IPA Transcription Exercises

Course: Pronunciation
Lecturer: Nguyen Hong Oanh

1. Vowel symbols
1. Write these words next to the right phonetic symbol above.
dork /dɔːrk/ spat /spæt/ corn /kɔːrn/ sport /spɔːrt/ born /bɔːrn/
steam /sti:m/ food /fuːd/ far /fɑːr/ scream /skri:m/ dull /dʌl/
start /staːrt/ foot /fʊt/ seat /siːt/ seem /si:m/ puke /pjuːk/
week /wiːk/ lark /lɑːrk/ stern /stɜːn/ harsh /hɑːrʃ/ psalm /sɑːm/
lurk /lʌk/ cool /kuːl/ van /væn/ rude /ruːd/ rock /rɑːk/

2. Odd man out. Eliminate the word whose vowel is different from those in the other
three. In words with more syllables, the vowel in question is in bold type.
(A) stick myth feet fit (F) lard father parent jar
(B) blood muck tar pub (G) done gun fall stub
(C) roll rot dot gosh (H) said Nazi clap plaid
(D) son run fun butcher (I) set dead heat bet
(E) lock bottle shore stop (J) sieve leave meat Steve

3. Practice. Transcribe the vowels in the following sentences. You may ignore the
consonants (simply write their spelling letters), diphthongs and stresses.

Love thy neighbor as yourself, but choose your neighborhood.

/lʌv ðaɪ neɪbər əz jəself bət tʃu:z jə neɪbəhʊd/

If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much.

/ɪf ju ɑː nɒt krɪtəsaɪzd jə meɪ nɒt bi duɪŋ mʌtʃ/

Opportunity is missed by most people because it’s dressed in overalls and looks like work.
/ɒpətu:nəti ɪz mɪst baɪ məʊst pɪ:pəl bikɒz ɪts drest ɪn əʊvərɔːlz ən ɪt lʊks laɪk wɜːk/

I don't think anybody should write their autobiography until after they're dead.
/aɪ dəʊnt θɪŋk enibʌdi ʃəd raɪt ðər əʊn baɪɒgrəfi ʌntɪl ðə ded/

2A. Vowels /ʊ/ and /uː/

2. Exercises: Minimal pairs. The words below differ only in one sound (the
/uː/-/ʊ/contrast). Complete the table.
wood /wʊd/- wooed /wuːd/
pull /pʊl/ - pool /puːl/
full /fʊl/- fool /fuːl/
nook /nʊk/ - nuke /n(j)uːk/
look /lʊk/- luke /luːk/

3. Transcribe the following phrases.

true blue /truː bluː/
footloose groupie /ˈfʊtluːs ˈgruːpi/
hooked on books /hʊkt ɒn bʊks/
food and booze /fuːd ænd buːz/
lewd movie /luːd ˈmuːvi/
crude tool /kruːd tuːl/
wolf on the loose /wʊlf ɒn ðə luːs/
new tattoo /njuː təˈtuː/
astute conclusion /əsˈtjuːt kən
ˈkluːʒən/
loose woman /luːs ˈwʊmən/
cool looking dude /kuːl ˈlʊkɪŋ djuːd/
Fruit of the Loom /fruːt ɒv ðə luːm/
cute Susan /kjuːt ˈsuːz(ə)n/
useful fool /ˈjuːsfʊl fuːl/
groovy music /ˈgruːvi ˈmjuːzɪk/
A Few Good Men /ə fjuː gʊd mɛn/
spoonful of sugar /ˈspuːnfʊl ɒv ˈʃʊgə/
shooting some bull /ˈʃuːtɪŋ sʌm bʊl/

2B. Vowels /ɪ/ and /iː/

2. Exercises
2.1 Match and transcribe homophones (words with different meanings and spellings,
but pronounced the same). Not all the words have a match!

2.2 What problem do the words “sheet” , “beach” , and “piece” pose? Which words
should they not be confused with?
--> These words have the same pronunciation as other words with bad and negative meanings.
-The words "sheet" / ʃi: t / and the word "shit" / ʃit / have different writing and meanings, but the
reading is similar.
 Ex: “I want a piece of sheet”, but other people might understand that you are saying "I
want a piece of shit" if you pronounce it.
- Similarly, we have the word “beach” /bi:tʃ/ pronounced almost like the word “bitch” /bitʃ/.
- The word “piece” /piːs/ have the same pronunciation with the word “piss” /piːs/.
Ex: "I want two pieces" into "I want to piss"

2.3 Transcribe the following

King and Queen  /kɪŋ ænd kwiːn/
kith and kin  /ˌkɪθ ən ˈkɪn/
speed limit  /ˈspiːd ˌlɪm.ɪt/
freaking dimwit /ˈfriːkɪŋ ˈdɪmwɪt /
spitting image /ˈspɪtɪŋ ˈɪmɪʤ /
feeling of bliss /ˈfiːlɪŋ ɒv blɪs/

2.4 Decipher these minimal pairs

Feel /fiːl/ - fill /fɪl/
Steal /stiːl/ - still /stɪl/
Bean /biːn/ - bin /bɪn/
Ream /riːm/ - rim /rɪm/
Deem /diːm/ - dim /dɪm/
Leak /liːk/ - lick /lɪk/

2C. Vowels /ə/, /ʌ/ and /æ/

2. Exercises
2.1 Homophones
What homophones do the words son, won, and none, have?
- son /sʌn/ sun
- won /wʌn/ one
- none /nʌn/ nun
- have /əv/ of

2.2 Transcribe the following an /ən/ unloved /ˌʌnˈlʌvd/ son /sʌn/

an /ən/ ugly /ˈʌgli/ cover-up /ˈkʌvərˈ ʌp/ number /ˈnʌmbə/ one /wʌn/
son-of-a-gun /sʌn-ɒv-ə-gʌn/ black /blæk/ color /ˈkʌlə/
happy /ˈhæpi/ go /ɡəʊ/ lucky /ˈlʌki/  front /frʌnt/ man /mæn/
a /ə/ ton /tʌn/ of /əv/ money /ˈmʌni/ bad /bæd/ blood /blʌd/
blood /blʌd/ bath /bɑːθ/ troubled /ˈtrʌbld/ young /jʌŋ/
Country /ˈkʌntri/ cousin /ˈkʌzn/ lad /læd/
a /ə/ stunning /ˈstʌnɪŋ/ stuck /stʌk/ in /ɪn/ the /ðə/ mud /mʌd/
comeback /ˈkʌmbæk/ funny /ˈfʌni/ monkey /ˈmʌŋki/

3. Past /d/, /t/, or /ɪd/ and plural /z/, /s/, or /ɪz/

1. Transcription. “Decipher” the following transcription. Underline: all plural suffixes
and all regular verb inflections (-ed forms, and -ing forms)

/iːvən ðəʊz hu dəʊnt kənsɪdə ðəmselvz fænz əv led zepəlɪn əgriː ðət ɪts wʌn əv ðə
greɪtəst bændz əv ɔːl taɪm/
Even though who don’t consider themselves fans of led zeppelin agree that it’s one
of the greatest bands of all time.
/fjuː ʌðə gruːps əv iːvən kʌm kləʊz tu ətʃiːvɪŋ ðə seɪm levəlz/
Few other groups have even come closes to achieving the same levels.

/ðə bəgɪnɪŋz əv led zepəlɪn kən bi treɪst bæk tu ə bluːz ɪnfluənst rɒk bænd ðə
jɑːdbɜːdz/
The beginings of Led Zeppelin can be traced back to a blues influenced rock band
the Yardbirds

/dʒɪmi peɪdʒ dʒɔɪnd ðə jɑːdbɜːdz ɪn naɪntiːn sɪksti sɪks /

Jimmy Page joined the Yardbirds in 1966

/hi rɪpleɪst beɪsɪst pɔːl smɪθ hu həd dɪsaɪdɪd tə liːv ðə gruːp/

He replaced bassist Pall Smith who had decided to leave the group.

/ʃɔːtli ɑːftə peɪdʒ swɪtʃt frəm beɪs tə liːd gɪtɑː krieɪtɪŋ ə duəl liːd gɪtɑː laɪnʌp wɪð dʒef
bek/
Shortly after Page switched from bass to lead guita, creating a dual lead guita line-
up with Jeff Beck.

/fɒləʊɪŋ ðə dɪpɑːtʃər əv bek frəm ðə gruːp ɪn sɪksti sɪks ðə jɑːdbɜːdz wə taɪəd frəm
kɒnstənt tʊərɪŋ ən rɪkɔːdɪŋ ən əd bɪgʌn tə waɪnd daʊn/
Following the departure of Beck from the group in 66, the Yardbirds were tired from
constant touring and recording and had begun to wind down.

/peɪdʒ wɒntɪd tə fɔːm ə suːpəgruːp wɪð hɪmself ən bek ɒn gɪtɑːz ən ðə huːz rɪðəm
sekʃən drʌmə kiːθ muːn ən beɪsɪst dʒɒn entwɪsəl/
Page wanted to form a supergroup with himself and Beck on guitars and the who’s
rhythm section drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle.

/vəʊkəlɪsts stiːv wɪnwʊd ən wɪl stiːvənz wər ɔːlsəʊ kənsɪdəd fə ðə prɒdʒekt/

Vocalists Steve Windwood and Will Steven were also considered for the project.

/ðə gruːp nevə fɔːmd ɔːlðəʊ peɪdʒ bek ən muːn rɪkɔːdɪd ə sɒŋ təgeðə beks bəleərəʊ
wɪtʃ ɪz fiːtʃəd ɒn beks naɪntiːn sɪksti eɪt ælbəm truːθ/
The group never formed although Page, Beck and moon recorded a song together,
Beck’s Bolero, which is featured on Beck’s 1968 album “Truth”.
/ðə rɪkɔːdɪŋ seʃən ɔːlsəʊ ɪnkluːdɪd beɪsɪst kiːbɔːdɪst dʒɒn pɔːl dʒəʊnz hu təʊld
peɪdʒ ðət i wəd bi ɪntərəstɪd in kəlæbəreɪtɪŋ ɪn fjuːtʃə prɒdʒekts/
The recording session also including bassist keyboardist John Pall Jones, who told
Page that he would be interested in collaborating in future projects.

2. The past suffix –ed. /d/, /t/, or /ɪd/ (=/əd/ in some transcriptions)
Write the transcription for the following verbs in the past tense form.
collaborated /kəˈlæbəreɪtɪd/, agreed /əˈɡriːd/, achieved /əˈtʃiːvd/, traced /treɪst/,
joined /dʒɔɪnd/, replaced /rɪˈpleɪst/, switched /swɪtʃt/, created /kriːˈeɪtɪd/,
followed /ˈfɒləʊd/

3. The plural suffix –s. /z/, /s/, or /ɪz/ (=/əz/)

Write the transcription for the following nouns in the plural form.
Pages /ˈpeɪdʒɪz/, guitars /ɡɪˈtɑːz/, lineups /ˈlaɪˌnəps/, times /ˈtaɪmz/, recordings /rɪ
ˈkɔːdɪŋz/, sections /ˈsekʃn̩z/, projects /prəˈdʒekts/, moons /muːnz/, albums
/ˈælbəmz/

4. The 3rd person sing suffix –s. /z/, /s/, or /ɪz/ (=/əz/). Write the transcription
for the following verbs in the 3rd pers form.
Decides /dɪˈsaɪdz/, considers /kənˈsɪdəz/, acts /ækts/, begins /bɪˈɡɪnz/, features
/ˈfiːtʃəz/, collaborates /kəˈlæbəreɪts/
5. Sentences
Transcribe these sentences.
The jam session lasted a few hours. /ðə dʒæm ˈseʃn̩ ˈlɑːstɪd ə fjuː ˈaʊəz/
John strummed a couple of songs. /ˌdʒɒn strʌmd ə ˈkʌpl̩ əv sɒŋz/
The man in red shorts sings well. /ðə mæn ɪn ˈred ʃɔːts sɪŋz wel/
He who laughs last laughs best. /ˈhi: ˈhuː lɑːfs lɑːst lɑːfs best/

4. Diphthongs
2. Practice. Supply the missing diphthong symbols in the following transcriptions.
/s_eɪ_vɪŋ pr_aɪ__vɪt r_aɪ_ən/
/ðə griːn m_aɪ_l/
/slʌmdɒg mɪljən_eə_r/
/lɒst ɪn trænzl__ei_ʃən/
/br_eɪ_kbæk m_aʊ_ntɪn/
/n_əʊ__ kʌntri fər _əʊ_ld men/
/ʃeɪksp_ɪə_r ɪn lʌv/
/glædi_eɪ_tər/
/ðə kr_aɪ_ɪŋ geɪm/
/mɪdnaɪt k_aʊ_b_ɔɪ_/
/d_ei_ndʒərəs lieɪzənz/

3. Practice. Transcribe the following words (each one contains a diphthong),

and put them in the following lines.
Make meɪk finds faɪndz no nəʊ my maɪ lives laɪvz close kləʊs James ʤeɪmz
Brown braʊn closer kləʊsə White waɪt baby ˈbeɪbi I (x2) aɪ.

/maɪ neɪm ɪz bɒnd ʤeɪmz bɒnd/.

/aɪm gənə meɪk ɪm ən ɒfər (h)i kænt rəˈfjuːz/ (The Godfather).
/ɑːs tə lɑː viːstə ˈbeɪbi / (Terminator2).
/ət maɪ sɪgnəl ʌnliːʃ hel/ (Gladiator).
/bɪkɒz nəʊ mæn kən bi frendz wɪð ə wʊmən ðət i faɪndz ətræktɪv/ (When Harry
Met Sally).
/ðeɪ meɪ teɪk ɑː laɪvz, bət ðeɪl nevə teɪk ɑː friːdəm/ (Braveheart).
/kiːp jə frendz kləʊs  bət jər enəmiz kləʊsə/ (The Godfather).
/əz fɑː bæk əz aɪ kən rɪmembə, aɪ ɔːlweɪz wɒntɪd tə bi ə gæŋstə/ (The Goodfellas).
/hɪər ɑː jə neɪmz mɪstər braʊn mɪstər waɪt mɪstə blɒnd mɪstə bluː mɪstər ɒrɪndʒ ən
mɪstə pɪŋk/ (Reservoir Dogs).

* Which two of the following are

Not pronounced with a diphthong?
arrange change orange
grange range strange
anger danger manger stranger.

4. Practice. Now you should be ready to transcribe the following sentences

(ignore the stresses).
Scientists might be quite mistaken about many things, but they always try to find
out how much they don’t know. | Cambridge Chamber of Commerce | I’d only like to
know if you can die from piercing your own ear.
saɪəntɪsts maɪt biː kwaɪt mɪsteɪkən əbaʊt mɛni θɪŋz, bʌt ðeɪ ɔːlweɪz traɪ tuː faɪnd aʊ
t haʊ mʌʧ ðeɪ dəʊnt nəʊ.
| keɪmbrɪʤ ʧeɪmbər ɒv kɒmə(ː)s | aɪd əʊnli laɪk tuː nəʊ ɪf juː kæn daɪ frɒm pɪəsɪŋ jɔ
ːr əʊn ɪə.

5. Consonants eth ð and theta θ

2. Exercises
1. What is the difference (in use) between the two ordinal suffixes?
2. The longest cluster of consonants in the final position in English is found
in the words /sɪksθs/ and /θaʊzəndθs/. In what expressions are these forms
used?

3. Fill in the blanks in the following expressions and transcribe them.

Better dead then red /ˈbɛtə dɛd ðɛn rɛd/
Through thick and thin /θruː θɪk ænd θɪn/
Two Thumbs up! /tuː θʌmz ʌp!/
4. Transcribe the following phrases.
path to truth /pɑːθ tuː truːθ/
death threat /dɛθ θrɛt/
thousandth’s place /ˈθaʊzəntθs pleɪs/
holier than thou /ˈhəʊlɪə ðæn ðaʊ/
from north to south /frɒm nɔːθ tuː saʊθ/
worth their salt /wɜːθ ðeə sɔːlt/
seething with wrath /ˈsiːðɪŋ wɪð rɒθ/
healthy, wealthy and wise /ˈhɛlθi, ˈwɛlθi ænd waɪz/
in the thrall of death /ɪn ðə θrɔːl ɒv dɛθ/
a thirty something /ə ˈθɜːti ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
dearth rather than wealth /dɜːθ ˈrɑːðə ðæn wɛlθ/
in the altogether /ɪn ði ˌɔːltəˈgɛðə/
Go through the contract with a fine-tooth comb /gəʊ θruː ðə ˈkɒntrækt wɪð ə faɪn-
tuːθ kəʊm/
on the strength of /ɒn ðə strɛŋθ ɒv/