Phoneme:

The smallest sound unit in

any language that can be
differentiated from other
sounds, such as
the /s/ of sing and
the /r/ of ring.
 Phonetics
The scientific study of
Phonemes or speech
sounds.

Phonology

The study of phonemes of a

particular language.
International Phonetic Alphabet
(IPA)

There are 44 IPA symbols.

These symbols represent the 44

sounds used in English RP (an
educated accent associated with
south-east England).

There are 24 Consonants and 20

vowels sounds symbols.
International Phonetic Alphabet
(IPA) Chart
DIFERENCE between
CONSONANT & VOWEL SOUNDS
CONSONANT & VOWEL SOUNDS

CONSONANTS: (24)
A consonant is a speech
sound that is articulated with
complete or partial closure of
the vocal tract.
VOWELS: (20)
A vowel is a sound is pronounced
with an open vocal tract so that there
is no obstruction or build-up of air
pressure at any point above
the glottis.
 Consonant
(A). Plosives or Stops:

Plosive sounds are

speech sounds produced by
complete closure of the oral
passage and subsequent release
accompanied by a burst of air.

For example, the sound /p/ in ‘pit’

or /d/ in ‘dog’.
In English there are 6 plosives:
3 voiceless and 3 voiced.
1. CONSONANT /p/,/b/ (BILABIAL)
In a bilabial consonant, the lower
and upper lips touch each other.
Sounds /p/ and /b/ .
2. CONSONANT /t/ & /d/ (Alveolar)
In an alveolar consonant, the
tongue tip touches the alveolar
ridge, the ridge immediately
behind the upper teeth. /t/ and /d/
3. CONSONANT /k/ & /g/(Velar)
In a velar consonant, the back of
the tongue touches the soft palate,
or velum. English /k/ & /ɡ/
 Consonant
(B). FRICATIVES

Fricative sounds are produced

when the articulators are brought
so closely together that the sounds
are accompanied by audible
friction.

All fricatives, except /h/, come in

pairs.
In English there are 9
Fricatives.
 1. CONSONANT /f/ and /v/
(Labiodental)
In a labiodental consonant, the
lower lip touches the upper teeth.
English /f/ and /v/.
2. CONSONANT /θ/ and /ð/
(Dental)

In a dental consonant, the tip

or blade of the tongue touches
the upper teeth. English /θ/ &
/ð/
 3. CONSONANT /s/ & /z/
(Alveolar):

The fricatives /s/ and /z/ are also

produced at the place of
articulation of plosive /t/ or /d/.
 4. CONSONANT /ʃand /ʒ/
(Postalveolar)
In a postalveolar consonant, the
constriction is made immediately
behind the alveolar ridge.
5. CONSONANT /h/ (Glottal):
Sound production involving only
the glottis is called glottal.

English has a voiceless glottal

sound "h".

/h/ (the phoneme in hot) is a

voiceless fricative, produced at
various points depending upon the
vowels in the vicinity. For example,
in ‘hot’, /h/ is velar, whereas in
‘heat’, /h/ is alveopalatal.
 Consonants
(C) AFFRICATES /tʃ/& /dʒ/
Combination of a stop and a
fricative - Affricates are
consonants that begin as stops
(most often an alveolar, such as /t/
or /d/) but release as a fricative
(such as /s/ or /z/.

The English has two affricates

/tʃ/and /dʒ/ in IPA.
For example, Cheeze /tʃi:z/,
Jump /dʒʌmp/
 Consonants
(D). Nasal Sounds /m/, /n/, /ŋ/:

These sounds are produced

when air passes through the nose
due to the complete closure in the
mouth at some points.

We have 3 Nasal consonants.

Bilabial /m/ Map /mæp/
Alveolar /n/ Nap / næp/
Velar /ŋ/ Finger /fiŋə/
 Consonants
(E). Semi-Vowel /j/and /w/:
In their production, there is lack
of friction and the sounds are
vowel-like in their voicing but they
function as consonants.
Consonant /j/ (palatal)
Yes /jes/
Year /jɪə/
2. Consonant /w/ (bilabial)
We regard Consonant /w/ as
bilabial for place of articulation
because the two lips are rounded
during its production.

It only occur before vowel. Like

other consonants, Definite article
“a” is used with a word beginning
with /w/.
For example, Well /wel/.
(F) CONSONANT /r/ and /l/:
 CONSONANT /r/

In RP (Received Pronunciation), /r/

is only pronounced clearly when it
is followed by a vowel sound. For
example, ‘arrive’ /əraɪv/.

/r/ is not pronounced when it is

followed by a consonant or it is in
the final position.
For example, ‘Bird’ /bɜːd/,
Teacher /ti:tʃə/
 CONSONANT /l/ (Lateral)
The way of air through the
mouth does not go in the usual way
along the centre of the tongue.
The air escapes along the sides of
the tongue.

Dark /l/: the realization of /l/

found before vowels.
E.g. ‘Light’ /lait/
Clear /l/: /l/ sound found in other
context. E.g. ‘eel’ /i:l/
 VOWELS
PURE VOWELS

(a). Long vowel sounds.

i: u: ɜ: ɑ: ɔ:

(b). Short Vowel sounds:

ɪ e ɒ ʌ æ ə ʊ
PURE VOWELS
 V o w e ls

F ro n t C e n tr a l B ack

Long s h o rt Long s h o rt lo n g s h o rt

iː ɪ ː
u ʊ
Close
sheep s h ip pool P u ll

e ɜː ə ɔː
M id
Bed B ir d A m erica Call

æ ʌ ɑː ɒ
O pen
Cat Cup Father Not, Hot

eɪ aɪ ɔɪ aʊ əʊ ɪə eə ʊə
Diphthongs
D ay M y Boy N ow Go Here air Tour
 MINIMAL PAIR: 1
A pair of words that differ
only by a single sound in the
same position.

/I/ /i:/
Sit seat
Hit heat
Will wheel
Mill meal
Bin been
MINIMAL PAIRs 2 (VOWELS)

Did dead
Fill Fell
Will well
Sit Set
Bill bell
Mint meant
Hill Hell
MINIMAL PAIRs 3 (VOWELS)

Back bark
Had hard
Ban barn
Am Arm
Hat heart
Pat part
MINIMAL PAIRs 4 (VOWELS)

Cot caught
Not nought
Pot port
Shot short
Spot sport
Don dawn
MINIMAL PAIRs 5 (VOWELS)

Part Pot
Sharp shop
Heart Hot
Shark shock
Dark dock
MINIMAL PAIRs 6 (VOWELS)

Pull pool
Should shoed
Full fool
Soot suit
Look Luke
 SCHWA: /ə/ (VOWELS)
Schwa is the most common vowel
sound in English, represented as /ə/
in the IPA.
It is a weak, unstressed sound.

Any vowel letter can be pronounced

as schwa. stressed or not.
Man /mæn/ postman /pəʊmən/

The schwa represents a mid-central

vowel.
 VOWELS
DIPHTHONGS
Diphthongs are types of vowels
where two vowel sounds are
connected in a continuous, gliding
motion.

They are often referred to as

gliding vowels.

English has 8 Diphthongs. eɪ

aɪ ɔɪ aʊ əʊ ɪə eə ʊə
 VOWELS
DIPHTHONGS
 VOWELS
DIPHTHONGS

/aɪ/ five, eye, my /aʊ/ now, cow,

out
/eɪ/ say, eight, day /əʊ/ go, home

/ɔɪ/ boy, join /eə/ where, air,

bear