Speech & sound · Guide
Syllables explained
A syllable is a unit of spoken-language structure organized around a prominent nucleus, usually a vowel. Learn how onsets, nuclei, and codas fit together, then use a practical method to examine a word.
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Tune your ear. Find your voice.
Speech & sound · Guide
The IPA vowel chart explained
The IPA vowel chart maps vowels by tongue height and frontness, with symbols placed to indicate tongue position and lip rounding shown separately. It is a practical guide to vowel contrasts, not a map of every speaker’s mouth.
Speech & sound · Guide
Voiced vs voiceless sounds
Voicing is the vibration of the vocal folds during a sound. Learn a simple way to feel the difference, hear it in English consonants, and practise without confusing voicing with spelling or volume.
Speech & sound · Guide
Vowels vs consonants
Vowels are made with a relatively open vocal tract; consonants involve a narrower constriction or closure. Learn to notice the difference in articulation, then use a short word-pair exercise to hear and feel how the sounds work together.
Speech & sound · Guide
What is schwa?
Schwa is the IPA symbol /ə/, commonly used for a mid central vowel. In English it often appears in unstressed syllables, but spelling is unreliable and the sound varies across accents.
Speech & sound · Guide
What is the phonetic alphabet?
The International Phonetic Alphabet, or IPA, is a system for representing speech sounds with symbols. It helps readers discuss pronunciation more precisely than ordinary spelling, while a broad transcription can leave out fine detail.
Speech & sound · Guide
Word stress in English
Word stress is the relative prominence of a syllable within a word. Learn how to hear it, mark it, and practise a multisyllabic example while allowing for variation across English accents and word families.