Question

There are 26 letters in English but there are 44 sounds. Write down all the symbols of the sounds.

Answer 1

ConsonantsPhonemeIPA SymbolGraphemesExamplesVoiced?1bb, bbbug, bubbleYes2dd, dd, eddad, add, milledYes3ff, ff, ph, gh, lf, ftfat, cliff, phone, enough, half, oftenNo4gg, gg, gh,gu,guegun, egg, ghost, guest, prologueYes5hh, whhop, whoNo6dʒj, ge, g, dge, di, ggjam, wage, giraffe, edge, soldier, exaggerateYes7kk, c, ch, cc, lk, qu ,q(u), ck, xkit, cat, chris, accent, folk, bouquet, queen, rack, boxNo8ll, lllive, wellYes9mm, mm, mb, mn, lmman, summer, comb, column, palmYes10nn, nn,kn, gn, pnnet, funny, know, gnat, pneumonicYes11pp, pppin, dippyNo12rr, rr, wr, rhrun, carrot, wrench, rhymeYes13ss, ss, c, sc, ps, st, ce, sesit, less, circle, scene, psycho, listen, pace, courseNo14tt, tt, th, edtip, matter, thomas, rippedNo15vv, f, ph, vevine, of, stephen, fiveYes16ww, wh, u, owit, why, quick, choirYes17zz, zz, s, ss, x, ze, sezed, buzz, his, scissors, xylophone, crazeYes18ʒs, si, ztreasure, division, azureYes19tʃch, tch, tu, ti, techip, watch, future, action, righteousNo20ʃsh, ce, s, ci, si, ch, sci, tisham, ocean, sure, special, pension, machine, conscience, stationNo21θththongsYes22ðthleatherNo23ŋng, n, nguering, pink, tongueYes24jy, i, jyou, onion, hallelujahYesWhat is the International Phonetic Alphabet?

How can you pronounce a word you've never read? It can be a bit tricky. How about a word in a foreign language? Now that must be impossible! Or is it? Imagine a set of symbols that could tell you how to pronounce any word in any language on the planet? Well that is exactly what the International Phonetic Alphabet is. Currently, the IPA consists of 107 sound symbols, 52 diacritics (accents) and 4 prosodic marks (intonations) encompassing virtually every phoneme used in every language on the earth.  So for any written word, you can identify the associated phoneme symbols, and with a bit of practice, pronounce the word! Congratulations, you can speak Greek now! 

The IPA was created by the International Phonetic Association. Founded in 1886 in Paris, their original mission was to help school children pronounce words in foreign languages and to aid in the teaching of reading. Today their mission is to promote the scientific study of phonetics.

VowelsPhonemeIPA SymbolGraphemesExamples25æa, ai, aucat, plaid, laugh26eɪa, ai, eigh, aigh, ay, er, et, ei, au, a_e, ea, eybay, maid, weigh, straight, pay, foyer, filet, eight, gauge, mate, break, they27ee, ea, u, ie, ai, a, eo, ei, aeend, bread, bury, friend, said, many, leopard, heifer, aesthetic28i:e, ee, ea, y, ey, oe, ie, i, ei, eo, aybe, bee, meat, lady, key, phoenix, grief, ski, deceive, people, quay29ɪi, e, o, u, ui, y, ieit, england, women, busy, guild, gym, sieve30aɪi, y, igh, ie, uy, ye, ai, is, eigh, i_espider, sky, night, pie, guy, stye, aisle, island, height, kite31ɒa, ho, au, aw, oughswan, honest, maul, slaw, fought32oʊo, oa, o_e, oe, ow, ough, eau, oo, ewopen, moat, bone, toe, sow, dough, beau, brooch, sew33ʊo, oo, u,ouwolf, look, bush, would34ʌu, o, oo, oulug, monkey, blood, double35u:o, oo, ew, ue, u_e, oe, ough, ui, oew, ouwho, loon, dew, blue, flute, shoe, through, fruit, manoeuvre, group36ɔɪoi, oy, uoyjoin, boy, buoy37aʊow, ou, oughnow, shout, bough38əa, er, i, ar, our, urabout, ladder, pencil, dollar, honour, augur39eəʳair, are, ear, ere, eir, ayerchair, dare, pear, where, their, prayer40ɑ:aarm41ɜ:ʳir, er, ur, ear, or, our, yrbird, term, burn, pearl, word, journey, myrtle42ɔ:aw, a, or, oor, ore, oar, our, augh, ar, ough, aupaw, ball, fork, poor, fore, board, four, taught, war, bought, sauce43ɪəʳear, eer, ere, ierear, steer, here, tier44ʊəʳure, ourcure, tourist