| Sound | Tongue | Lips | Jaw | Teeth | Air | Vocal Chords |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| /ˈ/ | ||||||
| /s/ | The tongue is behind the teeth. | The teeth remain clenched. | The air flows through the tip of the tongue towards the edge of the teeth. | The vocal cords do not vibrate. | ||
| /p/ | Place the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth, or slightly below them, so that the air is completely blocked in the oral cavity. | Round your lips tightly, creating a seal to prevent any air from escaping through your mouth. | Keep your jaw relatively tense and stable, without any movement. | The teeth should not be involved in the production of this sound. | Build up air pressure behind the blockage created by your tongue and lips, and then release the air suddenly by popping open the lips, causing a burst of air to be expelled. | Do not use your vocal cords to produce this sound, as it is an unvoiced sound. |
| /ɜ/ | The middle part of the tongue lifts towards the roof of the mouth in the middle. The front of the tongue hangs down. But it does not touch anything. | The corners of the lips come in, pushing the lips away from the face. | The vocal cords vibrate. | |||
| /r/ | The tongue forms an arch near the roof of the mouth. It does not touch any part of the mouth. | The air flows through a narrow space in your mouth. | The vocal cords vibrate. |