Reading English sounds. Learning the basics of English phonetics

Elena Britova

Academic manager of the TransLink-Education company, certified trainer in speed reading and memory development.

The English alphabet has 26 letters and 44 sounds. If in some languages ​​each letter represents only one sound, then in English one letter can convey up to four sounds, and in some cases even up to seven. Hence the favorite English saying: “We write ‘Liverpool’, but we read ‘Manchester’.”

In addition, articulation (movement of the tongue, lips, mouth) differs significantly from Russian. There are sounds similar to Russian ones, but when pronouncing them, the organs of articulation work differently.

If you want to get rid of your accent or at least get closer to speaking English, all the differences need to be taken into account. Here are some tips on how to improve your English pronunciation.

1. Learn the alphabet

Many adults consider this a childish exercise. But one day you will definitely be asked: “Please, spell your name.” This is where knowing the letters of the English alphabet comes in handy. In addition, abbreviations, street names, house and flight numbers may contain letters, and, for example, at the airport they will definitely be pronounced as in the alphabet.

2. Practice articulation when pronouncing consonants

Once you have mastered the letters of the alphabet, feel free to move on to studying the sounds they convey. Train yourself to use correct articulation right away. First learn to pronounce sounds individually, bring them to automaticity, and then move on to words, phrases and sentences.

IN English language There are consonant sounds that at first glance (or rather, hearing) are pronounced as in Russian.

1. Check where the tip of the tongue is when pronouncing the sounds [d] - [t], [n], [r], [s], [z]. Does it hit your teeth? Congratulations, you can pronounce the Russian alphabet. Among the native English, the tip of the tongue at this time is on the alveoli (the largest tubercle on the upper palate). Give it a try. Now you have purely English sounds. Practice: bed - ten, not, rat, sun, zoo.

2. Draw a hare when pronouncing the sounds [f] - [v]. The upper teeth must be placed on the lower lip. Practice: fat - vet.

3. Remember that the [l] sound is always hard: London [ˈlʌndən].

4. When training the sound [w], take a candle: this The best way learn to pronounce it correctly. Curl your lips and stretch them forward (like little children stretch out for a kiss), and then smile sharply. Then this sound will come out. When training, hold the candle at a distance of 20–25 cm from your lips. If the flame goes out when you make a sound, then you are doing everything right. Practice: say the word well.

5. Warm your hands when practicing the [h] sound. It has nothing in common with Russian [x]. Imagine that you are very cold and are trying to warm your hands with your breath. You bring them to your lips and exhale. During exhalation, a light, barely audible English sound [h] is formed. As in the word home.

6. Practice the sound [ŋ] when you have a bad runny nose or imagine that you have one. There is no such sound in the Russian language; it is conveyed by the combination ng in English. Press your tongue like a spatula against your upper palate and release the sound through your nose. It’s a bit like [n] if you pronounce it when you have a bad runny nose. Don't forget that your tongue is still touching the alveoli, not the teeth. Practice: interesting [ˈɪnt(ə)rɪstɪŋ].

7. Be the snake and the bee to practice [ð] - [θ]. These sounds are absent in Russian and are formed by combining the letters th in English.

[ ð ] - ringing sound. Lightly bite the tip of your tongue with your teeth and pronounce the sound [z]. If during training your lower lip and tongue are ticklish, then you are doing everything right. If not, you may have bitten the tip of your tongue too hard, loosen your teeth a little. Say the word this [ðɪs], does it work?

[θ] - dull sound. The articulation is the same, we just pronounce the sound [s]. To practice the dull sound [θ], say the word thank [θæŋk].

3. Learn four types of syllables for correct vowel pronunciation

The reading of vowels depends on the type of syllable in which they are found:

  • open (syllable ends with a vowel);
  • closed (syllable ends with a consonant);
  • vowel + r;
  • vowel + re.

In the first type of syllable - open - the vowels are read as in the alphabet (this is where knowledge of the alphabet came in handy for us!). For example: plane, nose, tube, Pete.

In the second type, you need to memorize the pronunciation of each vowel:

  • [æ] is an open sound, not long. The letter conveys it A in a closed syllable. Test yourself: sit at the table, straighten up, place one elbow on the surface, bend your hand under your chin. You will have some space between your chin and your wrist, if, of course, you straighten your back. Now we lower the lower jaw down so that it reaches the hand, and pronounce [e]. Practice with the word bag.
  • [e] is often confused with the previous sound. When pronouncing [e], you just need to slightly raise the corners of your lips up, as if smiling slightly. These are two different sounds, and they are not similar to each other, and especially not to Russian [e]. Practice: pet .
  • Short sounds [i], [ɔ], [ʌ], [u] are pronounced intensively, not into a chant: big, box, bus, book [bʊk].

In the third and fourth types of syllables the letter R is not readable, it only forms a syllable and lengthens the vowel sound: car, sort, turn.

, [ɔ:] - special sounds. Imagine that you are at an appointment with a doctor who is examining your throat. The root of your tongue is pressed with a stick and asked to say “Ah-ah.” This is exactly the position the tongue should be in when pronouncing the sounds [a] and [o]. If this makes you want to yawn, then you are on the right track! Try it now: car , sort .

4. Remember the correct accents

Most often in English the stressed syllable is the first. If you need to pronounce a word, but there is no one to ask or there is no dictionary at hand, put the emphasis on the first syllable. Of course, it is better to immediately memorize the words with correct accent or check yourself in the dictionary.

5. Don't forget four important rules

  • The English language completely lacks soft consonants.
  • Voiced consonants are not devoiced at the end of a word.
  • Vowels can be long (in transcription they are designated [:]) and short.
  • No unnecessary - especially sharp - movements of the lips.

Learn a few phrases to practice correct pronunciation:

  • Very well [‘veri ‘wel].
  • World Wide Web or WWW [‘w əuld ‘waid ‘web www].
  • Eleven benevolent elephants [ɪˈlevn bəˈnevələnt ˈelɪfənts].
  • Stupid superstition [ˈstjuːpɪd ˌsuːpəˈstɪʃ(ə)n].
  • Pirates Private Property [ˈpaɪrəts praɪvət ˈprɒpəti].

And remember: different sounds have a meaning-distinguishing function. For example, man (“person”, “man”) and men (“men”); ship [ʃip] (“ship”) and sheep [ʃi:p] (“sheep”) and so on. Many people read the word three (“three”) as (and this means “tree”) or (“freedom”), not taking into account that th [θ] is read differently, it simply is not in the Russian language (remember the exercise "bee"). Knowing correct pronunciation words, you definitely won’t get into trouble!

Good, good, good morning, planet!

I don’t know about you, of course, but on my English planet (called ) it’s morning right now. And I decided to write an important informational and practical article about English transcription on a cheerful morning head. I think you don't mind). Then let's start analyzing this simple, but often raising many questions topic.

Is English transcription necessary at all?

What can I tell you about this?.. If in school curriculum in English they take her and force her to teach her, then of course you can’t get away with it! Speaking globally, its absence when learning English will not affect the results and knowledge in any way.

BUT! Since our children are still learning English, it is a matter of honor to know what transcription is in it. This is about the same as it is important to know that the Russian language has 6 cases (and this, by the way, is what makes it different from English and many others). But we can learn to speak and write words without thinking about which case should be used in them... "AND van R odil D little girl... Well, you understand me, I think.

Therefore, my verdict is that we will study it! But quickly and without any stretching for a year! A lesson or two - and "English transcription" will become the most pleasant phrase in the world...

In addition, having the ability to decipher English transcription, any schoolchild and adult will be able to read and pronounce any, even the most “terribly incomprehensible” word in English dictionary!!!

Why was it invented?

It was invented a very, very long time ago, by the British themselves, for themselves - when they realized that they themselves could not always understand how to read this or that word.

The fact is that in the English language there are rules according to which you can read words correctly. For example, this rule: "In a closed syllable english letter“a” will be read like this (words ba g, la ptop)» . But at the same time, there are so many exceptions to these rules that sometimes it is impossible to remember them (for example, let’s take the exception to this rule with the word c closed syllable t ask , in which the letter “a” is already read differently).

Well, they came up with such a concept as transcription, so that every English word could be read correctly, even without knowing the rules, but simply owning a set of transcription icons.

Sometimes you may see two variations of the same icon, this is normal. Both of them have their place. My analogies with Russian letters are very conditional. The main thing here is to hear the sound and imitate it as accurately as possible.

Transcription icons for vowel sounds

[i] or [ ı ] a sound similar to “i”, but more abrupt and firm.

[e] a sound similar to “e”, but more abrupt and firm.

[ ӕ ] a sound similar to "e", but wider.

[ ɔ ] or [ ɒ ] a sound similar to “o”, but more abrupt and open.

[ ∧ ] a sound similar to “a”, but more abrupt.

[u] or [ ʋ ] a sound similar to “u”, but more abrupt.

[i:] a sound similar to a long “i”.

[ ɔ: ] a sound similar to a long "o".

[ ɑ: ] a sound similar to a long and deep “a”.

[u:] a sound similar to a long “u”.

[ ə: ] or [ɜ:] a sound reminiscent of something between “o” and “e”.

In English there is one single transcription symbol that denotes an unstressed vowel - [ə] . It is pronounced very briefly and indistinctly. We often hear it at the end of words ending with unstressed vowels. Teacher, computer...

Transcription icons for consonant sounds

[p] sound similar to "p".

[b] sound similar to "b".

[t] sound similar to "t".

[d] sound similar to "d".

[k] sound similar to "k".

[g] sound similar to "g".

[f] sound similar to "f".

[v] sound similar to "v".

[s] sound similar to "s".

[z] sound similar to "z".

[m] sound similar to "m".

[n] sound similar to "n".

[l] sound similar to "l".

[h] a sound similar to an air "x".

[ ʃ ] a sound similar to "sh".

[tʃ] a sound similar to "ch".

[ ʒ ] sound similar to "zh".

[dʒ] sound similar to "j".

[r] sound similar to "r".

[j] a sound similar to "th". Softens vowels, e.g. [jɒ] [je] [ju:]

[w] sound made by lips.

[ ŋ ] a sound similar to “n” pronounced through the nose.

[ θ ] dull interdental sound.

[ ð ] sonorous interdental sound.

Transcription icons for diphthongs (double sounds)

[aı] or [ai] a sound similar to "ouch".

[eı] or [ei] a sound similar to "hey".

[ ɔı ] or [ɔi] a sound similar to "oh".

[aʋ] or [au] a sound similar to "ay".

[ əʋ ] or [ou] a sound similar to "oh".

[ ıə ] or [iə] a sound similar to "ee".

[ ʋə ] or [uə] sound similar to "ue".

[eə] or [ εə ] a sound similar to "ea".

Practice time

Well, we have looked at all the signs of English transcription. Children and adults remember most of them quite easily. Difficulties sometimes arise with icons indicating diphthongs or some sounds that are not at all similar to Russian ones. But this can be quickly corrected if you immediately consolidate everything with good practice and exercises, which is what we will do now.

I recommend buying and going online course English from scratch (from a well-known service LinguaLeo). There, the letters and sounds of the English language are discussed in detail. Transcription can also be well worked out. Register and try the course for free. If you like it, go ahead!..

Exercise 1

The first thing to do is to repeat several times the sound corresponding to a certain sign of English transcription. Go in order (according to the list I gave). Repeat one sound 3-5 times, while trying to associate the complex icon with the image. For example, repeating the sound [ ӕ ] , imagine a cat, a hat, or any other image, but just let this image correspond to a word that is pronounced in English with exactly this sound. For example, I had an image in my head of a bag with such a branded badge.))

So how? Difficult? If yes, then I will share with you my ideas regarding the most “intractable” transcription signs. Please do not judge my clumsy pictures harshly. I swear, in my imagination they look much cuter)).

Icon [ ʋ ] — foot-heel image.

The word foot [fʋt].

Icon [ ɜ: ] - image of a bird.

The word bird [ b ɜ: d] .

Icon [ ʃ ] - image of a shoe.

The word shoe [ʃu:].

Icon [tʃ]- image of a chicken.

The word chick [tʃık].

Icon [dʒ]- image of a page in a textbook.

The word page.

Icon [j]- the image of a tick, the correct answer.

The word yes.

Icon [ ŋ ] - an image of a long and uneven road.

The word long.

Icon [ θ ] - image of the number three.

The word three [θri:].

Icon [ ð ] - image of a mother and baby.

The word mother.

Exercise 2

  • Now we will read with you simple words With different sounds. Your task is to look at the word, listen to its pronunciation, repeat, and then guess which transcription icon from those presented below corresponds to the sound in the word (the required vowel letters or combinations will be underlined).

[ ı ] [e] [ ӕ ] [ ɒ ] [ ∧ ] [ ʋ ] [i:][ ɔ: ] [ ɑ: ] [u:] [ɜ:]

b ir d f a mile c oo l
p i g b utter f ir st
d oll ea t s i t
l a st b e d c ar
a pple cl ock m e n
d augh ter p u t cl ea n
d octor fr ui t k i tchen
d ar k g ir l d i nner
d oor trolley-b u s c a p
f oo t b oo k b a ll
  • Now you will see other words, which you will also need to listen to and repeat, and then select the required transcription sign from those presented below, which corresponds to a particular sound (the necessary consonant letters or combinations will be underlined in the words).

[p] [b][t] [d][k] [g][f] [v][s] [z][m] [n]

[l][h] [ ʃ ] [tʃ] [ ʒ ] [dʒ] [r][j] [w][ ŋ ] [ θ ] [ ð ]

bet w een v ery w indow
v illage s treet z oo
th in th en tea ch er
sgar tele pH one fiv e
hundre d mus t nigh t
midd le nu m ber p resent
b lack k itten g ive
kn ife h orse r oom
pi n k spon ge ki ng
pa ge facto r y y ou
  • The following words contain diphthongs. Listen, repeat and choose the right sign transcriptions for underlined letters and letter combinations.

[aı] [eı] [ ɔı ] [aʋ] [ əʋ ] [ ıə ] [ ʋə ] [eə]

f ear n a me beh i nd
wardr o be ch air t o ne
p oor c a ke t ow n
h here t our c oi n
br ow n th o se h are
July y b oh t a ble
tr ou sers yell ow b i ke
c are n ear s o
  • The final exercise in this section is to choose the correct transcription option for a word from the two proposed ones. The scheme of work is the same: we listen, repeat, and then choose.

cup[kʌp] or [kӕp]

twelve[tvelv] or [twelv]

month[mɑ:nθ] or [mʌnθ]

rain[raın] or [reın]

farm[fɜ:m] or [fɑːm]

large[lɑːʒ] or [lɑːdʒ]

spoon[spuːn] or [spɔ:n]

fair[feə] or [fıə]

say[seɪ] or [seə]

now[nəʋ] or [naʊ]

June[tʃ uːn] or [dʒuːn]

Exercise 3

Well, it’s time to write a transcription of the words yourself. I think you will succeed! A day or two - and the topic of English transcription will become so easy for you that you have never even dreamed of it)). Let me remind you once again that unstressed syllables are often designated like this [ ə ] .

after, box, write, with, open,

season, shut, round, tall, number,

shirt, plus, jam, song, yogurt, hate

Exercise 4

This exercise is to practice reading a lot English words by transcription. For children the most the best option there will be cards with English words and transcriptions for them. Some authors (for example, Nosova, Epanova) specially develop such cards - after all, they help not only to consolidate the learned transcription signs, but also to easily replenish your lexicon. These are the interesting cards I found in the store Labyrinth. Here are the most basic topics and words:

Set “Wild Animals”

Set "Fruits"

Set "Man"

Set "Professions"

Set "School"

Set "Home"

Well, I did it, friends!

And you? Did you manage? If you have any questions, be sure to ask me. I will try to answer them.

And one more thing - on the right sidebar of my site you can find a convenient service "Transcription online"— enter any English word into the field and get its transcription. Use it!

In addition, I invite you to my delicious newsletter (you can subscribe to it at the end of this article - after the tutor selection form)! The most useful and interesting things about English and more...

Answers to the exercises:

b ir d [ɜ:] f a mily [ӕ] c oo l[u:]
p i g[ı] b u tter[∧] f ir st [ɜ:]
d o ll [ɔ:] ea t[i:] s i t[ı]
l a st [ɑ:] b e d[e] c ar [ ɑ: ]
a pple [ӕ] cl o ck [ɒ] m e n[e]
d augh ter [ɔ:] p u t[ʋ] cl ea n[i:]
d o ctor [ɒ] fr ui t[u:] k i tchen [ı]
d ar k[ɑ:] g ir l[ɜ:] d i nner [ı]
d oor [ ɔ: ] trolley-b u s[∧] c a p[ӕ]
f oo t[ʋ] b oo k[ʋ] b a ll [ɔ:]
bet w een [w] v ery[v] w indow [w]
v illa ge[v] [dʒ] s treet [s] z oo[z]
th in[θ] th en [ð] tea ch er [tʃ]
s ugar [ʃ] tele ph one [f] f i v e[f][v]
hundre d[d] mus t[t] nigh t[t]
midd le[l] nu m ber[m] p resent [p]
b lack [b] k itten [k] g ive [g]
kn ife[n] h orse [h] r oom [r]
pi n k[ŋ] spon ge[dʒ] ki ng [ ŋ ]
pa ge[dʒ] facto r y[r] y ou[j]
f ear [ ıə ] n a me [eı] beh i nd [aı]
wardr o be [əʋ] ch air[eə] t o ne [əʋ]
p oor [ ʋə ] c a ke[eı] t ow n[aʋ]
h here [ ıə ] t our [ ʋə ] c oi n[ɔı]
br ow n[aʋ] th o se [əʋ] h are[eə]
July y[aı] b oh [ ɔı ] t a ble [eı]
tr ou sers [aʋ] yell ow [ əʋ ] b i ke [aı]
c are[eə] n ear [ ıə ] s o [ əʋ ]

[ˈɑːftə], [bɒks], [raɪt], [wɪð], [ˈəʊpən],

[ˈsiːzn], [ʃʌt], [raʊnd],[tɔːl], [ˈnʌmbə],

[ʃɜːt], [plʌs], [dʒæm],[sɒŋ], [ˈjɒɡət], [heɪt]

Transcription- this is a transfer to in writing elements of oral speech using a certain set of written signs. Phonetic transcription– this is the most accurate transmission of oral speech by graphic means (special transcription signs).

Each individual sound and its variants have their own designations. For recording, special characters are used, called transcription marks, which are enclosed in square brackets. Some of these signs repeat the letters of the English alphabet; the designations of others may differ significantly. However, a letter and a sound are completely different things. Letter- these are designations of sound in writing, while sound can be regarded as an independent unit. We write and read letters, we hear and pronounce sounds. The transcription sign indicates the sound and the features of its pronunciation. In writing, one letter can convey several sounds at once, and each transcription sign can convey only one sound.

What is transcription used for?

The spelling of a word and its actual pronunciation may vary significantly. Therefore, for correct pronunciation, only knowledge of the reading rules is not enough, because there are always exceptions to the rules. The same letters/letter combinations under the same conditions can be read differently. Thanks to transcription, if necessary, you will be able to correctly read an unfamiliar word. On initial stage learning a language, it is possible to use Russian transcription, but in the English language there are sounds that are absent in the Russian language, so Russian transcription conveys only the approximate sound of a word, which is why you may pronounce a word written in Russian transcription incorrectly. In addition, the quality of pronunciation of the same sounds may differ.

Perfect knowledge of transcription signs is not necessary, because it is unlikely that you will need to convey the sound of a word using these signs. But you may need to look up the correct pronunciation of the word in a dictionary. And for this it is important to be able to correctly read the transcription in the dictionary. In addition, most transcription signs are found in other European languages.

Factors influencing pronunciation

Word stress

The correct pronunciation of vowels in stressed syllables, where vowels are pronounced clearly, and the meaning of the word will depend on the correctness of their sound, can cause difficulties. In an unstressed syllable, vowels are not clearly articulated and may fall out (not be pronounced), so they do not pose any particular difficulties in pronunciation. Unlike the Russian language, where the stress is placed above the stressed syllable, in English the stress is indicated by a vertical stroke before stressed syllable. Monosyllabic words have one stress, long ones can have two. In this case, the main stress is placed at the top, the secondary stress is at the bottom.

English sounds

Consonant sounds and their approximate Russian analogues:

  • [b] - [b]
  • [d] - [d]
  • [f] – [f]
  • [g] - [g]
  • [k] -[k]
  • [l] - [l]
  • [m] -[m]
  • [n] - [n]
  • [p] - [p]
  • [s] - [s]
  • [t] - [t]
  • [v] - [v]
  • [z] - [z]
  • [ʃ] - [w]
  • [ʒ] – soft [zh]
  • - [h]
  • – absent in the Russian language (represents a very quickly pronounced sound [j]);
  • [r] – the tip of the tongue is not tense, does not vibrate, motionless, raised to the arch oral cavity, but does not touch the alveoli (reminiscent of the Russian sound [r], but not as clear);
  • [j] - [th];
  • [ŋ] – nasal [n];
  • [θ] – absent in Russian, interdental (to pronounce it, pronounce [s], sticking the tip of your tongue between your teeth);
  • [ð] - absent in Russian, interdental (to pronounce it, pronounce [z], sticking the tip of your tongue between your teeth).

Row articulation English sounds practically no different from the articulation of Russian sounds, but there are some features:

  • English [t], [p], [k] are distinguished from their Russian counterparts [t], [p], [k] by their pronunciation with aspiration (aspiration);
  • When pronouncing sounds [d], [l], [n], [t], the tip of the tongue is on the alveoli (tubercles just above the upper teeth);
  • [ʃ] [ʒ] – softer than their Russian counterparts, for this you need to slightly raise the back of the tongue;
  • [h] – the sound is slightly louder than an exhalation;
  • [w] – lips are rounded and tense, the lower lip should not touch the teeth (quickly say [ui]).

Pronunciation of vowels

In English, vowel length is very important because it affects the meaning of a word. This means that words with the same vowel of different lengths will differ in meaning, for example: sheep [ʃi:p] - sheep, ship [ʃɪp] - ship, live live - leave - leave, leave.

The length of a vowel in writing is indicated by two dots after it. With 6 vowel letters you can form a wide variety of sounds:

  • – long sound [a];
  • [æ] - average between [a] and [e], the mouth is wide open, the jaw is lowered down;
  • - long [and];
  • [i] - short [and];
  • [e] – average between [e] and [e], the corners of the lips are stretched to the sides;
  • [ɔ] - short [o];
  • [ɔ:] - long [o];
  • [ə] - unclear, unstressed sound, reminiscent of [e];
  • [ʌ] – short [a];
  • [z] - resembles the sound [ё];
  • [u] - short [y];
  • - lingering [y].

Diphthongs

Diphthongs- these are two vowel sounds pronounced together, where the first is stressed, articulated more clearly and clearly, and the second is weaker:

  • - [ay];
  • - [Hey];
  • [ɔi] - [oh];
  • - [ay];
  • [əu] - [оу];
  • - [ie];
  • - [ue];
  • [ɛə] - vaguely similar to [ea].

Thrifthongs

Triphthong is a combination of three vowel sounds that are pronounced together and are part of one syllable.

- pronounced [aye]. The longest of the three sounds is “a”. The sounds “y” and “e” are pronounced almost simultaneously.
In writing it is expressed using the letter combinations “ire”, “yre”, “iar”, less often “ier” and “ie+t”:

ire - fire [‘faɪə] (fire)
yre - tire [‘taɪə] (tire)
iar - liar [‘laɪə] (liar)
ier - tier [‘taɪə] (binding)
iet - quiet [‘kwaɪət] (quiet)

- pronounced [aue]. In this case, the sound “u” is exactly the sound that is conveyed by the letter “w”.
In writing it is conveyed using the letter combinations “our”, “ower”:

our - sour [‘sauə] (sour)
ower - power [‘pauə] (strength)

- pronounced [yue]. The longest of the three sounds in this triphthong is "u".
In writing it is conveyed using the letter combinations “eur”, “ure”:

eur - European [ˌjuərə’piːən] (European)
ure - pure (pure).

Words in a stream of speech

In addition to the main stress, with the help of which emphasis is placed on a syllable, there is the concept of phrasal stress. Phrase stress- this is the selection in the flow of speech of words on the importance of which the speaker wants to emphasize. The placement of phrasal stress does not significantly change the essence of the sentence. Let's compare using the example of a simple short sentence (emphasis added in bold:) She has gone to the shop just now. She just went to the store (it was she, not someone else). She has gone to the shop just now. She had just gone to the store (walked, not used another means of transportation). She has gone to the shop just now. She just went to the store (namely the store, and not anywhere else). She has gone to the shop just now. She just went to the store (just now).

Accordingly, the stressed word will be pronounced as clearly as possible. As a rule, function words are prepositions, conjunctions, particles, pronouns, etc. are in an unstressed position. It should also be noted that colloquial speech tends to be minimized: it is characterized by the use of abbreviated forms, less clear articulation, sometimes deliberate mispronunciation of words, loss of vowels, etc.

How much time to devote to practice?

The answer is obvious. The more practice in the language, the better. The more time you spend practicing your pronunciation, the more authentic (more natural, as similar to English speech as possible) your speech will sound. Listening to English speech, imitating it, reading aloud will help you with this. Record your speech on a voice recorder, which will help you identify your own mistakes, because your perception of your own speech differs from its perception by others. And remember that when studying foreign language Regular practice is extremely important. With shorter, but regular exercises, you will achieve greater results than with long, “jerky” exercises. We wish you success!



English alphabet with transcription
Reading rules in English

English Transcription is a sequence of phonetic symbols that helps us understand how to read a particular sound or word. The concept of transcription is quite difficult for Russian speakers to understand, because In our language, although such a category exists, it is used extremely rarely.

Why is transcription needed?

The phonetics of the English language has a noticeable feature: historically, words are often read differently from how they are written, that is, from the spelling of a word it is not always possible to guess how it is pronounced. Of course, there are general ones, but there are still plenty of exceptions. For example, there is a large number of words that have either unreadable or readable letters depending on the environment. And the rules themselves are difficult for schoolchildren to remember. Therefore, in almost any dictionary, after writing an English word in square brackets, its reading in transcription symbols is given.

Often, schoolchildren and students encounter transcription at the beginning of learning a language, when it is still quite difficult to read even fairly simple words. Then, as you study the transcription signs, it becomes easier and easier to perceive the contents of the square brackets.

How are transcription signs read?

In the English pronunciation system there are 48 sounds, therefore, there are 48 transcription signs. Let's look at their pronunciation depending on the letters of the English alphabet denoting them.

Letter Designation
in transcription		 Sounds Example
More sounds

[ θ ] – soft letter(c), the tongue is located between the front teeth of the upper and lower jaws
[ð] – like “θ”, only with the addition of a voice, like a soft letter (z)
[ŋ] – nasal, in the French manner, sound [n]
[ʒ] - similar to Russian (f)
[ə] is one of the most common sounds in English transcription. In sound, this sound is similar to the Russian sound “e”. It occurs only in unstressed syllables and can be practically inaudible or indistinguishable, for example, [‘letə] - letter
[au] – diphthong, sounds like Russian (ау)
[oɪ] – diphthong, sounds like Russian (ой)
[ɪə] - diphthong, sounds like Russian (я)
[еə] - diphthong, sounds like Russian (еа)
[ʋə] - diphthong, sounds like Russian (ua)
[auə] – triphthong, sounds like Russian (ауа)
[aɪə] – triphthong, sounds like Russian (aya)

Accent icon- if a word with more than one syllable is transcribed, the stress must be indicated using an apostrophe (comma at the top). It is placed before the stressed syllable. For example: - decision.
Aa Sounds like Russian (hey) p a ge — [p eɪdʒ] - page
[æ] Middle sound between (e) and (a) b a nk — [b æŋk] - bank
[ɑː] Similar to long Russian (a) c a r — [k ɑː ] — a car
[ɔː] Long sound (oh) h a ll — [h ɔː l] - hall, hall
Bb [b] Almost like a Russian sound (b) b e d — [b e d] — bed, bed
Cc [k] similar to Russian sound (k) c amera — [ˈk am(ə)rə] — camera, camera
[s] similar to Russian sound (c) bi c ycle — [ˈbʌɪ sɪk(ə)l] - bike
[ʃ] The middle sound is between (w) and (w). o c ean — [ˈəʊ ʃ(ə)n] - ocean
Dd [d] How (d), pronounced with the tongue positioned at the gums d id — [dɪd] - did
Ee Long sound(s) sh e — [ʃ i] - she
[ɪ] And z e ro — [ˈz ɪərəʊ] - zero, zero
[e] Reminds the sound (e) with a tint (e) t e n — [t e n] - ten
[ɜː] Similar to the sound (е) in words m e d, l yo n. f ern — [f ɜːn] - fern
Ff [f] How (ph). f our — [f ɔː] - four
Gg [g] Similar to Russian (g). g ot — [ˈɡɒt] - receive
Hh [h] Short exhale (x). h ow — [ˈh aʊ] — how, in what way
II Similar to Russian sound (ay) f I've — [f aɪ v] - five
[ɪ] Similar to Russian (и) with a slight connotation (ы) и (е), as in the word outside And l i little — [ˈl ɪ t(ə)l] - small
[ɜː] Similar to the sound (е) in words m e d, l yo n. g i rl — [ɡ ɜːl] — girl, girl
Long sound(s) mach i ne — [məˈʃ i ːn] — machine, mechanism
Jj Similar to (j) journey — [ˈdʒ əːni] - journey
Kk [k] Like the sound (k) k ind — [k aɪnd] - species, genus
Ll [l] How (l), pronounced with the tongue positioned at the gums l eg — [l eɡ] - leg, leg
mm [m] As M) m an — [m æn] - man
Nn [n] How(n) no — [nəʊ] - No
Oo [əʊ] Similar to the sound (oh) m o st — [m əʊst] — majority, greatest
[ɔː] Long sound (oh) m o re — [m ɔː ] - more, more
[ɒ] A short sound that sounds similar to both (o) and (a) n o t — [n ɒt] - not no
Long (y) without rounding the lips. wh o — [h uː] - Who
[ʊ] Looks like a short one g oo d — [ɡ ʊd] - good, kind
[ʌ] c o me — [k ʌ m] — come, come
[ɜː] Similar to the sound (е) in words m e d, l yo n. w o rk — [ˈw ɜːk] - Job
Pp [p] Similar to Russian (n). p en — [p en] - pen
Qq [k] Looks like Russian(k). head q uarters — [hɛdˈ k wɔːtəz] - headquarters, center
Rr [r] Like Russian (r) without vibration. r ed — [r ed] - red
Ss [s] Looks like Russian (c). s o — [ˈsəʊ] — so, thus
Tt [t] Looks like Russian (t), pronounced with the tongue positioned at the gums t ea — [t iː] - tea
Uu [ʊ] Looks like a short one p u t — [ˈp ʊt] — put, put, put
[ʌ] Reminds me of an indistinct short sound (a) c u t — [k ʌ t] - cut, incision
Long (u) t u ne — [t juː n] — melody, tune, customize
[ɪ] Similar to Russian (и) with a slight connotation (ы) и (е), as in the word outside And b u sy — [ˈb ɪ zi] — busy, busy
[ɜː] Similar to the sound (е) in words m e d, l yo n. t urn — [t ɜːn] — turn, turn around
Vv [v] Similar to the sound (v) v ery — [ˈv eri] - very much
Ww [w] A sound similar to (y) lips stretching and rounding. w orld — [w əːld] - world
Xx similar to the sound (ks) X-ray — [ˈe ks reɪ] — X-ray
[z] similar to Russian sound (z) X erox — [ˈz ɪərɒks] — copier
Yy Like (ay) in the word m ah b y — [b aɪ] - on, on, to, at
[j] Looks like a weak Russian - (th) y es — [jes] - yes, consent
[ɪ] Similar to Russian (и) with a slight connotation (ы) и (е), as in the word outside And dut y — [ˈdjuːt ɪ ] — obligation, duty
Zz [z] Similar to Russian (z). z ip — [z ɪp] - zipper

Use to consolidate your knowledge of transcription.

You can practice your pronunciation with this video:

Is it possible to write English words in Russian letters?

Sometimes on websites or even in books you can see “English transcription in Russian” or “pronunciation of English words in Russian letters” - that is, writing English words in Russian letters. The point is that schoolchildren are encouraged not to learn sophisticated icons, because... You can convey sounds in Russian letters. I think this approach is extremely dead-end. The phonetics of the Russian language differs from the English phonetics so much that the sound can only be conveyed very, very approximately. We simply do not have some sounds of English speech, as well as vice versa.

Hello reader! 🙂 Today we have once again prepared a whole training for you to master the pronunciation of English sounds. In this series of articles (this is already the 3rd in a row) we will analyze the intricacies of the English phonetic system and find the differences between the sounds of the English language and our Russian ones.

Today we will look at the analogues of the /o/ sound in English. Or rather, they are not exactly analogues, but our phonemic hearing plays a cruel joke on us, and we:

  1. replace all three English sounds with Russian /o/,
  2. We don’t see the difference between these 3 sounds and, thus, we change the meanings of some words.

We will practice the sounds of the English language as before: with the help of educational videos, a special set of words, exercises, tongue twisters and a song with a standard pronunciation. Let's go!

Attention: The article uses the British version of pronunciation. I will indicate below exactly what differences Americans have.

Pronunciation of the sound /ɜː/ – long vowels in English

Pronounced in words girl, nurse, learn, etc. The sound is very complex: something between our /o/ and /e/ (indicated in the letter eate d) And e (me l) respectively), while being neither one nor the other.

I would say that you need to take the position of your lips as for /e/, hold your mouth in that position, but try to pronounce /o/. Reminds me e in a word Ge those. The sound is long.

The dorsum of the tongue lies flat, the middle part of the tongue is slightly raised, higher than the front and back of the tongue. The tip of the tongue is located at the lower teeth. The edges of the tongue do not touch the upper teeth. The distance between the upper and lower teeth is quite narrow. The lips are tense and stretched, slightly revealing the teeth.

Errors in pronunciation of English words in Russian

What are the main mistakes of Russian speakers:

1. Complete replacement into Russian / e / in words like pearl(obsolete Russian is pronounced like this pearl), were and etc.

Advice: you need to give the sound / ɜː / a hint of the Russian sound / o /. The position of the lips is the same as for /e/, but we pronounce /o/.

2. Complete replacement with the Russian sound / o /, denoted by the letter ё in writing, in words like, worse, sir etc.

Advice: give the English sound a touch of Russian /e/. The lips should be stretched, the teeth should be brought closer together, the tongue should be flat.

And, accordingly, do not round your lips, as for Russian /o/. It is recommended to pronounce / ɜː / with almost the same extended lip position as for the phoneme / i: / => see /si:/ – sir /sɜː/, fee /fi:/ – fir /fɜ:/, heat /hi:t / – hurt /hɜːt/.

A stretched lip position is especially necessary when pronouncing / ɜː / after / w / => we /wi:/ – world /wɜːd/, we /wi:/ – work /wɜːk/, we /wi:/ – worm /wɜːm/.

3. Also note that the consonant before this vowel does not need to be softened (we’ll talk about this). In words like girl, first, bird and other consonants will be hard.

Advice: do not raise the middle back of the tongue towards the hard palate when pronouncing a consonant. First pronounce the hard consonant, and then start pronouncing the vowel.

Examples for English vowel sounds

Got it? Now we move on to establishing the correct pronunciation of words in English. We adjust the speech apparatus to the desired position and begin training:

first /ˈfɜːst/

stir /stɜːr/

fir /ˈfɜːr/

Great! And now I’ll tell you about the difference in pronunciation performed by an American (I didn’t say it before so as not to confuse). American transcription looks like this:

firm – /f ɝ ːm/ (or /fɜrm/ as in our language).

In British pronunciation, we can only hear the overtone /r/ at the junction of words, when next word starts with a vowel: si r A lec /sɜː r æ lɪk/.

English tongue twisters for vowel sounds will help us consolidate the result:

  • G e rman l ea rners l ea rn G e rman w o rds, T u rkish l ea rners l ea rn T u rkish w o rds.
  • An ea rl gave P ea rl a f u r and a c ir cell of p ea rls for h er th ir ty–f ir st b ir thday.
  • The f ir stsk ir t is d ir tier than the th ir dsh ir t, The f ir st sh ir t is d ir tier than the th ir dsk ir t.

Finally, let's find this English sound in famous song so that it is imprinted in auditory memory. Since we took British pronunciation as a basis, the example will be exclusively British - The Beatles “Girl”


From 0:18 to 0:30

Sound /ɒ/ – pronunciation of short vowels in English

“Inverted a in English transcription” is pronounced in the words doll, hot, what. The English sound is similar to the Russian /o/ under stress (as in the word PO st) But:

  • our lips are more rounded (and protrude forward),
  • for our sound the language rises higher, therefore the Russian sound is less open,
  • our sound is longer.

How the speech apparatus works: the articulation is much like the sound /a:/, as in the word part(). But the root of the tongue is retracted back and down even more than with /a: /, and is not tense. The tip of the tongue is pulled further from the lower teeth than with /a:/ and is lowered down. The distance between the jaws is large. The lips are slightly rounded, lip protrusion is completely absent. The sound is short.

Advice: Since the English sounds /a:/ and /ɒ/ are somewhat similar, you can try this: start saying the word part /pa:t/(listen to the British pronunciation), but move the root of the tongue back as much as possible, DO NOT round your lips too much and make the sound short - you will get the correct pronunciation of the word pot /pɒt/(listen to the British version).

To avoid accidentally replacing the sound with Russian / o /, open your mouth wider, lower and move your tongue lower. When rounding your lips, do not protrude them forward and reduce the sound.

Let's move on to practice. Let's put the correct pronunciation of the English language using a set of words:

Once again I draw attention to the differences in American pronunciation. In AmE there is practically no “short o”, and they pronounce the above words with the sound / a: / (we talked about it above) – not /nɑːt/.


Watch from 2:01 to 3:22

Let's reinforce the pronunciation with tongue twisters in English to practice sounds:

  • R o b o ften dr o ps his w a llet in sh o ps, T o m o ften dr o ps his w a llet at st o ps.
  • D o lly w a nts to w a tch n o vels o n TV, P o lly w a nts to w a tch h o rrors o n TV.
  • Kn o tt and Sh o ttf o ught a duel. Kn o tt w a s sh o t and Sh o tt w a s n o t. It w a s better to be Sh o tt than Kn o tt.

In conclusion line from a song. By the way, finding an example was not so easy... This sound is short, and I wanted it to be heard in the song. But singers have the right to stretch out even short sounds :) Therefore, we take as an example the rather fast and rhythmic song “13 Little Dolls” by British performer Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

Fight them hard then keep them safe
Those 13 little do lls
One for each moodo f the day
Those 13 little do lls
Cro ss your heart and try to sleep
Leave them out to play
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 little do lls


From 1:00 to 1:18

Sound /ɔː/ – pronunciation of vowel sounds in English

The sound /ɔː/ is pronounced in words horse, wall, law and etc.

The articulation sound is similar to the previous / ɒ / - the tongue moves back and down, BUT the back of the tongue is raised half the distance (and in the previous sound the root of the tongue is relaxed), so in this sound you feel how the hole in the throat “closes”. The lips are pressed together into a small hole, as if you are planning to kiss someone. The sound is long.

That is, in essence, we pronounce a very, very deep sound /o/, but the position of the lips is the same as for the sound /u/.

Understanding the difference between these sounds is also important because replacing a sound can change the meaning of a word:

cock /kɒk/ (rooster) – cork /kɔːk/ (bark, wine cork)

pot /pɒt/ (pot) – port /pɔːt/ (port)

wad /wɒd/ (a pack of something – banknotes, chewing gum) – ward /wɔːd/ (hospital ward)

Correct pronunciation of words in English

I hope you were able to catch the articulation of this sound. Let's move on to training in words:

store /stɔːr/

shore /ʃɔːr/

floor /flɔː r /

chalk /tʃɔːk/

fourth /fɔːθ/

thought /θɔːt/

brought /brɔːt/

Note that here too there is a difference from British pronunciation. In words like ball, small, low Americans are pronouncing the sound /a:/ again, and in words like horse /hɔːrs/ and north /nɔːrθ/– /r/ is pronounced. Read more about American pronunciation at.

Now let's move on to tongue twisters:

  • A ll P au l's d au ghters were b o rn in C o rk, A llW a lt's d au ghters were b o rn in Yo rk.
  • F ou r expl o rers expl o re f o rty w a terf a lls, F o rty expl o rers expl o re f ou r w a terf a lls.
  • D o ra's d au ghter is t a ller than N o ra's d au ghter, N o ra's d au ghter is sh o rter than D o ra's d au ghter.

As a musical example, I suggest taking the British group Pink Floyd and the song “Another Brick In The Wall” (or rather, one word from it - wall).


From 3:05 to 3:25

We do not say goodbye!

There are 44 (!!!) sounds in the English language. We have already examined 10. In the next article of this section we will focus on consonants. We haven’t decided which ones yet, so tell us in the comments :)

Read the continuation of the section: .