IPA SYMBOLS

PRACTICE IN READING AND WRITING

Read (aloud!) each symbol in the chart,

and also the connected word.

Note:
When a colon (ː) follows the symbol of a
vowel, it means that the vowel is pronounced
longer – it is a a long vowel.
 /ʌ/ in cup, and /ɑ:/ in father
 /ɒ/ or /ɔ/ in not, and /ɔ:/ as in door.
Long vowels can be treated as pairs of
short vowels, as if it were
- /ii/ for /i:/
- /aa/ for /ɑ:/
- /uu/ for /u:/

Vowels

/i:/ as in sheep
/ɪ/ as in ship
/ʊ/ as in pull
/u:/ as in pool
/e/ as in red
/ə/ as in teacher
/ə:/ or / ɜː/ as in bird
/ɔ:/ as in door
/æ/ as in cat
/ʌ/ as in cup
/ɑ:/ as in car
/ɒ/ or /ɔ/ as in got

Diphthongs

/ ɪə / as in here
/ eɪ / as in play
/ ʊə / as in tour
/ ɔɪ / as in boy
/ əʊ / as in go
/ eə / as in care
/ aɪ / as in buy
/ aʊ / as in cow
Consonants

/p/ as in pea
/b/ as in boat
/t/ as in tea
/d/ as in dog
/tʃ/ as in cheese
/dʒ/ as in June
/k/ as in car
/g/ as in go
/f/ as in fly
/v/ as in video
/θ/ as in think
/ð/ as in this
/s/ as in see
/z/ as in zoo
/ʃ/ as in shall
/ʒ/ as in television
/m/ as in man
/n/ as in now
/ŋ/ as in sing
/h/ as in hat
/l/ as in love
/r/ as in red
/w/ as in wet
/j/ as in yes

Exercise 1
Read the following transcriptions aloud, then check with the English words in the Key to Exercice 1.

1. / ðeə /
2. / ˈdʒaɪənt /
3. / haɪ /
4. / pjʊə(r) /
5. / tʃi:k /
6. / θɪŋ /
7. / hu: /
8. / ˈaɪən /
9. / tʃə:tʃ/
10. / ləʊ /

Exercise 2
Now look at the chart of the symbols and try to transcribe the pronunciation of the following words.
Then check with the Key to Exercice 2.

1. house ___________
2. father ___________
3. they ___________
4. girl ___________
5. good ___________
6. room ___________
7. head ___________
8. hair ___________
9. her ___________
10. mountain ____________

Key to Ex. 1:

1. there
2. giant
3. high
4. pure
5. cheek
6. thing
7. who
8. iron
9. church
10. low

Key to Ex. 2:

1. / haʊs/
2. / ˈfɑ:ðə(r) /
3. / ðeɪ /
4. / gə:l /
5. / gʊd/
6. / ru:m /
7. / hed /
8. / heə(r) /
9. / hə:(r)/
10. / ˈmaʊntɪn/