UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DE CHIAPAS

LANGUAGE SCHOOL CAMPUS TAPACHULA

B.A. IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY

CONSONANTS

There are 23 consonants in the English language. The following chart contains the
information about how they are produced.

Consonant Spelling Observations

Like /b/ in Spanish, corresponding to
baby = /’beɪ.bi/
letter “b”, since it is a bilabial
job = /’ʤɒb/
consonant. “B” is silent in this words:
/b/ number = /’nʌm.bər/
“climb”, “tomb”, and “comb”.
verb = /’vɜ:rb/
Note: the letter “v” has its own
cabbage = /’kæ.bɪʤ/
phoneme /v/ , which is labiodental.
clean = /’kli:n/
In some words, “k” is silent, such as in
kind = /’kaɪnd/
“knee”, “knight”, and “know”. Not all
walk = /’wɔ:k/
/k/ words with “ch” have /k/ sound. For
back = /’bæk/
the spelling “qu”, the vowel sounds but
mechanic = /mə.’kæ.nɪk/
it is represented like this /kw/.
quick = /’kwɪk/
church = /’ʧɜ:rʧ/
cheese = /’ʧi:z/
march = /’ma:rʧ/ Like /ʧ/ in Spanish, but the letters “ch”
/ʧ/ which = /’wɪʧ/ can also sound like /k/ (“chemist”) or
future = /’fju:.ʧər/ like /ʃ/ (“chef”).
watch = /’wɒʧ/
kitchen = /’kɪ.ʧən/
door = /’dɔ:r/
good = /’gʊd/
/d/ is more occlusive than /d/ in
/d/ ready = /’re.di/
Spanish
middle = /’mɪ.dəl/
address = /ə.’dres/
feel = /’fi:l/
leaf = /’li:f/
Same as /f/ in Spanish. “Ph” is most of
coffee = /’kɒ.fi:/
/f/ the times pronounced with the /f/
phone = /’fəʊn/
sound.
autograph = /’ɔ:.tə.gra:f/
laugh = /’la:f/
/g/ girl = /’gɜ:rl/ Like /g/ in Spanish as in the word
bag = /’bæg/ “gato”. Do not say /k/ instead of /g/ at
ago = /ə.’gəʊ/ the end of words.
egg = /’eg/
 bigger = /’bɪ.gər/
Letter “h” is silent in Spanish. In
hello = /he.’ləʊ/
English, it has a specific sound, like
house = /’haʊs/
letter “j” in Spanish (/x/). Most of the
behind = /bɪ.’haɪnd/
/h/ words with “h” sound like /h/. Silent “h”
whole = /’həʊl/
in English are: “hour”, “honesty”,
who = /’hu:/
“honor”, and the “wh” word-questions ,
inhale = /ɪn.’heɪl/
except for “who”.
jam = /’ʤæm/
jeans = /’ʤi:ns/
All the words with “j” have this
general = /’ʤe.nə.rəl/
consonant. “Ge”, “Gi”, “dge” have this
/ʤ/ age = /’eɪʤ/
sound, too. It is like “ch” in Spanish /ʧ/,
large = /’la:rʤ/
but voiced, similar to “y” in Argentina.
judge = /’ʤʌʤ/
giraffe = /ʤɪ.’ra:f/
learn = /’lɜ:rn/ Like /l/ in Spanish, and like its
help = /’help/
allophone /ɩ/ in Spanish in the last
alone = /ə.’ləʊn/
/l/ phoneme of words. “L” is silent in
tall = /’tɔ:l/
yellow = /’je.ləʊ/ these words: “island”, “could”, “half”,
ankle = /’æŋ.kəl/ “talk”.
more = /’mɔ:r/
lemon = /’le.mən/
film = /’fɪlm/
/m/ Like /m/ in Spanish.
column = /’kɒ.ləm/
summer = /’sʌ.mər/
sometimes = /’sʌm.taɪmz/
now = /’naʊ/
son = /’sʌn/
contest = /’kɒn.test/ Like /n/ in Spanish. Only one
/n/
dinner = /’dɪ.nər/ allophone, see next entry.
sunny = /’sʌ.ni/
knife = /’naɪf/
sink = /’sɪŋk/
Before /k/ and /g/, like in Spanish.
tank = /’tæŋk/
Notice how in words that end in “ng”,
sing = /’sɪŋ/
/ŋ/ the /g/ sound is not necessary.
singer = /’sɪŋ.gər/
However, in a words like “stronger”
strong = /’strɒŋ/
and “singer”, the /g/ is pronounced.
angle = /’æŋ.gəl/
pen = /’pen/
push = /’pʊʃ/
Like /p/ in Spanish, but more
/p/ stop = /’stɒp/
occlusive.
happy = /’hæ.pi/
shopping = /’ʃɒ.pɪŋ/
/r/ red = /’red/ The English /r/ is more similar to /r/ in
 room = /’ru:m/
Spanish, the multiple vibrant. After
sorry = /’sɒ.ri/
vowels, it sounds more like its official
very = /’ve.ri/
sound in the alphabet /ər/. In England,
wrap = /’ræp/
/r/ is usually omitted.
write = /’raɪt/
bus = /’bʌs/
Like /s/ in Spanish. The letter “x” can
sister = /’sɪs.tər/
be /ks/, but in some other times, it can
class = /’klæs/
be /gz/. The letter “s” between vowels,
city = /’sɪ.ti/
/s/ or at the end of a word but before a
pencil = /’pen.sɪl/
silent written letter, is pronounced /z/
place = /’pleɪs/
(voiced), such as in “poison”, “please”,
science = /’saɪəns/
and “busy”.
next = /’nekst/
tea = /’ti:/ Like /t/ in Spanish at the beginning
twenty = /’twen.ti/ and at the end of words. The letter /t/
water = /’wɔ:.tər/ in the middle can be very occlusive (in
/t/
list = /’lɪst/ England) or very soft (in America).
better = /’be.tər/ Double “t” is usually pronounced as /ɾ/
bottle = /’bɒ.təl/ in Spanish, the simple vibrant.
vain = /’veɪn/
travel = /’træ.vəl/ This consonant is occlusive,
/v/ every = /’e.və.ri/ labiodental and voiced. It always
have = /’hæv/ corresponds to the letter “v”.
leave = /’li:v/
wall = /’wɔ:l/
weather = /’we.ðər/
This sound is considered a consonant
always = /’ɔ:l.weɪz/
/w/ in English. Notice “gu” and “qu” when
swim = /’swɪm/
“u” is pronounced.
language = /’læŋ.gwɪʤ/
quiet = /’kwaɪət/
yes = /’jes/ The letter “y” is considered a
year = /’jɪər/ consonant, but its sound is mostly a
/j/ young = /’jɒŋ/ diphthong, as it always starts with /j/
yawn = /’jɔ:n/ = /i/. Please do not pronounced as the
yacht = /’jɒt/ consonant “y” in Spanish.
zoom = /’zu:m/
zebra = /’zi:.brə/
zero = /’zi:.rəʊ/ Like /s/ in Spanish, but voiced. It
/z/ jazz = /’ʤæz/ always corresponds to the letter “z”
scissors = /’sɪ.zərz/ and to some words with “s” or “ss”.
husband = /’hʌz.bənd/
easy = /i:.zi/
/ʃ/ shoe = /’ʃu:/ This voiceless consonant does not
cash = /’kæʃ/ exist in Spanish, only as a regional
ocean = /’əʊ.ʃən/ allophone in the north of Mexico. It
 machine = /mə.’ʃi:n/
sounds as when you ask for silence in
delicious = /dɪ.’lɪ.ʃəs/
Spanish (shhhhh). It is usually
sugar = /’ʃʊ.gər/
connected with “sh”, but it
Russia = /rʌ.ʃə/
corresponds to many other letters.
nation = /’neɪ.ʃən/
This sound does not exist in Spanish.
vision = /’vɪ.ʓən/ It is exactly like /ʃ/, but voiced. It
usual = /’ju:.ʓuəl/ always corresponds to the letter “s”
/ʓ/
Asia = /’eɪ.ʃə/ between vowels, though this spelling
conclusion = /kəŋ.’klu:.ʓən/ can be pronounced with other
phonemes.
think = /’θɪŋk/ This consonant sounds like “z” in
three = /’θri:/ Spain. In English, it only corresponds
/θ/ mouth = /’maʊθ/ to the letters “th”. However, not all
cathedral = /kə.’θi:.drəl/ words with “th” sound like /θ/. See
birthday = /’bɜ:rθ.deɪ/ next entry
they = /’ðeɪ/
The letters “th” can also be
these = /’ði:z/
pronounced with this consonant. It is
/ð/ that = /’ðət/
exactly as the allophone from /d/ (“d”
breathe = /’bri: ð/
suave) in Spanish: more fricative than
father = /fa:.ðər/
occlusive.
together = /tə.’ge.ðər/