Master All 44 British English Sounds 🇬🇧 ｜ Complete Pronunciation Guide

Hello and welcome back to Easy English with James. Today I have an amazing lesson for you. We're going to look at all 44 sounds of British English. That's a lot of sounds so we better get started very very quickly. We're going to start with the short vowels today. There's seven of them in British English and the first one you might know. It's this one here. It's the I sound. It's a short sound and you kind of look like you're doing a quick smile. Try words like sit or fish. See if you can say sit fish. I want you to repeat this after me. Sit fish. Sit fish. Now let's try it faster. Sit fish. Sit fish. Try that again and again and again until you feel super comfortable. Then try this practice sentence. Tim is sitting with his big fish. Tim is sitting with his big fish. Now this I sound you might know from movies like this. See if you can say that one as well as he can. Okay good bit of practice. That is the I sound. The next one is of course the E sound. This is in words like bed bed or head head. Repeat after me. Bed head. Bed head. Bed head. Now try this practice sentence. Ben fell out of bed and bumped his head. Ben fell out of bed and bumped his head. Okay remember you should have a nice relaxed mouth. Say words like egg egg egg egg egg egg egg and you'll get that sound absolutely perfect. The next sound really common in English especially in British English is that A sound. Watch my mouth. This is of course found in words like cat cat or apple apple. See if you can say both together after me. Cat apple. Cat apple. Cat apple. Cat apple. Okay try this sentence. That cat sat on Sam's flat black mat. That's a tricky one isn't it. That cat sat on Sam's flat black mat. That cat sat on Sam's flat black mat. You try it. Okay remember drop the jaw when you make this sound. Cat apple. Okay the next one is a really common sound as well. It is the sound. This is found in words like cup cup or bus bus. Try this sentence. My mum loves a lovely cup of tea on the bus. My mum loves a lovely cup of tea on the bus. Okay try the words as fast as you can. Cup bus. Cup bus. Cup bus. Okay it's again a very short quick sound. Okay what about this sound. Let's see how many of you can make this sound properly. It is oh oh and you'll notice my mouth goes in like oh oh like a fish. You'll find this in words like hot hot or clock clock. Okay try this sentence after me. The dog got a hot pot from the shop. The dog got a hot pot from the shop. The dog got a hot pot from the shop. Make sure that your mouth your jaw goes in like this. Oh oh hot clock. Okay the next one here is of course the sound. This is found in words like foot or push foot push. She pushed the full cushion with her foot. Okay she pushed the full cushion with her foot. Let's go straight to the next one on this one. This is the most common sound in all of English. If you are subscribed to my channel you can see all my other videos where I have a lot of lessons just on this sound. It's called the schwa sound. The lazy sound. It's one of the first sounds English speakers learn to make and it's simply just uh uh uh. It's a nice lazy sound. Okay it's never stressed. Try these words teacher banana teacher banana teacher banana. Now try this sentence. A teacher and a doctor sat together for a banana. A teacher and a doctor sat together for a banana. If you can say this sentence super fast it'll really help make your English pronunciation super fluent. So try saying this. A teacher and a doctor sat together for a banana. A teacher and a doctor sat together for a banana. If you can say it like that you'll notice it has a rhythm. It almost sounds like music. A teacher and a doctor sat together for a banana. Okay that is that schwa sound and it's what gives English its musicality its fluency. Okay teacher banana. Now then what about the long vowel sounds in English. Okay let's stretch them out and hold them to make them really long. So the first one you might know is that ee sound ee. This of course is found in words like sea or tree sea or tree. Let's try this. Sea tree sea tree sea tree sea tree and then try this practice sentence after me. Pete can see three green trees by the sea. Pete can see three green trees by the sea. You try it. You might know this from movies like the sixth sense where it's I see dead people or something like that. Okay now the next sound on here is ah ah. This is of course found in words like car or park car or park. A good sentence to practice here is Marta parked the smart car in the dark car park. See if you can read that one really really fast. Marta parked the smart car in the dark car park. Marta parked the smart car in the dark car park. Okay the next sound is of course one of my favorites it is the or sound or. It's a really long vowel sound this one or or. You'll see this of course in words like door door or the number four. Okay try this practice sentence. Paul saw four tall horses by the door. Paul saw four tall horses by the door. Paul saw four tall horses by the door. You might find this in movies like dirty dancing. Nobody puts baby in a corner corner. Okay let's try the next sound. You'll find this one. This is that ooh sound. Another really cool sound ooh ooh. Again found in words like blue blue or shoe shoe. Try this practice sentence. Sue threw two blue shoes into the pool. Sue threw two blue shoes into the pool. Okay one more time blue shoe blue shoe blue shoe. And again you'll find this in another movie I love taxi driver. You're talking to me you're talking to me. Okay the next sound is of course this uh sound uh. This is found in words like bird or shirt. Relax your lips when you make this sound it's just uh uh bird and shirt. Bird shirt okay. Make sure that it's a long vowel sound bird and shirt. Try this sentence. The early bird heard the third girl curse. That's a long one right. The early bird heard the third girl curse. It's a tough one to say. Try and say it really quickly. The early bird heard the third girl curse. Okay let's go to the next one. By the way just before we move on to the next one if you are enjoying this lesson make sure you hit that subscribe button and that like button and leave a comment. If you are subscribed you won't miss any of my other videos and you never know some of them might be really useful for you. So make sure you are subscribed to this channel. Okay let's go on these lovely sounds they're called diphthongs. That means they're like kind of two sounds rolled into one. You go from one sound to the other. Two vowels gliding into one. The first we have in English is a a. You'll know this from words like day play day play. Try this lovely sentence. They played a great game on a rainy day in May. They played a great game on a rainy day in May. It's definitely not rainy in England today. It is super super hot right now as I'm making this video. They played a great game on a rainy day in May. You might know this from one of my favorite movies of all time Gladiator are you not entertained. That aimed is again that there. Let's listen one more time to this one. Okay so let's go to the next sound. We have the I. I sound in words like I or in the word I as in I am I do I go. You need to make sure this sound is absolutely perfect because you're going to be using it every day. I kite I kite. Try this practice sentence. I might fly my white kite up high tonight. I might fly my white kite up high tonight. Okay what about this one. This is a lovely sound again. It's oi oi oi. Some of my Vietnamese students will know this one because one of my favorite things when I used to live in Vietnam in the past was this kind of address am I or something like this. I used to love it. So you'll already know this sound. Okay boy toy boy toy. The boy enjoyed his noisy toy with joy. The boy enjoyed his noisy toy with joy. You try it now try it really fast. The boy enjoyed his noisy toy with joy. Okay next sound is of course ow. This is the sound you make if somebody hurts you. Ow ow somebody hurt me. Okay this is found in words like cow or house. Cow or house. Try this sentence. How now a brown cow found a house in town. How now a brown cow found a house in town. Okay see if you can say that one super super fast. Listen to how he says how here. Okay see if you can copy him. Next sound is the oh. Oh you'll find this in really common words like go. I go. Okay he goes. Go and boat. Go boat. Try it again. Go boat. Go boat. Go boat. Try this practice sentence. Joe rode his old boat slowly home. Joe rode his old boat slowly home. To row is when you do this in a boat right. Joe rode his old boat slowly home. You might know this as well from that Star Wars movie. No I am your father. Okay so go boat. Joe rode his old boat slowly. Okay the next sound is one of my favourites and one of the most important in English. It is that ear. Ear. Ear. It rolls from one sound very clearly into the other ear. Okay here. Ear. Here and ear. Try this sentence. I can hear a deer near my ear over here. I can hear a deer near my ear over here. I can hear a deer. I can hear a deer near my ear over here. Okay what about the next sound. We have air. Air. Air. This is found in words like hair or bear. Okay hair or bear. You could try this sentence. The bear with fair hair sat on a chair over there. The bear with fair hair. Fair hair means light hair. With fair hair sat on a chair over there. The bear with fair hair sat on a chair over there. Okay the next sound we have is in words like tour and pure. I'm sure the long tour was pure bliss. I'm sure the long tour was pure bliss. Okay it's kind of like a gliding into that at the end. Sure and tour and pure. This is of course a British accent. I am from England so I have a British accent. I'm sure the tour was pure bliss. Okay now then we're going to look at the consonants. The and these kind of sounds. Both voiced that means when you use your vibrating vocal cords and unvoiced which is just air. Okay so the first one we have you'll all know this one. Make sure you're popping your lips. No voice okay. Peter picked a pink pen and a plump pig. So we've got the words pen and pig. Just say pen pig. Pen pig. Make sure that you can feel air coming out. Pen pig. Peter picked a pink pen and a plump pig. See if you can say that one super fast. Peter picked a pink pen and a plump pig. Okay let's move on. Now the b sound is the same as the but it's voiced. It means that you vibrate your vocal cords. So we have words like big and boy. You'll notice it's the same position of the mouth as puh as the p sound but we just vibrate the Okay try this sentence. The busy bee buzzed by the big brown bear. The busy bee buzzed by the big brown bear. Okay the busy bee buzzed by the big brown bear. Now you'll know this as well because James Bond says it when he says Bond. James Bond. I'm Bond. James Bond. I used to say this because my name is James also but Bond. James Bond. Okay make sure you get that sound perfectly right. What about t in time or ten. Again watch my mouth. Time. Ten. Time. Ten. Look at this practice sentence. Tom took ten tasty treats to town. Tom took ten tasty treats to town. Tom took ten tasty treats to town. Now then the same position in your mouth. This time with vibration again. It's dog and day. Dog and day. You might try this sentence. Dad's dog dug deep down in the mud. Dad's dog dug deep down in the mud. Okay dog day. Dog day. Make sure you get that super fast. Again it's like the same position but you're vibrating your vocal cords. Okay next up we have this is of course found in words like cat. Cat or key. Key. Cat key. Try it with me. Cat key. Cat key. Cat key. Try this. Kate kept a cute cat in the kitchen. Kate kept a cute cat in the kitchen. Kate kept a cute cat right over there in the kitchen. Okay now remember this is at the back of your tongue but it has a little click. It's like okay. Kate kept a cute cat in the kitchen. Now again same position in the mouth. But it's vibration again. So go girl. Go girl. Okay the good girl gave a green grape to the dog. The good girl gave a green grape to the dog. Try g-g-g-g-g-g-g. Go girl. Okay the good girl gave a green grape to the dog. Let's try the next one. This time of course we have the sound. Watch closely. This is found in words like five. Five or fish. Fish. Try this sentence. Five funny frogs found fresh food. Five funny frogs found fresh food. You must have your teeth on your lip to make this sound correctly. F, f, f. Five fish. Five funny frogs found fresh food. What about same position again but this time vibrate again? We've got the V sound. It's the same position but you just vibrate. V. In words like very, very. You've got to get this one right. It's a really popular word. Very, very, very, very, very. Very and van. Very and van. Very and van. Okay. Try this practice sentence. Vicky drove a lovely van to the village. Vicky drove a lovely van to the village. That's a good one. Vicky drove a lovely van to the village. Okay. Next one is of course one of the hardest sounds in English. There are many videos on my main page that are all about these TH sounds. There are two in English that we're going to look at. If you want extra practice, go and have a look through my videos. Okay. So this is of course the unvoiced version and it's really difficult. You have to put your tongue out and below like this and you will do this when you say words like think, think, think or three, three, three. Okay. Try this lovely but difficult sentence. I think the thin thief took 30 things. I think the thin thief took 30 things. I think the thin thief took 30 things. If you say that enough times, you'll really get the hang of this. That means you'll become used to it. You'll get familiar with it. Okay. I think the thin thief took 30 things. Okay. Now this again is the same position but you guessed it. We vibrate our vocal cords. It's V. V. V. This is in really common words so you must get this right. Like the, the, the man, the woman, the dog, the place, the airport. Okay. The, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the. If you want to master this, I recommend when nobody else is watching you just keep going the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, because you're going to use this all the time. It is pretty much one of the most common words in the language. The, also the and that. The and that. The, that. Try this lovely sentence with this one, right? Always vibrating. The mother and father bathe in the other weather. The mother and the father. We haven't got the father. The mother and the father. Extra practice. Bathe in the other weather. The mother and father bathe in the other weather. Try this as fast as you can. The mother and father bathe in the other weather. It's always the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the. Okay. The mother and father bathe in the other weather Let's go. We've got the Sound okay. It's a fun one because you can actually do it either side of your mouth You can go like this or like that and this is found in really common words lots of words in English with the letter s I think it's one of the most popular letters son son son son and six six six six Okay, practice sentence Sam sells seven small seashells by the sea I was gonna do the she sells seashells, but I think that's coming next Sam sells seven small seashells by the sea Sam sells seven small seashells by the sea. You have to make a hissing sound like a snake. It's Okay, what about then the Sound it's you guessed it same position in the mouth, but we're vibrating our vocal cords again this is found in words like zoo zoo or Zebra I think if you go to America you'll hear zebra, but in Britain we say zebra zoo and zebra Practice this sentence the lazy zebras buzzed at the busy zoo The lazy zebras buzzed at the busy zoo. Try it super fast The lazy zebras buzzed at the busy zoo. Okay. Now then we have a really cool sound now. It is the Sound it's one of those that a lot of students find difficult She Do try this sentence. She shyly showed her shiny shoes on the ship She shyly showed her shiny shoes on the ship when I was learning this first when I was a young young young boy They told me you can put your little finger here and it helps you to say it So it's like she shyly showed her shiny shoes on the ship She shyly showed her shiny shoes on the ship Okay, the next one is you guessed it almost the same sound but this time we vibrate In words that you will know your vision that's how well you can see your eyesight your vision or Television television. Okay. Also in pleasure and measure and treasure and other words. Okay, try this sentence It's a pleasure to measure the treasure on television It's a pleasure to measure the treasure on television. Okay, make sure you're vibrating because otherwise it's the sound you'll be saying not the Okay. Now we also have a quick version of this. It's like Very similar position in the mouth Okay found in words like chair chair, it's very quick chair chair sitting on a chair or cheese Cheese, I love cheese, by the way It's one of my favorite things in the world If you like cheese write what in the comments what your favorite kind of cheese is I'm keen to know because I love cheddar cheddar cheese. That's two words with CH Chuh chuh cheddar and cheese cheddar cheese See if you can say that cheddar cheese and then when you're done practice this sentence Charlie chose cheap cheese and a chunky chair Okay, then we have this Kind of special sound in English. I call it. It's kind of just it's a similar position, but it's my name Right is James James. Look at how we say job or jump. This sound is Yeah, yeah Yeah, it is vocal again. It's a voiced sound Yeah, yeah, try this sentence the jolly judge Enjoyed a giant orange at the end there orange Okay, the jolly judge enjoyed a giant orange the jolly judge enjoyed a giant orange Now what about this? Sound mm. Okay, ma ma is the full version, but we all normally just say mm. So man moon man Moon, my mum made a marvelous meal in the morning. See if you can copy me exactly You'll have a really cool British accent. My mum made a marvelous meal in the morning My mum made a marvelous meal in the morning Remember lips have to be together. Most languages have this sound so you should have no problem with this one Then of course we have the minute sound mm. Okay found in words like now now or nine nine No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, okay No, or now or nine try this lovely sentence nine nice nurses needed a noon nap Nine nice nurses needed a new nap a nap is like a short sleep nine. Nice nurses needed a new nap Okay, I need a new nap actually I'm gonna have to have a nap after this after this recording nine nice nurses needed a noon Nap, and then we have this really cool sound here. It's right at the back of your throat and you hum Okay, it's kind of like no no Vietnamese students again We'll probably know this sound because it's in a lot of your names, but sing Okay ring ring Sing try this sentence. The king is Singing a song in the morning. Okay, it's The king is singing a song in the morning Okay, the king is singing a song in the morning. Okay, then of course we have the Sound in words like hat hat or house house hat and house Okay, try this practice sentence. Harry happily held his huge hat at home Harry happily held his huge very big his huge hat at home now try this one super fast Harry happily held his huge hat at home Okay. Now then just a couple more sounds to go. We have the sound La la la la la la la la. Okay in words like look look or Leg Leg look and leg look and leg try this Lily loves licking lovely yellow lollies That's a really difficult one to say Lily loves licking lovely yellow lollies Lily loves licking lovely yellow lollies It's really really fast and really really difficult to say. Okay, try this one next This is one that many students do find very difficult. It is the In English, it's quite different from many other languages In words like red or run red or run Try this practice sentence Rory ran around the rough red rocks Rory ran around the rough red rocks Rory ran around the rough red rocks and then you can just try red run red run red run red run red run Make sure if you're from some Asian countries East Asian countries, you're pronouncing this different to that. La la la la la sound Okay, often it's confused. It's rough rough again Just like that one sound where you can go like this with the rough sound you can do it up here rough red run Rory ran around the rough red rocks. Then we have the what what what what what what sound in we and Water what we water try this sentence We watched the wild waves wash the wall. We watched the wild waves wash the wall We watched the wild waves wash the wall Okay, then of course we have this Yeah, yeah, yeah sound in the word. Yes. Every time you say yes, you're saying this sound. Yes, yellow Yes, yellow. Yes, yellow. Yes, yellow. Yes, yellow Try this practice sentence as fast as you can. Yes, the young yak ate Yellow yogurt yesterday. Yes, the young yak ate yellow yogurt yesterday. Yes, the young yak ate yellow yogurt yesterday Okay, you've done all 44 sounds of English well done Give yourself a pat on the back on the back go back and watch this video again and on the second go Try saying every single sound that I say try saying everything as fast as you can And the more you practice I promise within a couple of tries Maybe two or three times watching this video You will start to feel really natural when you say it and your pronunciation will improve so fast Perfect if you're doing an IELTS test lately or anything else one more time If you haven't subscribed to this channel Make sure you hit that subscribe right now and press the like button leave a comment if you want any future videos if you want Me to make some videos leave a comment Let me know what video to make if you have any questions about this video Just ask in the comments well done. Have a lovely lovely day, and I'll see you again very soon. Bye. Bye