Lessons Unit 3, lesson 18
ʃ + vowels
The ʃ beginning opening into every vowel it starts words with. Get the mouth ready for ʃ, release straight into the vowel — no gap, no extra sound between them.
What do the marks mean?
Want the full walkthrough? Read the map explains every mark, with practice.
ʃthe sh in shop
Push your lips forward, pull the tongue slightly back, and let air hiss: shhh — the quiet-please sound.
ʃ + every vowel
One row per combination. Tap any word to hear it — every sheet comes straight from the tool.
| ʃ æ | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ʃ ɪ | |||
| ʃ ɛ | |||
| ʃ ʌ | |||
| ʃ ʊ | |||
| ʃ ɑ | |||
| ʃ iː | |||
| ʃ uː | |||
| ʃ ɔː | |||
| ʃ eɪ | |||
| ʃ aɪ | |||
| ʃ oʊ |
Rounded lips, pulled-back tongue
Sh pushes your lips slightly forward and pulls your tongue back a touch from where it sits for s — say she, shop, and shut and notice your lips forming a small pucker before any air escapes.
Spelling surprises
Not every sh sound is spelled sh: sure and sugar both open with the same consonant despite the spelling. Before uː, as in shoot and shoe, the lip-rounding for the vowel and the lip-rounding for sh stack on top of each other, so don't be afraid to round early and hold it.
Work through a column, saying each word, then repeat the column while watching your lips in a mirror to confirm the forward push stays consistent from word to word. Try share and shell right after each other and check the pucker doesn't relax between the two.