTS accepts every standard accent and scores intelligibility. The band descriptors only mention L1 accent through its effect on being understood.
Should I learn the IPA (phonetic alphabet)?
Learning to recognise the symbols is worth it: every dictionary and every page in this guide uses them, and they let you see the difference between sounds that spelling hides. You only need to read IPA, not write it.
How is British pronunciation different from American?
The biggest systematic difference is the letter r: American English pronounces it everywhere (car, work), British English only before vowels. A handful of vowels also differ (hot, ask, go). Both are fully accepted in IELTS, so choose one model and be consistent.