English Consonant Sounds Guide

Welcome to the BBC Learning English page on consonant sounds. This section is designed to help you understand and practice the different consonant sounds in English. Consonants are important for clear communication and proper pronunciation.

What are Consonants?

Consonants are speech sounds that are made by blocking the airflow through the mouth or nose. Unlike vowels, consonants do not carry the main pitch of the sound.

Common English Consonant Sounds

Here are some of the most common consonant sounds in English:

B - [b] as in "bat"
D - [d] as in "dog"
F - [f] as in "fish"
G - [g] as in "goat"
H - [h] as in "hat"
J - [dʒ] as in "jam"
K - [k] as in "key"
L - [l] as in "lemon"
M - [m] as in "map"
N - [n] as in "name"
P - [p] as in "pen"
Q - [kw] as in "queen" (usually followed by a vowel)
R - [ɹ] as in "red" (in American English) or [ɹ] as in "red" (in British English)
S - [s] as in "sun"
T - [t] as in "top"
V - [v] as in "van"
W - [w] as in "wheel"
X - [ks] as in "box"
Y - [j] as in "yes" (in some words)
Z - [z] as in "zoo"

Practice Exercises

To improve your pronunciation, try practicing the following exercises:

Read aloud: Practice reading short sentences or paragraphs aloud, focusing on the consonant sounds.
Record yourself: Listen to your own voice and compare it to the sounds in the dictionary or pronunciation guides.
Use pronunciation apps: There are many apps available that can help you practice and improve your pronunciation.

Learn More

For more detailed information and resources on English pronunciation, visit our BBC Learning English Pronunciation Guide.