Those who want to learn more about the phonetic structure of the English language can look for resources on the Internet, where they will tell you what sonorants, stops, fricatives and other consonants are.

If you just want to understand the pronunciation of English consonants and learn how to read transcription without unnecessary theory, then we recommend that you share everything consonants sounds into the following groups:

• The sounds that are pronounced almost the same as in Russian : this is the majority of consonants.
• The sounds that similar to those in Russian but are pronounced differently. There are only four of them.
• The sounds that not in Russian . There are only five of them and it is a mistake to pronounce them the same way as in Russian.

Pronunciation of sounds marked yellow, practically does not differ from Russian, only sounds [p, k, h] are pronounced with "aspiration".

green sounds These are the sounds that need to be pronounced on English manner, they are the cause of the accent. The sounds are alviolar (for sure, you heard this word from your school teacher), to pronounce them, you need to raise your tongue to the alviols, then you will sound "in English".

Sounds tagged red, are absent in Russian at all (although it seems to someone that this is not the case), so you should pay attention to their pronunciation. Do not confuse [θ] and [s], [ð] and [z], [w] and [v], [ŋ] and [n]. The [ r ] sound is less of a problem.

Another aspect of transcription is stress, which is marked with an apostrophe in transcription. If the word has more than two syllables, then the stress is always present:

Hotel -
police-
interesting - ["ɪntrəstɪŋ]

When a word is long, polysyllabic, then it may contain two accents, with one upper (main), and the second - lower. The lower stress is indicated by a comma-like sign and is pronounced weaker than the upper one:

disadvantaged - [ˌdɪsəd"vɑːntɪʤ]

When reading the transcription, you may notice that some sounds are presented in parentheses (). This means that the sound can be read in the word, but you can not pronounce it. Usually in brackets you can find a neutral sound [ə], sound [r] at the end of a word, and some others:

Information - [ˌɪnfə" meɪʃ (ə) n]
teacher - ["tiːʧə(r)]

Some words have two pronunciations:

Forehead ["fɔrɪd] or ["fɔːhed]
Monday ["mʌndeɪ] or ["mʌndɪ]

In this case, choose the option that you prefer, but remember that this word can be pronounced differently.

Many words in the English language have two variants of pronunciation (and, accordingly, transcription): in British English and in American English. In this situation, learn the pronunciation that corresponds to the variant of the language you are studying, try not to mix words from British English and American English in your speech:

Schedule - ["ʃedjuːl] (BrE) / ["skeʤuːl] (AmE)
neither - ["naɪðə] (BrE) / [ˈniːðə] (AmE)

Even if before that you couldn’t stand transcription, after reading this article you saw that reading and transcribing is not at all difficult! After all, you were able to read all the words recorded in the transcription, right? Apply this knowledge, use dictionaries and be sure to pay attention to transcription if you have a new word in front of you, so that you can memorize the correct pronunciation from the very beginning and not relearn later!

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Now you have already passed the first stage of learning English - you have learned the alphabet. You already know how the letters are called, you know how to write them. But this does not mean at all that you can read any word in English correctly. In addition, you need to set the pronunciation using professional teacher or a tutor, so as not to make mistakes at first.

Unlike many other foreign languages ​​(Spanish, Portuguese, Ukrainian), where words are read the same as they are written, you just need to learn how to pronounce the letters. In English, everything is much more complicated and confusing. But remembering the simple laws of reading words in English. Very soon you will realize that things are much easier.

The thing is that in English the number of sounds predominates over letters, and in order to convey them in writing, it is necessary to combine several letters in a certain order. And this is done different ways. And the pronunciation and recording of some sounds depends on what letters surround them. And all this must be remembered!

To make it easier to remember the connection of letters, English linguists have developed a number of rules for reading words in English. Even if you know the language well enough, it is still advisable to double-check an unfamiliar word in the dictionary, make sure that it is translated and remember the transcription, that is, how it is pronounced.

At school, most teachers only casually mention how to reproduce words in English or do not talk about them at all. They refer students to transcription dictionaries, arguing that "there are many exceptions to the rules of reading." Keep your kids away from these teachers!

Yes it is. Indeed, there are many exceptions to the rules for reading words in English. But this does not mean at all that they should be kept silent. Rather, on the contrary, first of all you need to talk about them. Yet most words obey the rules.

Knowing the basic rule of how words are read correctly will make it much more interesting and easier for you to learn the language itself. And exceptions can be remembered as they come during training, repeating the rules that these words are not so stubbornly unwilling to obey.

Word Reading Rule

Technique of reading English according to Zaitsev's method

Phonetics is the branch that studies sounds. Its main goal is to teach you how to pronounce English sounds and words correctly, as well as to develop your ability to perceive the speech of native speakers. Therefore, in order to learn how to speak and read English competently, you need to know the English alphabet and learn the pronunciation of individual phonemes and the words in which they are used. English phonetics English language built in the Latin alphabet, has only 26 letters (instead of the usual 33), but almost twice as many sounds are superimposed on these familiar letters, namely 46 different phonemes. English sounds are very important for learners of this language, so you need to understand how they are used in speech and for what.

As stated above, distinguishing feature English is a huge number of sounds that do not correspond to the number of letters available. That is, one letter can convey several phonemes, depending on the letters that are nearby. Based on this, it is necessary to speak very carefully and accurately. Incorrect use of this or that sound leads to misunderstanding.

For example, the word "bed" (bed) and the word "bad" (bad) They are pronounced and spelled almost the same, so it's easy to get confused. At this stage of learning English, many begin to transcribe the pronunciation in Russian in order to facilitate the memorization process.

However, this "relief" is very misleading, as it often leads to even more confusion between words with similar pronunciations. After all, both words "bed" and "bad" in Russian can be transcribed exclusively as "bad", without displaying the duality of sound. Therefore, it is better to learn sounds separately.

Learning the phonetics of the English language will undoubtedly bring some clarity to the pronunciation and development of all the phrases and words that will come your way during training.

First of all, you should have a dictionary in which you will designate all sounds in traditional transcription, and after that, next to them, their sound in your native language.
It is also worth pointing out special cases of pronunciation, indicating that this word needs to be pronounced somehow in a special way or written down, that it is impossible to give an analogy to the Russian sound. London - London For convenience, phonemes are best divided into groups. For example, consonants, vowels, diphthongs and triphthongs. You also need to constantly practice and perform exercises of this type:

The main city of Great Britain is London. London- 6 letters, 6 sounds. Let's find it on the map of England. Where is it? Then, let's check with our friend: How do you write it? How do you spell it? Now spell this name - Spell this name for us:

- London - [Landen]

Thus, you will not only practice the pronunciation of sounds, but also learn useful words and phrases in a foreign language.

Now let's move on to their spelling and pronunciation.

Sounds of English

Let's get acquainted with brief description all sounds using this table

• Double vowels are read as one sound: moon - - [mun] or bitter - ["bitǝ] - [bit]
• Voiced consonants in English, unlike Russian, do not become voiceless: in a word good [gud] sound [d] is pronounced clearly, just like [g] in dog [dog] etc.

The meaning of correct pronunciation

As I said, it is very important and urgently necessary to improve English pronunciation, because a large number of words in this language differ in just one or two sounds. But sometimes, even such a small difference is critical for correct and accurate contact with primary native speakers.

Elena Britova

Academic manager of the TransLink-Education company, certified trainer in speed reading and memory development.

V English alphabet 26 letters and 44 sounds. If in some languages ​​each letter is responsible for only one sound, then in English one letter can convey up to four sounds, and in some cases even up to seven. Hence the favorite saying of the English: "We write Liverpool, but we read Manchester."

In addition, articulation (movement of the tongue, lips, mouth) is significantly different from Russian. There are sounds similar to Russians, but when they are pronounced, the organs of articulation work differently.

If you want to get rid of the accent, or at least get closer to English speech, all the differences must be taken into account. Here are some tips on how to get yourself the correct English pronunciation.

1. Learn the alphabet

Many adults consider this a child's exercise. But one day they will definitely ask you: “Please, spell your name” (“Spell your name”). This is where knowing the letters of the English alphabet comes in handy. In addition, there may be letters in abbreviations, street names, house numbers and flight numbers, and, for example, at the airport they will definitely be pronounced as in the alphabet.

2. Practice articulation when pronouncing consonants

Once you have mastered the letters of the alphabet, feel free to move on to learning the sounds they convey. Accustom yourself to the correct articulation right away. Learn to pronounce sounds separately first, bring to automatism, and then move on to words, phrases and sentences.

In English, there are consonant sounds that at first glance (or rather, hearing) are pronounced like in Russian.

1. Check where the tip of the tongue is when pronouncing the sounds [d] - [t], [n], [r], [s], [z]. Sticking to your teeth? Congratulations, you pronounce the Russian alphabet. In native English, the tip of the tongue at this time is on the alveoli (the largest tubercle in the upper palate). Try it. Now you get pure English sounds. Practice: bed - ten , not , rat , sun , zoo .

2. Depict a hare when pronouncing the sounds [f] - [v]. upper teeth must be placed on the lower lip. Work out: fat - vet.

3. Remember that the sound [l] is always hard: London [ˈlʌndən].

4. When practicing the sound [w], take a candle: this The best way learn how to pronounce it correctly. Fold your lips into a tube and pull forward (like small children reach out for a kiss), and then smile sharply. Then this sound will come out. When training, hold the candle at a distance of 20-25 cm from the lips. If the flame goes out when you pronounce the sound, then you are doing everything right. Practice: say the word well.

5. Warm your hands when practicing the [h] sound. It has nothing to do with Russian [x]. Imagine that you are very cold and are trying to warm your hands with your breath. You bring them to your lips and exhale. During exhalation, a light, barely audible English sound [h] is formed. As in the word home.

6. Practice the sound [ŋ] with a bad cold or imagine that you have one. There is no such sound in Russian, it is transmitted by the combination ng in English. Press the tongue like a spatula against the upper palate and let the sound through the nose. It reminds a little of [n], if you pronounce it with a severe cold. Remember that your tongue is still touching the alveoli, not the teeth. Practice: interesting [ˈɪnt(ə)rɪstɪŋ].

7. Be a snake and a bee for training [ð] - [θ]. These sounds are absent in Russian and are formed by combining the letters th in English.

[ð] - voiced sound. Bite the tip of your tongue lightly with your teeth and pronounce the sound [z]. If during training the lower lip and tongue are tickled, then you are doing everything right. If not, then you may have bitten the tip of your tongue too hard, loosen your teeth a little. Say the word this [ðɪs], do you get it?

[θ] - dull sound. The articulation is the same, only we pronounce the sound [s]. To practice the hollow sound [ θ ], say the word thank [θæŋk].

3. Learn the four types of syllables for the correct pronunciation of vowels

The reading of vowels depends on the type of syllable in which they are:

• open (syllable ends in a vowel);
• closed (syllable ends in a consonant);
• vowel + r;
• vowel + re.

In the first type of syllable - open - vowels are read as in the alphabet (that's where knowledge of the alphabet came in handy!). For example: plane , nose , tube , Pete .

In the second type, you need to learn by heart the pronunciation of each vowel:

• [æ] - open sound, not long. It is conveyed by the letter A in a closed syllable. Test yourself: sit at the table, straighten up, put one elbow on the surface, bend the brush under the chin. Between the chin and the hand you will have a place, unless, of course, you have straightened your back. Now we lower the lower jaw down so that it reaches the brush, and pronounce [e]. Practice with the word bag.
• [e] is often confused with the previous sound. When pronouncing [e], you just need to slightly raise the corners of your lips up, as if smiling slightly. These are two different sounds, and they are not similar to each other, and even more so to Russian [e]. Practice: pet .
• Short sounds [i], [ɔ], [ʌ], [u] are pronounced intensively, not in a singsong voice: big, box, bus, book [bʊk].

In the third and fourth types of syllables, the letter R not readable, it only forms a syllable and lengthens the vowel sound: car, sort, turn.

, [ɔ:] - special sounds. Imagine that you are at a doctor's office examining your throat. The root of your tongue is pressed with a stick and asked to say "Aaaa." It is in this position that the tongue should be when pronouncing the sounds [a] and [o]. If at the same time you want to yawn, then you are on the right track! Try it right now: car , sort .

4. Remember the correct accents

Most often in English the stressed syllable is the first. If you need to pronounce a word, but there is no one to ask or there is no dictionary at hand, put the stress on the first syllable. Of course, it is better to immediately memorize words with the correct stress or check yourself in a dictionary.

5. Don't Forget Four Important Rules

• There are no soft consonants in English.
• Voiced consonants are not stunned at the end of a word.
• Vowels are long (in transcription they are denoted by [:]) and short.
• No extra - especially sharp - movements of the lips.

Learn a few phrases to practice correct pronunciation:

• Very well [‘veri ‘wel].
• World Wide Web or WWW [‘w əuld ‘waid ‘web www].
• Eleven benevolent elephants [ɪˈlevn bəˈnevələnt ˈelɪfənts].
• Stupid superstition [ˈstjuːpɪd ˌsuːpəˈstɪʃ(ə)n].
• Pirates Private Property [ˈpaɪrəts praɪvət ˈprɒpəti].

And remember: different sounds have a meaningful function. For example, man ("man", "man") and men ("men"); ship [ʃip] ("ship") and sheep [ʃi:p] ("sheep") and so on. Many people read the word three (“three”) as (which means “tree”) or (“freedom”), not taking into account that th [θ] is read differently, it simply does not exist in Russian (remember the exercise "bee"). Knowing the correct pronunciation of words, you definitely will not get into a mess!

When you study a foreign language, you are not only studying a set of vocabulary and grammar, but in any case, you are faced with the culture and mentality of the people who speak this language. The best remedy knowledge of language and culture is reading in original. And to read on foreign language, you should learn to read in that language first .

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. You can just get people to stop reading them.

But, if at school or university you studied German or French, or your school base turned out to be smaller than you would like, and now you decide to learn English, then let's start with the most primary and basic and learn a few techniques where to start in order to master reading rules.

English alphabet

I think you know that English is different from Russian and German, in which we mostly read and write. In English, the system is a little more complicated. The very first thing we need to do is to learn the alphabet.

There are 26 letters in the English alphabet, of which 21 are consonants and 5 are vowels. Knowing the letters and the ability to pronounce them correctly is the key to successful and competent reading in English.

English alphabet with transcription of the names of the letters.

Very easy way memorize letters visually and by ear - this is with the help of a song. Watch the video and sing the song until you remember the letters of the alphabet.

You can use the same method to teach the alphabet to your children, and sing a song with your little ones.

Reading rules in English

After studying the alphabet, we will begin to study the combination of letters and read short words. In English, there are a number of rules that you need to learn, practice and remember if you want to read English words correctly.

Rules for reading English consonants

Many consonants read similarly to Russian consonants, such as letters m, n, l, b, f, z. You can see it in words like mom, lemon, finger, boy, zebra .

Letters like t and d sound similar but are pronounced with aspirated. For example words table, teacher, dad, dirty.

Letter c has two readings. Before letters i,e,y it reads like [s]- city, face, cyber. And before the rest of the vowels it reads like [k]- cat, cake, factory.

Rule with vowels i,e,y works with letter g. Before them, it reads as - gym, George, giant. Before other consonants, the letter is read as [g].

Letter q always found in a combination of letters qu and reads like - quick, queen, square.

Letter j always read as - jacket, jam, joy.

Table of the ratio of consonants and sounds in English.

How vowels are read in English

In English, a word can end in an open or closed syllable, which affects pronunciation. For example words cat, pot, sit end in a closed syllable and have vowels a, o, i give sounds .

Words such as name, home, five end in an open syllable, since the word ends with a letter e, which is unreadable. But, thanks to her, the vowels in the middle of the word are read exactly the same as they are pronounced in the alphabet, that is, the word name is read.

Types of reading English vowels in stressed syllables.

Reading vowel combinations in English

There are certain combinations of letters that have established reading rules, although English language - language exceptions, and when reading more than compound words you should consult a dictionary. The table below shows combinations of english vowels with examples how they are read and what sound they make.

Table of combinations of vowels in English.

And of course, there are exceptions to all rules. However, do not worry and think that you will never be able to learn it. Everything can be understood, you just need to try a little and practice.

English diphthongs with transcription

When you learn the basic rules of reading, you will see that in English there are diphthong sounds that are quite difficult to reproduce, especially if you start learning the language not from childhood, but as an adult.

Table of English diphthongs with transcription.

Transcription of sounds in English

Practice shows that when children learn a language, they must necessarily study transcription, while adults do not want to learn it, and for them it can be difficult.

If you still want to learn how to write and read transcription, then great! And if not, then you can use online dictionaries where the word will be pronounced for you. One of best dictionaries today are Multitran and online dictionary Lingvo.

Important!

Remember that it is necessary to use dictionaries, not translators!

Here is an example of reading short words with transcription:

English vowel table and transcription.

The fact that we live in the age of the Internet has some advantages. Sitting at home, you can learn different knowledge online. For your attention video lesson which explains basic principles reading. However, even after gaining knowledge through an online lesson, they need to be consolidated in order to form a skill.

Learn English tongue twisters

Here tongue twisters can help you, which are often aimed at practicing one sound. Here are some examples you can use.

Don't worry it's tongue twisters! At this stage, when you are just learning to read and practicing sounds, it is important to pronounce them correctly, albeit slowly. You can always speed up.

Learn to hear English speech

After learning the basic, basic rules of reading, you can use the method of repeating after the announcer. Your auditory memory will also work and you will hear how words are pronounced correctly and what intonation is in sentences.

To do this, you can use small dialogues and audiobooks for beginners. At this level, it will be ideal if the text is in front of your eyes, you listen, read and repeat at the same time!

You can use such a great resource as Oxford Bookworm Library, which features audiobooks for all levels. You can download the library for free

For those who continue to learn English, we recommend learning the language from films, which you can read about in the article

Work on your pronunciation

Reading is only the first step in learning a language. As well as learning grammar and vocabulary, learning how to pronounce and hear correctly is very important if you want to understand what is being said to you and say it so that you are understood. Especially if you're talking to a native speaker.

As we said a little above, one of the best ways is to listen carefully to native speakers and try to copy their pronunciation and intonation .

Particular attention should be paid to sounds that are not in your native language. Often, English learners have a problem with the 'r' sound, as in Russian it is hard, while in English it is more guttural and growling.

There are also difficulties with the pronunciation of two sounds, which gives combination of letters 'th'. Students stubbornly pronounce it as 'c' and 'h'. Although it is worth paying attention that in such words as this, that, there this sound is said as between ‘z’ and ‘d’. And in words like three, think, thief, it is pronounced as a sound between ‘f’ and ‘s’.

This may seem strange to you, since there are no such sounds in Russian, but if you listen to native speakers, you will understand that this is what they say.

Don't worry if you can't get these words right the first time, it takes a little practice. But, try to learn correctly from the very beginning, because it will be more difficult when you are forced to relearn.

Learn to pronounce phrases in English correctly

In English, words in sentences are not pronounced separately, they often merge, as if into one whole, especially if it is a combination of vowel and consonant letters. Look and practice on these transcription examples.

The same applies to phrases where one word ends with the letter 'r', and the next word begins with a vowel. In such cases, the 'r' sound is pronounced. Here are some examples.