International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) Reasons to Learn the International Phonetic Alphabet Get Words Right the First Time •what do you do when you don't know how to pronounce a word? Speak (With Good Pronunciation) From Day One •The real power of IPA comes when you use it to learn how to pronounce not just words but entire languages. Gain a Deeper Understanding of Phonetics IPA is your gateway to a deep understanding of how the human speech organ works Alphabet Sounds Vowels Consonants 5 21 The difference between vowels and consonants Vowel consonants A vowel is a speech sound made with your mouth fairly open A consonant is a sound made with your mouth fairly closed Vowels iː see /siː/ ɔː saw /sɔː/ i happy /siː/ ʊ put /pʊt/ ɪ sit /sɪt/ u actua l /ˈæktʃuə l/ e ten /ten/ uː too /tuː/ æ cat /kæt/ ʌ cup /kʌp/ ɑː father /ˈfɑːðə(r) / ɜː fur /fɜː(r)/ ɒ got ə about /əˈbaʊt/ /ɡɒt/ British Eng