(Printable version of this page)
The pronunciation of English vowels can be complicated because while there are only five vowels (the letters), there are more than 20 sounds. The pronunciation of a vowel depends on its position in the word and whether it's combined with other vowels. There are some rules, but unfortunately, there are many exceptions to the rules. I think learning the rules is a good place to start, however. After learning the rules, you can gradually learn all the words that are exceptions to the rules.
Vowels in English can have what we call "long" or "short" sounds. When a vowel has a "long" sound, the vowel "says its name" (is pronounced like the letter name). Hear the difference between the long and short sounds of each vowel in the table below. Click on the link to hear the pronunciation.
Note: I am from the United States, and my pronunciation is American.
Practice more with our lessons:
Pronunciation of the letter A in English
Pronunciation of the letter E in English
Pronunciation of the letter I in English
Pronunciation of the letter O in English
Pronunciation of the letter U in English
These are some rules for vowel pronunciation, but as I mentioned earlier, there are many exceptions to the rules.
When a word (or syllable) ends with a vowel between two consonants (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant), the vowel has a "short" sound (See the short vowel sounds in the table above.).
Examples:
► tap
► let
► sip
► pot
► bug
When a word ends with a consonant and then a letter e, the e is not pronounced (hence the term "silent e"), but the e makes the pronunciation of the vowel preceding the consonant longer. When children are learning to read, they say the e is magical because it changes the pronunciation of the other vowel. Notice how the pronunciation changes when we add the silent e.
| Examples: | |
|---|---|
| ► cap | ► cape |
| ► pet | ► Pete |
| ► pin | ► pine |
| ► rob | ► robe |
| ► tub | ► tube |
The Silent e is magical, isn't it?
When a word (or a syllable) ends in a consonant and then a vowel, the pronunciation is long.
When two vowels appear together, usually only the first vowel is pronounced, and it is pronounced in with the long vowel sound. Children learn the rhyme “When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking. It says its name.”
Examples:
► rain
► meat
► coat
A common exception to this rule is diphthongs (see table below). Diphthongs are vowel combinations that have special pronunciations.
| Phonetic Symbol |
Diphthongs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ► /aI/ | ie, uy | ► die |
| ► /aʊ/ | ou, ow | ► house |
| ► /eI/ | ei, ey, ay, ai | ► eight |
| ► /əʊ/ | ow, oa | ► show |
| ► /eə/ | ai, ea | ► fair |
| ► /Iə/ | ea, ee | ► hear |
| ► /ɔI/ | oi, oy | ► point |
| ► /ʊə/ | oo | ► poor |
When children are learning to read, they are also taught that the letter r is very bossy. It changes the pronunciation of the preceding vowel. See the list below for common pronunciations of vowels combined with r.
| Vowel with r | Symbol Phonetic |
Example |
|---|---|---|
| ar | ► /ar/ | ► far |
| er | ► /ər/ | ► her |
| ir | ► /ər/ | ► stir |
| or | ► /ɔr/ | ► for |
| ur | ► /er | ► fur |
Hear the difference in the vowel sound when we add the r.
| ► pat | ► part |
| ► gem | ► germ |
| ► fist | ► first |
| ► spot | ► sport |
| ► bust | ► burst |
Next we'll explain a few consonants that can be confusing in English.
We pronounce the letter c as s when it comes before e, i, or y, but as k when it comes before other letters.
Examples:
► central
► city
► cyst
► car
► code
► cub
We pronounce the letter g as j when it comes before e, i, or y, but as g when it comes before other letters.
Examples:
► gem
► gist
► gym
► game
► go
► gum
When two consonants come together to make a new sound, it is called a digraph. Some digraphs in English are ch, sh, th, ph and wh.
| Digraph | Phonetic Symbol |
Example |
|---|---|---|
| ch | ► /t∫/ | ► chair |
| sh | ► /∫/ | ► shoe |
| th |
► /θ/ ► /ð/ |
► thin ► than |
| ph | ► /f/ | ► phone |
| wh | ► /w/ | ► what |
Practice more with our lessons:
Pronunciation of the sh and ch sounds
How do you pronounce th in English?
Beginning - Intermediate - Advanced - Teachers
Pronouns - Pronunciation Rules - Verbs - Irregular Verbs
Vocabulary - Grammar - Pronunciation - Spelling