All sounds are in English. Transcription and reading rules in English

Good, good, good morning, planet!

I don’t know about you, of course, but on my English planet (called ) it’s morning right now. And I decided to write an important informational and practical article about English transcription on a cheerful morning head. I think you don't mind). Then let's start analyzing this simple, but often raising many questions topic.

Is English transcription necessary at all?

What can I say to this?.. If they teach it in the English language school curriculum and force you to teach it, then of course you can’t get away with it! Speaking globally, its absence when learning English will not affect the results and knowledge in any way.

BUT! Since our children are still learning English, it is a matter of honor to know what transcription is in it. This is about the same as it is important to know that the Russian language has 6 cases (and this, by the way, is what makes it different from English and many others). But we can learn to speak and write words without thinking about which case should be used in them... "AND van R odil D little girl... Well, you understand me, I think.

Therefore, my verdict is that we will study it! But quickly and without any stretching for a year! A lesson or two - and "English transcription" will become the most pleasant phrase in the world...

In addition, having the ability to decipher English transcription, any schoolchild and adult will be able to read and pronounce any, even the most “terribly incomprehensible” word in the English dictionary!!!

Why was it invented?

It was invented a very, very long time ago, by the British themselves, for themselves - when they realized that they themselves could not always understand how to read this or that word.

The fact is that in the English language there are rules according to which you can read words correctly. For example, this rule: “In a closed syllable, the English letter “a” will be read like this (words ba g, la ptop)» . But at the same time, there are so many exceptions to these rules that sometimes it is impossible to remember them (for example, let’s take an exception to this rule with a word with a closed syllable t ask , in which the letter “a” is already read differently).

Well, they came up with such a concept as transcription, so that every English word could be read correctly, even without knowing the rules, but simply owning a set of transcription icons.

Sometimes you may see two variations of the same icon, this is normal. Both of them have their place. My analogies with Russian letters are very conditional. The main thing here is to hear the sound and imitate it as accurately as possible.

Transcription icons for vowel sounds

[i] or [ ı ] a sound similar to “i”, but more abrupt and firm.

[e] a sound similar to “e”, but more abrupt and firm.

[ ӕ ] a sound similar to "e", but wider.

[ ɔ ] or [ ɒ ] a sound similar to “o”, but more abrupt and open.

[ ∧ ] a sound similar to “a”, but more abrupt.

[u] or [ ʋ ] a sound similar to “u”, but more abrupt.

[i:] a sound similar to a long “i”.

[ ɔ: ] a sound similar to a long "o".

[ ɑ: ] a sound similar to a long and deep “a”.

[u:] a sound similar to a long “u”.

[ ə: ] or [ɜ:] a sound reminiscent of something between “o” and “e”.

In English there is one single transcription symbol that denotes an unstressed vowel - [ə] . It is pronounced very briefly and indistinctly. We often hear it at the end of words ending with unstressed vowels. Teacher, computer...

Transcription icons for consonant sounds

[p] sound similar to "p".

[b] sound similar to "b".

[t] sound similar to "t".

[d] sound similar to "d".

[k] sound similar to "k".

[g] sound similar to "g".

[f] sound similar to "f".

[v] sound similar to "v".

[s] sound similar to "s".

[z] sound similar to "z".

[m] sound similar to "m".

[n] sound similar to "n".

[l] sound similar to "l".

[h] a sound similar to an air "x".

[ ʃ ] a sound similar to "sh".

[tʃ] a sound similar to "ch".

[ ʒ ] sound similar to "zh".

[dʒ] sound similar to "j".

[r] sound similar to "r".

[j] a sound similar to "th". Softens vowels, e.g. [jɒ] [je] [ju:]

[w] sound made by lips.

[ ŋ ] a sound similar to “n” pronounced through the nose.

[ θ ] dull interdental sound.

[ ð ] sonorous interdental sound.

Transcription icons for diphthongs (double sounds)

[aı] or [ai] a sound similar to "ouch".

[eı] or [ei] a sound similar to "hey".

[ ɔı ] or [ɔi] a sound similar to "oh".

[aʋ] or [au] a sound similar to "ay".

[ əʋ ] or [ou] a sound similar to "oh".

[ ıə ] or [iə] a sound similar to "ee".

[ ʋə ] or [uə] sound similar to "ue".

[eə] or [ εə ] a sound similar to "ea".

Practice time

Well, we have looked at all the signs of English transcription. Children and adults remember most of them quite easily. Difficulties sometimes arise with icons indicating diphthongs or some sounds that are not at all similar to Russian ones. But this can be quickly corrected if you immediately consolidate everything with good practice and exercises, which is what we will do now.

I recommend purchasing and taking the online course English from scratch (from a well-known service LinguaLeo). There, the letters and sounds of the English language are discussed in detail. Transcription can also be well worked out. Register and try the course for free. If you like it, go ahead!..

Exercise 1

The first thing to do is to repeat several times the sound corresponding to a certain sign of English transcription. Go in order (according to the list I gave). Repeat one sound 3-5 times, while trying to associate the complex icon with the image. For example, repeating the sound [ ӕ ] , imagine a cat, a hat, or any other image, but just let this image correspond to a word that is pronounced in English with exactly this sound. For example, I had an image in my head of a bag with such a branded badge.))

So how? Difficult? If yes, then I will share with you my ideas regarding the most “intractable” transcription signs. Please do not judge my clumsy pictures harshly. I swear, in my imagination they look much cuter)).

Icon [ ʋ ] — foot-heel image.

The word foot [fʋt].

Icon [ ɜ: ] - image of a bird.

The word bird [ b ɜ: d] .

Icon [ ʃ ] - image of a shoe.

The word shoe [ʃu:].

Icon [tʃ]- image of a chicken.

The word chick [tʃık].

Icon [dʒ]- image of a page in a textbook.

The word page.

Icon [j]- the image of a tick, the correct answer.

The word yes.

Icon [ ŋ ] - an image of a long and uneven road.

The word long.

Icon [ θ ] - image of the number three.

The word three [θri:].

Icon [ ð ] - image of a mother and baby.

The word mother.

Exercise 2

• Now we will read with you simple words with different sounds. Your task is to look at the word, listen to its pronunciation, repeat, and then guess which transcription icon from those presented below corresponds to the sound in the word (the required vowel letters or combinations will be underlined).

[ ı ] [e] [ ӕ ] [ ɒ ] [ ∧ ] [ ʋ ] [i:][ ɔ: ] [ ɑ: ] [u:] [ɜ:]

• Now you will see other words that you will also need to listen to and repeat, and then select the required transcription sign from those presented below, which corresponds to a particular sound (the required consonant letters or combinations will be underlined in the words).

[p] [b][t] [d][k] [g][f] [v][s] [z][m] [n]

[l][h] [ ʃ ] [tʃ] [ ʒ ] [dʒ] [r][j] [w][ ŋ ] [ θ ] [ ð ]

• The following words contain diphthongs. We listen, repeat and select the desired transcription sign for the underlined letters and letter combinations.

[aı] [eı] [ ɔı ] [aʋ] [ əʋ ] [ ıə ] [ ʋə ] [eə]

• The final exercise in this section is to choose the correct transcription option for a word from the two proposed ones. The scheme of work is the same: we listen, repeat, and then choose.

cup[kʌp] or [kӕp]

twelve[tvelv] or [twelv]

month[mɑ:nθ] or [mʌnθ]

rain[raın] or [reın]

farm[fɜ:m] or [fɑːm]

large[lɑːʒ] or [lɑːdʒ]

spoon[spuːn] or [spɔ:n]

fair[feə] or [fıə]

say[seɪ] or [seə]

now[nəʋ] or [naʊ]

June[tʃ uːn] or [dʒuːn]

Exercise 3

Well, it’s time to write a transcription of the words yourself. I think you will succeed! A day or two - and the topic of English transcription will become so easy for you that you have never even dreamed of it)). Let me remind you once again that unstressed syllables are often designated like this [ ə ] .

after, box, write, with, open,

season, shut, round, tall, number,

shirt, plus, jam, song, yogurt, hate

Exercise 4

This exercise is to practice reading a lot of English words by transcription. For children, the best option here would be cards with English words and transcriptions for them. Some authors (for example, Nosova, Epanova) specially develop such cards - after all, they help not only to consolidate the learned transcription signs, but also to easily replenish your vocabulary. These are the interesting cards I found in the store Labyrinth. Here are the most basic topics and words:

Set “Wild Animals”

Set "Fruits"

Set "Man"

Set "Professions"

Set "School"

Set "Home"

Well, I did it, friends!

And you? Did you manage? If you have any questions, be sure to ask me. I will try to answer them.

And one more thing - on the right sidebar of my site you can find a convenient service "Transcription online"— enter any English word into the field and get its transcription. Use it!

In addition, I invite you to my delicious newsletter (you can subscribe to it at the end of this article - after the tutor selection form)! The most useful and interesting things about English and more...

Answers to the exercises:

[ˈɑːftə], [bɒks], [raɪt], [wɪð], [ˈəʊpən],

[ˈsiːzn], [ʃʌt], [raʊnd],[tɔːl], [ˈnʌmbə],

[ʃɜːt], [plʌs], [dʒæm],[sɒŋ], [ˈjɒɡət], [heɪt]

English is one of the main languages ​​in the world; more than 500 million people consider it their native language, and the same number speak it to a greater or lesser extent. When starting to learn English, first of all we are faced with mastering the vocabulary of the language, its grammar and, of course, pronunciation. How to read a word correctly, especially if its spelling is clearly different from its sound designation? Transcription will help you with this. You will learn what transcription is, its designation and how to read it from our article. After carefully studying it, you will be able to easily pronounce even the most difficult words and also use the dictionary and educational materials where it is widely used.

So what is transcription?

If we take a scientific definition, then this is a system for recording signs and rules for their combination, which are intended to record the correct pronunciation of a word. That is, in reality we write one thing, but in sound we get something completely different. Having learned the signs of English transcription, as well as the basic letter combinations, you can easily master any text written in English. Indeed, in this language, as in Russian, words are often written completely differently from how they are pronounced, and sometimes it is simply necessary to memorize their correct reading in order to avoid mistakes in the future.

Basic signs and rules for reading English transcription

To convey English words, a phonetic alphabet was invented, in which sounds are designated by special phonetic signs. Keep in mind that despite the fact that there are 26 letters in the English language, there are as many as 44 sounds in it. Therefore, for the best assimilation of the language, you should pay close attention to them. In general, the transfer of pronunciation exists in any language, so various signs are used not only for the English language, but, for example, also for the transcription of Russian words. This is very convenient, considering that the rules are quite standard, and by carefully remembering them, you will be able to convey the sounds of absolutely any. Knowing what transcription is in general, let's start studying it. The following are the rules for reading vowels, two-vowels and consonants.

Reading vowel sounds correctly

i ː is a long, stressed “and”, for example: tea, sea;
ɪ - a short and unstressed (but sometimes can be stressed) sound between Russian “and” and “s”, examples - bit, business;
æ - pronounced as a clear and stressed sound, similar to something between “a” and “e”, for example: cat, rat;
ɑ ː - long and deep sound “a”, examples - car, heart;
ɔ ː - also a long and open sound “o”, read the words sort, board;
ʊ - a very short “y” sound, for example: put, could;
u ː - on the contrary, a long, slightly softened “u” sound, for example - fool, shoes;
ʌ - sounds closer to the stressed sound “a”, for example: up, couple;
ɜ ː - a slightly long sound between “е” and “о”, read - her, turn;
ə - a short, not entirely intelligible sound “a”, in the words until, alias;
e- slightly softened “e” sound, for example: bed, head;
ɒ - a sound similar to something between "o" and "a" in the words rock, body.

Rules for reading two-vowel sounds (diphthongs)

Reading consonants

p - clear, energetic sound "p", examples - parking, open;
b - also a clear “b”, in the layers board, abandon;
t - the sound “t”, but when pronouncing it we put the language a little higher than when pronouncing a similar Russian sound, for example: trunk, receipt;
d - clear “d”, in the words add, advertising;
k - the sound "k", in words such as cord, school;
g - pronounced similarly to the Russian “g”, for example: grace, agree;
tʃ - again a slightly softened “ch” sound, in the words chance, catch;
dʒ - a strong, stressed sound between “ch” and “zh”, usually in Russian it is rendered as JOHN, JACKSON, for example: jungle, logic;
f - the same as the Russian "f", for example: fool, enough;
v - read as simply “v”, for example: vocal, voice;
θ is a rather difficult sound to pronounce, try to lightly hold your tongue between your teeth and pronounce “s” or “f”, for example: thanks, ethnic;
ð - the pronunciation rule is the same as for the previous sound, try pronouncing it with a “z” or “v” voice, for example: there, this;
s - a sound almost identical to the Russian “s”, in the words sunday, east;
z - pronunciation is close to Russian “z”, for example: zebra, resign;
ʃ - also close to the Russian “sh”, only a little softer, in the words shine, action;
ʒ - just a soft “w” sound, for example: visual, usual;
h - the sound “x”, barely audible when exhaling, for example: head, hill;
m - just the sound "m", for example: mother, mouse;
n - pronounced almost the same as the Russian “n”, only we raise the tongue a little higher to the sky, in the words note, knowledge;
ŋ - sound “n”, clearly pronounced “in the nose”, for example sing, reading
l - similar to the Russian “l”, but not soft or hard, but rather something in between, for example: laughter, legal;
r - the sound between “r” and “l”, moreover, softened, in the words random, order;
j - a sound very close to the Russian “th”, for example: yet, you;
w is a short sound pronounced between “u” and “v” in the words what, where, one.

These were the main transmission signs. Having carefully studied them and already knowing what transcription is, now you can read any English word without much difficulty.

Transcription is a recording of the sound of a letter or word in the form of a sequence of special phonetic symbols.

Transcription may not be of interest to everyone, but it is, without a doubt, useful. Knowing the transcription, you will correctly read an unfamiliar word without outside help. During classes, you can read the transcription of a word yourself (for example, from the blackboard) without asking others, thereby making it easier for yourself to assimilate lexical material, etc.

At first there will be errors in correct reading, because... There are always some subtleties in pronunciation. But this is just a matter of practice. A little later, if necessary, you will be able to transcribe the words yourself.

Transcription is directly related to reading rules. In English, not everything that is seen (letter combinations) is read (as in Russian and Spanish, for example).

When textbooks (mostly domestic ones) talk about reading rules, much attention is paid to the type of syllable. About five such types are usually described. But such a detailed theoretical presentation of the rules of reading does not greatly ease the fate of a beginner, and can even mislead him. It must be remembered that a good knowledge of the rules of reading is a great merit of practice, not theory.

Your attention will be presented to the basic rules for reading individual letters and letter combinations. “Behind the scenes” there will be some phonetic aspects that are difficult to convey in writing.

A little patience! Both transcription and reading rules are easily learned in a short time. Then you will be surprised: “How easy it has become to read and write!”

However, do not forget that, despite its wide distribution, the English language does not cease to be a LANGUAGE, full of exceptions, stylistic and other delights. And at any stage of language learning, and especially at the beginning, look into the dictionary more often.

Transcription icons and their pronunciation

Notes:

o]. But, in modern English dictionaries this sound is usually designated as shown in the table.

Diphthong is a complex sound that consists of two sounds. In most cases, a diphthong can be "broken" into two sounds, but not in writing. Since in many cases one of the component sounds of a diphthong, if used separately, will have a different designation. For example diphthong [ au]: separately such transcription icon as [ a] - Does not exist. Therefore, most diphthongs are not indicated by a combination of different transcription symbols, but by their own sign.

In many school textbooks and in some domestic dictionaries this sound is designated as [ ou], which is more clear. But, in modern English dictionaries this sound is usually designated as shown in the table.

This sign often denotes unstressed vowel sounds in transcription, regardless of the letters (combinations) that produce this sound.

Reading rules

English words have several types of syllables. However, to understand the entire system, it is necessary to remember and distinguish between the following two types: open And closed.

Open syllable ends with a vowel: game, like, stone- a vowel letter in a word is read the same way as in the alphabet.

Closed syllable ends with a consonant: pen, cat, bus- a vowel in a syllable gives a different sound.

Stress in transcription and words is indicated by a vertical line before the stressed syllable.

Single vowel sounds

Vowel diphthongs

Consonants

Now take the interactive lesson and pin this topic

Learn more about what the prime, colon, parentheses, and other symbols mean.

You can look at another version of the English transcription and, if necessary, print or copy it for editing in Microsoft Word
English Transcription

Pronunciation of English sounds.

Pronunciation of English vowels.

The pronunciation of English sounds is presented in Russian letters; you should understand that it is not possible to convey the correct English pronunciation using the Russian alphabet.

• ɑː long, deep
• ʌ short vowel a, as in the Russian word run.
• ɒ = ɔ - short, open about
• ɔː - long o
• zː - long vowel e, as in the Russian word hedgehog.
• æ - open e
• e - like e in the word these
• ə - unclear unstressed sound, similar to e
• iː - long and
• ɪ - short, open and
• ʊ = u - short u, pronounced with a slight rounding of the lips.
• uː - long u pronounced without strong rounding of the lips.

Two-vowel sounds

Pronunciation of English consonants.

• p - p
• b - b
• m - m
• f - f
• v - in
• s - s
• z - z
• t - resembles the Russian sound t, pronounced with the tongue positioned at the gums.
• d - resembles the Russian sound d, pronounced with the tongue positioned at the gums.
• n - resembles the Russian sound n, pronounced with the tongue positioned at the gums.
• l - resembles the Russian sound l, pronounced with the tongue positioned at the gums.
• r is a very hard sound pronounced without vibration of the tongue. Corresponds to the sound r in the word lot
• ʃ - soft Russian sh
• ʒ - soft Russian zh, as in the word yeast.
• tʃ- h
• ʤ - similar to the Russian sound j (voiced ch)
• k - k
• h - inhale, reminiscent of a faintly pronounced x sound
• ju - long yu in the word southern
• je - sound e in the word spruce
• jɔ - sound ё in the word fir-tree
• jʌ - the sound I in the word pit
• j - resembles the Russian sound й before vowels. Occurs in combination with vowels.

English consonant sounds that have no approximate correspondence in Russianː

• w - formed with the help of rounded lips (as in whistling). It looks like a sound uttered with just lips. In translation it is denoted by the letters в or у ː W illiams - Williams, Williams.
• ƞ - Open your mouth slightly and say n without closing your mouth.
• ɵ - Move the slightly spread tip of your tongue between your teeth and pronounce Russian with
• ð - Move the slightly spread tip of your tongue between your teeth and pronounce Russian z

Elena Britova

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

The English alphabet has 26 letters and 44 sounds. If in some languages ​​each letter represents 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 English saying: “We write ‘Liverpool’, but we read ‘Manchester’.”

In addition, articulation (movement of the tongue, lips, mouth) differs significantly from Russian. There are sounds similar to Russian ones, but when pronouncing them, the organs of articulation work differently.

If you want to get rid of your accent or at least get closer to speaking English, all the differences need to be taken into account. Here are some tips on how to improve your English pronunciation.

1. Learn the alphabet

Many adults consider this a childish exercise. But one day you will definitely be asked: “Please, spell your name.” This is where knowing the letters of the English alphabet comes in handy. In addition, abbreviations, street names, house and flight numbers may contain letters, 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 studying the sounds they convey. Train yourself to use correct articulation right away. First learn to pronounce sounds individually, bring them to automaticity, and then move on to words, phrases and sentences.

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

1. Check where the tip of the tongue is when pronouncing the sounds [d] - [t], [n], [r], [s], [z]. Does it hit your teeth? Congratulations, you can pronounce the Russian alphabet. Among the native English, the tip of the tongue at this time is on the alveoli (the largest tubercle on the upper palate). Give it a try. Now you have purely English sounds. Practice: bed - ten, not, rat, sun, zoo.

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

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

4. When practicing the [w] sound, take a candle: this is the best way to learn how to pronounce it correctly. Curl your lips and stretch them forward (like little children stretch 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 your lips. If the flame goes out when you make a sound, then you are doing everything right. Practice: say the word well.

5. Warm your hands when practicing the [h] sound. It has nothing in common 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] when you have a bad runny nose or imagine that you have one. There is no such sound in the Russian language; it is conveyed by the combination ng in English. Press your tongue like a spatula against your upper palate and release the sound through your nose. It’s a bit like [n] if you pronounce it when you have a bad runny nose. Don't forget that your tongue is still touching the alveoli, not the teeth. Practice: interesting [ˈɪnt(ə)rɪstɪŋ].

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

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

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

3. Learn four types of syllables for correct vowel pronunciation

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

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

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

In the second type, you need to memorize the pronunciation of each vowel:

• [æ] is an open sound, not long. The letter conveys it A in a closed syllable. Test yourself: sit at the table, straighten up, place one elbow on the surface, bend your hand under your chin. You will have some space between your chin and your wrist, if, of course, you straighten your back. Now we lower the lower jaw down so that it reaches the hand, 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 especially not to Russian [e]. Practice: pet .
• Short sounds [i], [ɔ], [ʌ], [u] are pronounced intensively, not into a chant: big, box, bus, book [bʊk].

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

, [ɔ:] - special sounds. Imagine that you are at an appointment with a doctor who is examining your throat. The root of your tongue is pressed with a stick and asked to say “Ah-ah.” This is exactly the position the tongue should be in when pronouncing the sounds [a] and [o]. If this makes you want to yawn, then you are on the right track! Try it 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 emphasis on the first syllable. Of course, it’s better to immediately memorize words with the correct stress or check yourself in the dictionary.

5. Don't forget four important rules

• The English language completely lacks soft consonants.
• Voiced consonants are not devoiced at the end of a word.
• Vowels can be long (in transcription they are designated [:]) and short.
• No unnecessary - 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 meaning-distinguishing function. For example, man (“person”, “man”) and men (“men”); ship [ʃip] (“ship”) and sheep [ʃi:p] (“sheep”) and so on. Many people read the word three (“three”) as (and this means “tree”) or (“freedom”), not taking into account that th [θ] is read differently, it simply is not in the Russian language (remember the exercise "bee"). Knowing the correct pronunciation of words, you will definitely not get into trouble!