Phonetics are commonly used as a way to represent the sounds required for each syllable in a word. Dictionaries use a complex method of letters, symbols, and markings to represent the pronunciation. In the English alphabet, there are approximately 39 sounds that can be made although there are only 26 letters. To represent these sounds on the computer screen, the following standards, which do not required special symbols are being used. Each symbol is followed by common words which exemplify the sound.

Bible Study Resources

IVP Bible Background Commentary New TestamentNew Testament BackgroundArchaeology and the New TestamentAn Introduction to the Old TestamentAn Introduction to the New Testament

Vowel Sounds

  • EE – eat, beet, neat
  • IH – bit, hit
  • AY – ace, hey, day
  • EH – bread, Fred, Ted
  • A – cat, sat
  • AH – car, far
  • AW – law, saw
  • O – home, coat
  • OU – book, took, hook
  • OO – moon, spoon
  • UH – cut, nut, love
  • ER – bird, heard
  • EHR – air, tear, fair
  • AI – ice, nice, fly
  • AU – out, shout, down
  • OI – boy, coin

Consonant Sounds

Consonants sound as the letter normally sounds with these exception: G – (hard G) gun, lug

  • ZH – garage, mirage, lodge
  • TSH – church, chance, cheep

Syllable Emphasis

The syllable on which to put the emphasis, is shown in CAPITAL LETTERS.