Demonstration of phonetic transcription

This page shows you how to read and write the phonetic transcriptions of English words. Dictionaries use phonetic transcriptions to tell you how you should pronounce words.

All the transcriptions on this page are written in the phonemic system used in most dictionaries for English learners. They use symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). All the pronunciations are written with "universal" (British-American) symbols, but are spoken in American English. For example, their is transcribed as //, and the sound is heard in the recording.

For more information, look at the table with English sounds and IPA symbols.

Instructions: Play the sound samples (mp3 files, about 80 KB each), listen to the words, and read the transcriptions.

Listen to these words		Listen to these words
that		however
difficult		another
you		again
which		world
their		area
about		psychology
photo		course
should		company
people		under
also		problem
between		never
many		service
thicker		something
child		place
hear		point
system		provide
group		large
number		general

Listen to these words		Listen to these words
always		head
next		information
quick		question
nervous		business
local		power
during		change
although		move
who		book
example		development
rather		young
social		national
write		water
percent		yet
guest		perhaps
both		until
every		control
month		include
important		believe

Listen to these words		Listen to these words
allow		person
stand		once
idea		police
character		lose
result		position
happen		industry
friend		major
carry		build
awful		language
early		international
view		else
himself		yeah
xerox		center
report		enough
political		calm
law		color
ghost		lure
modest		knife