Rachel's English

Rachel's online school is OPEN!  Join Rachel's English Academy or buy Rachel's eBook, American English Pronunciation, to supercharge your conversational English.  

  • Home
  • Videos
  • Courses
  • Lessons
  • Book
  • Podcast
  • About
  • Contact
  • Resources
    • Sound Chart
You are here: Home / Archives for Videos / Sounds / IPA, Alphabet, and Letters

The American English “X”: 4 distinct sounds

The American English “X”: 4 distinct sounds

YouTube blocked? Click here to see the video. The American English “X” requires that speakers know and use four specific sounds.  I’ll show you lots of examples of each, using vocabulary words (and their IPA) to break down this complicated lesson … [Read more...]

Filed Under: IPA, Alphabet, and Letters, Videos

Learn the Phonetic Alphabet

Learn the Phonetic Alphabet

  Alpha, bravo, Charlie:  each letter of the alphabet has a target word to increase understandability in spelling.  Learn the target words in the NATO phonetic alphabet to make spelling out names, address, confirmation numbers, and more much … [Read more...]

Filed Under: IPA, Alphabet, and Letters Tagged With: phone

Why we need the IPA

Why we need the IPA

Learn why we need the International Phonetic Alphabet:  words that looks like they should rhyme don’t rhyme, heteronyms and homophones are common.  English is not a phonetic language, and the IPA helps us know exactly what sound we’re talking … [Read more...]

Filed Under: IPA, Alphabet, and Letters

Learn the IPA — Consonants

Learn the IPA — Consonants

If you're not familiar with the IPA, this video will help you get used to the symbols we use to represent the consonant sounds of American English. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_qcAuHhJIc Video … [Read more...]

Filed Under: IPA, Alphabet, and Letters, Videos

How to Pronounce the Letter Y

How to Pronounce the Letter Y

Since English is not phonetic, the letter Y doesn’t have just one pronunciation – it can be pronounced many different ways.  Study the different pronunciations of this letter in various words. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: AI [aɪ] as in BUY, EE [i] as in SHE, IH [ɪ] as in SIT, IPA, Alphabet, and Letters, UH [ə] as in SUPPLY - the SCHWA, Videos, Y [j] as in YES Tagged With: Many Ways One Thing Can Be Pronounced

How to Pronounce the Letter U

How to Pronounce the Letter U

Since English is not phonetic, the letter U doesn’t have just one pronunciation – it can be pronounced many different ways.  Study the different pronunciations of this letter in various words. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: EH [ɛ] as in BED, EW [ju] as in FEW, IH [ɪ] as in SIT, IPA, Alphabet, and Letters, OO [u] as in BOO, UH [ə] as in SUPPLY - the SCHWA, UH [ʊ] as in BOOK, UH [ʌ] as in BUTTER, Videos, W [w] as in WILL Tagged With: Many Ways One Thing Can Be Pronounced

How to Pronounce the Letter S

How to Pronounce the Letter S

Since English is not phonetic, the letter S doesn’t have just one pronunciation – it can be pronounced many different ways.  Study the different pronunciations of this letter in various words. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: IPA, Alphabet, and Letters, S [s] as in SIP, SH [ʃ] as in SHIP, Videos, Z [z] as in ZIP, ZH [ʒ] as in MEASURE Tagged With: Many Ways One Thing Can Be Pronounced

How to Pronounce the Letter I

How to Pronounce the Letter I

Since English is not phonetic, the letter I doesn’t have just one pronunciation – it can be pronounced many different ways.  Study the different pronunciations of this letter in various words. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: AA [æ] as in BAT, AI [aɪ] as in BUY, EE [i] as in SHE, IH [ɪ] as in SIT, IPA, Alphabet, and Letters, UH [ə] as in SUPPLY - the SCHWA, Videos, Y [j] as in YES Tagged With: Many Ways One Thing Can Be Pronounced

How to Pronounce the Letter E

How to Pronounce the Letter E

Since English is not phonetic, the letter E doesn’t have just one pronunciation – it can be pronounced many different ways.  Study the different pronunciations of this letter in various words. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: AH [ɑ] as in FATHER, AY [eɪ] as in SAY, EE [i] as in SHE, EH [ɛ] as in BED, IH [ɪ] as in SIT, IPA, Alphabet, and Letters, UH [ə] as in SUPPLY - the SCHWA, Videos Tagged With: Many Ways One Thing Can Be Pronounced

How to Pronounce the Letter A

How to Pronounce the Letter A

Since English is not phonetic, the letter A doesn’t have just one pronunciation – it can be pronounced many different ways.  Study the different pronunciations of this letter in various words. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: AA [æ] as in BAT, AH [ɑ] as in FATHER, AW [ɔ] as in LAW, AY [eɪ] as in SAY, EH [ɛ] as in BED, IH [ɪ] as in SIT, IPA, Alphabet, and Letters, UH [ə] as in SUPPLY - the SCHWA, Videos Tagged With: Many Ways One Thing Can Be Pronounced

Why English Pronunciation is so Hard

Why English Pronunciation is so Hard

English is not phonetic – which causes a huge headache for non-native and native speakers alike! YouTube blocked? Click here to see the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOw7CdpK44w Video Text: Today we're going to take a look at why … [Read more...]

Filed Under: IPA, Alphabet, and Letters, Most Popular, Videos Tagged With: Many Ways One Thing Can Be Pronounced, Most Popular

Letter S Pronounced [z]

Letter S Pronounced [z]

Since English is not a phonetic language, one letter is not always pronounced the same way.  The letter S is often pronounced as a Z in words like cousin, husband, and business. YouTube blocked? Click here to see the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: IPA, Alphabet, and Letters, Videos, Z [z] as in ZIP

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

Video Categories

The Voice: Basics, Placement

Sounds: IPA, Alphabet, and Letters, Vowels, Diphthongs, Consonants

Intonation, Linking, Rhythm, and Stress: In a Word, In a Sentence, Linking, Melody, Contractions, Words that Reduce, Suffixes and Prefixes

Conversation: Specific Words, Phrases, Conversation and Speech Studies, Community

Recent Videos

  • LEARN 105 ENGLISH VOCABULARY WORDS | DAY 17
  • LEARN 105 ENGLISH VOCABULARY WORDS | DAY 16
  • LEARN 105 ENGLISH VOCABULARY WORDS | DAY 15
  • LEARN 105 ENGLISH VOCABULARY WORDS | DAY 14
  • LEARN 105 ENGLISH VOCABULARY WORDS | DAY 13

© 2021 Rachel's English