Audio illustrations

Unit 4

Consonants

AI 4.1. The spellings of RP /p/. Further practice.

pack /pæk/
simple /ˈsɪmpl̩/
cap /kæp/
play /pleɪ/
pepper /ˈpepə/
tap /tæp/
taper /ˈteɪpə/
hopping /ˈhɒpɪŋ/
Perhaps you can pay for the shopping?

/pəˈhæps ju kən peɪ fə ðə ˈʃɒpɪŋ /

She plays the piano perfectly.

/ʃi pleɪz ðə pɪˈænəʊ ˈpɜ:fɪktli/

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

/ˈpi:tə ˈpaɪpə pɪkt ə pek əv ˈpɪkl̩d ˈpepəz/

AI 4.2. The spellings of RP /b/. Further practice.

back /bæk/
symbol /ˈsɪmbl̩/
cab /kæb/
bin /bɪn/
abroad /əˈbrɔ:d/
rubber /ˈrʌbə/
club /klʌb/
rabbit /ˈræbɪt/
Betty brought bags of beautiful pebbles.

/ˈbeti ˈbrɔ:t bæɡz əv ˈbju:təfl̩ ˈpebl̩z/

My brown rabbit eats cabbage and bananas.

/maɪ braʊn ˈræbɪt i:ts ˈkæbɪdʒ ənd bəˈnɑ:nəz/

We’d better book a cab.

/wid ˈbetə bʊk ə kæb/

Betty and Bob brought back blue balloons from the big bazaar.

/ˈbeti ənd bɒb ˈbrɔ:t bæk blu: bəˈlu:nz frəm ðə bɪɡ bəˈzɑ:/

AI 4.3. The spellings of RP /t/. Further practice.

tin /ˈtɪn/
metal /ˈmetl̩/
bet /bet/
try /traɪ/
twenty /ˈtwenti/
debt /det/
train /treɪn/
knot /nɒt/
It’s twenty to two.

/ ɪts ˈtwenti tə tu:/

What have you got in your pocket?

/ˈwɒt həv ju ˈɡɒt ɪn jə ˈpɒkɪt/

Try internet.

/traɪ ˈɪntənet/

The two-twenty-two train tore through the tunnel.

/ðə tu: ˈtwenti tu: treɪn ˈtɔ: θru: ðə ˈtʌnl/̩

AI 4.4. The spellings of RP /d/. Further practice.

din /dɪn/
medal /ˈmedl̩/
bed /bed/
drive /draɪv/
added /ˈædɪd/
dinner /ˈdɪnə/
opened /ˈəʊpənd/
middle /ˈmɪdl̩/
Don’t drink and drive, it’s bad.

/dəʊnt drɪŋk ənd draɪv ɪts bæd/

Dinner will be served downstairs before midnight.

/ˈdɪnə wɪl bi sɜ:vd ˌdaʊnˈsteəz bɪˈfɔ: ˈmɪdnaɪt/

A dozen double damask dinner napkins.

/ə ˈdʌzn̩ ˈdʌbl̩ ˈdæməsk ˈdɪnə ˈnæpkɪnz/

Donald Duck was a Disney character dressed in dark blue and red.

/ˈdɒnl̩d dʌk wəz ə ˈdɪzni ˈkærəktə drest ɪn dɑːk bluː ənd red /

AI 4.5. The spellings of RP /k/. Further practice.

came /keɪm/
active /ˈæktɪv/
back /bæk/
kicked /kɪkt/
acquire /əˈkwaɪə/
make /ˈmeɪk/
crisp /krɪsp/
occupy /ˈɒkjʊpaɪ/
I’ve got cake and biscuits.

/aɪv ˈɡɒt keɪk ənd ˈbɪskɪts/

I’ll cook the pork at six o’clock.

/aɪl kʊk ðə pɔ:k ət sɪks əˈklɒk/

That cruel criminal kicked the cat

/ðət krʊəl ˈkrɪmɪnl̩ kɪkt ðə kæt/

Crisp crusts crackle crunchily.

/krɪsp krʌsts ˈkrækl̩ ˈkrʌntʃɪli/̩

AI 4.6. The spellings of RP /g/. Further practice.

game /ɡeɪm/
agnostic /æɡˈnɒstɪk/
bag /bæɡ/
goat /ɡəʊt/
hugging /ˈhʌɡɪŋ/
fatigue /fəˈti:ɡ/
guitar /ɡɪˈtɑ:/
bigger /ˈbɪɡə/
Give me a bigger book.

/ ɡɪv mi: ə ˈbɪɡə bʊk/

He’s gone to get a green bag.

/hiz ɡɒn tə ˈɡet ə ɡri:n bæɡ/

The ground will look greener when the grass has grown.

/ðə ɡraʊnd wɪl lʊk ˈɡri:nə wen ðə ɡrɑ:s həz ɡrəʊn/

Cows graze in groves on grass which grows in grooves in groves.

/ kaʊz ɡreɪz ɪn ɡrəʊvz ɒn ɡrɑ:s wɪtʃ ɡrəʊz ɪn ɡru:vz ɪn ɡrəʊvz/̩

AI 4.7. The spellings of RP /f/. Further practice.

fat /fæt/
rifle /ˈraɪfəl/
leaf /li:f/
family /ˈfæməli/
offer /ˈɒfə/
off /ɒf/
photo /ˈfəʊtəʊ/
giraffe /dʒɪˈrɑ:f/
We finally voted on Friday at five fifteen.

/wi ˈfaɪnəli ˈvəʊtɪd ɒn ˈfraɪdi ət faɪv ˌfɪfˈti:n/

My nephew laughs at funny jokes about fishing.

/maɪ ˈnevju: lɑ:fs ət ˈfʌni dʒəʊks əˈbaʊt ˈfɪʃɪŋ/

I live with five friends in a fifth-floor furnished flat.

/ˈaɪ ˈlɪv wɪð faɪv frendz ɪn ə fɪfθ flɔ: ˈfɜ:nɪʃt flæt/

Four furious friends fought for the phone.

/ fɔ: ˈfjʊərɪəs frendz ˈfɔ:t fə ðə fəʊn/̩

Fred fed Ted bread, and Ted fed Fred bread.

/fred fed ted bred ənd ted fed fred bred/̩

AI 4.8. The spellings of RP /v/. Further practice.

vat /væt/
rival /ˈraɪvl̩/
leave /li:v/
very /ˈveri/
travel /ˈtrævl̩/
give /ɡɪv/
view /vju:/
seven /ˈsevn̩/

Various student groups travelled to Venice in the vacation.

/ˈveərɪəs ˈstju:dnt ɡru:ps ˈtrævl̩d tə ˈvenɪs ɪn ðə veɪˈkeɪʃn̩/

A very wide variety of people came.

/ə ˈveri waɪd vəˈraɪəti əv ˈpi:pl̩ keɪm/

I love the nice view over the village.

/ ˈaɪ lʌv ðə ˈveri naɪs vju: ˈəʊvə ðə ˈvɪlɪdʒ/

That vet looks after virtually all the livestock in the valley.

/ðət vet lʊks ˈɑːftə ˈvɜːtʃʊəli ɔːl ðə ˈlaɪvstɒk ɪn ðə ˈvæli/.̩

Vincent vowed vengeance very vehemently.

/ˈvɪnsnt vaʊd ˈvendʒəns ˈveri ˈvi:əməntli/̩

Seventy seven benevolent elephants.

/ˈsevnti ˈsevn̩ bəˈnevələnt ˈelɪfənts/

AI 4.9. The spellings of RP /θ/. Further practice.

thin /θɪn/
healthy /ˈhelθi/
tooth /tu:θ/
through /θru:/
twenty-third /ˈtwenti θɜ:d/
bath /bɑ:θ /
think /θɪŋk/
cloth /klɒθ/
King Arthur sat on his throne.

/kɪŋ ˈɑ:θə sæt ɒn ɪz θrəʊn/

I think this thing is too thin.

/ˈaɪ θɪŋk ðɪs ˈθɪŋ z tu: θɪn/

The bath is only thirty-three inches wide.

/ðə bɑ:θ s ˈəʊnli ˈθɜ:ti θri: ˈɪntʃɪz waɪd/

The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.

/ðə ˈθɜ:ti θri: θi:vz ˈθɔ:t ðət ˈðeɪ θrɪld ðə θrəʊn θru:ˈaʊt ˈθɜ:zdi/

AI 4.10. The spellings of RP /ð/. Further practice.

this /ðɪs/
other /ˈʌðə/
smooth /smu:ð/
then /ðen/
teething /ˈti:ðɪŋ/
clothe /kləʊð/
rather /ˈrɑ:ðə/
there /ðeə/
I breathe rather fast when I’m bathing.

/ˈaɪ bri:ð ˈrɑ:ðə fɑ:st wen aɪm ˈbeɪðɪŋ/

I’ll do this work here then, and that work there.

/aɪl də ðɪs ˈwɜ:k hɪə ðen ənd ðət ˈwɜ:k ðeə/

It was the coldest day of the year.

/ɪt wəz ðə ˈkəʊldɪst deɪ əv ðə jɜ:/

Don't bother to gather all the leaves and heather.

/dəʊnt ˈbɒðə tə ˈɡæðər ɔ:l ðə li:vz ənd ˈheðə/̩

There those thousand thinkers were thinking how did the other three thieves go through.

/ðeə ðəʊz ˈθaʊzn̩d ˈθɪŋkəz wə ˈθɪŋkɪŋ ˈhaʊ dɪd ði ˈʌðə θri: θi:vz ɡəʊ θru:/̩

AI 4.11. The spellings of RP /s/. Further practice.

peace /pi:s/
mercy /ˈmɜ:si/
course /kɔ:s/
centre /ˈsentə/
castle /ˈkɑ:sl̩/
romance /rəʊˈmæns/
silly /ˈsɪli/
fleece /fli:s/
Some say Suzan is silly, but Alice is sillier.

/səm ˈseɪ ˈsu:zn̩ z ˈsɪli bət ˈælɪs ɪz ˈsɪlɪə/

Ice in juice is nice.

/aɪs ɪn dʒu:s ɪz naɪs/

Six terrorists assassinated the prince's son.

/sɪks ˈterərɪsts əˈsæsɪneɪtɪd ðə ˈprɪnsəz sʌn/

Six sick hicks nick six slick bricks with picks and sticks.

/sɪks sɪk hɪks nɪk sɪks slɪk brɪks wɪð pɪks ənd stɪks/

AI 4.12. The spellings of RP /z/. Further practice.

peas /pi:z/
dizzy /ˈdɪzi/
freeze /fri:z/
zebra /ˈzebrə/
crazy /ˈkreɪzi/
eyes /aɪz/
fleas /fli:z/
Zebras are like horses but striped.

/ˈzebrəz ə ˈlaɪk ˈhɔ:sɪz bət straɪpt/

Zoos are crazy places!

/zu:z ə ˈkreɪzi ˈpleɪsɪz /

Rosa plays the xylophone outside.

/ˈrozə pleɪz ðə ˈzaɪləfəʊn ˌaʊtˈsaɪd/

A noisy noise annoys an oyster.

/ə ˈnɔɪzi nɔɪz əˈnɔɪz ən ˈɔɪstə/̩

Denise sees the fleece, Denise sees the fleas.

/dəˈni:z ˈsi:z ðə fli:s dəˈni:z ˈsi:z ðə fli:z/̩

At least Denise could sneeze and feed and freeze the fleas.

/ət li:st dəˈni:z kəd sni:z ənd fi:d ənd fri:z ðə fli:z/̩

AI 4.13. The spellings of RP /ʃ/. Further practice.

shin /ʃɪn/
nation /ˈneɪʃn̩/
wash /wɒʃ/
shoot /ʃu:t/
machine /məˈʃi:n/
delicious /dɪˈlɪʃəs/
cash /kæʃ/
station /ˈsteɪʃn̩/
push /pʊʃ/
I wish the sun would shine like in Asia.

/ˈaɪ wɪʃ ðə sʌn wʊd ʃaɪn ˈlaɪk ɪn ˈeɪʃə/

The magician showed me the way to the station.

/ðə məˈdʒɪʃn̩ ʃəʊd mi: ðə ˈweɪ tə ðə ˈsteɪʃn/̩

She sells seashells on the seashore.

/ʃi selz ˈsi:ʃelz ɒn ðə ˈsi:ʃɔ:/

Shy Shelly says she shall sew sheets.

/ʃaɪ ˈʃeli ˈsez ʃi ʃəl səʊ ʃi:ts/̩

AI 4.14. The spellings of RP /ʒ/. Further practice.

genre /ˈʒɑ:nrə/
leisure /ˈleʒə/
vision /ˈvɪʒn̩/
massage /ˈmæsɑ:ʒ/
usual /ˈju:ʒʊəl/
That television is unusual.

/ðət ˈtelɪˌvɪʒn̩ z ʌnˈju:ʒʊəl

My pullover is beige and orange.

/maɪ ˈpʊləʊvə z beɪʒ ənd ˈɒrɪndʒ/

You must take some decisions.

/ju məst teɪk səm dɪˈsɪʒn̩z/̩

AI 4.15. The spellings of RP /h/. Further practice.

help /help/
behind /bɪˈhaɪnd/
how /ˈhaʊ/
who /hu:/
happy /ˈhæpi/
heaven /ˈhevn̩/
hip /hɪp/
hunt /hʌnt/
Hallo, how are you? Hungry?

/həˈləʊ ˈhaʊ ə ju ˈhʌŋɡri /

Are you hoping to stay at a hotel?

/ə ju ˈhəʊpɪŋ tə steɪ ət ə ˌhəʊˈtel /

How high is that hill?

/ˈhaʊ haɪ z ðət hɪl /

AI 4.16. The spellings of RP /ʧ/. Further practice.

chin /tʃɪn/
lecture /ˈlektʃə/
watch /wɒtʃ/
choose /tʃu:z/
kitchen /ˈkɪtʃɪn/
teach /ti:tʃ/
cheese /tʃi:z/
future /ˈfju:tʃə/
He teaches Dutch.

/hi ˈti:tʃɪz dʌtʃ/

I like cheese, cherries and chips very much.

/ ˈaɪ ˈlaɪk tʃi:z ˈtʃerɪz ənd tʃɪps ˈveri ˈmʌtʃ/

There's a chicken in the kitchen.

/ ðeəz ə ˈtʃɪkɪn ɪn ðə ˈkɪtʃɪn/

If Stu chews shoes, should Stu choose the shoes he chews?

/ɪf ˈstu: tʃu:z ʃu:z ʃəd ˈstu: tʃu:z ðə ʃu:z hi tʃu:z/

AI 4.17. The spellings of RP /ʤ/. Further practice.

gin /dʒɪn/
ledger /ˈledʒə/
badge /bæʤ/
generous /ˈdʒenərəs/
adjacent /əˈdʒeɪsənt/
college /ˈkɒlɪdʒ/
conjunction /kənˈdʒʌŋkʃn̩/
bridge /brɪdʒ/
Germans are generally generous.

/ˈdʒɜ:mənz ə ˈdʒenrəli ˈdʒenərəs/

Just sit on the edge of the bridge.

/dʒʌst sɪt ɒn ði edʒ əv ðə brɪʤ/

A large majority voted for the judge.

/ə lɑ:dʒ məˈdʒɒrɪti ˈvəʊtɪd fə ðə dʒʌdʒ/

AI 4.18. The spellings of RP /m/. Further practice.

met /met/
simmer /ˈsɪmə/
pam /pæm/
month /mʌnθ/
amber /ˈæmbə/
album /ˈælbəm/
bomb /bɒm/
someone /ˈsʌmwʌn/
Mummy’s photo was in the album all the time.

/ˈməmiz ˈfəʊtəʊ wəz ɪn ði ˈælbəm ɔ:l ðə ˈtaɪm/

We’ll discuss it in the forum.

/wil dɪˈskʌs ɪt ɪn ðə ˈfɔ:rəm/

Now it's the month of May, it’s getting warm.

/naʊ ɪts ðə mʌnθ əv meɪ ɪts ˈɡetɪŋ wɔ:m/

AI 4.19. The spellings of RP /n/. Further practice.

net /net/
sinner /ˈsɪnə/
pen /pen/
never /ˈnevə/
find /faɪnd/
none /nʌn/
know /nəʊ/
ant /ænt/
plan /plæn/
No, it’s never nice there.

/nəʊ ɪts ˈnevə naɪs ðeə/

No news is good news.

/ nəʊ nju:z ɪz ɡʊd nju:z /

They found a nice new nanny for the baby.

/ˈðeɪ faʊnd ə naɪs nju: ˈnæni fə ðə ˈbeɪbi/

Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely.

/naɪn naɪs naɪt ˈnɜ:sɪz ˈnɜ:sɪŋ ˈnaɪsli/

AI 4.20. The spellings of RP /ŋ/. Further practice.

singer /ˈsɪŋə/
pink /pɪŋk/
sink /sɪŋk/
tongue /tʌŋ/
uncle /ˈʌŋkl/
hungry /ˈhʌŋɡri/
angry /ˈæŋɡri/
thinking /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/
I heard a loud bang, and someone singing a song.

/ˈaɪ hɜ:d ə laʊd bæŋ ənd ˈsʌmwʌn ˈsɪŋɪŋ ə sɒŋ/

I’m going to the bank.

/aɪm ˈɡəʊɪŋ tə ðə bæŋk/

The singer, when he was younger, broke his finger.

/ðə ˈsɪŋə wen hi wəz ˈjʌŋɡə brəʊk ɪz ˈfɪŋɡə/

AI 4.21. The spellings of RP /r/. Further practice.

right /raɪt/
bright /braɪt/
staring /ˈsteərɪŋ/
starring /ˈstɑ:rɪŋ/
write /ˈraɪt/
rhyme /raɪm/
train /treɪn/
tremble /ˈtrembl̩/
These recent songs are really surprising.

/ðiːz ˈriːsnt sɒŋz ə ˈrɪəli səˈpraɪzɪŋ/

Who wrote the lyrics?

/hu: rəʊt ðə ˈlɪrɪks /

Roberta ran rings around the Roman ruins.

/rəˈbɜ:tə ræn rɪŋz əˈraʊnd ðə ˈrəʊmən ˈru:ɪnz/

AI 4.22. The spellings of RP /l/. Further practice.

lamp /læmp/
eleven /ɪˈlevn̩/
tall /tɔ:l/
lake /leɪk/
already /ɔ:lˈredi/
feel /fi:l/
Lent /lent/
fill /fɪl/
Lots of lakes are splendid for sailing.

/lɒts əv leɪks ə ˈsplendɪd fə ˈseɪlɪŋ/

Almost all animals are still beautiful when they are old.

/ˈɔ:lməʊst ɔ:l ˈænɪml̩z ə stɪl ˈbju:təfl̩ wen ˈðeɪ ər əʊld/

One of the loveliest flowers is called lily of the valley.

/wʌn əv ðə ˈlʌvlɪɪst ˈflaʊəz ɪz kɔ:ld ˈlɪli əv ðə ˈvæli/

Lily ladles little Letty's lentil soup.

/ˈlɪli ˈleɪdl̩z ˈlɪtl̩ ˈletiɪz ˈlentl̩ su:p/

AI 4.23. The spellings of RP /j/. Further practice.

yellow /ˈjeləʊ/
few /fju:/
yes /jes/
use /ˈju:s/
new /nju:/
yesterday /ˈjestədi/
unusual /ʌnˈju:ʒʊəl/
valuable /ˈvæljʊəbl̩/
Are you used to using online newspapers?

/ə ju ˈju:st tə ˈju:zɪŋ ˈɒnˌlaɪn ˈnju:speɪpəz/

Is your friend a lawyer yet? Yes, yesterday he was given a job for a year in New York.

/ɪz jə frend ə ˈlɔ:jə jet jes ˈjestədi hi wəz ɡɪvn̩ ə dʒɒb ˈfɔ:ə jɜ:r ɪn nju: jɔ:k/

AI 4.24. The spellings of RP /w/. Further practice.

what /ˈwɒt/
quick /kwɪk/
when /wen/
window /ˈwɪndəʊ/
while /waɪl/
quite /kwaɪt/
question /ˈkwestʃən/
woman /ˈwʊmən/
This wet weather worries me, I wonder when it will stop.

/ ðɪs wet ˈweðə ˈwʌrɪz mi: ˈaɪ ˈwʌndə wen ɪt wɪl stɒp/

The first sound in ‘wood’, ‘woman’, and ‘wool’ is the same as in ‘wed’, ‘women’ and ‘well’.

/ðə fɜ:st ˈsaʊnd ɪn wʊd ˈwʊmən ənd wʊl z ðə seɪm əz ɪn wed ˈwɪmɪn ənd wel/

Wise whales keep away from the windy west coast.

/waɪz weɪlz ki:p əˈweɪ frəm ðə ˈwɪ ndi westkəʊst/

While we were walking, we were watching window washers wash Washington's windows with warm washing water.

/waɪl wi wə ˈwɔ:kɪŋ wi wə ˈwɒtʃɪŋ ˈwɪndəʊ ˈwɒʃəz wɒʃ ˈwɑ:ʃɪŋtənz ˈwɪndəʊz wɪð wɔ:m wɒʃ ˈwɔ:tə/

,