Learn How to Read the IPA | Phonetic Alphabet

Hi, everyone. Do you know what the IPA is?  It's the International Phonetic Alphabet.  

These are the symbols that represent the  sounds we say. Can you read this sentence?

I speak English.

Do you have to know the IPA to become fluent in  English? No. Do you have to know the IPA to have  

good pronunciation? No. Not necessarily.  But if you know the IPA, it's a tool that  

can help you. Being familiar with the IPA will  make more information accessible to you, like  

the pronunciation listed in a dictionary. You'll  also have greater awareness of individual sounds,  

and this will help you both hear and produce  clearer contrasts between similar sounds.

I'm Jennifer from English with Jennifer, and  using the IPA, I'd like to take you through the  

consonant and vowel sounds in American English.  Please note there are variations of the IPA,  

but having familiarity with one system will make  it easier to understand another. I often refer  

to the Longman Dictionary of American English,  and I have a number of pronunciation textbooks  

in my personal library. One I've always  liked is Accurate English by Rebecca Dauer.

Let's start with the consonant  sounds. It's easy to recognize B,  

P, D, and T. Look. When we see the letter  B, we say /b/. Can you read this word?  

Baby. Note the use of the stress symbol to  show that the first syllable is stressed:  

baby. P is /p/. How about this word? It's  something we all desire: peace. The letter D  

makes the sound /d/. If you understood how to read  "peace," you can figure out this word: deep. A  

true T sounds like /t/. Do you remember this word?  Baby. So now try to read this word: date. Good.

Now in American English the letter  T can have different pronunciations.  

In a word like "little," we use a flap T. It looks  

like this. Here's how we write "little."  So can you figure out this word? Battle.

American English speakers may use a glottal stop  in a word like "fountain." There are different  

symbols for a glottal stop. One of them looks like  this. We often use a glottal stop when T comes  

before a pause or another consonant sound. Read  these words with me, and we'll use a glottal stop.

At. It. What.

The symbols for G and K are easy to  recognize. The letter G sounds like /g/.  

What word is this? Pig. The letter K sounds  like /k/. Read these words: pick, key. Good.

Let's look at four more symbols that  are easy to read. They represent V, F,  

Z, and S. V is /v/. Read these words: give,  live. F is /f/. Can you read these words?

If. Fit.

Z is /z/. Where might you see  a monkey if you live in a big 

city? At a zoo. S is /s/. If this is "zoo,"  then what girl's name is this? Sue. Right.  

Excellent. Next, we have two symbols for  "th." If TH is voiced, we use this symbol,  

as in: though, those. If TH is unvoiced,  we use this symbol, as in: thin, thought.

The "j" sound can have different spellings,  but the phonetic symbol is this. A short  

version of my name is "Jen." Can you  recognize who this person is? Judge.

This symbol represents /tʃ/, which  can be written with a CH or a TCH.  

What part of the face is this? Chin.  And some people still wear a watch.

How do we tell people to be quiet? Shh.  Read these words with me. She. Sheep. Sheet.

This symbol represents present /ʒ/ as in:  treasure, measure. The phonetic symbols for H,  

L, M, and N are thankfully easier  to read. H sounds like /h/ as in  

"head." L makes the /l/ sound. Read  these words with me. Led. Let. List.

M is /m/ as in: met, mist. N is /n/  as in "net: and the number "ten."

Have you ever seen this symbol? It  kind of looks like "n," right? It  

represents the "ng" sound.  Can you read these words?

Ring. Sing.

R as a consonant sounds like /r/. You just  read "ring," so what's this word? Wrong.

The W and Y sounds are also easy to recognize.  W sounds like /w/. Can you read these words?

Wing. Wet.

Y sounds like /y/. I'm confident you can  read these words: yes, yet. Good job.

For more detailed information about  how the consonant sounds are made,  

you can watch my video on the 24  consonant sounds in American English.

Now it's time to go through the vowel sounds.  Ready? There are 15 vowel sounds in American  

English. Again, there are different systems,  so other resources may not match the list I'm  

sharing with you, but it does correspond to my  playlist on Vowel Sounds in American English.

First, read the front vowels with me. /i, ɪ, eɪ,  

ɛ, æ/ Now see if you can match words  to their phonetic transcriptions.

Here are two more vowel sounds. First, "uh"  as in "fun." But if this sound is unstressed,  

you'll see the schwa symbol. It looks like an  upside down "e." This is the same sound basically,  

but it's unstressed. Which syllable is stressed  in the word "confident"? Confident. The first  

one is stressed, right? This means the other  two vowel sounds are unstressed. Take a look  

at the phonetic transcription. Confident.  See how the "e" becomes a schwa? In fact,  

some dictionaries show "confident" like this,  with two schwa symbols. Confident. The truth  

is that the difference between a short i and a  schwa in an unstressed syllable in fast speech  

can be really hard to hear hard to hear with  confidence. Confident. Confidence. Confidently.

Look at the stressed syllable in  "confident" again, and you'll see  

this symbol. Confident. /ɑ/ as in  "confident" and as in "father."

Now say these back vowel sounds with me. /u,  ʊ, oʊ, ɔ/ For Some American English speakers,  

including me, there isn't always a big  difference between /ɔ/ in "jaw" and /ɑ/  

as in "father" or "confident." In fact, I  have to really think about it to produce  

a clear difference. Can you match these  words to their phonetic transcriptions?

Now we'll look at three diphthongs.  They each use two symbols because they  

represent a gliding from one vowel sound  to another. Repeat after me. /aɪ, aʊ, ɔɪ/

Can you read the words?

like

how

toy

kite

around

moist

tonight

shout

join

Great. Finally we have this  symbol to represent /ɚ/.

I know the /ɚ/ sound is a tricky sound for  many learners to pronounce. If you need a more  

detailed explanation, you can go to my playlist  on vowel sounds in American English. Read with me.

sir shirt flirt learn work term

Now see if you can read these words that use  other vowel sounds in combination with /ɚ/.

ear

fair

heart

more

higher

power

How about a final challenge to review everything?  Again, the goal here is increased familiarity  

with the IPA. I don't expect you to have  all the symbols memorized at this point,  

especially if you've never seen the symbols  before. We're going to read slowly. Okay?  

But if you really want to challenge yourself,  you can pause the video. Read aloud. Then play  

the video. Listen and check to see  if you read the symbols correctly.

Pronunciation is important, but that  doesn't mean you have to lose your  

accent. Look back at "pronunciation." You'll  see two stress marks. That's because there's  

primary stress and secondary stress. This is  common in longer words. Look at "important."  

I just said that carefully and with a true  T. With faster, more relaxed pronunciation,  

I'd probably use a glottal stop: important.  Also, the sound /ɔr/ can be written a couple  

different ways. Some dictionaries will show  it like this. Others may show it like that.  

I prefer the /ɚ/ sound because then it reminds  me that we're really combining two vowel sounds.

/ɔɚ/ Important or important. Finally  you'll see some reduction here. "To"  

is reduced because it's not  stressed. So I say /tə/. Also,  

"your" is reduced. Tt's not stressed,  so I say /yɚ/. Your. Your accent.

You don't have to sound exactly like a native  speaker. Note how I flap the T in "native."

Even native speakers have accents.

The main goal should be to  speak clearly and accurately. 

Note that the word "clearly" can also be  transcribed this way. And some dictionaries  

may list accurately with a second schwa  sound because that syllable is unstressed.

Accent training is about accent reduction, and  you work towards having smooth, clear speech.

So continue your pronunciation practice,  

but have realistic goals and have  faith that your training will pay off.

Here's the full text, and  I'll read at a natural pace.

Pronunciation is important, but that doesn't  mean you have to lose your accent. You don't  

have to sound exactly like a native speaker.  Even native speakers have accents. The main goal  

should be to speak clearly and accurately.  Accent training is about accent reduction,  

and you work towards having smooth, clear  speech. So continue your pronunciation practice,  

but have realistic goals, and have  faith that your training will pay off.

We'll end here. Please remember to  like and share the video if you found  

the lesson useful. As always, always  thanks for watching and happy studies!

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