Heads up: this browser isn't saving anything for this site, so progress and settings reset when you leave the page. Everything still works while you're here.

The 44 sounds

24 consonants and 20 vowels. The example word shows each sound in a plain spelling.

Consonants

Stops — the air is blocked completely, then released

/p/ pat voiceless · bilabial both lips
/b/ bat voiced · bilabial both lips
/t/ top voiceless · alveolar tongue tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth
/d/ dog voiced · alveolar tongue tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth
/k/ cat voiceless · velar back of the tongue against the soft palate
/ɡ/ go voiced · velar back of the tongue against the soft palate

Affricates — a stop released into a fricative

/tʃ/ chin voiceless · postalveolar tongue just behind that ridge
/dʒ/ jam voiced · postalveolar tongue just behind that ridge

Fricatives — the air is squeezed through a narrow gap, making friction

/f/ fan voiceless · labiodental lower lip against the upper teeth
/v/ van voiced · labiodental lower lip against the upper teeth
/θ/ thin voiceless · dental tongue tip against the upper teeth
/ð/ this voiced · dental tongue tip against the upper teeth
/s/ sun voiceless · alveolar tongue tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth
/z/ zoo voiced · alveolar tongue tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth
/ʃ/ ship voiceless · postalveolar tongue just behind that ridge
/ʒ/ measure voiced · postalveolar tongue just behind that ridge
/h/ hat voiceless · glottal at the vocal folds themselves

Nasals — the mouth is closed off and the air goes out through the nose

/m/ man voiced · bilabial both lips
/n/ net voiced · alveolar tongue tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth
/ŋ/ sing voiced · velar back of the tongue against the soft palate

Lateral approximants — the air flows around the sides of the tongue

/l/ leg voiced · alveolar tongue tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth

Approximants — the tongue comes close, but not close enough to make friction

/r/ red voiced · postalveolar tongue just behind that ridge
/w/ wet voiced · labial-velar rounded lips plus the back of the tongue raised
/j/ yes voiced · palatal middle of the tongue against the hard palate

Vowels

Short vowels

/ɪ/sit
/e/bed
/æ/cat
/ʌ/cup
/ɒ/hot
/ʊ/put
/ə/about

Long vowels (ː)

/iː/see
/ɑː/father
/ɔː/saw
/uː/food
/ɜː/bird

Diphthongs — glides from one vowel to another

/eɪ/day
/aɪ/my
/ɔɪ/boy
/aʊ/now
/əʊ/go
/ɪə/near
/eə/hair
/ʊə/tour

Which accent is this?

The "44 sounds" is a teaching count based on one British accent (Received Pronunciation). Accents differ, and none of them is wrong.
Most American speakers merge the "hot" vowel /ɒ/ into /ɑ/, say "go" with /oʊ/, and pronounce the r in "car", "near", "hair" and "tour".
Scottish, Irish and most American speakers keep r after a vowel (rhotic accents); most speakers in England, Wales and Australia drop it (non-rhotic).