The International Phonetic Alphabet

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This is one of the widest sounds made with a thin mouth shape. It should make you look like you smile when you pronounce it. Say cheese!

This sound is slightly less wide than the /i:/ sound. It is much shorter, like the "i" in "ship".

This sound is more rounded than the two sounds before, but is a short sound. Try to say "good".

This is the most rounded sound on the top row. It makes your lips go very rounded like you are going to give a kiss! The tongue is further back than the previous sound.

Think that you've just been told a juicy piece of gossip "oooo".

This sound is as wide as the /i:/ but with the mouth slightly more open. Think of the sound you make when you don't understand something "Eh?"

Slightly more rounded than the /e/ sound with the tongue slightly further back towards the throat. Relax everything in your face and just make a noise. This is the most common sound in the English language! It is known as the 'schwa'.

Similar to  the  /ə/ but a longer sound and slightly more rounded with the tongue slightly further back. Think of the sound you make when you smell something bad "errr".

This is the most rounded sound on the row. It is a long sound like you would hear in the word "or".

This is the most open and widest sound in the English language. Make sure to open your mouth wide and have the air move around the sides of your tongue as well as the top. Think of words like "cat".

Relax your mouth slightly from the  /æ/ to stop the air moving around the sides of the tongue. This sound is pointing up and is the sound you make when you say "up".

This one is another long sound, with the tongue slightly further back than the / ʌ / . Think of the sound you make when you stroke a fluffy kitten or puppy "ahhhh". 

This sound is very rounded and very short. Your tongue will be far back in your mouth. It is often used for the 'o' in words like "on" or "top".

Start by saying the short  /ɪ / sound and slide to the relaxed  /ə / without stopping. It should sound like your "ear"!

Start with the short /e/ sound and slide into the short /ɪ/ sound. It should sound like someone who can't hear very well "ey?".

This sound is made by starting with the short /ʊ/ and sliding to the very relaxed /ə/. It is less common than som of the other sounds and is often replaced with the long /ɔ :/ sound in some words. 

Start with the rounded /ɒ/ sound and slide into the short /ɪ/ sound. It's the sound you use to get someone's attention if you are being rude! "Oi". 

Start with your face very relaxed for the /ə/ and slide into the more rounded /ʊ/. This sound is the one the Queen of England would have made in surprise! "Oh!". 

Start with the /e/ sound and slide into the relaxed /ə/ sound. It should sound like the "air". Or for a posh English person saying hello "air, hair, lair"! 

Start with the open /a/ sound and slide into the short /ɪ/ sound. Like the alphabet letter "I"

Start with the open sound /a/ and slide into the rounded /ʊ/. What sound do you make when you stub your toe on something, "Ow!". 

To make this sound you will need to close your lips and then release while blowiing air. You should not hear any sound.

This sound is the voiced pair of the /p/ sound. The same shape, but instead of releasing air, use the voice box instead! Use a piece of paper to check!

Put the tongue behind the top teeth and blow air as you move the tongue downwards. 

The voiced pair of the /t/ sound, so start with the tongue in the same position. Instead of releasing air release sound from your voice box. 

This is a voiceless sound made by lightly resting your top teeth on your bottom lip. Pull your bottom lip down as you release air. You should look like a rabbit! 

Start in the same shap as the /f/ sound but allow your voice box to make the bottom lip vibrate slightly on the teeth. 

This can be one of the hardest sounds for  some non English speakers and even some native English speakers too! Make sure to put the tip of your tongue all the way through the teeth, but don't bite down on the tongue, the teeth have to rest lightly so air can move over the top of the tongue. Don't be shy, it isn't rude to see your tongue when making this sound!

The same shape as the /θ/ sound but this time relase sound from your voice box. Remember, don't bite the tongue, just rest the teeth on it lightly! 

This is a voiced sound made by closing the lips and opening while releasing sound. Make sure both lips close together. 

This is another voiced sound, similar to the /m/ sound but make sure that the top lip is slightly up. The tongue should be far forward in your mouth touching the front teeth.  

This is another voiced sound, with the lips in a similar position to the /n/ sound. It is made with the tongue and the voice from the glottis (the very back part of your mouth). 

This sound is always unvoiced and is just a release of air with an open mouth. The sound you make when you are blowing air on your glasses to clean them! 

To make this sound start with the tongue touching  the base of the top teeth and pull the tongue back into the middle of the mouth all the time releasing air! It will help if you make your lips rounded as you make the /ʃ/ sound. 

This sound is the voiced form of the /tʃ/ sound. Release sound instead of just air, but a very similar mouth position. 

This sound is made by touching the middle of the tongue to the top of the mouth. It is an unvoiced so release air, the noise is made by the tongue restricting the air and then being released.  

This is the voiced form of the /k/ sound so a similar shape. Instead of the tongue holding back just air try to release sound from the voice box instead. You can check by putting your fingers on your voice box! 

To make the /s/ sound, press the tongue lightly behind the ridge behind the top teeth. Make sure it doesn't touch, you have to leave a space so air can escape between the tip of the tongue and the back of the top teeth. 

Start with your tongue in the same position at the /s/ sound but add voice from your voice box. You can check by placing your hand on your throat! It should vibrate and sound like the "buzz" of a bee! 

Put your tongue in a similar position to the /s/ sound, but make your lips more rounded to bring the tongue slightly further back towards your throat. The tongue should form a cup shape. The sound you make when you want someone to be quiet "sh!".

The same shape as the /ʃ/ sound but also add some sound from the voice box to make the sound vibrate. 

To make the /l/ sound touch the tip of the tongue to the top of the mouth and bring the tongue down as you are making noise. The "dark l' is the opposit - start with the tongue on the centre of the mouth and bring the tongue up to the top of the mouth as you are making sound. The 'dark l' is very common in English and is used at the end of words like "apple". 

The standard /r/ sound for Received Pronunciation should be made by the sides of the tongue lightly touching the sides of the bottom teeth. The tongue should be in a 'cup' shape. Make sure that the tongue does not touch the top of the mouth! What sound does the lazy tiger make? "rrrr". 

This sound is made by having the tongue on the middle of the mouth and the lips very rounded. As you are making sound open the lips wide! 

Start with the lips open and flat. The tongue should be in a 'cup' shape. Open the mouth downwards as you make a sound! It is the sound you make when you say "Yeah".