Support your pronunciation activities with our 44 A4 size downloadable pronunciation posters.

Click on each image to download the individual poster or download them all at once in the zipped folder below.

Long vowel sounds - file size 10k pdf. Click on an image to download the poster.

phoneme phoneme phoneme phoneme phoneme

Vowel sounds - file size 8k pdf. Click on an image to download the poster.

Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme

Diphthongs - file size 8k pdf. Click on an image to download the poster.

Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme

Consonants - Unvoiced and voiced pairs 1 - file size 8k pdf. Click on an image to download the poster.

Unvoiced Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme
Voiced Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme

Consonants - Unvoiced and voiced pairs 2 - file size 8k pdf. Click on an image to download the poster.

Unvoiced Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme
Voiced Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme

Other consonants - file size 8k pdf. Click on an image to download the poster.

Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme Phoneme


These phonemes are part of the phonetic chart that is used to describe the sounds of many languages. They have been established by the International Phonetic Association (IPA). For more information about the IPA and their work visit: 
www.internationalphoneticassociation.org/

The BBC and British Council are not responsible for the content of external sites.

Downloads
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Comments

Submitted by Jussara Martin… on Thu, 08/31/2023 - 13:08

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Thank you.
Phonemic symbols will enhance our pronunciation awareness. The study of pronunciation holds significant importance as it enables us to grasp the proper comprehension and articulation of English.

Submitted by profhasabo on Fri, 08/25/2023 - 08:23

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It is a very important lesson especially for teachers to find out the correct pronunciation, and reflect on the learners. It is not necessary to let beginners memorize the phonemic symbols but use it as much as possible. It more important for advanced learners to master this.

Submitted by wafaagafaar on Sat, 08/19/2023 - 18:52

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This way will help students to read the transcription in the dictionary easily and to be professional in phonology

Submitted by profhasabo on Wed, 08/16/2023 - 11:47

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This is a great learning aid that will be of benefit to me especially and to those who would like to be professional in pronunciation.

Submitted by Amany Abdelfattah on Tue, 08/15/2023 - 13:01

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It is really useful.

Submitted by Victor Honour on Sat, 08/12/2023 - 11:06

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Thanks British Council for this Symbols..
But is there a way to help us combine all these symbol in only one document.

Submitted by Lasolana20 on Wed, 03/01/2017 - 15:52

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In your home page for the above is a teacher with a phonemics symbols teaching aid. As this is now the class teaching for the next two months can you tell me if this aid is available to us teachers and where from?

Hi If you click on the link above, you can download a zip file with flashcards for all the phonetic symbols, which are great for use in class. I would also recommend using this: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/phonemic-chart if you have internet access in the class, as students will be able to hear the sounds as you click on the symbol. Hope that helps, Cath

Submitted by keslersecretarmy on Thu, 01/31/2013 - 21:32

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hi my name is jamal and live in iran.i have a question! how i can speak english? how i should start? i dont know. please help me my dear sally. thanks

Submitted by Sally Trowbridge (not verified) on Wed, 02/06/2013 - 10:26

In reply to by keslersecretarmy

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Hi Jamal
You'll find lots of activities to help you with your English on our LearnEnglish website: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/
Sally

Submitted by Upendra Babu on Fri, 10/12/2012 - 23:58

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Superb British Council, 

You are a real learning partner. We are so much benifitted from your effort.How can we develop spoken fluency in our students?

Hope you are with us.

Submitted by Sally Trowbridge (not verified) on Mon, 10/15/2012 - 08:07

In reply to by Upendra Babu

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Hi Upendra,
In our ‘Teaching resources’ section you’ll find lots of lesson plans and activities that include fluency practice. 
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/teaching-resources
There are a range of articles on speaking skills in the ‘Articles on speaking’ section. 
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/articles/speaking
Best wishes,
Sally

Submitted by fardin on Tue, 12/31/2013 - 17:00

In reply to by Sally Trowbridge (not verified)

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Please answer, Fill in the gap please . words beginning with s+stops are so odd from the sonority pint of view [s is more sonorous than the stop] that is best to regard the /s/ as forming a separate ____________________syllable.

Submitted by cyn sotelo on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 23:11

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could you give me a definition of the NLA rule?

Submitted by Sally Trowbridge (not verified) on Mon, 03/12/2012 - 09:25

In reply to by cyn sotelo

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Hi Cyn

Could you tell us what NLA stands for so that we can help with a definition?

Thanks

Sally

Submitted by cyn sotelo on Tue, 03/13/2012 - 00:59

In reply to by Sally Trowbridge (not verified)

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YES... It´s about phonetics...  (NLA means LATERAL, NASAL AND APPROX. CONSONANTS).

here in Argentina mu phonetics teacher said that it´s a rule where a sound is omited when thre comes a nasal lateral or approximant consonant.. OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT

Submitted by Sally Trowbridge (not verified) on Fri, 03/16/2012 - 06:53

In reply to by cyn sotelo

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Hi Cyn

A lateral is 'a speech sound (a consonant) which is produced by partially blocking the airstream from the lungs, usually by the tongue, but letting it escape at one or both sides of the blockage. For example, in English the /l/ in light is a lateral.'From the Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics.

I hope that helps!

Hi Shirin

You can listen to the sounds of the phonemic chart (and hear sample words including the sounds) here: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/activities/phonemic-chart#comment-17303

I'm afraid you can't download it at the moment.

Sally

Submitted by eduardoz on Mon, 11/28/2011 - 22:22

In reply to by Sally Trowbridge (not verified)

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Hi my name is Eduardo, and I love this webpage, but I have a question that it´s very important to me--

You say phonemic symbols or phonetic symbols? or both are ok?  as students of English here in Chile, we are really confused with this matter.

Thank you very much.

and I hope your answer.

Submitted by Sally Trowbridge (not verified) on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 11:02

In reply to by eduardoz

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Hi Eduardo

That's a good question! The Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics uses the terms 'phonetic symbols' and talks about 'the phonemic system of a language'.

According to The Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics 'phonemic notation uses only the distinctive sounds of a language (phonemes). It does not show the finer points of pronunciation. It is written with slanting brackets //.' Whereas 'phonetic notation is written in square brackets []'.

I hope that helps!

Sally

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