Vowels vs Consonants: English Letters and Sounds

Vowels and Consonants in English Text vs English Speech

If you ask most English language learners, "How many vowels are in English?", the majority will say five: A, E, I, O, and U.

This answer is not wrong, but it is not a complete answer. English language, in total, has 20 vowel sounds, and those 5 letters called vowel letters are actually letters which are used to represent those 20 vowel sounds.

Many English learners (especially in places like Pakistan, where grammar and vocabulary are the main focus) are unaware of this difference. This happens because language learning most of the time heavily focuses on written English. But spoken English and how it operates receive much less attention. This is one of the reasons the accent of those learning English as a second or third language sounds very different from native English speakers. To understand how English speech in relation to the text truly works, we need to look at how language is formed.

The Two Forms of Language

Every single language known to mankind today exists (or has existed) in at least one of the two possible forms:

1. Phonetic Form: The spoken form (speech and sounds).
2. Semiotic Form: The written form or symbolic form (text and letters).

Some languages like English, Hindi, Urdu and Mandarin widely exist in both spoken and written form.

Whereas there are other languages which only exist in the form of text (i.e. manuscripts, letters) or symbols (i.e. archaeologically observed engravings). For instance, Egyptian Hieroglyphs, Hittite and Sumerian are languages which no one speaks today but they still exist in their semiotic form. Sign languages too, only exist in semiotic form. (You can learn more about the history of Sign Languages here)

English Letters vs. English Sounds

In English, both the letters you use to write and the sounds you use to speak are divided into two main categories: Vowels and Consonants. When comparing written and spoken English, the number of vowels and consonants do not align exactly. While the English language uses just 26 letters for its textual form, there are approximately 44 unique sounds (known as phonemes) that help differentiate one word from another.

These 44 sounds fall into two distinct categories:

• 20 Vowel Sounds: A vowel sound is an open sound i.e. it is a sound which is produced without any constriction or blockage of airflow.
• 24 Consonant Sounds: A consonant sound is one in which the airflow is cut off (i.e. air is stopped/constricted/restricted), either partially or completely, when the sound is produced.

Vowels vs Consonants: What's the Physical Difference

The real difference between a vowel and a consonant sound is the way they are produced/articulated. It is about what your mouth, lips, and tongue do when you produce the sound.

What is a Vowel?

A vowel is a sound you make with your mouth open and air flowing freely.

• The Letters: In writing, vowel sounds are represented by 5 letters: A, E, I, O, and U.
• How it Works: When you make a vowel sound, nothing gets in the way of the air. Your tongue, lips, and teeth do not block or restrict the airflow. (Try saying "Ahhhh" or "Eeeee" to feel this).

What is a Consonant?

A consonant is a sound you make by blocking or restricting the air (either partially or completely) before it leaves your mouth.

• The Letters: In writing, consonant sounds are represented by 21 letters (all letters except A, E, I, O, U).
• How it Works: To make a consonant sound, a part of your mouth has to get in the way. You might use your lips to stop the air for a second (try saying the sound of "b" as in "Bag"), use your teeth to squeeze the air (try saying the sound of "f" as in "four"), or send the air out through your nose (try saying the sound of "n" or "m" as in "name").

The Letter Y: A Semi Vowel & Semi Consonant

The letter "Y" is called a semi-vowel and semi-consonant letter because it can represent both vowel and consonant sounds depending on the word and place it is used in.

• "Y" as a Consonant: When "Y" is at the beginning of a word or syllable, it usually acts as a consonant sound.
  • Example: Think of the word Yummy. The sound of "Y" (yuh) here is a consonant since we are using our tongue to restrict the airflow.
    
    
• "Y" as a Vowel: When "Y" is in the middle or at the end of a word, it usually acts as a vowel sound. Your mouth stays open, and the air flows freely.
  
  
  • Example: Think of the word Gym. In this word, the "Y" perfectly represents a short "i" (ih) vowel sound.

Why This Matters for Your English

Understanding that English uses 26 letters to make 44 sounds is the secret to better pronunciation. When you realise that the spelling of a word does not always match how it sounds, you are exposed to a limitation in the traditional language learning strategies. That helps you understand that you can not solely rely on English spellings. You realise that in order to speak naturally like native-speakers you will also have to introduce yourself to the knowledge of how a word is supposed to be said or how natives say it.

Once you understand this difference and start learning in a better style, your English speech begins to feel a lot more natural!