1. Consonant sounds and letters

Consonant sounds are not very difficult compared to vowel sounds as a consonant letter usually represents one consonant sound. Pay attention though as some consonant letters can represent two different consonant sounds.

Here are the symbols that do not look like a usual consonant letter and the combination of letters associated as well as examples of words:


Consonant sound

Letter/combination of letters

Examples

/ʧ/

CH- / -TCH / -TURE

Lecture, pitch, Bachelor, natural

/ʤ/

-G(+vowel) / -J-

College,  subjects, Geography, technology, junior

/ʃ/

SH- / -TI- / -CI-

Freshman, tuition, associate (can also be pronounced /s/)

/ʒ/

-SI-

Revision,  

/ð/

-TH-

The, these, theirs, mother

/θ/

-TH-

Mathematics, Maths, earth,

/ŋ/

-NG

Engineering,  studying

/j/

Y   or U

University, youth


Watch out: the same combination of letters (even consonants) can lead to a different pronunciation.

e.g. Chemistry <ch> is pronounced /k/, <ture> when it is in a stressed syllable is pronounced /tjʊə/