Overview:
- Before you get started: Some helpful explanations
- The spelling and pronunciation of the individual letters
- Exercise 1: Write the correct letter!
- Exercise 2: Write the correct word!
- Exercise 3: Choose the spelled word!
- Exercise 4: Choose the correct phonetic spelling!
- Downloads: pdf and mp3
- The alphabet song: Sing along!
- Frequently asked questions about the alphabet
Before you get started: Some helpful explanations
Before you really get started and get familiar with the English alphabet, we have some helpful information for you:
The pronunciation of individual letters and letters within words
In this unit, we will show you how to pronounce each letter of the alphabet, as you would do for example when spelling something out. Note that the pronunciation of letters changes when they are pronounced as part of a word. A good example of this is the letter y, which, when pronounced as an individual letter, sounds like like /waɪ/. However, when "y" is a part of a word it will often be pronounced like /iː/ (usually when it comes at the end of a word, such as in family).
Differences between British and American English
When pronouncing the English alphabet, it is important to differentiate between British English and American English:
- For example, the letter "z" is pronounced differently in British English than in American English. An Englishman, Scotsman or Welshman would say /zɛd/ (zed), while an American would pronounce this letter as /ziː/ (zee).
- Another important difference is the pronunciation of the letter "r". This is pronounced as /ɑː/ (aa) in British English and as /ɑr/ (arr) in American English.
In this lesson we will teach you the American pronunciation of the individual letters!
The letters in Phonetic Transcription
In this lesson you will find the phonetic transcription of each letter (for example / waɪ / is the transcription of how to pronounce "y"). Learning the phonetic transcription of the letters will help you learn the pronunciation of the alphabet faster as well as remember it better. The phonetic spelling of the individual letters uses the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), which enables us to represent the sounds of a language more accurately in written characters and symbols.
The spelling and pronunciation of the individual letters
Discover the English alphabet and listen to the pronunciation of each letter. You can also practice your pronunciation by using the recording function!
Overview
Exercise 1: Write the correct letter!
Listen to the individual letters and then enter the appropriate letter in the text field next to it. Then confirm your entry.
Exercise 2: Write the correct word!
Listen to the spelled word as much as you need to and then enter the correct word in the text box next to it.
Exercise 3: Choose the spelled word!
Listen to the spelled word as much as you need to and then choose the correct word.
Exercise 4: Choose the correct phonetic spelling!
Listen to the letter and select the correct phonetic transcription.
Downloads: pdf and mp3
Take our learning materials with you and learn anytime and anywhere.
The alphabet song: Sing along!
Listen to the Alphabet Song to help you remember the letters!
Frequently asked questions about the alphabet
Find out what other learners wanted to know!
