How to use the Pronunciation Quiz
- Choose a quiz, or Mixed for a bit of everything. Pick the accent you want to hear in the listening quiz.
- Answer by tapping an option or pressing 1–4. Listening questions play the word automatically; tap the speaker or Slower to hear it again.
- After each answer you hear the word and see its IPA and respelling. Press Next or Enter to continue.
- At the end, review your mistakes, hear each word again, and open any of them in the Pronunciation Checker to practise.
What does this tool do?
Hear the difference plays one word from a minimal pair — two words that differ by just one sound, like ship and sheep, full and fool or light and right — and asks which one you heard. These pairs are where many learners' pronunciation and listening break down, so practising them sharpens both.
Read the IPA shows a pronunciation in the International Phonetic Alphabet and asks which word it is. Word stress asks which syllable is stressed in words like photograph, photographer and photography, where the stress moves. Silent letters asks you to tap the letter you don't say in words such as knife, island and salmon. US or UK? shows a pronunciation and asks whether it's American or British.
Every answer is checked against the same open dictionaries the Pronunciation Checker uses — the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary for American English and Britfone for British English — so the IPA in the quiz matches the checker. The words are spoken by your device's voices, and your best score for each quiz is saved in this browser only.
Why use it?
- Five kinds of question that cover listening, reading IPA, stress and spelling.
- Instant feedback with the IPA and a plain respelling after every answer.
- A review of your mistakes at the end, with links to practise each word.
- Keyboard shortcuts for quick rounds, and it works on phones.
- Free, with no sign-up.
Use cases
- Daily pronunciation practice for English learners.
- A warm-up activity for ESL and EFL classes.
- Revising IPA symbols before an exam or teaching course.
- Getting ready for IELTS, TOEFL or job interviews in English.
Example questions
One question from each quiz:
| Quiz | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Hear the difference | You hear /ˈʃiːp/ — ship or sheep? | sheep (long iː) |
| Read the IPA | Which word is /ˈkɝːnəl/? | colonel |
| Word stress | pho·to·graph·er — which syllable is stressed? | the 2nd: fuh·TAH·gruh·fur |
| Silent letters | Tap the silent letter in island | s |
| US or UK? | Is /ˈʃedʒuːl/ American or British? | British (US /ˈskedʒʊl/) |
Common mistakes
- Guessing on listening questions — play the word again, or tap Slower, before answering.
- Reading IPA like English spelling. In IPA, /i/ is the vowel in see and /j/ is the y in yes.
- Assuming stress stays put. It moves in word families: PHO·to·graph, pho·TO·gra·pher, pho·to·GRA·phic.
Accuracy and limits
- The quiz uses the most common dictionary pronunciation of each word. Some words have other accepted pronunciations, especially across regions.
- Voices come from your device. If your device has no voice for the accent you chose, the default English voice reads the word.
- Best scores are saved in this browser only, and clearing your browser data removes them.
Privacy
Everything you type is processed in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent to our servers or stored by us. There's no account to create and nothing to install.
Frequently asked questions
Is the pronunciation quiz free?
Yes, every quiz is free, with no account or sign-up.
What are minimal pairs?
Two words that differ by only one sound, like ship and sheep or fan and van. Hearing and saying the difference is a key pronunciation skill.
Do I need to read IPA?
Only for the Read the IPA and US or UK quizzes. The other quizzes use sound and spelling, and every answer shows a plain respelling too.
Can I use it in class?
Yes. Rounds are short, work on a projector or phone, and need no accounts — students can play on their own devices.
Does the quiz record my voice?
No. The quiz only plays sounds. To record yourself, use Practise in the Pronunciation Checker; the recording stays in your browser.
Last reviewed by the M2Toolkit team.