Hi there this is the f sound. As in the words:
- for /fɔː/
- from /frɒm/
- find /faɪnd/
The /f/ is a sound from the ‘Consonants Pairs’ group and it is called the ‘Voiceless labiodental fricative’. This means that you create friction between the bottom lip and top teeth.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VcU0zNJUiU
How to pronounce the f sound
The /f/ sound is made through the mouth and it is Unvoiced which means that you don’t use your vocal chords to make the sound.
It is defined by position of your lips and teeth and it is a fricative, which is a sound that is produced by high pressure air flow between a narrow space in the mouth. In this case it is between the bottom lip and the teeth.
To produce the sound rest your top teeth on you bottom lip and force air out between your teeth.
How the f sound is Spelled
The /f/ phoneme is normally spelled with the letter ‘f’ as in the words:
- father /ˈfɑːðə/
- often /ˈɒfən/
But can also be spelt with the letters ‘ph’ as in the words: As in the word:
- phone /fəʊn/
Or the letters ‘gh’ as in the words:
- enough /ɪˈnʌf/
Examples of the f sound
Here are some words that begin with the f sound:
- family /’fæməli/
- fact /fækt/
- friend /frend/
- follow /ˈfɒləʊ/
Here are some words with the f sound in the middle:
- before /bɪ’fɔː/
- different /ˈdɪfərənt/
- information /ˌɪnfəˈmeɪʆən/
- office /ˈɒfɪs/
Here are some words with the f sound at the end /f/ sound:
- off /ɒf/
- self /self/
- tough /tʌf/
- staff /stɑːf/
So, that’s it for the /f/ sound. But we have made additional videos on each of the groups of sounds Vowels, Diphthongs, Single Consonants, or Consonant Pairs as well as a video explaining the the phonetic chart. You can also click on any of the symbols behind me to see a similar video with lots of examples and and explanation of how to pronounce that sound.
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