Pronunciation · consonant
The /ɡ/ sound: g as in go
In short
/ɡ/ is a voiced velar plosive, the consonant you hear in go, again, bag. It is voiced: your vocal cords vibrate while you make it. Below: exactly how to position your mouth, audio you can copy, the mistakes learners actually make, and drills to fix them.
How to pronounce /ɡ/
- 1Raise the back of your tongue to the soft palate.
- 2Release with your voice on.
- 3Keep it voiced at word ends: 'bag', not 'back'.
/ɡ/ in words, with audio
Listen, then copy. The slow (turtle) version exaggerates the mouth movement.
- goɡəʊ · sound is initial
- againəˈɡen · sound is medial
- bagbæɡ · sound is final
- governmentˈɡʌvənmənt · sound is initial
- argueˈɑːɡjuː · sound is medial
The mistake almost everyone makes
Devoicing at the end of words so 'bag' becomes 'back' and 'dog' becomes 'dock'.
Who struggles with this sound:
- Russian speakers: final /ɡ/, /d/, /b/ devoice: 'dog' → 'dok', 'bed' → 'bet'
Spellings of /ɡ/
These letter patterns commonly spell /ɡ/: g gg gu gh. English spelling is unreliable; trust the IPA, not the letters.
Words that drill /ɡ/
Each has a full breakdown, audio in both accents and a recording drill. Practising a sound inside a real word transfers better than practising it alone.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce the /ɡ/ sound?
Raise the back of your tongue to the soft palate. Release with your voice on. Keep it voiced at word ends: 'bag', not 'back'.
What is the most common mistake with /ɡ/?
Devoicing at the end of words so 'bag' becomes 'back' and 'dog' becomes 'dock'.
Which spellings make the /ɡ/ sound?
Common spellings include “g”, “gg”, “gu”, “gh”, as in go /ɡəʊ/, again /əˈɡen/, bag /bæɡ/.
Does /ɡ/ matter for IELTS?
It is a polish-level sound: errors are audible but rarely stop a listener understanding you. IELTS scores intelligibility, not perfection; prioritise the contrasts that change word meaning.
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