Speech sounds and their production and description across languages. English-specific grammar remains in English Grammar.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
Which English vowel sound uses rounded lips?
Rounding narrows the lip opening, which lowers the vowel's resonance and gives it a hollow tone.
What is the relaxed "uh" vowel in "about" called in English?
The schwa is the most common vowel sound in English and appears in unstressed syllables like the first sound of "about".
Which English sound does the International Phonetic Alphabet symbol ʃ represent?
English spelling uses two letters for that sound, but the IPA writes it with the single symbol.
Which group consists of normally voiced nasal consonants in English?
Air flows through the nose for these sounds, but M and N can be partly devoiced after S, as in "smoke" and "snow".
What do square brackets mark in the International Phonetic Alphabet?
Brackets show how someone actually said a word, while slashes show the broader sound pattern.
Which organ in the mouth shapes airflow into vowels and consonants?
The tongue changes height to shape vowels and touches the teeth or roof of the mouth to form many consonants.
What should you feel in your throat when saying a voiced consonant like "z"?
Touching the throat while switching between "z" and "s" makes the buzz start and stop.
Which flap of tissue covers the windpipe during swallowing?
The epiglottis folds down with each swallow so food heads to the esophagus, not the lungs.
In the International Phonetic Alphabet, what does the mark ˈ indicate?
The mark sits before the syllable that gets the strongest emphasis when the word is spoken.
Which English word contains a gliding vowel called a diphthong?
A diphthong glides from one vowel position to another inside a single syllable, as the "ou" in "loud" does.