The 44 Sounds of English: Mastering Pronunciation through the IPA — Part 1 — The 20 Vowel Sounds (British RP with Hindi cues & American comparison)
By Ashish Thakur — Aaroh English Classes
🌍 Introduction: Why Learn the IPA?
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is the global system for representing speech sounds of all languages using unique symbols. In English, there are 44 individual sounds (phonemes) — 20 vowels and 24 consonants. Each sound has a distinct symbol, making pronunciation accurate and consistent across regions.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- How each of the 44 sounds is pronounced (with Hindi reference)
- Example words for practice
- Differences between British (RP) and American pronunciation
Introduction — Why IPA matters for Indian learners
The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a precise system that shows exactly how words are pronounced. English spelling can be misleading (e.g. though, through, thought) — IPA fixes that by using one symbol per sound. British Received Pronunciation (RP) recognises 20 vowel sounds (12 monophthongs + 8 diphthongs).
For Indian learners, understanding IPA is essential because English spelling and pronunciation are often inconsistent. For example, “read” can be pronounced as /riːd/ (present) or /red/ (past). IPA removes this confusion by representing the exact sound.
Below each sound, you'll find
- Hindi pronunciation cue (helpful for Indian learners)
- IPA symbol (British RP) and the American comparison
- 7 example words, each with both British (RP) and American (GA) IPA transcriptions
Tip: copy the IPA transcriptions into your lesson notes and practise aloud slowly, then at natural speed.
Monophthongs — 12 Pure Vowel Sounds (Single steady vowel)
1. /iː/ – /ई/ sound as in see
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| see | /siː/ | /si/ |
| tree | /triː/ | /tri/ |
| green | /ɡriːn/ | /grin/ |
| eat | /iːt/ | /it/ |
| key | /kiː/ | /ki/ |
| machine | /məˈʃiːn/ | /məˈʃin/ |
| people | /ˈpiːpəl/ | /ˈpipəl/ |
American Pronunciation: Similar to RP. Slightly shorter in duration.
2. /ɪ/ – /इ/ sound as in sit
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| sit | /sɪt/ | /sɪt/ |
| fish | /fɪʃ/ | /fɪʃ/ |
| milk | /mɪlk/ | /mɪlk/ |
| little | /ˈlɪtl/ | /ˈlɪtəl/ |
| busy | /ˈbɪzi/ | /ˈbɪzi/ |
| city | /ˈsɪti/ | /ˈsɪti/ |
| build | /bɪld/ | /bɪld/ |
American Pronunciation: Similar, but slightly relaxed tongue position.
3. /e/ – /ए/ sound as in pen
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| pen | /pen/ | /pɛn/ |
| ten | /ten/ | /tɛn/ |
| bed | /bed/ | /bɛd/ |
| said | /sed/ | /sɛd/ |
| men | /men/ | /mɛn/ |
| red | /red/ | /rɛd/ |
| bread | /bred/ | /brɛd/ |
American Pronunciation: Often a bit closer to /ɛ/.
4. /æ/ – /ऐ/ sound as in cat
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| cat | /kæt/ | /kæt/ |
| man | /mæn/ | /mæn/ |
| map | /mæp/ | /mæp/ |
| apple | /ˈæpl/ | /ˈæpəl/ |
| back | /bæk/ | /bæk/ |
| hand | /hænd/ | /hænd/ |
| black | /blæk/ | /blæk/ |
American Pronunciation: Wider and longer; sounds like /æː/.
5. /ɑː/ – /आ/ sound as in car
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| car | /kɑː/ | /kɑr/ |
| father | /ˈfɑːðə/ | /ˈfɑðɚ/ |
| park | /pɑːk/ | /pɑrk/ |
| half | /hɑːf/ | /hæf/ |
| heart | /hɑːt/ | /hɑrt/ |
| start | /stɑːt/ | /stɑrt/ |
| fast | /fɑːst/ | /fæst/ |
American Pronunciation: In words like ‘dance’, /æ/ is used instead of /ɑː/.
6. /ʌ/ – /अ/ sound as in cup
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| cup | /kʌp/ | /kʌp/ |
| sun | /sʌn/ | /sʌn/ |
| run | /rʌn/ | /rʌn/ |
| luck | /lʌk/ | /lʌk/ |
| love | /lʌv/ | /lʌv/ |
| fun | /fʌn/ | /fʌn/ |
| judge | /dʒʌdʒ/ | /dʒʌdʒ/ |
American Pronunciation: Same, but slightly deeper vowel sound.
7. /ɒ/ – /ऑ/ sound as in hot
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| hot | /hɒt/ | /hɑt/ |
| not | /nɒt/ | /nɑt/ |
| dog | /dɒɡ/ | /dɔg/ |
| cot | /kɒt/ | /kɑt/ |
| shop | /ʃɒp/ | /ʃɑp/ |
| pot | /pɒt/ | /pɑt/ |
| top | /tɒp/ | /tɑp/ |
American Pronunciation: /ɑː/ is used instead of /ɒ/ (hot = /hɑːt/).
8. /ɔː/ – /ऑː/ sound as in call
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| call | /kɔːl/ | /kɔl/ |
| law | /lɔː/ | /lɔ/ |
| more | /mɔː/ | /mɔr/ |
| door | /dɔː/ | /dɔr/ |
| floor | /flɔː/ | /flɔr/ |
| thought | /θɔːt/ | /θɔt/ |
| draw | /drɔː/ | /drɔ/ |
American Pronunciation: Often merges with /ɑː/ (“caught–cot merger”).
9. /ʊ/ – /उ/ short sound as in book
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| book | /bʊk/ | /bʊk/ |
| good | /gʊd/ | /gʊd/ |
| foot | /fʊt/ | /fʊt/ |
| put | /pʊt/ | /pʊt/ |
| would | /wʊd/ | /wʊd/ |
| should | /ʃʊd/ | /ʃʊd/ |
| pull | /pʊl/ | /pʊl/ |
American Pronunciation: Same, but sometimes slightly shorter.
10. /uː/ – /ऊ/ long sound as in food
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| food | /fuːd/ | /fud/ |
| blue | /bluː/ | /blu/ |
| moon | /muːn/ | /mun/ |
| shoe | /ʃuː/ | /ʃu/ |
| school | /skuːl/ | /skul/ |
| true | /truː/ | /tru/ |
| rude | /ruːd/ | /rud/ |
American Pronunciation: Similar, but often diphthongized slightly as /uw/.
11. /ɜː/ – /अर्/ sound (stressed) as in bird
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| bird | /bɜːd/ | /bɝd/ |
| word | /wɜːd/ | /wɝd/ |
| work | /wɜːk/ | /wɝk/ |
| learn | /lɜːn/ | /lɝn/ |
| girl | /ɡɜːl/ | /ɡɝl/ |
| heard | /hɜːd/ | /hɝd/ |
| serve | /sɜːv/ | /sɝv/ |
American Pronunciation: Equivalent is /ɝː/ with pronounced “r”.
12. /ə/ – "Schwa — /अ/" (unstressed) as in about
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| about | /əˈbaʊt/ | /əˈbaʊt/ |
| sofa | /ˈsəʊfə/ (final /ə/) | /ˈsoʊfə/ |
| banana | /bəˈnɑːnə/ | /bəˈnænə/ |
| doctor | /ˈdɒktə/ | /ˈdɑktɚ/ |
| problem | /ˈprɒbləm/ | /ˈprɑbləm/ |
| support | /səˈpɔːt/ | /səˈpɔrt/ |
| celebrate | /ˈseləbreɪt/ | /ˈsɛləˌbreɪt/ |
American Pronunciation: Same, but varies depending on stress pattern.
Diphthongs — 8 Gliding Vowel Sounds
13. /eɪ/ – /एइ/ diphthong as in day
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| day | /deɪ/ | /deɪ/ |
| say | /seɪ/ | /seɪ/ |
| name | /neɪm/ | /neɪm/ |
| play | /pleɪ/ | /pleɪ/ |
| face | /feɪs/ | /feɪs/ |
| rain | /reɪn/ | /reɪn/ |
| wait | /weɪt/ | /weɪt/ |
American Pronunciation: Slightly longer glide /eɪ/ → /eɪ̯/.
14. /aɪ/ – /आय/ diphthong as in my
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| my | /maɪ/ | /maɪ/ |
| time | /taɪm/ | /taɪm/ |
| five | /faɪv/ | /faɪv/ |
| light | /laɪt/ | /laɪt/ |
| buy | /baɪ/ | /baɪ/ |
| child | /tʃaɪld/ | /tʃaɪld/ |
| sky | /skaɪ/ | /skaɪ/ |
American Pronunciation: Similar, slightly backed tongue position.
15. /ɔɪ/ – /ऑय/ diphthong as in boy
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| boy | /bɔɪ/ | /bɔɪ/ |
| toy | /tɔɪ/ | /tɔɪ/ |
| joy | /dʒɔɪ/ | /dʒɔɪ/ |
| coin | /kɔɪn/ | /kɔɪn/ |
| join | /dʒɔɪn/ | /dʒɔɪn/ |
| choice | /tʃɔɪs/ | /tʃɔɪs/ |
| noise | /nɔɪz/ | /nɔɪz/ |
American Pronunciation: Same in both dialects.
16. /aʊ/ – /औ/ diphthong as in now
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| now | /naʊ/ | /naʊ/ |
| cow | /kaʊ/ | /kaʊ/ |
| house | /haʊs/ | /haʊs/ |
| down | /daʊn/ | /daʊn/ |
| out | /aʊt/ | /aʊt/ |
| mouth | /maʊθ/ | /maʊθ/ |
| town | /taʊn/ | /taʊn/ |
American Pronunciation: Similar, but sometimes rounded as /æʊ/.
17. /əʊ/ – /ओ/ diphthong as in go
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| go | /gəʊ/ | /goʊ/ |
| home | /həʊm/ | /hoʊm/ |
| no | /nəʊ/ | /noʊ/ |
| show | /ʃəʊ/ | /ʃoʊ/ |
| boat | /bəʊt/ | /boʊt/ |
| coat | /kəʊt/ | /koʊt/ |
| phone | /fəʊn/ | /foʊn/ |
American Pronunciation: /oʊ/ instead of /əʊ/ (go = /goʊ/).
18. /ɪə/ – /इअ/ diphthong as in ear
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| ear | /ɪə/ (ə not shown fully) /ɪə(r)/ | /ɪr/ (or /ɪr/) |
| dear | /dɪə/ | /dɪr/ |
| clear | /klɪə/ | /klɪr/ |
| near | /nɪə/ | /nɪr/ |
| fear | /fɪə/ | /fɪr/ |
| idea | /aɪˈdɪə/ | /aɪˈdiːə/ (often /aɪˈdiə/) |
| year | /jɪə/ | /jɪr/ |
American Pronunciation: Becomes /ɪr/ (ear = /ɪr/).
19. /eə/ – /एअ/ diphthong as in hair
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| hair | /heə/ | /hɛr/ or /her/ |
| care | /keə/ | /kɛr/ |
| chair | /tʃeə/ | /tʃɛr/ |
| share | /ʃeə/ | /ʃɛr/ |
| fair | /feə/ | /fɛr/ |
| pair | /peə/ | /pɛr/ |
| stair | /steə/ | /stɛr/ |
American Pronunciation: /er/ instead of /eə/ (hair = /her/).
20. /ʊə/ – /ऊअ/ diphthong as in tour
| Word | British (RP) | American (GA) |
|---|---|---|
| tour | /tʊə/ or /tʊə(r)/ | /tʊr/ or /tʊr/ |
| sure | /ʃʊə/ or /ʃɔː/ (variations) | /ʃʊr/ or /ʃɔr/ |
| pure | /pjʊə/ | /pjʊr/ or /pjʊr/ |
| cure | /kjʊə/ | /kjʊr/ |
| endure | /ɪnˈdjʊə/ | /ɛnˈdʊr/ |
| secure | /sɪˈkjʊə/ | /sɪˈkjʊr/ |
| obscure | /əbˈskjʊə/ | /əbˈskjʊr/ |
American Pronunciation: Often simplified to /ɔːr/ or /ʊr/ (tour = /tʊr/).
Summary of Vowel Sounds
British English: 20 vowel sounds (12 pure + 8 diphthongs)
American English: Often merges a few sounds, reducing them to about 16 distinct vowels.
Understanding these 20 vowels is the foundation for clear English pronunciation. In Part 2, we’ll explore the 24 Consonant Sounds — their articulation, Hindi comparison, and RP–American contrasts.
Quick practice tips (for Indian learners)
- Listen → Repeat: Listen to native RP speakers (podcasts/videos) and repeat slowly, focusing on the IPA
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