Part One: Reading the Phonemic Script
NB: The transcription guidelines that follow are based on the pronunciation used in a standard British accent. You'll find the phonemes of American English here (scroll down), Australian English here, Canadian English here, New Zealand English here, and South African English here. For other varieties just google Phonemes of XXXX English.
Here's a list of the phonemes of standard British English and words which contain them.
Check if you can read individual words written in phonemic script using this activity.
Task Two
Check your knowledge of the consonant symbols with this activity.
Task Three
This activity will check your ability to recognise correct phonemic script
Task Four
Read the following. It’s a description of an activity using minimal pairs, which comes from Kenworthy (1987 p.48), Teaching English Pronunciation, Longman. Write it out in normal script including punctuation. Note that punctuation is never included in phonemic script.
/ðə lɜːnəz hɪə tuː wɜːdz ɪn səkseʃn ənd hæf tə
seɪ weðə ðeɪ hɜːd ðə seɪm wɜːd twaɪs ɔː tuː dɪfrənt wɜːdz səd wʌn ɑːftə ðiː ʌðə
ðɪs taɪp əv pəsepʃn eksəsaɪz ɪz pətɪkjəliː wel suːtɪd tuː sɪʧuːweɪʃnz weə
lɜːnəz kænɒt dɪstɪŋgwɪʃ tuː ɪŋglɪʃ saʊnz bɪkɒz ɪn ðeə neɪtɪv læŋgwɪʤ ðiːz tuː
saʊnz ɑː sɪmplɪ veəriːjənts əv iːʧ ʌðə fɔː ɪkzɑːmpl ə ʤæpəniːz lɜːnə əpɒn
hɪərɪŋ rəʊd ən ləʊd meɪ seɪ seɪm bɪkɒz ɪn ʤæpəniːz ðiːz saʊnz ækʧəliː kaʊnt əz
ðə seɪm saʊnd ɪn ɪŋglɪʃ ðeɪ ɑː tʊ ðɪfərənt saʊndz/
You can check your answer below if you’re not sure of anything.
Part
Two: Writing the Phonemic Script
Task One
For this activity, you'll need to use the IPA Typewriter. Click on the phonemic symbols to write each sentence from the task, and then cut and paste it into the task answer box.
Task Two
Now look at the text of the extract from Kenworthy that you worked on before. Transcribe it into phonemic script. Don't try and do it all at once if you're not yet fully familiar with the script - work on one sentence a day.
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After you finish each sentence, compare your version with the one in Part One. Note the sounds where you have made mistakes and the correct symbols for them
