IPA Flashcards
i
see /siː/
Lips: Slightly smiling, tense, not rounded.
Tongue: Tense, high and far forward near the roof of the mouth.
ɪ
hit /hɪt/
Lips: Slightly parted, relaxed.
Tongue: Relaxed, high, but not as high as for /i/. Sides of the tongue touch upper back teeth.
TO PRODUCE: With your lips retracted very slightly, raise your tongue mid-high in front so that its sides touch the upper side teeth. Keep the tongue relaxed. To find the right placement for /ɪ/, move your tongue between vowels /i/ and /ə/.
eɪ
say /seɪ/
Lips: Not rounded, relaxed.
Tongue: Tense, moves from the mid-high to high position.
TO PRODUCE: Move from the vowel /ɛ/ to the vowel /ɪ/, raising your tongue and retracting your lips slightly. Practice moving smoothly between the two vowels until you produce diphtong /eɪ/.
ɛ
bed /bɛd/
Lips: Farther apart than for /eɪ/ and relaxed.
Tongue: Relaxed, mid-high position.
TO PRODUCE: Position your tongue mid-high in front and slightly forward. Keep your lips neutral.
æ
cat /kæt/
Lips: Open, not rounded.
Tongue: Lowest of all the front vowels. Flat on the floor of the mouth.
TO PRODUCE: With your tongue relaxed and its middle raised mid-high, lower your jaw slightly. Press down both the back and the front of the tongue. Keep your lips neutral.
ə
away /əˈweɪ/
Lips: Completely relaxed, slightly parted.
Tongue: Relaxed, middle position.
TO PRODUCE: Keep your tongue relaxed in a central position. The lips remain neutral
ɜːr
turn /tɜːrn/
( stressed /ər/ )
Lips: Slightly rounded.
Tongue: Tense, mid-level position. Tip is curled up a bit and pulled back.
TO PRODUCE: Arch your tongue high in the middle with its sides touching the upper sides of your mouth. Draw the tongue tip backward, keeping the lips relaxed.
DO NOT touch any part of your mouth with the tongue tip.
The tongue remains in one position during sound /ər/. This produces a sound that is different from the consonant /r/. If you can produce /r/, prolong the sound without moving your tongue and you will say the sound /ər/.
ʌ
cup /kʌp/
TO PRODUCE: Keep your tongue relaxed in a central position. The lips remain neutral.
aɪ
five /faɪv/
Lips: Open, not rounded, closing a bit when moving to the /ɪ/ position.
Tongue: Relaxed, moves from flat to high position.
TO PRODUCE: Begin with your tongue slightly low in the center,and raise it into the vowel /ɪ/. As you rise your jaw, retract your lips slightly.
aʊ
now /naʊ/
Lips: Start not rounded, but as you move toward /ʊ/, lips begin to close and become tense.
Tongue: Moves from relaxed, low to high position for the /ʊ/.
TO PRODUCE: Begin with your jaw lowered, your tongue low in the middle, and your lips relaxed. Then move into vowel /u/ or /ʊ/, raising your jaw and tongue and rounding your lips.
u
blue /bluː/
Lips: Tense, rounded, as if blowing a balloon.
Tongue: Slightly tense, high.
TO PRODUCE: Raise your tongue high from the middle to the back, and tense it slightly so that its sides press lighly against the upper sides of your mouth. Round your lips. Produce a long vowel.
ʊ
put /pʊt/
Lips: Very slightly rounded.
Tongue: Relaxed, back is raised, higher than for /oʊ/.
TO PRODUCE: Raise your tongue in back so that its sides touch the upper sides of your mouth. Keep the tongue relaxed. Round your lips. Produce a short vowel sound.
oʊ
go /ɡoʊ/
Lips: Very rounded and tense.
Tongue: A bit tense, moves from mid to high position.
TO PRODUCE: Begin with your tongue low in back, and your lips rounded slightly. Then raise your tongue in back to /u/, as your round your lips more.
ɔ
four /fɔːr/
ɔɪ
boy /bɔɪ/
Lips: Move from slightly rounded, oval position to relaxed, slightly parted position.
Tongue: Relaxed, move from mid-high to high position.
TO PRODUCE: Begin with your tongue low in back and your lips rounded. Then raise your tongue high in front and retract your lips, as for vowel /i/ or /ɪ/.
ɒ
law /lɒː/
Lips: Apart, very slightly rounded, oval shape.
Tongue: Slightly tense, down near the floor of mouth.
TO PRODUCE: Lower your jaw and slightly raise your tongue in back to mid-high. Round your lips slightly.
ɑ
arm /ɑːrm/, hot /hɑːt/
Lips: Apart, as if you are yawning. Not rounded.
Tongue: Relaxed, flat at the floor of the mouth.
TO PRODUCE: Lower your jaw, as you press down slightly the back of your tongue. Keep your lips relaxed and neutral.
