CH and J Sounds

CH: (China, century, watch)

J: (Germany, educate , judge)
In English, the CH and J sounds are often studied together because they are
made in the same part of the mouth and pronounced in a similar way. In this
lesson, we will learn how to make the voiceless CH sound (China, century)
and the voiced J sound (Germany, jump).
How to pronounce the CH and J sounds
The voiceless (unvoiced) CH sound (IPA symbol: t ) can be found in English
words such as China, child, church, century, watch, and catch.
The voiced J sound (IPA symbol: d ) can be found in English words such as
Germany, large, joy, educate, edge and judge.
Voiced and voiceless sounds
What are voiced and voiceless sounds? Let's review.
In the English language, we use many voiced sounds. That means that the
vocal cords vibrate when you say that sound. The J sound is a voiced
sound because you use your voice to make the sound.
The CH sound is a voiceless or unvoiced sound because the vocal cords
do not vibrate when you make the sound. Instead, you release air out of
your mouth to make the sound.
To make the CH and J sounds, air is stopped from leaving your mouth for a
short time. The tip of the your tongue presses against the back of your top
teeth to stop air from leaving your mouth. The sides of your tongue press
against the sides of your upper teeth.
You make the CH sound by releasing the stopped air through your teeth. It
is similar to the way the T sound is made, but your tongue is further back on
the top tooth ridge.
You make the J sound by releasing the air and voicing the sound. It is
similar to the way the D sound is made.

Practice the voiceless CH sound

CH and J Sounds
Practice the voiceless CH sound by saying these words aloud. Remember
that the CH sound is not voiced. Your vocal cords do not vibrate when you
make this sound. Make sure you are only using air to make the sound.
There are three spellings for the CH sound: ch, tch, and t (+u).
ch spelling
This is the most common way to spell the CH sound. Ch always makes the
CH sound.

Chinese
chip
chat
pinch
touch
teach

tch spelling

catch

watch

batch

itch

kitchen

witch
t (+u) spelling

century

spatula
In these words, the CH sound is spelled with the letter T followed by a U.
This is not a very common spelling of the CH sound, but it is important to
know it exists. Most words with the tu spelling, are pronounced with a
regular t sound (examples: turn, turkey).

Practice the voiced J sound

CH and J Sounds
Now, let's practice the voiced J sound. Remember to use air and your voice
to make this sound.
There are four spellings of the J sound: g, dg, j, and d (+u).
g spelling
When the letter G is followed by an E or an I, it is sometimes pronounced as
a J sound.
The g (+i) spelling is often (but not always) pronounced as a hard G sound
(examples: girl, gift, give). Here are a few words that are pronounced with
the J sound:
giant

imagine

apologize
giraffe
The g (+e) spelling is usually pronounced as a J sound like in these words:
German

large

charge

age
gentle
dg spelling

fudge

budge

bridge

judge
j spelling
judge
jump
joy
joke

eject
d (+u) spelling

educate

schedule

procedure

(Most words with this spelling are pronounced with a

regular D sound. Example: during, reduce, dust)

Now say these sentences out loud.

1) Teach the children at the church.

CH and J Sounds
2) The spatula is in the kitchen.
3) We eat cheese and chips on a china plate.
4) The gentle giant jumped for joy!
5) I enjoy eating jam and jelly.
6) The gentleman from Germany had a procedure in June.
7) In July, I will educate the cheerful child in Chinese and German.
8) Just apologize to the teacher for touching the giraffe.
9) The joyful judge ate fudge in the kitchen.
10) Imagine a giant, gentle witch with an itch.

ch This combination of letters has some eccentric rules.

1

At times the CH is pronounced as a K. Such as in school, cholera,

chasm, chemical, charisma, chemo, Christ, Christian, chrome,
chronic, chronicle, and others.

At times the CH is pronounced as SH. Mostly in words of French

origin: Such as Champaign, chandelier, chauffeur, chef, parachute,
and chute.

On some the H in CH is silent: Such as chinch where in the first CH,

the H is silent but not in the second CH. In yacht the CH is silent.

Choir is odd in that it sounds exactly as quire. It would be more likely

to be spelled as kwire.

Happily is that most cases CH gets pronounced as CH. How normal is

that?