R-coloured vowels
American English says the r after a vowel, so it has vowels like these.
IPA phonemic chart
English phonemic chart with sounds
British English has 44 sounds, American English 46. Tap 🔊 to hear each IPA symbol in an example word, in the Accenty app's native voice. Open a sound to see how the lips and tongue move, the mistake learners make and a short drill.
Short vowels
Quick, relaxed vowels.Long vowels
Held longer, with more tension.R-coloured vowels
American vowels that end in an r colour.Diphthongs
One vowel that glides from one position to another.Voiceless consonants
Air only, no buzz in the throat.Voiced consonants
The same mouth shapes with the voice switched on.Other consonants
Nasals, glides, h, l and r.Short vowels
Quick, relaxed vowels.Long vowels
Held longer, with more tension.Diphthongs
One vowel that glides from one position to another.Voiceless consonants
Air only, no buzz in the throat.Voiced consonants
The same mouth shapes with the voice switched on.Other consonants
Nasals, glides, h, l and r.Symbols and example words are the ones the Accenty app teaches. Every tile opens the sound's own page.
Same consonants, different vowels
No r after a vowel
British RP drops that r, which leaves a long vowel or a glide to a weak "uh".
Words also join differently in each accent, such as the British linking r and the American flap t. See how English words link.
Find the sounds you miss
Accenty listens to you speak and points to the sounds that give your accent away. Each one opens the same tongue guide you see here, in American or British English.
Questions
How many sounds are there in English?
It depends on the accent. British RP is usually taught with 44 sounds (20 vowels and 24 consonants). General American has 46 in the Accenty chart: it drops the British-only vowels and adds r-coloured vowels such as /ɝ/ in "nurse" and /ɚ/ in "letter".
What is the difference between the American and British charts?
The 24 consonants are the same. The vowels differ: British English has /ɒ/ (lot), /ɜː/ (nurse) and the centring diphthongs /ɪə eə ʊə/ (near, square, cure), while American English says the r and has r-coloured vowels like /ɑr/ (car) and /ɛr/ (square). Some symbols are also written differently, such as /ɛ/ and /e/ for the vowel in "dress".
What do the symbols with a colon mean?
The ː mark means a long sound. In the British chart /iː/ in "fleece" is long and /ɪ/ in "kit" is short. American charts often leave the mark out, so the same pair is written /i/ and /ɪ/.
Which sounds should I learn first?
The ones your first language does not have. Most learners start with /θ ð/ (think, this), /r/ and /l/, /v/ and /w/, and the short and long vowel pairs. The Accenty app scans your accent and tells you which sounds to work on first.
More guides
How words linkLinking, dropped sounds and weak forms: 31 rules with examples.
What's my accent?How an AI accent test works, and the sounds that give each accent away.
The th soundVoiced and voiceless th, with the tongue animation from the app.
Best pronunciation appsSeven apps compared: price, accents and what each is best at.Which of these do you miss?