Practice Materials for Consonants (AmE)

These materials can be used as additional phonetic exercises for practicing consonant sounds in short frequently used words. (You can listen to similar words in Listening for Consonants (AmE) and Listening for Consonant Contrast (AmE) in the section Phonetics.) . ( Listening for Consonants (AmE) Listening for Consonant Contrast (AmE) Phonetics.)

Consonant sounds
[p], [b], [t], [d], [k], [g], [f], [v], [], [], [s], [z], [sh], [zh], [h], [ch], [j], [m], [n], [], [l], [r], [w], [y]; pen, be, ten, do, Kate, go, feel, very, thin, this, so, zoo, show, beige, he, cheese, just, me, no, sing, live, red, we, yes;

The sound [p] as in PEN

peel piece peer pick pin pen pair pack palm part pause pour port pond pool pure poor put pull person public pay pain pie pound point pole post; please plenty plan plural plug play split splendid splash splurge; pretty press practice prune pray price proud prose spring spread spray sprout; speak spin spend span sport spoon space spy spoil spoke; paper pepper happen happy creepy tipping kept napkin apple people staple; tap nap cup lip drop trip keep help soup tape ripe rope grasp crisp;

The sound [b] as in BE

be beat beer big bit best bed bare bad back balm bar bore boss bought boom beauty book burn burst bus bun baby buy bound boy bone; bleed bless black block blue blur blood blame blind blow; breed bring bread brand broad brother brain break bright brown broken; habit rabbit ribbon robber robot absent number able terrible rouble gamble tumble;

tab lab stub rub rib rob knob Bob robe bulb;

The sound [t] as in TEN

team tip tell tan task tar tall torn taught top tool tune tour took turn ton take time town toy toe tone; treat trip trend track true trust train trace try street strong struck straight strike stroke; steam stick step stare stand star store stop student stir stun stable style stout stone; city pity kitten total potato writer later better little rattle title twenty mister pizza; set meet rate write part coat short tact draft belt point spent kept last taste roast; looked stopped laughed passed released reached washed;

The sound [d] as in DO

deep deal dear dip den dare Dan dark door dog do duty during dirt dull day die down don't; dream drink drip dress drag draw drop drew drum drain dry drown drone; lady hidden admire edition Edward heading idle riddle cradle handle bundle; kid did read ride made mad add odd cord heard would could send kind wind round; played studied called bored lived turned managed hated started needed ended;

The sound [k] as in KATE

keen keep kill kiss Ken chemistry can cap calm car call corn cool cute cook curse come Kate case kind coast cone; clean clear click class clue clerk club claim climb cloud clown close; cream critical credit crash crawl cruise crush crazy cry crowd scream scratch scrape;

fact active action token lecture awkward Arctic mechanics archive miracle; [sk] scan scale scare score school scope escape skate ski skin skirt skunk sky; [k] account accommodate according accumulate accuse occur; [ks] access accent accept succeed; [ks] fix relax maximum axis excellent exceed except excess exchange explain explore; [ksk] exclaim exclude excuse excursion; [kw] question quite quick queen quality equal require request; cake took walk talk dark oak rack pick panic magic unique bank link risk task;

The sound [g] as in GO

give gift get guess gas gap guard gorge gone goose good girl gun gust game guy guide go gold; glimpse glare glance glamor glue gloomy glum glide global glow; green grip grab grasp grew groom great ground grow; begin again ago legal eager beggar regular ignore ugly giggle eagle struggle single anger hungry; [gw] language linguist Guatemala Gwen; [gz] exist exert exam exact exhibit; big bag dog leg egg rug dialogue vague vogue;

The sound [f] as in FEEL

feel feed fear fit finish fell fed fair fast far four form fond food few full foot fur firm fun fame fate final find found phone photo; flick flesh flag floor floss flew flu flirt flame fly flight Floyd flown; free freeze frigid friend fresh fragile fraud frog fruit frame phrase fry frown froze; office offer often suffer effect coffee muffin defend after left drift soft;

if life safe loaf half deaf stiff staff cuff rough tough enough laugh;

The sound [v] as in VERY

veal vivid vet very variant vast vault verb vein vague vine vital vouch voice void vote; even evil fever eleven event level lever ever every invest review prevail prevent provoke; leave give live active love move brave groove stove curve;

The sound [] as in THIN

theme thief theater theory thin thick thing think therapy thank thorn thought third thirty thirsty thermometer Thursday thoroughly thumb thunder thousand; three thrifty thrill thread threat throb through threw thrust thrive throw throat throne; method author lethal anything everything nothing diphthong without sympathy; breath bath path booth tooth teeth truth north cloth moth earth birth faith south both growth; health wealth length strength width fifth sixth thirteenth thirtieth with;

The sound [] as in THIS

these this then them their there that than the they those though; other mother father brother leather feather weather whether together gather either neither further; although without southern northern rhythm clothes; breathe bathe soothe smooth clothe with;

The sound [s] as in SO

seem seen sin simple city send center sad sack saw sore song soon suit sir certain sun suck save sail side sign sound sour so soul; lesson listen associate society privacy agency test waste;

sleep slope smell smile snake snow speak span split splash spray spring stay stone strain stripe sweet swim; [sk] scale scare escape scatter score school scoundrel screen scrub skate skin sky; [s] scene scent science scissors scythe miscellaneous; [ks] accent access accept except excess explain relax fix mix; kiss pass advice nice notice release increase reduce use (n.) loose rinse since chance; looks takes asks stops keeps types laughs coughs fits hates tests insists;

The sound [z] as in ZOO

zebra zero zip zigzag zest zap zoo zoom zone; music reason poison present dozen citizen horizon razor resign resist busy crazy lazy puzzle sizzle dazzle realism idealism capitalism socialism; [gz] exist exert exam exact exhibit; lose choose use (v.) rose those wise always advise surprise organize quiz jazz; is does has pays runs teams finds tells rubs lives classes loses changes fixes;

The sound [sh] as in SHOW

she sheep sheer chic ship shed share champagne short shot shoe sure sugar should shook shirt shut shame shake shape shine show; shriek shrimp shrink shrug shrine; special social official financial politician efficient patient delicious suspicious precious cautious discussion expression mission pressure fashion nation section condition; push bush leash fish flash rash cash cache publish foolish;

The sound [zh] as in BEIGE

usual casual visual vision explosion erosion measure pleasure treasure leisure;

beige mirage collage sabotage prestige garage rouge;

The sound [h] as in HE

he heat here him history help hair hand have half heart hard horn hot who whose hook her heard hurry hunt hundred hate hide how home hope hold whole; behind behold inherit inhibit inhabit inhale;

The sound [ch] as in CHEESE

cheese cheap cheer chip chin check chess chair chance chapter charity chart charter chalk chore choose chew church chunk chain China chime chose choke, teacher preacher kitchen matching watching teaching; much such touch search torch teach rich branch lunch batch catch patch pitch watch Dutch;

The sound [j] as in JUST

jeans jeep Jim gin gym jet general gentle jam jazz John journey journal just jump judge June jail Jane giant joint joke; region surgeon agent angel danger stranger engine Egypt tragic energy object subject injection suggest fidget; age page rage large huge emerge package message hostage manage bridge badge porridge change range strange sponge;

The sound [m] as in ME

me mean mere middle mint men man mark more Mommy moon mute murder must mother main make mind my mode most; smell smash smart small smooth smug smile smoke; summer Emma command memory murmur family female mumble ramble; seem some dame time form firm stem plum lamb thumb climb comb;

The sound [n] as in NO

need neat knee never nap nasty normal not noon new nutrition nut name nature knife night nine now noun nose know no;

sneeze sniff snack snap snore snob snug snake snail sniper snow; funny manner inner winner annoy finish internal Nancy kindness signature; lunch bench branch change range find mind bend sound round aunt faint point student sent dance science sense; ban tan kin pin thin sin son sun born sane main sign nine noun known own Indian;

The sound [] as in SING

[] sing singer singing sang sung hang hanger hanging hung lung song king bang slang ring ping thing wrong long young strong tongue going cooking reading; []+[g] finger anger angry hunger hungry linger longer longest younger youngest stronger strongest congress (n.) single angle strangle tangle lingo language linguist; []+[k] bank banker frank spank tank ankle drink think sink link ink pink punk drunk skunk uncle;

The sound [l] as in LIVE

lead leap live let less lack last lark law lord lock lot lost lose loop look learn luck lady late life like light lie loud loyal Lloyd load; blood blow plain plan clear close glide glow split splash; sleep slip slap slash slot sluice slur slum slave slight slide slouch slow slogan; alone alive Elizabeth elect valley lily silly really lonely nicely wisely; cold hold held mild field build fault salt felt melt consult; apple couple table terrible little bottle needle idle miracle vehicle; all fall call tell well will whole role roll soul deal boil mail tale file cool girl;

The sound [r] as in RED

read reap real rear risk wrist red rest rare ran rap raw wrong roof route room run rust rain raise rise right round royal road rope rose wrote;

bring proud spread true stripe dry free crow scrape grab throw shrink; around arrange arrive arrogant narrow berry carry sorry hurry during period barbaric murderous careless reference tolerance story salary; carp hard park large carve born form horse porch morgue term earn birth first girl curb curl hurt turf; more tore four car bar far care pair fear hear sir were fur purr fire hire poor tour our power;

The sound [w] as in WE

we week wheel wind will wet west when where wax wall war warm water want wool would word worse won one once way wait wild why white wound won't; sweet swim swift sweat swear swallow twelve twenty twice twinkle twist dwell dwarf; [kw] question quite quick queen quality equal request require; [gw] language linguist Guatemala Gwen;

The sound [y] as in YES

year yield yes yesterday yellow yet yard yawn York yacht yearn young yoga yolk you use unit utility; beyond canyon Tanya Tonya million billion onion union music human few view.

Practice Materials for Consonant Contrast (AmE)

These materials can be used as additional phonetic exercises for practicing contrasting consonant sounds in initial, medial and final position in short words and in useful phrases ranging from easy to difficult. (You can listen to similar words in Listening for Consonants (AmE) and Listening for Consonant Contrast (AmE) in the section Phonetics.) , . ( Listening for Consonants (AmE) Listening for Consonant Contrast (AmE) Phonetics.)

Consonant sounds
[p], [b], [t], [d], [k], [g], [f], [v], [], [], [s], [z], [sh], [zh], [h], [ch], [j], [m], [n], [], [l], [r], [w], [y] peak, bit, test, Dan, kiss, got, farm, view, thin, this, some, zone, shirt, mirage, how, chain, joy, my, now, king, lay, read, win, you

Contrasting consonants in pairs

[p] [b]
Pete beat; peer beer; pill bill; pit bit; pet bet; pack back; part Bart; pair bare; pore bore; pond bond; pay bay; pale bail; pie buy; pile bile; pound bound; poise boys; prim brim; prick brick; pray bray; praise braise; pride bride; ripping ribbing; happy habit; taps tabs; ropes robes; cops cobs; rip rib; lip lib; lap lab; tap tab; cop cob; mop mob; rope robe; pulp bulb; tripe tribe; [p] [b]: pick a book; pack your bags; pay back; pour beer; poor boy; keep rubbing; help Rob; [b] [p]: bad part; bear pain; buy a pie; birthday party; tribal people; rubber tape; grab a cup;

[t] [d]
team deem; tip dip; tan Dan; ten den; ton done; tuck duck; tug dug; two do; tune dune; tore door; tear dear; tear dare; tie die; time dime; town down; toe dough; trip drip; tread dread; true drew; train drain; try dry; trout drought; writer rider; little riddle; matter madder; latter ladder; title tidal; feet feed; neat need; kit kid; hit hid; bet bed; let led; spent spend; set said; cart card; heart hard; court cord; fort Ford; moot mood; route rude; hurt heard; mutt mud; mate made; rate raid; eight aid; height hide; tight tide; write ride; wrote road; coat code; ripped ribbed; stopped robbed; locked logged; lift lived; sift sieved; [t] [d]: tell Dan; turn it down; tiny diamonds; temporary address; later today; too bad; it's time for bed; best friend; hot blood; polite words; [d] [t]: difficult task; driving test; downtown train; dinner time; idle talk; road safety; said what; did a lot; hand and foot; kind heart;

[k] [g]
cap gap; cot got; come gum; cut gut; came game; Kate gate; coat goat; coal goal; coast ghost; class glass; clue glue; Clair glare; Clyde glide; crab grab; crave grave; crime grime; crow grow; pack bag; rack rag; peck peg; pick pig; lock log; dock dog; hock hog; fix figs; packs bags; racks rags; picks pigs; locks logs; docks dogs; pecked pegged; lacked lagged; tacked tagged; locked logged; plucked plugged; [k] [g]: cool game; looks good; keep going; local regulation; lock your dog; check your bags; thick fog; [g] [k]: good car; gun control; golf club; grave crime; grow quickly; legal action; logbook; fog bank;

[f] [v]
feel veal; ferry very; fan van; fast vast; few view; fine vine; focal vocal; infest invest; refuse reviews; often ['ofn] oven ['vn]; off [of] of [v]; safe save; leaf leave; knife knives; half halves; loaf loaves; shelf shelves; wolf wolves; life (n.) [laif] lives (n.) [laivz] live (adj.) [laiv] live (v.) [liv] lives (v.) [livz]; [f] [v]: fine voice; first variant; five visitors; flight vehicle; fade from view; fair visibility; few reviews; fully developed; feel very sad; find Vicky; [v] [f]: very funny; every Friday; prevent fighting; invest funds; movie fans; veil of fog; river flow; heavy traffic; vain efforts; love affair; alive and safe;

[v] [w]
veal wheel; Vic wick; Vin win; vet wet; very well; verb word; veil whale; vain Wayne; vine wine; vie why; vile while; vow wow; [v] [w]: Vince is away; Victor won; very well; very worried; vintage wine; evil will; every word; he is overweight; overwhelming wealth; overwhelming evidence; [w] [v]: where's Vera; watch a video; wonderful view; what value; white vest; wide river; water valve; worst review; wise investment; worth investing;

[sh] [zh]
mission vision; expression explosion; special casual; machine [m'shi:n] regime [rei'zhi:m], [r'zhi:m]; rush [rsh] mirage [mi'ra:zh]; cache [ksh] collage [k'la:zh]; marsh [ma:rsh] massage [m'sa:zh], ['msa:zh]; rash [rsh] garage [g'ra:zh], ['grij]; [sh] [zh]: official decision; special measures; sensual pleasure; ancient treasures; [zh] [sh]: casual inspection; usual conditions; visual perception; measure pressure;

[ch] [j]
cheap jeep; chin gin; chest jest; chunk junk; chain Jane; choke joke;

rich ridge; batch badge; match Madge; search surge; touch judge; [ch] [j]: cherry jam; cheap jewelry; change jobs; choose the jury; watch strangers; search engine; [j] [ch]: just a child; German teacher; gentle touch; jump over a ditch; large branch; huge lunch;

[s] [z]
seal zeal; sink zinc; sip zip; said zed; sap zap; soon zoom; so zone; sign design; assign resign; insist resist; use (n.) use (v.); race raise; rice rise; price prize; advice advise; loose lose; lease tease; dose doze; niece knees; piece peas; since sins; lace lays; lice lies; lacks lags; tacks tags; safes (n.) saves (v.); fights finds; [s] [z]: central zoo; signs of the zodiac; so zealous; nice presents; listen to music; price rise; [z] [s]: zebra crossing; busy season; easy solutions; design a dress; raise prices; lose a case;

[l] [r]
lead read; leap reap; lip rip; lack rack; lock rock; lot rot; loom room; lust rust; lay ray; lace race; lane rain; lair rare; light right; lice rice; low row; loyal royal; [l] [r]: little riddle; low rate; loud crowd; lake road; listen to reason; well-written letters; [r] [l]: read a lot; write a letter; right light; really late; really rare; read well; bring flowers;

[w] [r]
weed read; whip rip; wick Rick; wed red; west rest; wack rack; wag rag; won run; way ray; wake rake; wait rate great; white right; wide ride; wound round; woe roe; [w] [r]: one room; white roses; wet road; wait for Ron; where's Rita; we are worried; what's wrong; [r] [w]: terrible weather; rear wheel; really well; red and white; read the words; it's really warm;

[w] [l]

weed lead; weak leak; wit lit; whip lip; wick lick; Willy Lily; wed led; west lest; wack lack; wag lag; work lurk; way lay; wake lake; wait late; why lie; white light; [w] [l]: work late; white lies; white list; why are you lying; wait a little longer; willy-nilly; Willy and Lily; [l] [w]: lose weight; learn the words; lethal weapon; little whittle; lie awake; feel well; it's a small world;

[n] []
sin [sin] sing [si]; kin king kings [kiz]; pan pang; ban [bn] bang [b]; clan clang; Ron [ron] wrong [ro]; run [rn] wrung [r]; ton [tn] tongue [t]; son [sn] song [so]; won [wn] wing [wi]; lone [loun] long [lo]; tone [toun] tongs [toz]; ban [bn] bank [bk]; sin sink [sik]; sun [sn] sunk [sk]; hon [hn] hunk [hk] honk [hok];

[] []+[g]
sing [si] single ['sigl]; hung [h] hungry ['hgri]; pang [p] anger ['gr] angry ['gri] angle ['gl]; singing ['sii] singer ['sir] finger ['figr] linger ['ligr]; long [lo] longer ['logr] longest ['logist]; strong [stro:] stronger ['stro:gr] strongest ['stro:gist].

Contrasting pairs for [] as in THIN and [] as in THIS

[] []
thank [k] than [n]; thin this; thought [o:t] though [ou]; thumb [m] thus [s]; breath (n.) [bre] breathe (v.) [bri:]; bath (n.) [b] bathe (v.) [bei]; teeth (n.) [ti:] teethe (v.) [ti:];

cloth (n.) [klo] cloths (n.) [klos], cloths [kloz]; clothe (v.) [klou] clothes (n.) [klouz], [klouz] clothing (n.) ['kloui]; both [bou] bother ['bor]; worth [wr] worthy ['wri]; north [no:r] northern ['no:rrn]; south [sau] southern ['srn]; nothing ['ni] other ['r]; anything ['enii] another ['nr]; [] []: both mothers; three brothers; thank your father; north of this city; throw out this junk; [] []: this thing; that theory; this path; other authors; gather strength; neither health nor wealth;

[s] []
seem theme; sick thick; sin thin; sing thing; sink think; sank thank; sought thought; sore thorn; saw thaw; sum thumb; Sy thigh; miss myth; six sixth; mass math; pass path; moss moth; face faith [fei]; gross growth; [s] []: simple things; so thin; sore throat; seven and three; sixty and thirty; say something; saw nothing; solar month; South Pacific; save your breath; classical myth; [] [s]: thick skin; think small; thoughtful son; thorough search; think up something; thaw ice; thorn in my side; teeth of a saw; worthless excuses; toothpaste; northwest;

[s] []
seize these; sat that; say they; so though; lesser ['lesr] leather ['ler]; base bathe; close (adj.) clothe (v.); cease [si:s] seethe [si:]; [s] []: some other time; nice weather; silvery feathers; stick together; said soothingly; Southern Cross; smooth surface; [] [s]: this story; this lesson; this close; they said yes; that's nice; their new Mercedes; leather seat; seethe with madness;

[z] []
Zen then; zone though; prison ['priz()n] prism ['priz()m] rhythm ['ri()m]; breeze [bri:z] breathe [bri:]; tease [ti:z] teethe [ti:]; close [klouz] (v.) clothe [klou] (v.); bays bathe [bei]; whiz [wiz] with [wi];

[z] []: Zack's brother; is Lizzy there; whose clothes are these; zip up that bag; wise mother; crazy weather; choose another quiz; [] [z]: this is Zack; that's a zoo; this puzzle; these museums; these clothes are theirs; either zero or one; breathe easily; worthy of praise;

[z] []
owes [ouz] oath [ou]; bows both; Ms. [miz] myth [mi]; tease [ti:z] teeth [ti:]; [z] []: busy on Thursdays; crazy theory; easy method; zip through space; lose faith; [] [z]: thank you, Zack; three zeros; thermal zone; thriving business; authorized user;

[f] []
fin thin; first thirst; fought thought; free three; fruit through; roof Ruth; [f] []: feel thankful; first think then say; fear of thunder; filthy threats; floor-through; full authority; fair health; [] [f]: throw a fit; think fast; thumb and forefinger; truth and freedom; breath of fresh air; cloth filter; oath of office;

[f] []
fees these; fan than; fair their; fare there; fat that; foe though; [f] []: Fred's father; further information; fluffy feathers; feel the rhythm; fill out this form; finish this work; find those photos; [] [f]: these fees; this film; my brother and his wife; their family; either friend or foe; breathe freely; soothing effect;

[v] []
van than; vie [vai] thy [ai]; vine thine [ain]; vow [vau] thou [au]; clove clothe; [v] []: visited those cities; vote for them; vouch for them; very soothing; leave it there; over there; avoid either of them; [] [v]: mother's voice; other visitors; this minivan; open this vent; they're in the vault; breathe heavily; they avoid one another;

[v] []
[v] []: very thin; very thick; very thorough; vain thoughts; valuable things; various authors; seven thousand; vast depth; heaven on earth;

[] [v]: thank you very much; three events; thick volume; thorough investigation; authentic version; thin veil of mist; ethical values; length of a visit;

[t] []
team theme; tick thick; tin thin; torn thorn; taught thought; tug thug; tie thigh; tree three; tread thread; trash thrash; true through; trust thrust; bat bath; mat math; rat wrath; debt [det] death; clot cloth; root Ruth; boat both; [t] []: tiny theater; petty theft; Tom Thumb; terrible thunderstorm; take a breath; teach math; stop thief; telephone booth; [] [t]: theater tickets; thrifty customer; think twice; think tank; authentic texts; birth rate; both boats; ruthless tyrant;

[t] []
ten then; tan than; tease these; tear there; toe though; toes those; letter leather; wetter weather; bait bathe; soot soothe [su:]; moot smooth [smu:]; [t] []: try this; take these keys; Tom's mother; Tina's brother; Tracy's father; tell that man to leave; [] [t]: they took it; this time; that moment; these tickets; those letters; though tired; there's no time;

[d] []
den then; day they; dine thine; dare there; doze those; diesel ['di:zl] these [i:z]; breed breathe [bri:]; read wreathe [ri:]; load loathe [lou] (v.); mood smooth; [d] []: how dare they; read these ads; do this exercise; devoted father; dear brother; don't bother; [] [d]: then do the dishes; this is Diana; these days; that's a deal; those goods; breathing deeply;

[d] []
dumb thumb; dug thug; drill thrill; drew threw; drop throb; drive thrive; drove throve; driven thriven; drone throne; bird birth; [d] []: good health; had a bath; found a path; disease and death; dear Theodore; dear Seth;

[] [d]: three days; through doors and windows; thanks to Don; think hard; one-third length.