Rules for reading English words table with examples. How to read and pronounce English transcription

Sounds expressed by letters are conveyed using transcription signs. How to read the transcription is described on the page: Transcription

What are open and closed syllable types: Open and closed syllable

Vowel sounds.

Stressed vowels

eɪ ]-c a se - [keɪs]- case.

æ ] -t a nk - [tæŋk]- tank, tank.

Vowel + r - [ ɑː ] -c a r - [kɑː ]- car, car.

Vowel + r + consonant - [ ɑː ] -p a rk - [pɑːk ]- park.

Vowel + r + vowel - [ eə]- v a ry - [ˈveəri ]- vary.

In an open syllable it reads like - [ iː ]-sh e - [ʃiː ]- she.

In a closed syllable it reads like - [ e]- b e t - [bet]- bet, bet.

Vowel + r - [ zː ]- h e r - [hɜː ]- her, her.

Vowel + r + consonant - [ zː ]-t e rm - [tɜːm ]- term.

Vowel + r + vowel - [ ɪə ] - m e re - [mɪə ]- just.

In an open syllable it reads like - [ aɪ]-l i ne - [laɪn ]- line.

In a closed syllable it reads like - [ ɪ ] - b i t - [bɪt ]- bit, a little.

Vowel + r - [ zː ]-s i r - [sɜː ]- sir.

Vowel + r + consonant - [ zː ]-th i rd - [θɜːd]- third.

Vowel + r + vowel - [ aɪə]- h i re - [haɪə]- rent.

In an open syllable it reads like - [ əʊ ] - z o ne - [zəʊn ]- zone, district.

In a closed syllable it reads like - [ ɒ ] -l o t - [lɒt ]- a lot.

Vowel + r - [ ɔː ] - o r - [ɔː ] - or.

Vowel + r + consonant - [ ɔː ] - b orn - [bɔːn]- was born.

Vowel + r + vowel - [ ɔː ] - st o ry - [ˈstɔːri ]- story.

In an open syllable it reads like - [ jʊː ]- n u de - [njʊːd ]- naked.

In a closed syllable it reads like - [ ʌ ] -c u t - [kʌt ]- cut.

Vowel + r - [ zː ]- f u r - [fɜː ]- wool, skin.

Vowel + r + consonant - [ zː ]- b urn - [bɜːn ]- burn.

Vowel + r + vowel - [ jʊə ]-p u re - [pjʊə ]- clean.

In an open syllable it reads like - [ aɪ]- m y - [maɪ]- my.

In a closed syllable it reads like - [ ɪ ] - m y th - [mɪθ ]- myth.

Vowel + r + vowel - [ aɪə]-t y re - [taɪə]- tire.

Vowel combinations

[iː ]

ee-s ee - [ˈsiː ]- see

ea-s ea - [siː ]- sea

ie-bel ie ve - [bɪˈliːv]- believe

[ɑː ]

a + ss - gr ass - [ɡrɑːs]- grass

a + st - l ast - [lɑːst]- last

a + sk - t ask - [tɑːsk ]- task

a + sp - gr asp - [ɡrɑːsp ]- grasping

a + lm - c alm - [kɑːm ]- calm

ea + r - h ear t - [hɑːt ]- heart

[ɔː ]

au- au thor - [ˈɔːθə ] - author

aw-s aw - [ˈsɔː ]- saw, saw

oo + r - d oor - [dɔː ]- door

aught-t aught - [tɔːt ]- learned

ought-th ought - [θɔːt ]- thought

a + l - w al l - [wɔːl ]- wall

a + lk - t alk - [ˈtɔːk ]- conversation, conversation

wa + r - war m - [wɔːm ]- warm

[ɒ ]

wa- wa nt - [wɒnt]- want

[uː ]

oo-t oo - [tuː ]- too, too

ou - gr ou p - [ɡruːp ]- group

[juː ]

ew-n ew - [njuː ]- new

[ʊ ]

oo-b oo k - [bʊk ]- book

[zː ]

ea + r - l ear n - [lɜːn]- teach, study

wo + r - wor k - [ˈwɜːk ]- Job

[ʌ ]

o-s o n - [sʌn ]- son

ou-c ou ntry - [ˈkʌntri ]- country

oo-fl oo d - [flʌd ]- flood

[eɪ ]

ai-r ai n - [reɪn]- rain

ay-d ay - [deɪ]- day

ey-th ey - [ˈðeɪ]- They

eigh- eigh t - [eɪt ]- eight

[aɪ]

i + gn - s ign - [saɪn]- sign

i + ld - ch ild - [tʃaɪld ]- child

i + nd - bl ind - [blaɪnd]- blind

igh-n high t - [naɪt ]- night

[ɔɪ ]

oi- oi l - [ɔɪl ]- oil, petroleum

oy-t oh - [tɔɪ ]- toy

[aʊ ]

ou - ou t - [aʊt ]- from, outside

ow-d ow n - [daʊn ]- down

[əʊ ]

oa-c oa t - [ˈkəʊt ]- coat

ow-kn ow - [nəʊ ]- know

o + ll - t oll - [təʊl ]- losses

o + ld - c old - [kəʊld ]- cold

[ɪə ]

ea + r - n ear - [nɪə]- near, about

ee + r - engin eer - [ɛndʒɪˈnɪə ]- engineer

[eə]

ai + r - ch air - [tʃeə ]- chair

e + re - th here - [ðeə]- there, there

ea + r - b ear - [beə]- bear

[ʊə ]

oo + r - p oor - [pʊə ]- poor

our-t our - [tʊə ]- tour, travel

Consonant sounds.

Consonant combinations

[k ]-lu ck - [lʌk ]- luck, chance

[ʃ ] - sh ip - [ʃɪp ]- ship

[tʃ ] - ch ip - [tʃɪp ]- chip

[tʃ ]-ca tch - [kætʃ ]- catch, catch

[ɵ ] - th ick - [θɪk ]- thick

[ð ] - th is - [ðɪs]- this, this, this

[f ] - pH one - [fəʊn ]- telephone

[kw ] - qu ite - [kwaɪt ]- enough

[n] - kn ife - [naɪf ]- knife

[ƞ ] -thi ng - [θɪŋ ] -

[ƞk ]- si nk - [sɪŋk ]- sink, drain

wh + o - [h ] - wh o - [huː ]- Who

wh + other vowels - [w] - wh at - [wɒt ]- What

wr at the beginning of a word before vowels - [r] - wr iter - [ˈraɪtə]- writer

Consonants with two reading options.

Reads like [ s ] before: e, i, y. ni c e - [naɪs]- good, city - [ˈsɪti ]- city.

And how [ k ] in other cases: with ome - [kʌm ]- come, c atch - [kætʃ ]- catch.

Reads like [ ʤ ] before: e, i, y. lar g e - [lɑːdʒ ]- big, en gine - [ˈendʒɪn ]- engine.

Exceptions: g et - [ɡet]- receive, be g in - [bɪˈɡɪn ]- start, g ive - [ɡɪv ]- give.

And how [ g ] in other cases: g ood - [ɡʊd]- good, pleasant, g o - [ɡəʊ ] - go, go.

Reading types

Additional material, partially duplicating the previous one. Taken from another source and given for a deeper understanding of this topic.

The tables show how to correctly pronounce diphthongs, vowels and consonants in the English language.. The sound conveyed by a letter or letter combination is indicated using transcription signs, and the pronunciation of English sounds indicated in Russian letters should be understood as a hint to transcription, and not as an exact pronunciation of English sounds.

The rules of reading in English cannot be called simple. But you have to understand them at the very beginning of training - otherwise you won’t be able to move forward. Therefore, the rules for reading English for beginners (and for children) are usually presented concisely and clearly - and thank you for that. Transcriptions with examples and other auxiliary materials (tables, exercises) and, of course, constant practice (reading aloud and listening) are very helpful.

Transcription- is the transmission of sound in writing using special symbols. In transcription, each sound has its own special sign.

True, there are features of transcription of reading in English that are difficult for Russian-speaking students. These difficulties are due to objective differences in pronunciation in English and Russian. Our language has simply been “different” since childhood, and relearning is always difficult. Especially when you consider that sounds in English are often pronounced differently from how they are written. Historically, this happened due to the large number of dialects in which the same letters and combinations of letters were read differently. But this doesn’t make it any easier for us.

Rules for reading transcriptions in English

Different English teachers solve this difficult problem in different ways. For example, they use the so-called “English transcription in Russian,” that is, writing English words in Russian letters. To be honest, we do not support this technique. Because it does not allow you to truly learn English pronunciation correctly. It is only possible to very approximately convey the pronunciation of English words in Russian letters. Well, there are no English sounds in the Russian language, and the seemingly similar pronunciation of English and Russian sounds is still different.

Therefore, we are in favor of trying and learning the phonetic symbols with which transcriptions are written from the very beginning. This will help you understand and remember the rules of reading English for beginners. And in the future, English lessons will be much easier. As for the transmission of English sounds in Russian letters, this technique is needed for transliteration (like), but not for training pronunciation.

Rules for reading vowels in English

As we have already noted, letters and sounds in English often do not match. Moreover, there are many more sounds: 44 sounds for only 26 letters. Linguists even joke about this:

“We write Liverpool and we read Manchester”

There is such a big difference between a written word and its pronunciation in English. Well, let's start in order. From syllables that affect the reading of vowels. Syllables in English (as in any other language) are open and closed:

• Open syllable ends with vowel. It can be in the middle of a word or be the last word. For example: age, blue, bye, fly, go, etc.
• Closed syllable ends with I agree. It can also stand in the middle of a word or be the last in a word. For example: bed, big, box, hungry, stand, etc.

Here is a table that explains how the same letter is read differently in closed and open syllables and in different positions in a word:

Rules for reading consonants in English

Consonants in English are less challenging than vowels. Only some of them (C, S, T, X and G) are read differently depending on their position in the word and neighboring sounds. And for clarity, here is the table again:

How are letter combinations read in English?

So, after vowels and consonants, we get to letter combinations. Now we will talk about the rules for reading syllables, not individual letters. And this is correct - after all, in words, letters are combined, so we rarely have to read individual sounds. And in syllables, sounds influence each other, so the following table contains the basic rules for reading syllables and combinations of consonant letters:

Live and other rules of reading in English

All students have different language and listening abilities. If the rules of reading in English are difficult, use one of the following techniques:

• Living rules for reading English. This is a fairly well-known technique for teaching reading and pronunciation in English. It is designed mainly for children, and the rules of English reading are presented in the most accessible way. Memorization is made easier by funny poems and tongue twisters. It makes sense to try to get your child interested in English from the very beginning of learning.
• Applications for learning English. We recently discussed a whole series. In most of them you can not only read, but also listen to new words. The same function is available in online translators - use it more often.
• Exercises on reading rules. There are many of them, but they all come down to training the skill of distinguishing different sounds. For example:

Given a list of words ( what, who, wrestling, when, why, whose, wrong, where, whom, write, white, which, whole, wrangler). You need to distribute these words into groups with the sound that is pronounced in them: [w], [h] or [r].

Or words from another list ( give, good, cage, ginger, girl, gypsy, gold, grey, grace, beige, gift, gymnastics) distribute into two groups: one with the sound [g], the second - with the sound .

The reading rules exercises may seem complicated, but don't try to do them by memorizing every rule. Better try to understand not the rules, but the principles of reading English sounds. Do several exercises on reading rules to know exactly how to read some of the same type of words. The more you read and listen in English, the easier it will be to remember the correct pronunciation.

So our main advice is universal: practice, practice and once again practice of communicating and reading in English will help you learn the language easily and effectively!

We have already talked to you about how to learn English using the Pimsleur method, but there we looked at learning English from the aspect of speaking. And in this article we will consider the question of how to learn to read in English using the Pimsleur method? It's hard to say what the priority is. However, spoken language is the basis of meaningful reading aloud. So, let's learn to read English! Learning to read English using Dr. Pimsleur's method Therefore, the course with the first level of mastering English using Dr. Pimsleur's method includes 21 reading exercises. You can work on these exercises while simultaneously studying 30 audio lessons of the main course. This will be your next step in learning the language.

In preparing these exercises, Pimsleur's goal was primarily to help you establish connections between the letters of the alphabet and the sounds of spoken language. To get started with free online exercises, you just need to have an understanding of letters and American sounds.

During online learning, consistently studying the material of each free lesson, you will gradually move from the already known repetition to the acquisition of new knowledge. Step by step you will learn letter-sound combinations, gradually learning to read more and more complex examples and combinations.

Don't forget that the lessons contain the basic patterns and rules of spelling and pronunciation adopted in American English. Of course, various exceptions to these rules remain. However, as you delve deeper into the language and build up your vocabulary, you will learn to quickly recognize these exceptions. How to learn to read English? And in order for you to encounter as few difficulties as possible on your way, the material in the online lessons reflects more frequently encountered designs and examples. Soon you will be able to easily recognize and comprehend English words without having to spell them.

Although, of course, learning to read in any foreign language will require work, patience, strength, and great desire from you. All exercises are recorded at the end of the English for Russian Speakers course after the online oral lessons. You can study them completely free of charge and without interfering with the course in any way.

You also decide which option to work with reading exercises to choose: you can alternate them with mastering 30 audio lectures of spoken language, or you can postpone reading until you have mastered the main cycle, or you can not study the main cycle at all.

However, keep in mind that the reading exercises will contain words from the main course as well as new information. Therefore, you may find it easier to understand the reading lessons after completing the main course.

Exercises for reading in English

Choosing the pace of work on reading lessons using the Pimsleur method is up to you. Repeat the reading exercises as many times as you deem necessary in order to move on to the next lesson. You will receive other instructions for working with the course from the speaker as you begin to study the audio recordings. Pimsleur course “English for Russian speakers” Listen carefully to how the American speaker pronounces the word. Then repeat the word or phrase several times after the professional, as close to the original as possible. Keep in mind that speech structures should be repeated out loud for the most effective results.

Of course, nothing is given for nothing. But to date, nothing better than Dr. Pimsleur’s language system has been proposed. Put in minimal effort, and you will be pleasantly surprised when you quickly learn to read English and understand American speech.

On this site you will find all 21 reading exercises from Dr. Pimsleur, which you can listen to online or download for free. Learn to read English with us!

Below you can go directly to the exercises.
Lesson No. 1 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 2 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 3 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 4 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 5 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 6 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 7 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 8 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 9 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 10 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 11 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 12 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 13 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 14 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 15 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method
Lesson No. 16 Learning to read English, Pimsleur method

Greetings, friends.

I think each of you - whether you are a parent or a teacher - understands that the rules for reading English for children differ from the rules for adults, but not in content, but in the volume and presentation of the material.

Preschoolers or school-age children who are just starting to learn English should be given such information in very portions, accompanied by bright pictures, video and audio materials. Of course, you should immediately give memorable examples and, if possible, reinforce everything with exercises. Then this topic will be easy and even interesting for the young student.

On this page you will find very colorful and useful tables with the basic vowel sounds of the English language. ().

In the first table you can see the basic vowel letters and how to read them.

In the second table - the most common combinations of vowels in words and also ways to read them.

And in the third and fourth — examples of sentences with words containing the mentioned letters and combinations.

How to work with them?

1. First, explain to your child that each vowel letter in English can be read differently and, using table 1, look at the examples and read them together (you can also study if it is not clear to the child).
2. Then talk about the fact that in the English language there are vowel letters that often stand next to each other and in this case they will sound differently together. You will see and read this together using the examples from the 2nd table.
3. In the third and fourth tables, you and your child will be able to read entire sentences, each of which contains several words with the same vowel sounds (they are underlined). Before each example sentence, a transcription icon with the sound being practiced is highlighted in red. Read it first, and then the whole sentence.

To make it easier for you, I recorded audio for these materials. Listen and practice.

Letters and sounds

Comment to table 1: If you noticed, each vowel letter in the English language can be read in two ways: either the way we read it in the alphabet, or another way. So, usually in alphabetical order the letters "a, e, i, o, u" are read in words that end with a letter "e" or consisting of more than one syllable . But in short monosyllabic words ending with a consonant, they are read differently. You need to remember this! Reading a letter "y" You also need to remember in two ways - but here the logic is different - in short words, where it comes in last place, we read it alphabetically (to be precise, almost alphabetically), and in long words - in a different way.

Regularly re-read with your children examples of short monosyllabic and longer English words with vowel letters - then their reading rules will be “written” in the child’s memory, and subsequently he will be able to use the method of analogy to recognize the way in which the letter will be read. You will find a lot of similar practice in mine.

Example sentences

Hope you enjoyed it!

By the way, I wrote about important rules when teaching a child to read correctly in English - there you will also find some practice with the spoken material.

How to learn to read English (M. Kaufman) - This is a very interesting guide for children. What is very remarkable is that in parallel with learning to read, acquaintance with the English-speaking culture occurs. This awakens the child’s interest and curiosity in the language... And interest, as you know, is already 50% of success! If not more...

If you have any questions, write and ask them in the comments - I will be happy to help.

In general, the process of learning to read depends a) on age and b) on the level of existing knowledge. Although, what level is there?! We just want to learn to read, right? It turns out that you need to start from the “zero mark”. Someone once proved that the older a person is, the less ability he has to learn new knowledge. But adults have more experience in communicating in their native language. It will be useful for comparing the pronunciation features of letters in Russian and English.

More “experienced” citizens have the opportunity to study using a self-instruction manual, but it is still recommended to hire a teacher who will monitor the development of your reading and pronunciation abilities. And for children, a mentor in this process is simply shown.

Simple and clear

If the entire theory of learning to read in English is reduced to an elementary procedure, it will only contain 5 main points.

1. We become familiar with our native language in early childhood. We begin immediately with words whose meanings we understand from their connection with the objects called by these words. Then we put them into sentences. But remember how your conscious mastery of the Russian language began? - From the alphabet, that's right, well done! So in English, first you need to put together a graphic representation of the letters and their pronunciation.
2. Learn to record the sounds of the English language using transcription. This method, although “old-fashioned”, is effective. Many modern language schools have already moved away from it, citing the fact that they teach to listen to sounds and compare them with letters. We insist that a person must “see” the sound, and not just hear it. Mastering transcription means being able to read a word, no matter what features it has. Indeed, in addition to the rules, there are often exceptions. So if you have any doubts about how to read a word, you can always check its transcription in the dictionary.
3. Do not give English words "Russian spelling". There is an opinion that “it’s easier to remember” if you write down a word from the English language using symbols that we understand (a cat). It's easier to remember, of course. But, firstly, it hurts the eyes and ears, and, secondly, our goal is not just to remember, but to understand how to learn to read in English (“in English” is the key word).

   The British have a saying that they say “Liverpool” but should write “Manchester”. This means that English contains a lot of sounds that you will not find in Russian. Therefore, if we replace sound units that are difficult for a Russian person with simpler ones, we risk learning the word incorrectly and, as a result, failing to fulfill the main goal of the process of learning to read. So practice difficult sounds. Master them - it will be easier further.

4. Remember the basic rules of reading. Scare you, or what? - There are only 6 vowels in the English language. Aren't you scared? But each of them has 4 reading options, plus some “special cases”. This is not to mention diphthongs and even triphthongs!!! - Aren't you scared? And rightly so. We have “painted” this “devil” in such a way, but in fact, difficulties can be avoided by grouping words with the same combinations of letters and, as a result, sounds. This will help you practice the reading rule on a whole series of words at once, which will go into your initial vocabulary.

   Tongue twisters can also be to your advantage. Most of them are built on the principle of using the same sound combination in several words. Moreover, the effect of “rhyme” is often created, which further simplifies the assimilation of these words. And the fact that they are fast talkers is not important. At the stage of practicing sounds and reading rules, you just need to pronounce them slowly, with understanding and attention to articulation. You will always have time to increase the pace.

5. Try to support the text with sound. This is another secret of how to learn to read English from scratch. Children at school often do "reading for assessment" assignments. They look at the textbook, where words are written that practice a certain reading rule. The teacher says these words and the children repeat. In this way, students draw an analogy between how a word is written and how it is pronounced. Adults can resort to the help of, say, audiobooks, which exactly repeat their text version. You can even start with children's works, where the simplest words are used, and the reader's speech rate is low. Over time, it will be possible to take on more serious texts that belong to the “golden fund” of English literature.

You ask, “How can we cope with all this”? What about the teacher who teaches you? However, if you haven’t attracted him, you can do it on your own. It is enough to purchase an audio course for beginners or find it on the Internet. The convenience of the latter method is that you can download the lessons to your mobile phone, tablet, or simply to your player and listen to them on the way from one point to another. But it is better, we repeat, to study with an experienced teacher who will be able to tell you where and what is wrong with you, and will also correct these flaws.

Too good is also bad

Each of us, of course, strives to show ourselves from the best side. We think that we will go to London or New York, Washington, or some other place where native English is spoken, and there we will be admired. But the only trouble is that such a concept as “original” has not been applied to the English language for a long time. Wherever possible, native speakers have come up with their own pronunciation standards. The speech you hear on some disc or in an audiobook may be much different from what will flow from the lips of a foreigner you meet on the street, and you will have to get used to this for some time.

In general, while mastering the basics of reading and pronunciation, try not to overdo it. As the lines from Bernard Shaw’s famous work “Pygmalion” say, there is no need to strive for perfection, because if you achieve it, then there is a risk of being misunderstood by the British or Americans themselves. People in different parts of these countries speak differently. Therefore, you should not try to reach the ideal, but you just need to know how to read English correctly so that your pronunciation is “good”.