Guide to American Pronunciation

A Quick Guide to the Pronunciation of American English

This guide presents a simple, easy-to-follow, phonetic notation for American English. Although it is intended primarily as a companion to other articles such as “The State of English Spelling”, it can prove intriguing to the “phonetically curious”. It is interesting to see how many similar sounding words are written in such different ways, not to mention similarly spelled words whose pronunciation are worlds apart.

The reader can easily look up any unfamiliar phonetic symbol (e.g. š, æ, ʌ) in the short list of samples below. Please keep in mind that this phonetic notation conveys how a word is really pronounced by the general population. For practical reasons, the regional differences in pronunciation are minimized by this notation. Though we may transcribe “harbor” consistently as [harbər], we know that a New Englander will pronounce it differently from an Iowan, at least the [ar] and [ər] portions of the word. Although it shares many of its symbols, this phonetic notation does not strictly conform to the International Phonetic Alphabetic (IPA) or to any other standard. Intended to be easily understood and learned, the notation uses symbols from various traditions.

To best grasp the pronunciation any word below, sound it out as you would normally. For example, to understand what [æ] sounds like, look in the list of sample words for vowels below. Once you’ve found the entry for [æ], choose one of the words that follow it and pronounce it. For example, in the word bat, the letter in bold corresponds to the sound of [æ]. The list of consonants is organized similarly. To know what sound [ŧ] represents, find its entry and select one of the words that follow it. [ŧ] represents the sound corresonding to the bold letters in thick, whereas the alternative pronunciation of th, as in this, is represented by [đ].

Below the one-line lists of vowels and consonants is a longer, alphabetized list of sample words for those curious to learn more. Further down, the same words are cross-referenced by vowels to make it easier to contrast the sounds.

Consonants (see sample words below)
‣ b č d đ D f g ǧ h j k l m n ŋ p r s š t ŧ v w y z

Vowels (see sample words below)
‣ a aı aw æ ʌ ε e: eı i ı ɔ ɔ: o: oı u ʉ ə ɚ

Notes
‣ The colon : indicates a long vowel as in [e:] and [o:]
‣ The letter x represents any 1 of 3 sounds: [ks] as in max, or [gz] as in exact, or
[z] as in xerox.

Sample words for vowels
[a] father, barn
[aı] bite, mind
[aw] about, mound, crowd
[æ] bat, matter
[ʌ] but, mutt
[ε] bet, lend
[e:] fare, hair, stairs
[eı] fate, bait, may, neighbor
[i] feet, mean, eke
[ı] fit, limb
[ɔ] cot, bother
[ɔ:] fought, caught
[o:] boat, wrote, bowl
[oı] boy, poıson
[u] boot, moon
[ʉ] put, good
[ə] metal, order, harbor, cater, beneath
[ɚ] burn, girl, earn, urn, herb, fir

Sample words for consonants
[b] boat, globe
[č] cheat, switch, teacher
[d] dog, meadow
[đ] brother, this, than, feather
[D] better, ladder, pattern
[f] feather, muffin, cough
[g] good, fog, legging, gag
[ǧ] ledger, judge, gauge, gin
[h] hat, ahead
[j] leisure, measure, beige
[k] close, buckle, quick, bequeath
[l] loop, below, well
[m] more, immerse, bloom
[n] band, honor, nothing
[ŋ] nothing, long
[p] prime, ripple, respond
[r] rapid, rare, bright, purr, part
[s] street, boss, sash, lesser, lease
[š] sash, Chicago, sheet, pressure, sugar
[t] teach, street, tough
[ŧ] thin, thick, bequeath, pithy
[v] drove, vent, even
[w] wagon, reward, lower
[y] beyond, yam, ambient
[z] breeze, easy, amuse

Longer list of words for the curious
For those who want to learn more, the following list of words (in alphabetical order) provides additional examples of common words in phonetic notation.
Further below, the same words are cross-referenced by vowel. You may find it surprising how the same vowel sound is written in so many different ways.

about /əbawt/
afoot /əfʉt/
ahead /əhεd/
ambient /æmbyənt/
amuse /əmyuz/
annoy /ənoı/
appoint /əpoınt/
apt /æpt/
art /art/
attribute /ət′rıbyʉt/ or /′ætrıbyut/
attrition /ətrıšən/
awe /ɔ:/
badge /bæǧ/
bagel /beıgəl/
bait /beıt/
baiter /beıDər/
band /bænd/
barn /barn/
bat /bæt/
batter /bæDər/
be (to) /bi/
bee /bi/
beige /beıj/
being /biəıŋ/
below /bəlo:/
beneath /bəniŧ/
bequeath /bəkwiŧ/
bet /bεt/
better /bεDər/
bile /baıl/
bill /bıl/
bing /bıŋ/
binge /bınǧ/
bird /bɚd/
birth /bɚŧ/
bitter /bıDər/
bloom /blum/
boat /bo:t/
boot /but/
bother /bɔđər/
bottom /bɔDəm/
bought /bɔ:t/
bowl /bo:l/
breeze /briz/
bridge /brıǧ/
brother /brʌđər/
buckle /bʌkəl/
budge /bʌǧ/
bummer /bʌmər/
bumper /bʌmpər/
burn /bɚn/
but /bʌt/
butter /bʌDər/
cater /keıDər/
caught /kɔ:t/
cheat /čiDər/
cheat /čit/
chewing /čuwıŋ/
chews /čuz/
Chicago /šıkago/
choose /čuz/
chutney /čʌtni/
close /klo:z/
cot /kɔt/
covered /kʌvərd/
covert /kʌvɚt/
coward /kʌwərd/
cower /kʌwər/
crock /krɔk/
crowd /krawd/
dazzle /dæ:zəl/
deed /did/
did /dıd/
dowry /dawri/
drove /dro:v/
earn /ɚn/
easy /izi/
eggs /ɛgz/
etcetera /ɛtsəDɛrə/ or /ɛtsətɛrə/
ethereal /əŧiryəl/
ethic /ɛŧık/
even /ivən/
exact /ɛgzækt/
excel /ɛksɛl/
exit /ɛgzıt/ or /ɛksıt/
fair /fe:r/
fang /fæŋ/
fare /fe:r/
fate /feıt/
father /fađər/
feather /fɛđər/
feet /fit/
fight /faıt/
file /faıl/
fill /fıl/
fink /fıŋk/
fir /fɚ/
fire /faıər/
fissure /fıšər/
fit /fıt/
fizzy /fızi/
foot /fʉt/
fur /fɚ/
fusion /fyujən/
gag /gæg/
gauge /geıǧ/
gin /ǧın/
girl /gɚl/
globe /glo:b/
good /gʉd/
gym /ǧım/
hair /he:r/
harbor /harbər/
haughty /hɔ:ti/
hat /hæt/
her /hɚ/
herb /hɚb/
herd /hɚd/
hither /hıđər/
immerse /ımɚs/
jet /ǧɛt/
judge /ǧʌǧ/
ladder /læDər/
lease /lis/
ledger /lεǧər/
legging /lεgıŋ/
leisure /lijɚ/
lend /lεnd/
lesser /lɛsər/
life /laıf/
limb /lım/
lime /laım/
live /laıv/
live (to) /lıv/
loop /lup/
lower /lo:wər/
major /meıǧər/
Mary /me:ri/
marry /mæri/
matter /mæDər/
may /meı/
meadow /mεdo:/
mean /min/
measure /mεjər/
merry /mɛri/
metal /məDəl/
might /faıt/
mite /faıt/
modern /mɔdərn/
modernity /mɔdɚnəDi/
moon /mun/
more /mo:r/
mother /mʌđər/
mound /mawnd/
muffin /mʌfən/
mutt /mʌt/
neighbor /neıbər/
nook /nʉk/
nothing /nʌŧıŋ/
part /part/
pair /pe:r/
pare /pe:r/
pattern /pæDərn/
pear /pe:r/
picture /pıkčɚ/
pit /pıt/
pithy /pıŧi/
pity /pıDi/
pizza /pitsa/
plot /plɔt/
ploy /ploı/
poise /poız/
pot /pɔt/
press /prɛs/
pressure /prɛšər/
prim /prım/
prime /praım/
pull /pʉl/
pure /pyur/
put /pʉt/
quick /kwık/
quizzical /kwızəkəl/
rapid /ræpıd/
raptor /ræptər/
rapture /ræpčər/
rare /re:r/
relax /rəlæks/
ripple /rıpəl/
rook /rʉk/
rupture /rʌpčər/
sash /sæš/
shoes /šuz/
soot /sʉt/
spot /spɔt/
stairs /ste:rz/
street /strit/
strict /strıkt/
sure /šur/
surface /sɚfəd/
switch /swıtš/
teach /tič/
teacher /tičɚ/
than /đæn/
that /đæt/
thick /ŧık/
thin /ŧın/
this /đıs/
thought /ŧɔ:t/
took /tʉk/
toy /toı/
treasure /trɛjər/
trip /trıp/
tripe /traıp/
tripper /trıpɚ/
trite /traıt/
urn /ɚn/
veil /veıl/
vent /vεnt/
wagon /wægən/
wail /weıl/
wear /we:r/
well /wεl/
whale /weıl/
while /waıl/
wily /waıli/
wire /waıər/
wolf /wʉlf/
wool /wʉl/
writ /rıt/
write /raıt/
written /rıtən/
wrote /ro:t/
yam /yæm/
yeast /yist/
yet /yɛt/

Cross-reference of words by vowel sound
/a/
art /art/
barn /barn/
Chicago /šıkago/
father /fađər/
harbor /harbər/
part /part/
pizza /pitsa/

/aı/
bile /baıl/
fight /faıt/
file /faıl/
fire /faıər/
life /laıf/
lime /laım/
live /laıv/
might /faıt/
mite /faıt/
prime /praım/
tripe /traıp/
trite /traıt/
while /waıl/
wily /waıli/
wire /waıər/
write /raıt/

/aw/
about /əbawt/
crowd /krawd/
dowry /dawri/
mound /mawnd/

/æ/
ambient /æmbyənt/
apt /æpt/
attribute /ət′rıbyʉt/ or /′ætrıbyut/
badge /bæǧ/
band /bænd/
bat /bæt/
batter /bæDər/
dazzle /dæ:zəl/
exact /ɛgzækt/
fang /fæŋ/
gag /gæg/
hat /hæt/
ladder /læDər/
marry /mæri/
matter /mæDər/
pattern /pæDərn/
rapid /ræpıd/
raptor /ræptər/
rapture /ræpčər/
relax /rəlæks/
sash /sæš/
than /đæn/
that /đæt/
wagon /wægən/
yam /yæm/

/ʌ/
brother /brʌđər/
buckle /bʌkəl/
budge /bʌǧ/
bummer /bʌmər/
bumper /bʌmpər/
but /bʌt/
butter /bʌDər/
chutney /čʌtni/
covered /kʌvərd/
covert /kʌvɚt/
coward /kʌwərd/
cower /kʌwər/
judge /ǧʌǧ/
mother /mʌđər/
muffin /mʌfən/
mutt /mʌt/
nothing /nʌŧıŋ/
rupture /rʌpčər/

/i/
be (to) /bi/
bee /bi/
being /biəıŋ/
beneath /bəniŧ/
bequeath /bəkwiŧ/
breeze /briz/
cheat /čiDər/
cheat /čit/
chutney /čʌtni/
deed /did/
dowry /dawri/
easy /izi/
ethereal /əŧiryəl/
even /ivən/
feet /fit/
fizzy /fızi/
lease /lis/
leisure /lijɚ/
Mary /me:ri/
marry /mæri/
mean /min/
merry /mɛri/
modernity /mɔdɚnəDi/
pithy /pıŧi/
pity /pıDi/
pizza /pitsa/
street /strit/
teach /tič/
teacher /tičɚ/
wily /waıli/
yeast /yist/

/ı/
attribute /ət′rıbyʉt/ or /′ætrıbyut/
attrition /ətrıšən/
being /biəıŋ/
bill /bıl/
bing /bıŋ/
binge /bınǧ/
bitter /bıDər/
bridge /brıǧ/
chewing /čuwıŋ/
Chicago /šıkago/
did /dıd/
ethic /ɛŧık/
exit /ɛgzıt/ or /ɛksıt/
fill /fıl/
fink /fıŋk/
fissure /fıšər/
fit /fıt/
fizzy /fızi/
gin /ǧın/
gym /ǧım/
hither /hıđər/
immerse /ımɚs/
legging /lεgıŋ/
limb /lım/
live (to) /lıv/
nothing /nʌŧıŋ/
picture /pıkčɚ/
pit /pıt/
pithy /pıŧi/
pity /pıDi/
prim /prım/
quick /kwık/
quizzical /kwızəkəl/
rapid /ræpıd/
ripple /rıpəl/
strict /strıkt/
switch /swıtš/
thick /ŧık/
thin /ŧın/
this /đıs/
trip /trıp/
tripper /trıpɚ/
writ /rıt/
written /rıtən/

/eı/
bagel /beıgəl/
bait /beıt/
baiter /beıDər/
beige /beıj/
cater /keıDər/
fate /feıt/
gauge /geıǧ/
major /meıǧər/
may /meı/
neighbor /neıbər/
veil /veıl/
wail /weıl/
whale /weıl/

/e:/
fair /fe:r/
fare /fe:r/
hair /he:r/
Mary /me:ri/
pair /pe:r/
pare /pe:r/
pear /pe:r/
rare /re:r/
stairs /ste:rz/
wear /we:r/

/ε/
ahead /əhεd/
bet /bεt/
better /bεDər/
ledger /lεǧər/
legging /lεgıŋ/
lend /lεnd/
meadow /mεdo:/
measure /mεjər/
vent /vεnt/
well /wεl/

/ɔ/ & /ɔ:/
awe /ɔ:/
bother /bɔđər/
bottom /bɔDəm/
bought /bɔ:t/
caught /kɔ:t/
cot /kɔt/
crock /krɔk/
haughty /hɔ:ti/
modern /mɔdərn/
modernity /mɔdɚnəDi/
plot /plɔt/
pot /pɔt/
spot /spɔt/
thought /ŧɔ:t/

/u/
amuse /əmyuz/
attribute /ət′rıbyʉt/ or /′ætrıbyut/
bloom /blum/
boot /but/
chewing /čuwıŋ/
chews /čuz/
choose /čuz/
fusion /fyujən/
loop /lup/
moon /mun/
pure /pyur/
shoes /šuz/
sure /šur/

/ʉ/
afoot /əfʉt/
attribute /ət′rıbyʉt/ or /′ætrıbyut/
foot /fʉt/
good /gʉd/
nook /nʉk/
pull /pʉl/
put /pʉt/
rook /rʉk/
soot /sʉt/
took /tʉk/
wolf /wʉlf/
wool /wʉl/

/ə/
about /əbawt/
afoot /əfʉt/
ahead /əhεd/
ambient /æmbyənt/
amuse /əmyuz/
attribute /ət′rıbyʉt/ or /′ætrıbyut/
attrition /ətrıšən/
bagel /beıgəl/
baiter /beıDər/
batter /bæDər/
being /biəıŋ/
below /bəlo:/
beneath /bəniŧ/
bequeath /bəkwiŧ/
better /bεDər/
bitter /bıDər/
bother /bɔđər/
brother /brʌđər/
buckle /bʌkəl/
bummer /bʌmər/
bumper /bʌmpər/
butter /bʌDər/
cater /keıDər/
cheat /čiDər/
covered /kʌvərd/
coward /kʌwərd/
cower /kʌwər/
dazzle /dæ:zəl/
etcetera /ɛtsəDɛrə/ or /ɛtsətɛrə/
ethereal /əŧiryəl/
even /ivən/
father /fađər/
feather /fɛđər/
fire /faıər/
fissure /fıšər/
fusion /fyujən/
harbor /harbər/
hither /hıđər/
ladder /læDər/
ledger /lεǧər/
lesser /lɛsər/
lower /lo:wər/
major /meıǧər/
matter /mæDər/
measure /mεjər/
metal /məDəl/
modern /mɔdərn/
modernity /mɔdɚnəDi/
mother /mʌđər/
muffin /mʌfən/
neighbor /neıbər/
pattern /pæDərn/
pressure /prɛšər/
quizzical /kwızəkəl/
raptor /ræptər/
rapture /ræpčər/
relax /rəlæks/
ripple /rıpəl/
rupture /rʌpčər/
surface /sɚfəd/
treasure /trɛjər/
wagon /wægən/
wire /waıər/
written /rıtən/

/o:/
below /bəlo:/
boat /bo:t/
bowl /bo:l/
close /klo:z/
drove /dro:v/
globe /glo:b/
lower /lo:wər/
meadow /mεdo:/
more /mo:r/
wrote /ro:t/

/oı/
annoy /ənoı/
appoint /əpoınt/
poise /poız/
ploy /ploı/
toy /toı/

/ɚ/
bird /bɚd/
birth /bɚŧ/
burn /bɚn/
covert /kʌvɚt/
earn /ɚn/
fir /fɚ/
fur /fɚ/
girl /gɚl/
her /hɚ/
herb /hɚb/
herd /hɚd/
immerse /ımɚs/
leisure /lijɚ/
modernity /mɔdɚnəDi/
picture /pıkčɚ/
surface /sɚfəd/
teacher /tičɚ/
tripper /trıpɚ/
urn /ɚn/