?? a? - Examples of the a? diphthong as in buy - ESL British English Pronunciation
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
favourite
US / ˈfeɪvərɪt /
•UK / 'fevərɪt /
- adjecitve
- Best liked or most enjoyed
- noun
- A thing that someone likes best or enjoys most
mime
US / maɪm /
•UK / maɪm /
- noun
- Art of telling a story without speaking
- Actor telling a story using only gestures
- verb
- To act or perform using only gestures
into
US / 'ɪntə /
•UK / ˈɪntu /
- preposition
- Moving or going inside something
- In the same direction as; in the direction of
- So as to become; taking the state of
other
US / 'ʌðə(r) /
•UK / ˈʌðər /
- adjecitve
- A thing different from that mentioned
- determiner
- (Something) else; not the first (one)
- pronoun
- Being the one and only thing of that category
love
US / lʌv /
•UK / lʌv /
- noun
- Person's name
- A very strong feeling of affection
- The person you care very deeply about
- Strong, deep emotional and sexual attraction
- verb
- To care for and like someone very strongly, deeply
- To like doing very much; enjoy greatly
- To feel a strong emotional and romantic attraction
one
US / wʌn /
•UK / wʌn /
- pronoun
- You; we; people in general; someone
- The thing or person previously referred to
- adjecitve
- Used to refer to people generally
- Being a strong example of (something mentioned)
- number
- Number 1
strive
US / straɪv /
•UK / straɪv /
- verb
- To work hard/make effort to achieve something
fine
US / faɪn /
•UK / faɪn /
- adjecitve
- Good, acceptable or satisfactory
- Of high quality; made with great skill
- In a careful or exact manner; into small pieces
- Being of high quality
- Good; okay; no problem
- (Of weather) good; not raining
- noun
- Money you have to pay because you broke a rule
- verb
- To pay money because you broke a law
how
US / haʊ /
•UK / haʊ /
- adjecitve
- To what degree? in what amount?
- adverb
- (Used to explain the way to do something)
- exclamation
- For what purpose or reason?
- (Used to ask someone or something's condition)
you
US / jʊ /
•UK / ju /
- pronoun
- Person someone is speaking or writing to
- Person or people in general
make
US / meɪk /
•UK / mek /
- noun
- Product made by a particular company; brand
- verb
- To arrange or prepare something e.g. dinner
- To get to (a place) on time
- To gain the status of (teacher, lawyer, etc.)
- To create something by putting things together
- To earn a certain amount of money at a job
- To cause or force a person to do something
- To cause something to happen or be formed
shine
US / ʃaɪn /
•UK / ʃaɪn /
- noun
- Act of using a polish to clean shoes
- verb
- To point a light in a certain direction
- To make something clean by using a polish
- To make or produce a bright light
eyeglass
US / ˈaɪɡlɑːs /
•UK / ˈaɪɡlæs /
- other
- Lens for correcting defective vision in one eye; held in place by facial muscles
let
US / let /
•UK / lɛt /
- verb
- To allow someone to do something
- Introducing a suggestion to do something together
- To rent a house, etc. to others
might
US / maɪt /
•UK / maɪt /
- other
- Used to politely request an action
- Used to express that something could happen
- Power, strength, force or influence
oblige
US / ə'blaɪdʒ /
•UK / əˈblaɪdʒ /
- verb
- To do something that has been requested of you
the
US / ðə /
•UK / ðə /
- article
- Used to refer to something already mentioned
- Used to show there is only one of something
- determiner
- Used to describe all of a family
subscribe
US / səb'skraɪb /
•UK / səbˈskraɪb /
- verb
- To regularly pay to receive a service
dice
US / daɪs /
•UK / daɪs /
- noun
- Game which is played using dice
- other
- Cubes with dots numbering 1-6 on used in games
- verb
- To cut food or other things into small pieces
maybe
US / ˈmeɪbi /
•UK / ˈmebi /
- adverb
- Possibly but not certainly; perhaps
video
US / 'vɪdɪəʊ /
•UK / ˈvɪdiˌo /
- adjecitve
- Of a moving film, with sound
- noun
- Recording capturing action with sound
- verb
- To make a moving film of, with sound
now
US / naʊ /
•UK / naʊ /
- adverb
- At the present time or moment
- Right away or in the next possible moment
- Used to refer to something that just happened
- Time between the present and a moment in the past
- conjunction
- Resulting from or because of something
but
US / bət /
•UK / bʌt,bət /
- conjunction
- Used before you say something different, opposite
bye
US / baɪ /
•UK / baɪ /
- exclamation
- Saying farewell to someone
english
US / ˈɪŋglɪʃ /
•UK / ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ /
- adjecitve
- Concerning the culture and people of England
- noun
- Language of the UK, USA, Nigeria and elsewhere
- Person's name
give
US / ɡɪv /
•UK / ɡɪv /
- noun
- Degree of flexibility in something, a material
- verb
- To hand over or present something to someone
- To cause someone to have or experience something
life
US / laɪf /
•UK / laɪf /
- noun
- All the living things e.g. animals, plants, humans
- Period of time things live, from birth to death
diphthong
US / ˈdɪfθɒŋ /
•UK / ˈdɪfθɔ:ŋ /
- noun
- Union of two vowel sounds or vowel letters, e.g. the sounds , ai; ai, in pipe , paip; paip, , the le
please
US / pli:z /
•UK / pliz /
- adverb
- Used when you politely ask people for things
- verb
- To entertain someone, by dancing, singing etc.
- To make someone happy by doing something
really
US / ˈri:əli /
•UK / ˈriəˌli, ˈrili /
- adverb
- Used to stress something that is said; definitely
- In a true or accurate manner
- Very
would
US / wʊd /
•UK / wʊd /
- other
- Used to indicate something imagined
- Used to ask or request something politely
- Verb used to indicate possibility, request etc.
- Used to indicate a preference
- Used to indicate a reaction
- Indicates something that occurred repeatedly
- Used to indicate willingness or ability to do
could
US / kəd /
•UK / kʊd /
- other
- Past form of 'can' to mean have ability
- Used to ask for something politely, or to offer
enjoy
US / ɪnˈdʒɔɪ /
•UK / ɛnˈdʒɔɪ /
- verb
- To take pleasure in something
rigel
US / /
•UK / ˈrɪdʒəl /
- other
- Brightest star in Orion
have
US / həv /
•UK / hæv /
- verb
- To drink, smoke, eat or use something
- To experience the effects of something
- To organize an event, or join in an activity
- To own, possess, or hold something
- To cause to happen or produce a particular effect
without
US / wɪˈðaʊt /
•UK / wɪðˈaʊt, wɪθ- /
- preposition
- Not with; not having
lime
US / laɪm /
•UK / laɪm /
- adjecitve
- Bright green color
- noun
- White containing calcium used in farming
- Small, round and sour fruit with hard green skin
nigel
US / nɪtʃ /
•UK / ni:ʃ /
see
US / si: /
•UK / si /
- verb
- To go on a date with someone
- To predict whether something is, or will be true
- To understand what someone says
- To use your eyes to look at something
- To visit a place often for sightseeing or pleasure
- To visit or meet with someone
- To find out by waiting or looking
- To watch (a game, movie or TV show)
with
US / wɪð /
•UK / wɪð, wɪθ /
- preposition
- As an employee of a certain company
- Against something or someone
- By using something as a means
- Due to; because of
- Including
- Possessing as a feature
- Related to
- (Of the manner/attitude by which you do something)
- Used to express that people or things are together
again
US / ə'ɡen /
•UK / əˈɡɛn /
- adverb
- One more time, once more
even
US / 'i:vn /
•UK / ˈivən /
- adjecitve
- Being equal in influence, power, possibility etc.
- Being divided equally or fairly
- (Of teams/contest) with similar chances of success
- Smooth, level, or regular
- Can be divided by 2; ending in 2, 4, 6, 8, or 0
- At a regular, equally steady manner
- Remaining steady and unchanging
- adverb
- (When this is surprising) as well; too
- (Used to compare two things/stress the difference)
- verb
- To make something level; to flatten
- To make something equal
eye
US / aɪ /
•UK / aɪ /
- noun
- The part of the body that you see with
- The skill to see the good and bad parts of a thing
- Hole at the end of a needle
- verb
- To watch or study something closely
like
US / laɪk /
•UK / laɪk /
- adjecitve
- Being equal in status or kind to something else
- Similar; the same
- adverb
- For example
- preposition
- Used as a filler; used to ad emphasis
- In a way similar to the way something is done
- Such as; for example
- verb
- To want to
- To find something pleasing; to prefer something
rival
US / 'raɪvl /
•UK / 'raɪvl /
- verb
- To be nearly as good as others in quality, skill
- To be in opposition often as competitors
- adjecitve
- Matching the quality, skill, et. of others
- Opposing; being the team you compete against
- noun
- Someone you are competing against/trying to beat
that
US / ðæt /
•UK / ðæt, ðət /
- adjecitve
- The person or thing being talked about
- Used to identify something both the speakers know
- adverb
- Used to reinforce adjectives and adverbs
- To such a degree
- conjunction
- Used to connect a noun clause
- Used to introduce an adverbial clause
- Used to introduce a noun clause
- determiner
- Used as a noun to refer to something
- pronoun
- Referring an object far away
- Used to refer to the relative pronoun ‘which’
dig
US / dɪg /
•UK / dɪɡ /
- verb
- To move material to create a hole
ride
US / raɪd /
•UK / raɪd /
- noun
- Machine at an amusement park for riding on for fun
- Trip on a bicycle or a horse
- verb
- To travel in a particular vehicle as a passenger
- To sit on and control a horse or vehicle
wine
US / waɪn /
•UK / waɪn /
- adjecitve
- Dark red color
- noun
- Alcoholic drink made from the juice of grapes
comment
US / 'kɒment /
•UK / ˈkɑmɛnt /
- noun
- Something you say, giving an opinion; remark
- verb
- To say something that gives your opinion
student
US / ˈstju:dnt /
•UK / ˈstudnt, ˈstjud- /
- noun
- Person studying at school
then
US / ðen /
•UK / ðɛn /
- adverb
- A time that is not now
- Following another thing in time or arrangement
- Following on reasonably from what was just stated
- At that time, not now
tile
US / taɪl /
•UK / taɪl /
- noun
- Squares of hard material to cover floor/roof/wall
bygone
US / ˈbaɪgɒn /
•UK / ˈbaɪˌɡɔn, -ˌɡɑn /
- adjecitve
- Of times gone by; past
fright
US / fraɪt /
•UK / fraɪt /
- noun
- Strong and sudden fear
example
US / ɪgˈzɑ:mpl /
•UK / ɪɡˈzæmpəl /
- noun
- Thing, person which represents a category
each
US / i:tʃ /
•UK / itʃ /
- determiner
- Every one of two or more things
- pronoun
- Per one person or thing
get
US / ɡet /
•UK / ɡɛt /
- verb
- To become affected by illness or disease
- To begin to feel or understand an emotion or idea
- To send or bring someone or something home, etc.
- To go somewhere to obtain something
- To (cause to) do a particular thing
- To obtain, receive or be given something
- To currently have
- To prepare for use
- To understand something being said or read
dial
US / 'daɪəl /
•UK / ˈdaɪəl /
- noun
- Face of a clock that shows the time
- A knob or switch
- verb
- To call a person or place on a telephone
find
US / faɪnd /
•UK / faɪnd /
- noun
- Object discovered by chance
- Things that have been discovered from searching
- verb
- To become aware of something that is happening
- To discover or meet by chance
- To decide if someone is guilty of a crime, or not
- To learn through study, research, or effort
- To discover something by looking for it
anything
US / ˈeniθɪŋ /
•UK / ˈɛniˌθɪŋ /
- pronoun
- A thing of any kind
bible
US / ˈbaɪbl /
•UK / ˈbaɪbl /
- noun
- Book of collected Christian writings
from
US / frəm /
•UK / frʌm, frɑm,frəm /
- preposition
- Starting at a particular place, time or level
knife
US / naɪf /
•UK / naɪf /
- noun
- Long piece of metal you use for cutting things
- verb
- To attack someone with a sharp long blade
- To move through something easily and quickly
hide
US / haɪd /
•UK / haɪd /
- noun
- The skin of an animal used for making leather
- verb
- To go to, or put a thing where it can't be found
tight
US / taɪt /
•UK / taɪt /
- adjecitve
- Showing anxiety or anger; tense
- Positioned physically close together
- Managed or controlled in a strict and careful way
- (Of road, bend) curving sharply
- Drunk
- Being equally matched in ability or score
- Lacking extra space
- Having limited time available
- Being very limited in supply
- Not generous; mean with money; stingy
- (Rope or tie) pulled strongly
- Being in a good solid relationship
- adverb
- Firmly; so it can't move
and
US / ənd /
•UK / ənd, ən,ænd /
- conjunction
- Used to refer to two or more things
- Plus; in addition; on top of that
- Used to introduce an action that follows another
hike
US / haɪk /
•UK / haɪk /
- noun
- Large and unexpected increase in price, level etc.
- A long walk in mountains, etc. for exercise
- Long walk, often in a rural area, for exercise
- verb
- To make a large and unexpected increase in a price
- To take a long walk in mountains etc. for exercise
hope
US / həʊp /
•UK / hop /
- noun
- When you wish something will happen; what you wish
- verb
- To expect and want something to happen
only
US / ˈəunli /
•UK / ˈonli /
- adverb
- Just one; just that amount or thing; not more than
- Not very important or serious
- Just that type of thing, person
- Short time ago; not before a certain time
- conjunction
- Except; but
sigh
US / saɪ /
•UK / saɪ /
- noun
- Breathing out to show boredom or disappointment
- verb
- To breathe out to show boredom or disappointment
any
US / 'enɪ /
•UK / ˈɛni /
- adjecitve
- One, or some, no matter which
- pronoun
- One (thing) of many; some
dive
US / daɪv /
•UK / daɪv /
- noun
- Restaurant, bar or club with a bad reputation
- Rapid fall through air
- A jump into water head-first from a high place
- Rapid fall in the value or price of something
- verb
- To swim deep under water with an air supply
- To rapid fall through air
- To jump into water head-first
- (Of prices) to rapidly fall
channel
US / 'tʃænl /
•UK / ˈtʃænəl /
- noun
- Long hole dug in the ground, e.g. to move water
- TV or radio station or its programs
- Method or way of sending or receiving information
- Narrow passage through which water travels
- Method or route used for sending or getting things
- verb
- To dig a long hole for carrying water
- To send (e.g. money) to a certain place or person
- To direct water or liquid through a passage
- To direct energy or feelings into something
help
US / help /
•UK / hɛlp /
- noun
- Something given to enable a person to do something
- Assistance given to someone in need
- Someone who makes something easier or possible
- verb
- To act to enable a person to do something; assist
- To make something better or less difficult
they
US / ðeɪ /
•UK / ðe /
- pronoun
- Two or more people, animals, or things
kite
US / kaɪt /
•UK / kaɪt /
- noun
- Toy flown in the wind on a long string
strife
US / straɪf /
•UK / straɪf /
- noun
- Conflict or discord
take
US / teɪk /
•UK / tek /
- noun
- Filming of a single scene for TV or the movies
- verb
- To accept something that is offered
- To use a method of traveling, e.g. a bus or train
- To use a camera to make (a photo)
- To pick up something and go away with it
- To study a subject in school
- To attempt to pass (an exam)
- To require a certain amount of time, money, space
tie
US / taɪ /
•UK / taɪ /
- noun
- Item, such as string or wire, used to join things
- Strong connection between people, countries
- When both sides in a game, vote get same score
- One match or game that is part of a bigger contest
- Something that lessens a person's freedom
- Thin piece of cloth worn round neck of shirt
- Piece of wood/metal used to stop something moving
- verb
- To attach things (together) with a string or rope
- To end a game, contest or vote with the same score
- To require someone to be in a specific place
all
US / ɔ:l /
•UK / ɔl /
- adverb
- Completely; totally
- determiner
- Being every one of something
- pronoun
- 100% of something; the complete amount
hype
US / haɪp /
•UK / haɪp /
- noun
- Advertising, writing, or talk to spark interest
- verb
- To try to create interest or excitement about
wipe
US / waɪp /
•UK / waɪp /
- noun
- Act to clean or dry something with a cloth
- verb
- To clean or dry something with a cloth
- To spread a liquid on something
ripe
US / raɪp /
•UK / raɪp /
- adjecitve
- (Of a smell) disgusting
- Fully grown or mature; ready to eat
- Being ready, mature or appropriate for something
here
US / hɪə(r) /
•UK / hɪr /
- adverb
- In this place; at this location, position or time
splice
US / splaɪs /
•UK / splaɪs /
- noun
- Making two or more pieces of rope/film into one
- verb
- To connect pieces of rope, wire, or film into one
try
US / traɪ /
•UK / traɪ /
- noun
- Act of putting the ball over the rugby goal line
- verb
- To make an effort, to attempt to do something
- To examine someone or something in a court of law
- To test to see if it is good or you like it
- To make a person go through hardship; test
- To examine something to see if it works
after
US / 'ɑ:ftə(r) /
•UK / ˈæftɚ /
- adverb
- Later than another time, or behind something
- conjunction
- Following something before
- preposition
- When an event happened or time has passed
describe
US / dɪ'skraɪb /
•UK / dɪˈskraɪb /
- verb
- To tell the appearance, sound, smell of something
will
US / wɪl /
•UK / wɪl /
- noun
- Desire or choice of someone
- Document saying who gets your money when you die
- Strong desire to do something; determination
- Desire to do something; strong wish to do
- other
- Used with verbs to express the future
- verb
- To leave property to someone after your death
- To use mental effort to make something happen
- Am (is, are) likely to do
- To influence someone to do something
- To make something happen by strongly wanting it
strike
US / straɪk /
•UK / straɪk /
- noun
- A punch or hit
- Fact of not hitting the ball when playing baseball
- Refusal to work to get more pay, protest something
- verb
- To hit something
- To suddenly become (e.g. rich)
- To have an idea occur to you
eat
US / i:t /
•UK / it /
- verb
- To put food in your mouth
fry
US / fraɪ /
•UK / fraɪ /
- verb
- To cook something in fat or oil
- To burn your skin due to too long in the sun
rating
US / ˈreɪtɪŋ /
•UK / ˈretɪŋ /
- noun
- The score derived from an assessment of something
- verb
- To assess something or consider its qualities
feel
US / fi:l /
•UK / fil /
- verb
- To be aware of or experience an emotion, sensation
- To sense through direct contact; touch
side
US / saɪd /
•UK / saɪd /
- adjecitve
- In addition to the central or most important thing
- Next to, or very close to, the right or left of
- noun
- Position or opinion that is opposite to another
- Right or left part of a person's body
- Feature of someone's personality
- Straight edge of an object
- One of two or more groups fighting each other
- verb
- To decide to agree with one point, not the other
for
US / fə(r) /
•UK / fɔr,fə /
- preposition
- Used to show the purpose, or need of something
time
US / taɪm /
•UK / taɪm /
- noun
- Speed at which music is played; tempo
- Point as shown on a clock, e.g. 3 p.m
- Number of hours, minutes needed to do something
- Occasion when something happens
- Period or occasion that something occurred
- Period in history or the past
- Something measured in minutes, hours, days, etc.
- How long an event takes; duration
- verb
- To check speed at which music is performed
- To choose a specific moment to do something
- To measure how long an event takes, e.g. a race
- To schedule something to occur at a specific moment
vibe
US / vaɪb /
•UK / vaɪb /
- noun
- Distinct emotional aura experienced instinctively
line
US / laɪn /
•UK / laɪn /
- noun
- Border that divides two places or regions
- Long crease in the skin, often from age
- Mark that is long, straight and very thin
- Row of words, letters or numbers that are written
- Telephone connection
- People waiting one behind the other; queue
- Long thin wire, e.g. for electrical signal
- verb
- To put material along the inside of something
crime
US / kraɪm /
•UK / kraɪm /
- noun
- Act that is believed to be a mistake or foolish
- Act that is against the law; murder, theft etc.
mike
US / maɪk /
•UK / maɪk /
- intransitive verb
- Idle away one's time.
- noun
- A microphone.
- A period of idleness.
- A code word representing the letter M, used in radio communication.
- transitive verb
- Place a microphone close to (someone or something) or in (a place)
stripe
US / straɪp /
•UK / straɪp /
- noun
- Strip of alternating color in straight lines
mouse
US / maʊs /
•UK / maʊs /
- noun
- Small animal that has fur and a long tail
- Computer device to control movement on a screen
- Quiet, shy person
tribe
US / traɪb /
•UK / traɪb /
- noun
- Racial group united by language, religion, customs
soon
US / su:n /
•UK / sun /
- adverb
- At a time not long from now
lychee
US / ˌlaɪˈtʃi: /
•UK / ˈlitʃi /
- noun