Lessons Unit 1, lesson 25
f as in fan
One consonant, on its own page. Hear it, watch where it sits in each word's sheet, then say the words yourself.
What do the marks mean?
Want the full walkthrough? Read the map explains every mark, with practice.
ff as in father
Rest your top teeth on your bottom lip and blow: fff. Air only — your voice stays off.
Now say it yourself
Read each word from its sheet, out loud, three times. Where there's a play button, listen first and copy what you hear. Slow is fine — speaking clearly matters more than speaking fast. Tap a word's microphone to record yourself and see which sounds landed.
Check your pronunciation, on this device. The first use downloads a small AI listener (about 40 MB, one time, then it's cached). Your voice is analyzed here in your browser — it never leaves your device.
The voicing pair: f and v
f and v are made in the exact same spot — top teeth resting on the bottom lip — but f runs on air alone, with no buzz from your voice. fan and van are a perfect minimal pair: same mouth shape, different switch.
Rest a hand on your throat while saying fan — you should feel nothing. Say van and you'll feel a buzz. If fan buzzes too, you're adding voice you don't need.
Don't swap it for p
Some learners substitute a p for f, closing the lips instead of resting teeth on lip. Check in the mirror during father or fish — your top teeth should be visible touching your bottom lip, lips never fully sealed.
At the end of a word, like in if or half, keep the air flowing steadily rather than clipping it short.