Classification of Sounds in the IPA Chart


1. Consonants

Consonant sounds are classified according to three main features:

Voicing – whether the vocal cords vibrate or not.

Voiced (e.g., /b/, /d/, /g/, /v/, /z/).

Voiceless (e.g., /p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, /s/).


Place of Articulation – where in the vocal tract the sound is produced.

Bilabial: /p/, /b/, /m/ (lips together)

Labiodental: /f/, /v/ (lip + teeth)

Dental: /θ/, /ð/ (tongue + teeth)

Alveolar: /t/, /d/, /s/, /z/, /n/, /l/ (tongue + alveolar ridge)

Post-alveolar: /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /tʃ/, /dʒ/ (tongue behind alveolar ridge)

Palatal: /j/ (tongue near the hard palate)

Velar: /k/, /g/, /ŋ/ (tongue against the soft palate)

Glottal: /h/, /ʔ/ (produced at the glottis)


Manner of Articulation – how the airflow is shaped.

Plosives (stops): /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/

Fricatives: /f/, /v/, /s/, /z/, /ʃ/, /ʒ/, /θ/, /ð/, /h/

Affricates: /tʃ/, /dʒ/

Nasals: /m/, /n/, /ŋ/

Approximants: /r/, /j/, /w/

Lateral Approximant: /l/


2. Vowels

Vowel sounds are classified by tongue position and lip shape:

Height (Vertical position of the tongue):

High (close): /iː/ (see), /uː/ (food)

Mid: /e/ (bed), /ɜː/ (bird), /ə/ (about)

Low (open): /æ/ (cat), /ɑː/ (car), /ɒ/ (hot)

Backness (Horizontal position of the tongue):

Front vowels: /iː/, /ɪ/, /e/, /æ/

Central vowels: /ə/, /ɜː/, /ʌ/

Back vowels: /uː/, /ʊ/, /ɔː/, /ɑː/, /ɒ/

Lip Rounding:

Rounded vowels: /uː/, /ʊ/, /ɔː/, /ɒ/

Unrounded vowels: /iː/, /ɪ/, /e/, /æ/, /ʌ/

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