Consonant Sound / k / as in "key" – American English Pronunciation

The /k/ sound is familiar to most people and may seem easy to pronounce. However, the American /k/ is more complicated than you think. And it's certainly different from the one in your native language.
After watching this video you'll be one more step closer to speaking with an American accent.
You'll practice making this sound with several pronunciation exercises with the /k/ sound recorded by the best speech therapist specializing in accent modification in the US.

Quick Links:
• Review of the /k/ consonant: 0:36
• How to make the /k/ sound: 02:11
• Pronunciation exercise 1: 03:00
• Pronunciation exercise 2: 05:11
• Pronunciation exercise 3: 06:34
• Phonics rules for the /k/ sound: 08:28

Related Videos:
#AmericanPronunciation #ConsonantSounds #StopSounds
►Stop Sounds Overview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFPbLcUCraQ
► Consonant Sound / p / as in "pie"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_n_rUKQSew&
► Consonant Sound /b/ as in "boy"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbCOXRz7Uf8
► Consonant Sound /t/ as in "toy"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLlotV_0dRI&
► Consonant Sound Flap 'T' /t̬/ as in "water"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b-UIkuwOdU
► Consonant Sound Glottal 'T' /ʔ/ as in "button"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vabg-EUHOQk
► Consonant Sound /d/ as in "dog"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N73xPe0x79g
► Consonant Sound /k/ as in "key"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxrveu6yu6E&
► Consonant Sound /g/ as in "gift"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP5XKYvxe0Q

[THIS VIDEO HAS ENGLISH, SPANISH, CHINESE, JAPANESE, VIETNAMESE, KOREAN, AND PORTUGUESE SUBTITLES]
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TRANSCRIPT

Hello there! This is the "Sounds American" channel.
In this video, we're going to talk about the American consonant sound /k/, as in the word "key." You can also hear this sound in words like "king," "can," "lack" or "queen."
We'll be using a special phonetic symbol - /k/ - for this sound.

The /k/ is one of six sounds in the stop consonants category.
Although this may seem like an easy sound to pronounce, it's probably more complicated than you think. Let's find out why.

We'll start with reviewing what we learned in the Stops Sounds Overview video.

The /k/ is made by stopping the air with the back of your tongue in your throat.
The /k/ is a voiceless sound. It has a voiced counterpart, the consonant sound /g/.
In American English, aspiration is important for the pronunciation of all stop sounds, and the /k/ is no exception.
The /k/ sound is made with a strong puff of air at the beginning of words and syllables.
At the end of words, the /k/ follows the final stop rule and is not aspirated.
The /k/ is also unaspirated after the /s/ consonant.
Listen to the following examples:
• "key," "kite," "across"
• "look," "lack," "lake"
• "skate," "skill," "scrabble,"

Now that you've reviewed the essentials, let's find out how to make the /k/ sound.

Slightly open your mouth and leave your lips in a neutral position.
Now you have to stop the air in your mouth.
Let's take a closer look at how to do that.
Raise the back of your tongue toward your throat.
Next, stop the air with the back of your tongue and then release it with a strong puff.
If you make this sound correctly, you'll hear a burst of air, like this: /k/.
Now, let's try saying it: /k/, /k/, /k/.
Ok, time to practice this sound in some words.
Let's start with the /k/ sound at the beginning of words. Don't forget to make a strong puff of air when you pronounce it.
Let's begin!
• call
• calm
• can
• car
• career
• cash
• cause
• choir
• class
• clear
• coach
• coin
• command
• commercial
• compare
• complain
• complete
• computer
• condition
• consist

Let's pause here for a second and review the final stop rule:
"When stop sounds are found at the end of words and syllables, they are not aspirated."
This is what we'll practice with the next group of words.
Let's continue!
• back
• bake
• black
• luck
• music
• park
• rock
• sack
• smoke
• snake
• stomach
• strike
• mistake
• postmark
• sidewalk

Great job!
Now you'll practice words with the /k/ sound after the /s/ consonant. Remember, in this position, the /k/ is pronounced without a puff of air.
Let's do it!
• scale
• scar
• school
• scream
• screen
• skate
• skill
• squad
• squat
• squeeze
• prescribe
• transcript
• corkscrew
• describe
• discover
• discuss
• escape
• excuse
• mosquito
• subscribe

By the way, did you know that even though the /k/ sound has its own letter 'K', that's not how it's written most of the time?
Yes, that's right. This sound is most often written with the letter 'C', as in the words "cat," "cot," "cut" or "club."

Видео Consonant Sound / k / as in "key" – American English Pronunciation канала Sounds American