Learn and Practise British English Speech Sounds

Q: How do I use this Phonetic Alphabet Sound Chart to improve my English?

To improve your English with this IPA chart, listen to each sound and repeat it aloud. Focus on the mouth position and compare sounds that are similar. This helps with both pronunciation and listening skills.

Q: What is the correct pronunciation of 'wind'?

The word 'wind' can be pronounced two ways: /wɪnd/ when referring to air movement, and /waɪnd/ when used as a verb, like 'wind a clock'. Learn more about English homographs in our blog.

Q: How should you say 'close'?

The word 'close' has two pronunciations in English: /kləʊz/ as a verb ('Please close the door') and /kləʊs/ as an adjective ('They are close friends'). These are examples of homographs.

Master British English pronunciation with our Interactive IPA Sound Chart

Learning English pronunciation can be challenging, but our interactive English International Phonetic Alphabet chart makes it easy and fun. Explore the full range of British English sounds by clicking on each symbol to hear clear examples.

Whether you're studying for an exam, improving your accent to make things easier at work, or just starting to learn English, this free pronunciation chart is a powerful tool to boost your speaking skills. Practise vowels, diphthongs and consonants — and build your confidence in English communication today.

For more practise spotting the crucial schwa sound in weak syllables, try my Stress Code game.

How do I use this Phonetic Alphabet Sound Chart to improve my English?

Listen carefully to each sound and try repeating it aloud, in all of the reference words. Make a recording of yourself, and listen back to it - re-record until you're happy it's a good match. Regular practice will help you sound more natural and confident in English.

British English Vowel Sounds - International Phonetic Alphabet

short vowels

long vowels

iː

interest

/ˈɪn.trest/

fish /fɪʃ/

women

/ˈwɪm.ɪn/

easy /ˈiː.zi/

people

/ˈpiː.pl/

key /kiː/

apple /ˈæp.l/

hand /hænd/

understand

/ˌʌn.dəˈstænd/

ɑː

ɔː

after

/ˈɑːf.tə(r)/

heart /hɑːt/

alarm

/əˈlɑːm/

orange

/ˈɒr.ɪndʒ/

clock /klɒk/

forgot

/fəˈɡɒt/

ordinary

/ˈɔː.dən.ri/

law /lɔː/

report

/rɪˈpɔːt/

uː

looking

/ˈlʊk.ɪŋ/

put /pʊt/

shouldn't

/ˈʃʊd.ənt/

juice /dʒuːs/

loosen

/ˈluː.sn/

dispute

/dɪˈspjuːt/

about

/əˈbaʊt/

energy

/ˈen.ə.dʒi/

other /ˈʌð.ə(r)/

ɜː

bird /bɜːd/

world /wɜːld/

return

/rɪˈtɜːn/

ever /ˈev.ə(r)/

respected

/rɪˈspek.tɪd/

again /əˈɡen/

oven /ˈʌv.ən/

Monday

/ˈmʌn.deɪ/

discovered

/dɪˈskʌv.ərd/

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British English Vowel Sounds - Diphthongs - International Phonetic Alphabet

eə

eɪ

əʊ

area

/ˈeə.ri.ə/

hair /heə(r)/

prepare

/prɪˈpeə(r)/

April

/ˈeɪ.prəl/

explain

/ɪkˈspleɪn/

display

/dɪˈspleɪ/

open

/ˈəʊ.pən/

closed /kləʊzd/

alone

/əˈləʊn/

aɪ

aʊ

ɔɪ

island

/ˈaɪ.lənd/

alive /əˈlaɪv/

described

/dɪˈskraɪbd/

now /naʊ/

towel /taʊəl/

mouth /maʊθ/

toy /tɔɪ/

enjoy

/ɪnˈdʒɔɪ/

employed

/ɪmˈplɔɪd/

ɪə

ʊə

earring

/ˈɪə.rɪŋ/

clear /klɪə(r)/

severe

/sɪˈvɪə(r)/

sure /ʃʊə(r)/

plural

/ˈplʊə.rəl/

tourist

/ˈtʊə.rɪst/

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British English Consonant Sounds - International Phonetic Alphabet

unvoiced

voiced

packed /pækt/

stopped /stɒpt/

slip /slɪp/

bought

/bɔːt/

grabbed

/ɡræbd/

tub/tʌb/

cough /kɒf/

relax /rɪˈlæks/

check /tʃek/

goes /ɡəʊz/

exactly

/ɪɡˈzækt.li/

bag /bæɡ/

first/fɜːst/

effort /ˈef.ət/

enough

/ɪˈnʌf/

vision

/ˈvɪʒ.n/

over

/ˈəʊ.və(r)/

drive /draɪv/

talked /tɔːkt/

created

/kriˈeɪt.ɪd/

walked /wɔːkt/

decision

/dɪˈsɪʒ.ən/

didn't

/ˈdɪd.nt/

ended /'end.ɪd/

scissors

/ˈsɪz.əz/

risked /rɪskt/

race /reɪs/

zip /zɪp/

cousin

/ˈkʌz.ən/

rise /raɪz/

shape /ʃeɪp/

dishes

/ˈdɪʃ.ɪz/

Spanish

/ˈspæn.ɪʃ/

genre

/ˈʒɒn.rə/

treasure

/ˈtreʒ.ə(r)/

division

/dɪˈvɪʒ.ən/

tʃ

through

/θruː/

author

/ˈɔː.θə(r)/

month /mʌnθ/

these/ðiːz/

other

/ˈʌð.ə(r)/

breathe

/briːð/

chosen

/ˈtʃəʊ.zən/

achieve

/əˈtʃiːv/

switch /swɪtʃ/

dʒ

job /dʒɒb/

suggest

/səˈdʒest/

engage

/ɪnˈɡeɪdʒ/

light/laɪt/

colour

/ˈkʌl.ə(r)/

legal

/ˈliː.ɡəl/

right /raɪt/

brought /brɔːt/

straight

/streɪt/

walk /wɔːk/

towards

/təˈwɔːdz/

away /əˈweɪ/

usual

/ˈjuː.ʒu.əl/

future

/ˈfjuː.tʃə(r)/

renew

/rɪˈnjuː/

made /meɪd/

cilmate

/ˈklaɪ.mət/

thumb

/θʌm/

natural

/ˈnætʃ.ər.əl/

only /ˈəʊn.li/

/ˈlɒɡ.ɪn/

think /θɪŋk/

finger

/ˈfɪŋ.ɡə(r)/

sing /sɪŋ/

hope /həʊp/

inherit

/ɪnˈher.ɪt/

behave

/bɪˈheɪv/

Improve your English pronunciation at your own pace! Take a look at our self-study Pronunciation Power Course to see how you can build your English speaking skills in just a few minutes a day.

What is the correct pronunciation of 'wind'? How should you say 'close'? Let's talk homographs!

Homographs are words which are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings. Learn more in our blog posts, with example sentences and mini-exercises: 'lead', 'wind' and 'close'