A letter is a written representation. It is called a grapheme. A sound is a distinct vocal expression. It is called a phoneme. There are two features of letter-sound relationships in the English language. 1 - The name of the letter may or may not be the same as the sound of the letter. 2 - the same letter can make multiple sounds.
Sounds of letter 'A' :-
'A' is the 1st. Letter of the english alphabet. It is one of the five vowels.
Due to not ideal phonemic conventional spelling system of english, the letter 'a' makes more than one sound. In fact, it makes five different sounds.
Sound 1 - ( ऐ /æ) - short vowel sound ; as in
apple, bat, cat, cap, man
Sound 2 - ( ए / ā ) - Long vowel sound; as in
Snake, may, say, day, way, bat, lay, ray, play
Sound 3 - ( आ / ä ) - broad sound; as in
Father, car, bath, ask, grass, past, mask, last, bask, fast, task, dark, warm, mark, park, cart, farm, harm, yarn,
Sound 4 - (ऑ/ ô ) - O sound as in
Ball, call, war, fall, hall, all, wall, small, stall, tall, caw, fawn, saw, law, shawl, raw, hawk, etc.
Sound 5 - e sound - as in
Many, any, anything, anyone, anywhere, etc.
Sound 6 -( एअ/ ea) sound; as in
Care, mare, dare, layer, fare, share, rare, bare, etc.
Notes:-
(1/i) When 'a' comes between two Consonants, 'a' is pronounced like 'ऐ' (Co+a+co=ऐ)
As, Bat, bag, cat, fan, hat, man, cap, bad,can, etc.
(ii) When 'A' is followed by 'Y' then 'A' is pronounced 'ए'.
( a + y = 'ए')
Ex. Day, say, May, ray, lay, play, way, pay, bay, etc.
(iii) When 'a' is followed by a consonant in a word and the consonant is followed by a vowel 'e' in the last of that word, then 'a' is read as 'ए'.
(a + cons. + e = ए)
Ex. Date, bake, fake, late, base, hate, cake, same, make, etc.
(iv) when 'ai' followed by n/l in a word, then 'ai' is pronounced as 'ए'.( ai + n/l =ए)
Ex. Fail, mail, hail, bail, pain, main, gain, rain, etc.
(v) When 'a' is followed by 'r/st/sk' in a word, then 'a' is pronounced as 'आ'
( a + r/st/sk = आ)
Ex. Dark, mark, harm, warm, cart, park, yarn, bark, farm, fast, last, past, mask, bask, task, etc.
(vi) When 'a' is followed by 'LL'/ 'u'/'w' in a word, then 'a' is pronounced as 'ऑ'.
( a + ll/u/w = ऑ)
Ex. All, call, fall, small, call, ball, stall, tall, wall, caught, naughty, cause, daughter, saw, law, shawl, raw, hawk, fawn, cawl, etc.
(vii) When 'a' is followed by 're' in a word, then 'a' is pronounced as 'एअ'.(a +re=एअ)
Ex. Dare, share, later, mare, fare, care, etc.
(viii) When 'ai' is followed by 'r' in a word, then 'ai' is pronounced as 'एअ'.
(ai+r=एअ)
Ex. Chair, pair, fair, hair, air, etc.
Sounds of letter 'E'
Note:-
(i) when 'E' comes in between two or among three consonants, then 'E' is pronounced as 'ए'.
Ex. Hen, let, get, ten, wet, net , den, pet, set.
(ii) When 'EE' /'EA'/'EI' comes in a word, then 'EE' /'EA'/'EI' are pronounced as 'ई'.
Ex. Deep, Jeep, week, heel, weep, keep, seek, feet, meet,
Beat, heat, meat, peak, tea, neat, sea, weak, lean,
Receive, conceive, deceive.
(iii) When 'EA'/'EE' followed by 'R' in a word, then 'EA'/'EE' is pronounced as ' ईअ '.
Ex. Deer, cheer, fear, near, tear, etc.
(iv) When 'E' is followed by 'r' in a word, then 'E' is pronounced as 'अ '.
Ex. Verb, term, Germ, herb, etc.
(v) When 'E' is followed by 'w' in a word, then 'E' is pronounced as 'इयू '.
Ex. New, few, mew, dew, sew, etc.
(vi) When 'E'followed by 'u' in a word, then 'eu' is pronounced as 'यू '.
Ex. Europe, Eulogy, etc.
(vii) When 'E' comes at the end of a word, then 'E' is not pronounced, or 'E' remains silent.
Ex. Make, bike, life, rice, give, like, etc.
Sounds of letter ' I '
(i). When 'i' comes between two Consonants or among three consonants, then 'i' is pronounced as ' इ '.
Ex. Dip, fill, hit, lift, milk, kill, till, silk, rib, etc.
(ii). When 'i' is followed by 'e' in a word, then 'ie' is pronounced as ' ई '.
Ex. Belief, field, siege, etc.
(iii) When 'i' followed by a consonant and the consonant followed by 'e' at the end of a word, then 'i' is pronounced as 'आई '.
Ex. Time, life, size, nice, bike, bite, like, etc.
(iv). When 'ie' comes in a word, then 'ie' is pronounced as also 'आई'.
Ex. Die, tie, lie, pie, etc.
(v). When 'i' is followed by 'ght' in a word, then 'i' is pronounced as 'आइ '.
Ex. Fight, night, might, tight, light, right, etc.
(vi) When 'i' is followed by 're' in a word, then 'ie' is pronounced as 'आय'.
Ex. Hire, tire, spire, wire, etc.
(vii) When 'i' is followed by 'r' in a word, then 'i' is pronounced as ' अ ' .
Ex. Bird, shirt, firm, chirp, dirty, etc,
(viii) When 'i' is followed by ' nd/ld' in a word, then 'i' is pronounced as ' आय'.
Ex. Bind, child, find, mind, wild, etc.
(ix) When ' T/S ' followed by 'ion' in a word, then
' ion' is pronounced as ' अ '.
Ex. Tension, pension, attention, creation, mention, etc.
Sounds of letter 'O'
(i) When 'O' comes between two Consonants in a word, then ' O ' is pronounced as 'ऑ'.
Ex. Hot, Cot, fog, pot, top, log, etc.
(ii) When 'O' is followed by 'y'in a word, then 'Oy' is pronounced as 'ऑय'.
Ex. Boy, Toy, joy, roy, loyal, etc.
(iii) When 'O' is followed by 'i' in a word, then 'oi' is pronounced as 'ऑइ'.
Ex. Boil, soil, coin, choice, moist, hoist, etc.
(iv) When 'O' is followed by 'u' in a word, then 'ou' is pronounced as 'आउ'.
Ex. Count, doubt, round, sound, Mount, wound, etc.
(v) When 'O' is followed by a consonant and the consonant followed by 'e' in a word, then 'o' is pronounced as 'ओ'.
Ex. Bone, tone, etc.
But, there are some exceptions in this rule.
e.i. (o + consonant + e)= 'अ'
Ex. Some, done, come, none, love, etc.
(vi) When 'O' is followed by 'a/w' in a word, then 'O' is pronounced as ' ओ '.
Ex. Boat, coat, road, goat, road, loan, snow, yellow, slow, window, show, etc.
But some time 'ow' is pronounced as 'आउ'.
Ex. How, allow, now, wow, etc.
(vii) When 'O' comes at the end of a word, then 'o' is pronounced as 'ओ'.
Ex. Hello, hero, metro, demo, Ludo, etc.
(viii) When 'O' is followed by 'n/r' in the last of a word, then 'o' is pronounced as ' अ '.
Ex. Tailor, doctor, lesson, union, etc.
1. Cons. + 'O' + cons.= 'ऑ'.
2. O + y = ऑय
3. O + i = ऑइ
4. O + u आउ
5. O + cons. + E = ओ/अ
6. O + a/ w = ओ/ आउ
7. .... + O. = ओ
8. O + n/r = अ
5. Sounds of letter 'u'
** When 'u' comes between two Consonants or among three consonants, then 'u' is pronounced as 'अ'.
(i) cons + u + cons= अ
Ex. Run( रन ), dust, just, fun, sun, luck, etc.
Sometime 'u' is pronounced as 'उ'. Ex. Bull बुल, full, pull, push, etc.
** When 'u' is followed by 're' in a word, then 'u' is pronounced as 'यो'.
(ii) .... + u + re. = यो
Ex. Cure क्योर, sure, pure, etc.
** When 'u' is followed by a consonant and the consonant followed by 'e' in a word, then 'u' is pronounced as 'यू'.
(iii). ... + u + cons. + e = यू
Ex. Tune ट्यून, cube, mute, cute, etc.
** When 't' is followed by 'ure' in a word, then ' ture' is pronounced as 'चर'.
(iv) ... + t + ure = चर
Ex. Culture कल्चर, Future, Nature, Lecture, etc.
(v) .... + u + e. = ऊ
Ex. Blue ब्लू , Clue, True, Glue, etc.
(vi) When 'u' is followed by 'r' in a word, then 'u' is pronounced as 'अ '. (u + r =अ)
Ex. Burn बर्न , turn, curd, hurt, nurse, burp, etc.
(vii) In the beginning of a word, When 'u' is followed by two Consonants, then 'u' is pronounced as 'अ'. (U + two consonants= 'अ')
Ex. Umbrella अंब्रेला, Uncle अंकल, Under, Urgent, Ultimate, etc.
(viii) when a word starts with 'u' and there is a constant and a vowel after 'u' then 'u' is pronounced as ' यू '.
(U + 1cons. + 1Vowel= यू)
Ex. Unit यूनिट, Unique यूनिक, Union, Urinal, etc.
Sounds of 21 Consonants:-
1. Sounds of letter 'B'
Here are some key details about the "B" sound in English:
Consonant Sound: The letter "B" represents a voiced bilabial plosive sound, written as /b/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). This means that when you pronounce "B," you create a sound by briefly closing your lips and then releasing them while vocal cords vibrate. This sound can occur at the beginning, middle, or end of words.
Positional Variations: The pronunciation of the "B" sound can vary depending on its position within a word or its neighboring sounds. For example, in the word "bat," the "B" sound is pronounced clearly at the beginning. In the word "comb," the "B" is silent, and you only hear the /k/ and /m/ sounds.
Examples: Here are some examples of words where the letter "B" represents the /b/ sound:
Beginning of a word: "big," "ball," "book"
Middle of a word: "problem," "ribbon," "rabbit"
End of a word: "cub," "grab," "sub"
Voiced Sound: The "B" sound is voiced, which means that the vocal cords vibrate when producing this sound. You can feel this vibration by lightly placing your fingers on your throat while saying a word that starts with "B."
Minimal Pairs: In English, the distinction between voiced /b/ and voiceless /p/ is important. Minimal pairs like "bat" (with /b/) and "pat" (with /p/) demonstrate this contrast, where the only difference is the voicing of the initial sound.
Understanding the pronunciation and usage of the "B" sound is essential for correct English pronunciation and spelling.
Sounds of letter 'c'
In english language the letter 'c' is mostly pronounced as a 'k' in hindi 'क' sound. And sometimes 'c' is also pronounced as 's' sound.
Let's see.
Rule 1 :
When 'c' is followed directly by 'e','i' or 'y' in a word, then 'c' is pronounced as an 's' sound.
Ex. Cent, Ice, face, city, circle, circuit, cycle, cyber, cylinder, etc.
Rule 2 :
When 'c' is not followed directly by 'e','i' or 'y' in a word, then 'c' is pronounced as a 'k' sound. ( When 'c' is followed by 'a' , 'o' or 'u' in a word then 'c' is also pronounced as a 'k' sound.
Look at the examples;
Ex. Car, cool, cut, carpet, confuse, curtain, etc.
Sounds of letter 'd'
To make the sound of the letter 'd' ; read the following,
Place the tip of your tongue on the ridge behind your upper teeth but do not touch the teeth. As you push air out of your mouth, briefly stop it behind your tongue before releasing it. Vibrate your vocal cords as you make this sound.
Ex.
do [du]
did [dɪd]
dead [dɛd]
don't [doʊnt]
daughter [dɔɾɚ]
decorations [dɛkɚeɪʃn̩z]
dropping [dɹɑpən]
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