Combination of letters in English language is a phenomenon that is closely related to phonetics, since often the reading of consonants or vowels changes if another letter appears next to them. It is important not only to navigate various options such combinations, but also to understand how certain methods of connecting individual letters differ and what pronunciation features will arise. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the main letter combinations in the English language and provide a special classification of this phenomenon so that it is somewhat easier to understand the entire algorithm of actions.
Basic principles of combinations of English letters
The norms of the English language allow the letters of the alphabet to be combined in such a way that new variants of sounds are subsequently formed. It must be remembered that sometimes such combinations are pronounced completely differently than it seems at first glance, and the phonetics of both letters used in a particular combination may be lost.
Methods of letter combinations in English allow the formation of new sounds by combining two consonants, two vowels, and combined option of vowels and consonants. In this case, a certain combination can be formed by connecting three letters; they are called triphthongs and differ from diphthongs in that they consist of three rather than two elements. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the basic rules for reading English letter combinations, and you can start with the vowel + vowel options.
Letter combinations vowels + vowels
When reading English letter combinations that include consonants, it is necessary to take into account both letters that are part of a particular construction. The options may be as follows:
ai –– pain, rain;
ay-– game, pay;
ei –– deceive, weight, height;
ea – [e]– head, read, break;
ey –– key, grey, eye;
ee –– tree, screen;
ew –– new, few;
eu –– neutral, feudalism;
oo – [u] [ɔ:] [ʌ]– wool, pool, door, blood;
oa – [əu]– road, soap;
ou –– house, mouse;
ie – [e]– friend, field, diet.
All these variants with vowels are quite common and in English are read only in accordance with the specified reading rules. Their sound conveys only vowel sounds, however, it is important not to confuse the letter combinations, otherwise there is a risk of incorrect spelling of words and constructions.
Letter combinations consonants + consonants
It is necessary to remember very well how one or another combination of consonant letters is read, since there are significantly more such types of combinations than with vowel letters. Below are the most common ways to pronounce English consonants in combination with each other:
ch – [k] [ʃ]– chair, character, machine;
ck – [k]– stock, shock;
tch– the combination tch – is consonant with the sound ch –
– match, catch; the sound h in English is characterized by two variants of consonant combinations;
bt at the end of a word - [t]– doubt, debt;
gh– after combinations ou, au [f], [–]– cough, slight;
dg-– hedgehog, edge;
th – The interdental sound th is read in two ways. In auxiliary parts of speech and between vowel sounds, the th sound in English gives [ð]
– brother, the, and at the beginning or end of words, as well as before consonants, it sounds like [θ]
– throw, bath;
sh – the sound sh can be read as [ʃ]
– shrimp, shell;
gn – [n]– sign, reign;
mb- in the middle of a word
– remember, at the end of a word [m]– thumb;
mn – in the middle of a word
– insomnia, at the end of a word [m]– column;
kn – in the middle of a word
– sickness, at the beginning of the word [n]– knock;
wh – [w]– what, wheel;
ng- in the middle of a word [ŋg]– singer, at the end of a word [ŋ]
– ring;
ph – [f]– philosopher, photo;
wr – [r]– write, wrong.
It is important to pay attention to how th, kn and other combinations are read, which have two pronunciation options and sound differently depending on their position in the word. The rule for reading all the above combinations must always be observed, otherwise errors in the reading process and, accordingly, pronunciation will be inevitable.
Letter combinations vowels + consonants
Another option for combinations is vowels and consonants. Some letters in the alphabet can form certain ways of pronunciation, and this phonetic variation is also quite common. Here are the methods:
er- in an unstressed position [ə]
– worker, looker;
or- in an unstressed position [ə]
– doctor, traitor;
an- before consonants
– swan, plant;
al – [ɔ:]
– chat, talk. Another reading option is – half, calf;
wa –– was, water;
wor -– word, work;
war –– war, ward;
igh –– right, night;
qu –– quiet, sequence;
ild –– wild, mild;
ind -– find, bind.
All these options, presented with transcription, must be taken into account when pronouncing and reading the corresponding combinations. To display a combination of letters in English, a table can become an element that can group all the main options and present information in the most concise form. Here's what it might look like:
All these letter combinations English alphabet are very actively used in the language and are taken into account when studying phonetics and reading rules. All possible options should be memorized gradually, but it is necessary to know them, since, judging by the examples, some of them can be read differently. By focusing on all reading methods, you will be able to avoid many mistakes, and the interlocutor will be able to assess the level of preparation of the speaker, who, in turn, will correctly use the rules of letter combinations and not take liberties in pronunciation.
In English classes, students groan: “Why are the rules of reading in English so confusing?”
One reason is that English . Sometimes they kept their spelling, sometimes they changed it to suit themselves. In good old England, words were often spelled the way they were read, so one word could be spelled in many different ways. Take Shakespeare's manuscripts, for example - all this chaos is there in full view.
Eventually, the spelling of words was standardized and recorded in dictionaries, but... As you learn English, you will notice that a word is often read completely differently from how it is spelled. And usually there are historical reasons for this.
There is some good news. Although many English words are written, it would seem, “as God wishes,” there are a number of rules. But be careful, because for every rule there is an exception.
English has more than 1,100 ways of writing 44 individual sounds, more than any other language. But let studying be a game for you, not a duty.
Learn with our tips!
- Write down words that you have problems with in a notebook. Underline the part of the word that is most difficult for you.
- Use a dictionary, not spell check! Unfortunately, you can't always trust her.
- Learn words with all kinds of prefixes and suffixes, for example: biography - auto biography, child hood and so on.
- Learn the rules, but don't rely on them. We have already said: every rule has its exception. We'll talk about this below.
“i” is written before “e” (exception is after “c”)
One of the first reading rules taught in English classes. The rule works for words that have a long “ee”, as in shield(shield).
Examples: piece (part), niece (niece), priest (priest), thief (thief).
But after “c”: conceive (comprehend, plan), receive (receive), receipt (receipt; not to be confused with recipe).
For words in which the sound “a” or “i” is pronounced, the opposite is true:
“a”: eight (eight), neighbor (neighbor), reign (reign), weight (weight)
“i”: either, height, feisty, sleight
Exceptions: seize (grab), weird (strange), conscience (conscience, consciousness), efficient (effective), etc.
silent letters
The English language is full of unpronounceable letters. The question arises: why do the English insert letters into words and then simply not pronounce them?..
The silent witness, or What is the unpronounceable letter
Unpronounceable letter ( silent letter) is a letter that should appear in a word, even if we don’t read it. More than half of the letters of the alphabet can act as unpronounceable letters. They can be at the beginning of a word, at the end or in the middle - you won’t even realize from the sound of the word that they are there.
Examples of unpronounceable letters:
a— thread(a thread), bread(bread), thread(step)
b — lamb(lamb), bomb(bomb), womb(womb)
c— scissors(scissors), science(the science), scent(aroma)
d— edge(edge), bridge(bridge), badge(icon)
e - see below
h - honor(honor), honest(honest), school(school)
k — knot(node), knight(knight), knowledge(knowledge)
l — talk(speak), psalm(psalm), balm(balm)
n — hymn(hymn), autumn(autumn), column(column, column)
p— pneumatic(pneumatic), psalm(psalm), psychology(psychology)
s— isle, island(island), aisle(passage, e.g. in an airplane cabin)
t— listen(listen), rustle(rustle) whistle(whistle)
u — biscuit(cookies; not biscuits!), guess(a guess), guitar(guitar)
w— write(write), wrong(wrong), wrist(wrist)
Unpronounceable “e”
The unpronounceable “e” is the most common unpronounceable letter. There are several strict rules for writing words that end in an unpronounceable “e”.
When you add a suffix to such a word and that suffix begins with a consonant, the stem of the word does not need to be changed.
force (strength) + ful = forceful (strong)
manage (manage) + ment = management (management)
sincere (sincere) + ly = sincerely (sincerely)
If the suffix begins with a vowel or with “y”, then the “e” before the suffix must be omitted.
fame + ous = famous
nerve + ous = nervous
believable (plausible) + y = believable (plausible)
criticise (criticize) + ism = criticism (criticism)
Exceptions: mileage (distance in miles), agreeable.
Prefixes and suffixes
When you add a prefix to a word, you usually don't need to change the base of the word.
anti + septic = antiseptic (antiseptic)
auto + biography = autobiography (autobiography)
de + mobilize = demobilize (demobilize)
dis + approve = disapprove (disapprove)
im + possible = impossible (impossible)
inter + national = international (international)
mega + byte = megabyte (megabyte)
mis + fortune = misfortune (failure)
micro + chip = microchip (microchip)
re + used = reused (recycled)
un + available = unavailable
When you add a suffix to a word, it often changes the base of the word. Below are a few rules. As always, there are exceptions, so if you're not sure how to spell a word, consult a dictionary.
Words ending in a consonant
If the suffix starts with a consonant, just add it to the stem, don't change anything.
Example: treat (treat; treat) + ment = treatment (treatment; attitude).
Doubling a consonant
For most words with a short vowel sound that end in a single consonant, that consonant doubles when you add a suffix that starts with a vowel (ing, er, ed, est).
mop (to wash) + ing = mopping (to wash)
big (large) + est = biggest (largest)
hot (hot) + er = hotter (hotter)
For words that end with an “l” after a vowel, this “l” is doubled.
model + ing = modeling
travel (to travel) + er = traveler (traveler)
Exceptions
For some words ending in “r”, “x”, “w”, “y”, the doubling rule does not apply.
fear (to be afraid) + ing = fearing (fear, afraid, fearful)
box (to box, not box!) + er = boxer (boxer)
know (know) + ing = knowing (knowledge, knowing, knowing)
play (play) + ing = playing (game, playing, playing)
And if a word has two consonants at the end or more than one vowel, the consonant is also not doubled.
maintain (maintain) + ing (two vowels a + i) = maintaining (maintenance)
keep (keep) + er (two vowels e + e) = keeper (keeper; owner)
hang (hang) + er (two consonants n + g) = hanger (hook)
Word endings
Words ending in “ce” and “ge”
When you add a suffix starting with “a” or “o,” the “e” remains.
manage (perform) + able = manageable (doable)
notice (notice) + able = noticeable (noticeable)
courage (courage) + ous = courageous (courageous)
Exception: prestige (prestige) + ous = prestigious (prestigious)
Words ending with “ie”
When you add “ing” to verbs that end in “ie,” the “e” is dropped and the “i” changes to “y.”
die (die) - dying (dying, dying, dying)
lie (lie) – lying (lying, lying, lying)
tie (to tie) - tying (tying, tying, tying)
Words ending in “y” after a consonant
When you add suffixes such as “as”, “ed”, “es”, “er”, “eth”, “ly”, “ness”, “ful” and “ous” to a word ending in “y” ” after the consonant, “y” changes to “i” before the suffix.
eighty (eighty) + eth = eightieth (eightieth)
duty (duty) + es = duties (responsibilities)
lazy (lazy) + ness = laziness (laziness)
mystery (mystery) + ous = mysterious (mysterious)
beauty (beauty) + ful = beautiful (beautiful)
multiply (multiply) + ed = multiplied (multiplied)
cozy (cozy) + ly = cozy (cozy)
Words ending in “y” after a vowel
“y” is preserved before suffixes such as “er,” “ing,” or “ed.”
destroy (destroy) - destroying - destroyed
buy (buy) - buying - buyer
play (play) - playing - player
You may be confused by some of the discrepancies in spelling and reading rules that are caused by . It's not that this option is better and that option is worse, you just need to stop at one, learn it and stick with it. Try not to mix one with the other.
The rules of reading and writing are like a weather forecast: we can rely on them, but we cannot count on them to help us out every time. Therefore, it is very important to read more in English so that the sound of words and their style merge into a single image.
The following method is perfect for this purpose: listening English books with parallel viewing of the original text.
10 English classic books narrated by native English speakers
Mother Goose by W. W. Denslow - “Mother Goose”, W.W. Denslow
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter - “The Tale of Peter Rabbit”, Beatrix Potter
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Audiobook by Lewis Carrol - “Alice in Wonderland”, Lewis Carroll
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain - “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, Mark Twain
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - “A Tale of Two Cities”, Charles Dickens
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - “Pride and Prejudice”, Jane Austen
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley - “Frankenstein, or Modern Prometheus”, Mary Shelley
The Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde - “The Happy Prince and Other Tales”, Oscar Wilde
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes”, Arthur Conan Doyle
It happens that native speakers of English ask for forgiveness from those who study it... Because the pronunciation English words and their spellings are so different. So be it, we will accept their apology. After all, anyone who is determined to learn English can handle any difficulties!
And they surprise you English rules reading? Share with us in the comments :)
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", transcription is used by everyone, sometimes even unconsciously. First, let's refresh our memory, what does the phrase “English transcription” mean?
English Transcription is a sequence of phonetic symbols that helps us understand how to read a particular sound or word. Often, students are faced with transcription at the beginning of learning a language, when it is still quite difficult to read even quite simple words, and then they simply don’t pay attention to it. However, this will not be the case forever.
As soon as a student begins to skillfully use complex grammatical structures and develops a good lexicon for free communication, then the desire immediately appears to speak beautifully, like a native speaker, that is, to improve your pronunciation of English words. This is where we remember the good old transcription.
In order not to have to remember the well-forgotten old things, we suggest returning to the repetition from time to time. Of course, ideally, the transcription should be completed together with the teacher, because writing cannot convey all the subtleties of pronunciation, but if you are reading this article now, the foundation of beautiful pronunciation and correct reading already laid down, and you will definitely achieve your desired goal.
Transcription of vowel sounds
There are two types of vowel sounds - single sounds and diphthongs.
[ ʌ ] - [a] - short;
[a:]- [a] - deep;
[i]- [and] - short;
[i:]- [and] - long;
[o]- [o] - short;
[o:]- [o] - deep;
[u]- [y] - short;
[u:]- [y] - long;
[e]- as in the word “plaid”;
[ ɜ: ] - as in the word “honey”.
English diphthongs
A diphthong is a sound that consists of two sounds. Most often, a diphthong can be divided into two sounds, however, this cannot be conveyed in writing. Often diphthongs are indicated not by a combination of several characters, but by their own sign.
[əu]- [ OU ];
[au]- [au];
[ei]- [ Hey ];
[oi]- [ Ouch ];
[ai]- [ouch].
Rules for pronunciation of vowels in English
- Sound " a"has four varieties:
[ ʌ ] - short sound, as in the words “duck”, “cut”;
[ æ ] - soft sound. There is no analogue to it in the Russian language. It is read as in the word “cat”;
[a:]- a long sound that is read as in the word “car”;
[ ɔ ] - a short sound that sounds similar to both “o” and “a”. In British pronunciation, it is more of an "o", as in "hot" or "not".
- Sound " e" can be read in three ways:
[e]- for example, as in the word “let”;
[ ə: ] - this sound is a little reminiscent of the Russian letter “ё”, only it is read a little softer. For example, "bird", "fur";
[ ə ] - 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" - letter.
- Sound " i"can be long or short:
[I]- a short sound, for example, as in the word “film”;
[i:]- a long sound, for example, as in “sheep”.
- Sound " O"also has 2 options - long and short:
[ ɔ ] - short sound, as in the word “bond”;
[ ɔ: ] - a long sound, as in the word “more”.
- Sound " u" can also be pronounced in two ways. It can be long or short:
[u]- short sound, as in the word “put”;
[u:]- long sound, as in the word “blue”.
Transcription of consonants
In the transcription of consonant sounds, everything is quite simple. Basically they sound similar to Russian. It is enough to take a thoughtful look at the above-mentioned letter combinations a couple of times, and they will remain in your memory.
Consonants
[b]- [b];
[d]- [d];
[f]- [f];
[ 3 ] - [ and ];
[dʒ]- [j];
[g]- [ G ];
[h]- [ X ];
[k]- [ To ];
[l]- [l];
[m]- [m];
[n]- [n];
[p]- [ P ];
[s]- [ With ];
[t]- [ T ];
[v]- [ V ];
[z]- [z];
[t∫]- [h];
[ ∫ ] - [w];
[r]- soft [r], as in the word Russian;
[ O ]- a sign of softness as in the Russian letter “ё” (Christmas tree).
English consonants that are not in Russian and their pronunciation:
[ θ ] - soft letter“c”, the tongue is located between the front teeth of the upper and lower jaws;
[ æ ] - like “e”, only more sharply;
[ ð ] - like “θ”, only with the addition of a voice, like a soft letter “z”;
[ ŋ ] - nasal, in the French manner, sound [n];
[ ə ] - neutral sound;
[w]-like “v” and “u” together, soft pronunciation.
Features of English transcription
In order to make it easier to navigate reading words, it is important to know the main features of transcription:
- Feature 1. Transcription is always formatted in square brackets
- Feature 2. In order not to get confused about where to place the stress in a word, it is worth considering that it is always placed before the stressed syllable. ["neim] - transcription of the word name.
- Feature 3. It is important to understand that transcription is not the English letters and sounds that make up a word. Transcription is the sound of words.
- Feature 4. In English, transcription consists of vowel sounds, diphthongs and consonants.
- Feature 5. In order to show that the sound is long, a colon is used in transcription.
Of course, knowing only character sets, it is quite difficult to read everything correctly, because there are many exceptions. In order to read correctly, you need to understand that there are closed and open syllables. Open syllable ends with a vowel (game, sunshine), closed- on a consonant (ball, dog). Some sounds in English can be pronounced differently depending on the type of syllable.
Conclusion
It is worth remembering that in any business the main thing is practice (by the way, you can start practicing English remotely right now). Transcribing sounds in English will be easy for you if you work hard at it. Reading the rules once is not enough. It is important to return to them, work through them and repeat them regularly until they are practiced to the point of automaticity. In the end, the transcription will allow you to correctly pronounce sounds in English.
Memorizing English with transcription and correct pronunciation English letters and words will be greatly assisted by dictionaries. You can use both English online dictionaries and good old printed publications. The main thing is not to give up!
Inspiration to you and success in your studies. May the knowledge be with you!
Big and friendly EnglishDom family
Published in,Reading is one of the most difficult parts of learning English. In my experience, children more or less begin to read only at the end of the second year of study, if we are talking about high school. However, it happens that even after graduating from school, many graduates still cannot read English words.
Unlike the Russian language, in which almost 99% of what we see is what we read (adjusted for reduction, assimilation, etc.), in the English language the situation is completely different. Historically, the same letter in different positions can be read differently.
Let's take the following words for comparison: cat - cake - want - bath - sofa. The letter “a” in these words will correspond to the following sounds: [æ], , [ɒ], [ɑ:], [ə]. And it’s not just about the 4 types of reading vowels. There are also a bunch of rules for letter combinations that regulate the reading of the letter “A”.
In fact, the English language is made up of rules and exceptions. Therefore, you can memorize reading rules as much as you like, which may not work in a particular case. Why do you think the verb “to spell” is popular only in English?
To have an idea of the rules of reading English, I recommend you the following manuals. You can download all of them for free using the links below;
- S.V. Shimansky “Reading Rules in English” - gives a general set of reading rules with a few examples; there are no exercises in the manual. Excellent as a cheat sheet, because... consists of only 15 pages.
- The “Reading Rules” poster is an excellent tool for visually memorizing the rules of reading English.
- Shuman S.E. "English language. Reading Rules" - a guide to reading rules for middle school students and adults. The publication contains rules for reading letters of the English alphabet, vowels and consonants, and articulation options in various language situations.
- Appendix Vasilyeva E.A. “Rules for Reading English Words for the Lazy” is a program for Windows that outlines the rules for reading one-syllable, two-syllable and polysyllabic words in the English language. The material is presented in the form of tables and models, which makes it easier to learn the rules of reading English words.
- Narrow A.F. “Rules for Reading English Words” - this book is convenient for use by teachers, students and their parents. Its goal is to develop readiness to understand spoken speech and correct reading skills.
- L.P. Bondarenko “Fundamentals of English Phonetics” is a complete textbook on phonetics for high school students. Contains many rules, examples and exercises for practicing pronunciation English sounds.
Sounds expressed by letters are conveyed using transcription signs. How to read the transcription is described on the page: Transcription
What is open and closed type syllable: Open and closed syllable
Vowel sounds.
Stressed vowels
eɪ]-c a se - [keɪs ]- case.
æ ] -t a nk - [tæŋk]- tank, tank.
Vowel + r - [ ɑː ] -c a r - [kɑː ]- car, car.
Vowel + r + consonant - [ ɑː ] -p a rk - [pɑːk ]- a park.
Vowel + r + vowel - [ eə ]- v a ry - [ˈveəri ]- vary.
IN open syllable reads like - [ iː ]-sh e - [ʃiː ]- she.
IN closed syllable reads like - [ e ]- b e t - [bet]- bet, bet.
Vowel + r - [ zː ]- h e r - [hɜː ]- her, her.
Vowel + r + consonant - [ zː ]-t e rm - [tɜːm ]- term.
Vowel + r + vowel - [ ɪə ] -m e re - [mɪə]- only.
In an open syllable it reads like - [ aɪ]-l i ne - [laɪn]- line.
In a closed syllable it reads like - [ ɪ ] - b i t - [bɪt ]- bit, a little.
Vowel + r - [ zː ]-s i r - [sɜː ]- sir.
Vowel + r + consonant - [ zː ]- th i rd - [θɜːd]- third.
Vowel + r + vowel - [ aɪə]- h i re - [haɪə ]- rent.
In an open syllable it reads like - [ əʊ ] - z o ne - [zəʊn]- zone, district.
In a closed syllable it reads like - [ ɒ ] -l o t - [lɒt ]- a lot of.
Vowel + r - [ ɔː ] - o r - [ɔː ] - or.
Vowel + r + consonant - [ ɔː ] - b orn - [bɔːn ]- was born.
Vowel + r + vowel - [ ɔː ] - st o ry - [ˈstɔːri ]- story.
In an open syllable it reads like - [ jʊː ]-n u de - [njʊːd ]- naked.
In a closed syllable it reads like - [ ʌ ] -c u t - [kʌt ]- a cut.
Vowel + r - [ zː ]- f u r - [fɜː ]- wool, skin.
Vowel + r + consonant - [ zː ]- b urn - [bɜːn ]- burn.
Vowel + r + vowel - [ jʊə ]-p u re - [pjʊə ]- clean.
In an open syllable it reads like - [ aɪ]-m y - [maɪ]- my.
In a closed syllable it reads like - [ ɪ ] -m yth - [mɪθ ]- myth.
Vowel + r + vowel - [ aɪə]-t y re - [taɪə ]- tire.
Vowel combinations
[iː ]
ee-s ee - [ˈsiː ]- see
ea-s ea - [siː ]- sea
ie-bel ie ve - [bɪˈliːv ]- believe
[ɑː ]
a + ss - gr ass - [ɡrɑːs ]- grass
a + st - l ast - [lɑːst]- last
a + sk - t ask - [tɑːsk ]- task
a + sp - gr asp - [ɡrɑːsp]- grasping
a + lm - c alm - [kɑːm ]- calm
ea + r - h ear t - [hɑːt ]- heart
[ɔː ]
au- au thor - [ˈɔːθə ] - author
aw-s aw - [ˈsɔː ]- saw, saw
oo + r - d oor - [dɔː ]- door
aught-t aught - [tɔːt ]- learned
ought-th ought - [θɔːt]- thought
a + l - w al l - [wɔːl ]- wall
a + lk - t alk - [ˈtɔːk ]- conversation, conversation
wa + r - war m - [wɔːm ]- warm
[ɒ ]
wa- wa nt - [wɒnt]- want
[uː ]
oo-t oo - [tuː ]- too, too
ou - gr ou p - [ɡruːp ]- group
[juː ]
ew-n ew - [njuː ]- new
[ʊ ]
oo-b oo k - [bʊk ]- book
[zː ]
ea + r - l ear n - [lɜːn]- teach, study
wo + r - wor k - [ˈwɜːk ]- Job
[ʌ ]
o-s o n - [sʌn ]- son
ou-c ou ntry - [ˈkʌntri ]- a country
oo-fl oo d - [flʌd ]- flood
[eɪ]
ai-r ai n - [reɪn ]- rain
ay-d ay - [deɪ]- day
ey-th ey - [ˈðeɪ ]- They
eigh- eigh t - [eɪt ]- eight
[aɪ]
i + gn - s ign - [saɪn ]- sign
i + ld - ch ild - [tʃaɪld ]- child
i + nd - bl ind - [blaɪnd ]- blind
igh-n high t - [naɪt ]- night
[ɔɪ ]
oi- oi l - [ɔɪl]- oil, petroleum
oy-t oh - [tɔɪ ]- toy
[aʊ ]
ou - ou t - [aʊt ]- from, outside
ow-d ow n - [daʊn ]- down
[əʊ ]
oa-c oa t - [ˈkəʊt ]- coat
ow-kn ow - [nəʊ ]- know
o + ll - t oll - [təʊl ]- losses
o + ld - c old - [kəʊld ]- cold
[ɪə ]
ea + r - n ear - [nɪə ]- near, about
ee + r - engin eer - [ɛndʒɪˈnɪə ]- engineer
[eə ]
ai + r - ch air - [tʃeə ]- chair
e + re - th here - [ðeə]- there, there
ea + r - b ear - [beə]- bear
[ʊə ]
oo + r - p oor - [pʊə ]- poor
our-t our - [tʊə ]- tour, travel
Consonant sounds.
Consonant combinations
[k ]-lu ck - [lʌk ]- luck, chance
[ʃ ] - sh ip - [ʃɪp ]- ship
[tʃ ] - ch ip - [tʃɪp ]- chip
[tʃ ]-ca tch - [kætʃ ]- catch, catch
[ɵ ] - th ick - [θɪk ]- thick
[ð ] - th is - [ðɪs ]- this, this, this
[f ] - pH one - [fəʊn ]- telephone
[kw ] - qu ite - [kwaɪt ]- enough
[n ] - kn ife - [naɪf ]- knife
[ƞ ] -thi ng - [θɪŋ ] -
[ƞk ]-si nk - [sɪŋk ]- sink, drain
wh + o - [h] - wh o - [huː ]- Who
wh + other vowels - [w] - wh at - [wɒt ]- What
wr at the beginning of a word before vowels - [r] - wr iter - [ˈraɪtə]- writer
Consonant sounds with two reading options.
Reads like [ s] before: e, i, y. ni c e - [naɪs ]- good, city - [ˈsɪti ]- city.
And How [ k ] in other cases: with ome - [kʌm ]- come, c atch - [kætʃ ]- catch.
Reads like [ ʤ ] before: e, i, y. lar g e - [lɑːdʒ ]- big, en gine - [ˈendʒɪn ]- engine.
Exceptions: g et - [ɡet]- receive, be g in - [bɪˈɡɪn ]- start, g ive - [ɡɪv ]- give.
And How [ g ] in other cases: g ood - [ɡʊd]- good, pleasant, g o - [ɡəʊ ] - go, go.
Reading types
Additional material, partially duplicating the previous one. Taken from another source and given for a deeper understanding of this topic.
The tables indicate how to correctly pronounce diphthongs, vowels and consonants in the English language.. The sound conveyed by a letter or letter combination is indicated using transcription signs, and the pronunciation of English sounds indicated in Russian letters should be understood as a hint to transcription, and not as an exact pronunciation of English sounds.
| Phonetic symbols | Approximate Russian sound | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Word | Transcription | ||||
| Table. Types of reading in English. Vowel sounds. | |||||
| I,Y | ɪ | And Short, open "and" | i t it | ɪt | (it) |
| si x six | sɪks | (six) | |||
| empty | ˈɛm(p)ti | (empty) | |||
| E | e | uh How "uh" in the word "this" | e mpty empty | ˈɛm(p)ti | (empty) |
| ten ten | ten | (ten) | |||
| A | æ | uh Open sound"e" (between "e" and "a") | a nt ant | ænt | (ent) |
| ma p card | mæp | (map) | |||
| O | ɒ | O Short "o" sound | ho t hot | hɒt | (hot) |
| o range orange | ˈɒrɪn(d)ʒ | (orinch) | |||
| U | ʌ | A Short sound "a" | under | ˈʌndə | (ande) |
| su n sun | sʌn | (san) | |||
| U,OO | u | y short "y" lips are rounded | put it down | ˈput | (put) |
| boo k book | buk | (beech) | |||
| A, E, ER | ə | uh Short sound "e" (between "e" and "a") | a bout oh, oh, oh | əˈbaʊt | (about) |
| sile nce silence | ˈsʌɪləns | (silence) | |||
| lawyer | ˈlɔːjə | (l oh yeah) | |||
| EE, EA | i: | And Long "i" sound | ea sy easy | ˈiːzi | (i:zi) |
| Queen n queen | kwiːn | (kui:n) | |||
| see see | ˈsiː | (si: ) | |||
| A, AR | ɑ: | A Long and deep "a" sound | ha lf half | hɑːf | (ha:f) |
| car a car | kɑː | (ka: ) | |||
| O.O. | u: | at Long “u” sound without rounding the lips | foo d food | fuːd | (ugh:d) |
| too too, too | tuː | (that: ) | |||
| ER, IR | h: | e Reminds me of the “e” sound in the word “beet” | bir d bird | bзːd | (byo:d) |
| OR,AW | ɔ: | O Long "o" sound | or or | ɔː | (O: ) |
| for m form | ˈfɔːm | (fo:m) | |||
| law law | lɔː | (lo: ) | |||
| English letters and letter combinations | Phonetic symbols | Approximate Russian sound | Examples of pronunciation of English sounds | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Word | Transcription | Pronunciation in Russian letters | |||
| Table. Types of reading in English. Consonant sounds. | |||||
| P | p | P | pen pen | pen | (pen) |
| pap er paper | ˈpeɪpə | (P e´ ypa) | |||
| cup cup | kʌp | (cap) | |||
| B | b | b | b oy boy | ˌbɔɪ | (the battle ) |
| tab le table | ˈteɪb(ə)l | (T e´ybl) | |||
| pub beer | pʌb | (Pub ) | |||
| T | t | t Sound “T” but the tongue is not at the teeth, but at the gums. | t en ten | ten | (ten) |
| sixteen sixteen | ˌsɪkˈsti:n | (sykstin) | |||
| eight eight | eɪt | (eith) | |||
| D | d | d | d og dog | dɒɡ | (dane) |
| ladd er staircase | ˈladə | (l a´ta) | |||
| bed bed | bed | (trouble) | |||
| C, K, CK | k | To | c at cat | kæt | (ket) |
| tick and ticket | ˈtɪkɪt | (T and´ whale) | |||
| cake | keɪk | (cake) | |||
| G | g | G | g irl girl | ɡɜ:l | (gel) |
| tiger tiger | ˈtʌɪɡə | (T a´yga) | |||
| big big | bɪɡ | (big) | |||
| CH, TCH | ʧ | h | ch air chair | tʃɛ | (h e´) |
| watch ing | ˈwɒtʃɪŋ | (V rank) | |||
| match match | matʃ | (match) | |||
| J, G, DGE | ʤ | j | j ump jump | dʒʌmp | (jump) |
| log ic logic | ˈlɒdʒɪk | (l o´jik) | |||
| fridg e refrigerator | frɪdʒ | (fridge) | |||
| F, PH | f | f | ph oto photography | ˈfəʊtəʊ | (f o´utau) |
| coff ee coffee | ˈkɒfi | (To o´fi) | |||
| cliff | klɪf | (cleave) | |||
| V | v | V | v iew view | vju: | (ugh) |
| lov er favorite | ˈlʌvə | (l a´va) | |||
| five e five | faɪv | (five) | |||
| T.H. | θ | c Like the sound "s" but tongue between teeth | th in thin | θɪn | (syn) |
| Cath erine Catherine | ˈkæθrɪn | (To eh´srin) | |||
| month month | mʌnθ | (mons) | |||
| T.H. | ð | h Like sound "z" but tongue between teeth | th is this | ðɪs | (zys) |
| moth er mother | ˈmʌðə | (m a´ze) | |||
| breathe e breathe | bri:ð | (bri:z) | |||
| S, C | s | With | six six | sɪks | (syks) |
| parc el package | ˈpɑ:s(ə)l | (P a´ sl) | |||
| class | klɑ:s | (cla:s) | |||
| S, Z | z | h | z oo zoo | zu: | (zu) |
| laz y lazy | ˈleɪzi | (l e´zi) | |||
| dogs dogs | dɒɡz | (dogz) | |||
| SH | ʃ | w | sh e she | ʃi | (shi) |
| fish fishing | ˈfɪʃɪŋ | (f and´ tires) | |||
| wash | wɒʃ | (fosh) | |||
| S | ʒ | and | vis ion vision | ˈvɪʒ(ə)n | (V i´zhen) |
| beige beige | beɪʒ | (beizh) | |||
| H | h | X Short exhalation - “x” | have to have | hæv | (hav) |
| M | m | m | m e me, me | mi: | (mi: ) |
| farmer | ˈfɑ:mə | (f a´ma) | |||
| hom e house | həʊm | (home) | |||
| N | n | n | name name | ˈneɪm | (n e´ im) |
| runn er runner | ˈrʌnə | (R a´ on) | |||
| son son | sʌn | (san) | |||
| NG | ƞ | n Nasal sound "n" using the back of the tongue | singer singer | ˈsɪŋə | (With and´nya) |
| boxing | ˈbɒksɪŋ | (b o´ xin) | |||
| L | l | l | I like it | ˈlaɪk | (l a´ yk) |
| ball et ballet | ˈbaleɪ | (b a´lay) | |||
| football football | ˈfʊtbɔ:l | (f u´ solid waste:l) | |||
| R | r | R “r” - without vibration | red red | red | (ed) |
| lorr y truck | ˈlɒri | (l o´ri) | |||
| Y | j | th | y ou you | ju | (Yu ) |
| lawy er lawyer | ˈlɔ:jə | (l oh yeah) | |||
| W | w | at the sound is similar to “u”; the lips are stretched and rounded | w in to win | wɪn | (vin) |
| flow er flower | ˈflaʊə | (ow a´ ua) | |||
| English letters and letter combinations | Phonetic symbols | Approximate Russian sound | Examples of pronunciation of English sounds | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Word | Transcription | Pronunciation in Russian letters | |||
| Table. Types of reading in English. Diphthongs. | |||||
| A,AY,AI | eɪ | Hey | ai m goal | eɪm | (eym) |
| say | ˈseɪ | (With Hey) | |||
| I, UY, Y | ai | ah | I I | ai | (ay) |
| buy | baɪ | (bye) | |||
| OY, OI | ɔɪ | Ouch | oi l oil | ɔɪl | (oil) |
| toy toy | tɔɪ | (that one) | |||
| O.O.W. | əu | OU | ow n own | əʊn | (oun) |
| ho me home | həʊm | (home) | |||
| low low | ləʊ | (low) | |||
| OW, OU | au | aw | out out | ˈaʊt | (out) |
| cow | kaʊ | (kaw) | |||
| EA, EAR, ERE | ɪə | ie “and” + between “e” and “a” | ear ear | ɪə | (ie) |
| bear d beard | bɪəd | (beed) | |||
| here here | hɪə | (hie) | |||
| AIR, ARE | eə | ea "e" + between "e" and "a" | care | keə | (kee) |
| hair hair | heə | (heh ´ ) | |||
| URE, OUR | uə | uh "y" + between "e" and "a" | tour travel | tʊə | (tue) |
| insure | ɪnˈʃuə | (inshue ´ ) | |||