LISTEN

Listen to the audio recording below.

PRACTICE

Listen to and repeat the IPA symbol and example words.
 

i (meeting, machine)
Your tongue is high and near the front of your mouth. Your lips are spread, like you’re
smiling.
 

ɪ (Internet, sit)
Your tongue is lower than the /i/ sound and more centered. Your lips are relaxed.
 

eɪ (make, inflation)
Your tongue is in the middle and lifts a little higher at the end of the sound. Your lips are
spread a little bit.
 

E (edge, executive)
Your tongue is in the middle of your mouth, a little lower than the /eI/ sound. Your lips
are spread slightly.
 

æ (application, bandwidth)
Your tongue is a little lower than when you make the /E/ sound, and your lips are open
more.
 

a (processor, prompt)
Your tongue is at the bottom of your mouth. Your lips are spread more than they are for
the /E/ sound.
 

ɔ (caught, law)
Your tongue is low and in the back of your mouth. Your lips are slightly closed and
rounded.
 

ou (know, audio)
Your tongue is low and in the back of your mouth and lifts a little higher at the end of the
sound. Your lips are very rounded and move into a small circle at the end of the sound.
 

u (virtual, true)
The back of the tongue is high. Your lips are rounded and tight.
 

ʊ (would, understood)
The back of the tongue is a little lower than the /u/ sound. Your lips are slightly open and
not rounded. This sound is more relaxed than the /u/ sound.
 

ə (account, system)
Your tongue is resting in the middle of your mouth. Your lips are very relaxed and slightly
open.
 

ʌ (cut, ton)
Same as the /ə/ sound. This symbol is used in one-syllable words.
 

aɪ (IP, client)
Your tongue moves from the low middle part of your mouth to the high front. Your lips
start in an open /a/ position and end in slightly open.
 

aʊ (however, ground)
Your tongue moves from the low middle part of your mouth to the high back. Your lips
start in an open /a/ position and end in a small rounded position.
 

ɔɪ (noise, annoy)
Your tongue moves from the low back part of your mouth to the high front. Your lips start
in an open rounded position and end in a closed, slightly spread position.