English Consonant Sounds
All 24 consonant sounds of British English – each with a key word and five example sentences.
The sounds are grouped by how they are made: plosives, fricatives, affricates, nasals and approximants. Read each sentence aloud, slowly at first, and listen for the target sound.
1 Plosives
The air is stopped completely, then released in a small burst. At the start of a stressed syllable, English /p/, /t/ and /k/ have a puff of air (aspiration).
as in “pat”
Paths and ponds
- Purple petals opened in the spring.
- We packed a picnic for the park.
- Pine trees stood beside the path.
- Puddles appeared after the rain.
- The pond was perfectly peaceful.
as in “bat”
Bees and brooks
- Bees buzzed between the bushes.
- Birds bathed in the brook.
- We built a boat by the bay.
- Blackberries grew beside the bridge.
- A big brown bear slept in the cave.
as in “top”
Trees and trails
- Tall trees towered over the trail.
- The tide turned at ten o’clock.
- Tiny toads hopped across the track.
- We took a tent to the top of the hill.
- The stream tumbled over the stones.
as in “dog”
Dew and dusk
- Dew dripped from the dark leaves.
- The deer disappeared into the woods.
- Ducks dived down into the deep water.
- We walked down the dusty road.
- Daisies dotted the meadow.
as in “cat”
Clouds and creeks
- Clouds covered the quiet countryside.
- A cuckoo called from the woods.
- We camped beside the creek.
- The cold wind cut across the cliff.
- Crickets clicked in the dark.
as in “go”
Geese and gardens
- Geese glided over the green lake.
- The garden gate was open.
- Golden grass grew on the hills.
- We gathered grapes in the autumn.
- A goat grazed on the slope.
2 Fricatives
The air is squeezed through a narrow gap, so you hear friction. You can hold a fricative for as long as your breath lasts: sssss, fffff.
as in “fish”
Fields and forests
- Fresh flowers filled the field.
- Fog floated over the fen.
- A fox ran across the farm.
- Fish flicked through the fast river.
- Fallen leaves covered the forest floor.
as in “van”
Nature in motion
- Vines grew up the sides of the house.
- There was a view of the mountain.
- Violets bloom in the valley.
- Vultures circled overhead.
- The village was surrounded by a vast forest.
as in “think”
Quiet observations
- Three thrushes sang in the thicket.
- We heard a thud in the distance.
- We were thirsty after the long walk.
- The thunder rumbled in the distance.
- Thick fog covered the valley.
as in “this”
Flowing landscapes
- The river flows through the valley.
- Their tent was set up by the lake.
- Feathers floated on the smooth water.
- The weather changed in the afternoon.
- They watched the sunset together.
as in “sit”
Sun and sand
- The sun sets behind the mountains.
- Snakes slide through the soft grass.
- The sandy beach was silent.
- We saw a squirrel climbing a tree.
- The sky was clear and still.
as in “zoo”
Meadow life
- The zebra grazed in the field.
- The zip of the tent was stuck.
- Zinnias bloom in the garden.
- The breeze rose over the hills.
- Buzzing bees filled the meadow.
as in “shoe”
Shadows and shores
- Sheep grazed in the meadow.
- Shadows stretched across the path.
- Shallow waters are full of shiny pebbles.
- The shimmering lake was peaceful.
- Shrubs covered the forest floor.
as in “measure”
Moments of reflection
- The pleasure of a peaceful walk is immense.
- The treasure of nature is all around.
- We measured the depth of the pond.
- The mist made an unusual vision over the lake.
- The leisure of the walk helped us relax.
as in “hat”
Hills and hedges
- Hawks hunted high above the hills.
- We hiked through the heather.
- A hedgehog hid under the hedge.
- Heavy rain hit the house.
- The horses rested in the hay.
3 Affricates
A plosive followed immediately by a fricative, in one sound: /t/ + /ʃ/ = /tʃ/, and /d/ + /ʒ/ = /dʒ/.
as in “church”
Active sounds outdoors
- Chickens pecked in the field.
- Check the weather before the hike.
- Chirping birds filled the air.
- We saw a chaffinch by the tree.
- The chilly breeze brushed past us.
as in “judge”
Joyful journeys
- Joy filled the air in the garden.
- Jungle vines hung low from the trees.
- The journey through the forest was peaceful.
- We enjoyed the gentle rain.
- Jumping in the leaves was fun.
4 Nasals
The mouth is closed somewhere, and the air comes out through the nose. All three nasals are voiced – hum them and feel the vibration.
as in “man”
Moors and mountains
- Mist moved slowly over the moor.
- The moon rose above the mountains.
- Moss made the stones soft and green.
- Many mice live in the meadow.
- We met at the mill by the stream.
as in “net”
Nests and night
- Nightingales sang near the nest.
- The night was cold and silent.
- Nuts fell from the chestnut tree.
- Nine new lambs were born in the barn.
- The sun shone on the snow.
as in “sing”
Resonating tones
- Spring brings fresh flowers to the valley.
- Birds were singing all morning.
- We heard the stream flowing by.
- The forest was ringing with insects.
- Climbing the hill was tiring.
5 Approximants
The speech organs come close together, but not close enough to cause friction. All four are voiced.
as in “lamp”
Lakes and lambs
- Little lambs leapt in the field.
- Leaves floated on the lake.
- Lightning lit up the valley.
- We listened to the lively stream.
- Lilies bloomed along the canal.
as in “red”
Rain and rivers
- Rain ran down the rocky road.
- A rabbit raced along the riverbank.
- Red roses grew around the gate.
- The river rushed through the rocks.
- A rainbow appeared after the storm.
as in “wet”
Water and wind
- Waves crashed against the shore.
- We walked through the windy fields.
- The wind whistled through the trees.
- Wildflowers bloomed along the way.
- We waited for the water to calm.
as in “yes”
Years and yews
- Yellow leaves fell in the yard.
- Young deer play in the woods each year.
- Yesterday the view was beautiful.
- A huge yew tree stood by the church.
- You can hear the birds from here.
6 All 24 Consonants at a Glance
Voicing, place and manner – the three features that describe every consonant.
| Sound | Key word | Voicing | Place | Manner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| /p/ | pat | voiceless | bilabial | plosive |
| /b/ | bat | voiced | bilabial | plosive |
| /t/ | top | voiceless | alveolar | plosive |
| /d/ | dog | voiced | alveolar | plosive |
| /k/ | cat | voiceless | velar | plosive |
| /ɡ/ | go | voiced | velar | plosive |
| /f/ | fish | voiceless | labiodental | fricative |
| /v/ | van | voiced | labiodental | fricative |
| /θ/ | think | voiceless | dental | fricative |
| /ð/ | this | voiced | dental | fricative |
| /s/ | sit | voiceless | alveolar | fricative |
| /z/ | zoo | voiced | alveolar | fricative |
| /ʃ/ | shoe | voiceless | postalveolar | fricative |
| /ʒ/ | measure | voiced | postalveolar | fricative |
| /h/ | hat | voiceless | glottal | fricative |
| /tʃ/ | church | voiceless | postalveolar | affricate |
| /dʒ/ | judge | voiced | postalveolar | affricate |
| /m/ | man | voiced | bilabial | nasal |
| /n/ | net | voiced | alveolar | nasal |
| /ŋ/ | sing | voiced | velar | nasal |
| /l/ | lamp | voiced | alveolar | lateral approximant |
| /r/ | red | voiced | postalveolar | approximant |
| /w/ | wet | voiced | labial-velar | approximant |
| /j/ | yes | voiced | palatal | approximant |
Consonants give English words their shape. Pick one sound a day, read its five sentences aloud – slowly, then at normal speed – and listen for the difference between voiced and voiceless.
Listen. Articulate. Practise. Use.
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