英语有二十六个字母，五个纯元音字母（AEIOU），20个纯辅音字母，一个半元音字母（Y）。一般来讲元音字母在单词中读元音，辅音字母在单词中读辅音，理论上每个元音字母要有四种读音才能满足20个元音音素的读音需要。我们把元音字母的四种读音分别称为：重开音、重闭音、非重音、协同音。元音字母在音节中的读音一般规则可以归纳为下：

重开音是指元音字母在重读开音节的读音，元音字母在重读开音节中一般读字母本身的音或长音。重闭音是指元音字母在重读闭音节中的读音。非重音指的是元音字母在非重读音节的读音，元音字母在非重读音节一般有[ ə ]与 [i]两种读音。协同音是指元音字母在单词中的读音受到前面或后字母影响的读音。

1. 字母Ａ读重开音

1）字母Ａ在重读开音节中读字母音[ei ]：

name [neim] grade [greid] eraser [i'reisə] cake [keik] same [seim]table ['teibl] late [leit] favourite ['feivərit] face [feis] plane [plein] potato [pə'teitəu] skate [skeit] make [meik] lake [leik] take [teik] save [seiv] station ['steiʃən] tomato[tə'meitəu] safe [seif] gate [geit] snake [sneik] cage [keidʒ] baby ['beibi] paper ['peipə] famous ['feiməs] later ['leitə] radio ['reidiəu] patient ['peiʃənt]

2）字母Ａ在重读开音节中读长音[a:]:

banana [bə'nɑ:nə] father ['fɑ:ðə] rather ['rɑ:ðə]

2.字母Ａ读重闭音

字母Ａ在重读闭音节中读[æ] ：

map [mæp] bag [bæg] apple ['æpl] glad [glæd] hat [hæt] black [blæk] catch [kætʃ] hamburger ['hæmbə:gə] math [mæθ] rabbit ['ræbit] bank [bæŋk] accident ['æksidənt] happen ['hæpən] exam [ig'zæm] cabbage ['kæbidʒ] fact [fækt]

3.字母Ａ读非重音

1）字母Ａ在非重读音节读[ə]：

American [ə'merikən] China ['tʃaɪnə] capital ['kæpitəl] husband ['hʌzbənd] hospital ['hɔspitəl] vegetable ['vedʒitəbl] laboratory [lə'bɔrətəri] library ['laibrəri] about [ə'baut] agree [ə'gri:]

2) 字母Ａ在非重读音节读[i]：

orange ['ɔ:rindʒ] language ['læŋgwidʒ] manager ['mænidʒə] village ['vilidʒ] temperature ['tempritʃə] message ['mesidʒ] cabbage ['kæbidʒ] chocolate ['tʃɔkəlit]

４.字母Ａ读协同音

１）字母A在W后读[ɔ]或[ɔ:] ：

washroom ['wɔʃrum] watch [wɔtʃ] water ['wɔ:tə] wash [wɔʃ] was [wɔz] Washington ['wɔʃiŋtən]

２）字母A在S/ n前读[a:]：

class [klɑ:s] ask [ɑ:sk] past [pɑ:st] basket ['bɑ:skit] glass [glɑ:s] pass [pɑ:s] France [frɑ:ns] dance [dɑ:ns] fast [fɑ:st] last [lɑ:st] grass [grɑ:s] headmaster ['hed'mɑ:stə]

３）字母A在L前读[ɔ:]：

ball [bɔ:l] wall [wɔ:l] small [smɔ:l] tall [tɔ:l] all [ɔ:l] talk [tɔ:k] call [kɔ:l] walk [wɔ:k] already [ɔ:l'redi] although [ɔ:l'ðəu] hall[hɔ:l] salt [sɔ:lt] false[fɔ:ls] almost[ˈɔ:lməʊst] also [ˈɔ:lsəʊ]

５.字母A读音不规则音：

have [hæv] family ['fæmili] many ['meni] any ['eni] animal ['æniməl] madam ['mædəm] manager ['mænidʒə]

元音字母Ｅ在音节中的读音

1. 字母Ｅ读重开音

１）字母Ｅ在重读开音节读字母音[i:]：

these [ði:z] we [wi:] evening ['i:vniŋ] be [bi:] even ['i:vən] Chinese['tʃai'ni:z] Japanese[,dʒæpə'ni:z] she [ʃi:] he [hi:] me [mi:] metre ['mi:tə]

2）字母E在重读开音节读[e]：

very ['veri] America [ə'merikən] vegetable ['vedʒitəbl] medicine ['medisin] melon ['melən] second ['sekənd] never ['nevə] together [tə'geðə] celebrate ['selibreit] elephant ['elifənt]

２. 字母Ｅ读重闭音

字母E在重读闭音节读[e]：

ten [ten] spell [spel] pen [pen] desk [desk] egg [eg] welcome ['welkəm] let [let] address [ə'dres] dress [dres] next ['nekst] leg [leg] empty ['empti] rest [rest] letter ['letə] better['betə] left [left] tell [tel] remember [ri'membə] invent [in'vent] December [di'sembə] wet [wet] message ['mesidʒ]

3.字母Ｅ读非重音

１）字母Ｅ在非重读音节读[i]:

college ['kɔlidʒ] toilet ['tɔilit] chicken ['tʃikin] harvest ['hɑ:vist] forest ['fɔrist] pocket ['pɔkit]racket ['rækit] wallet ['wɔlit] knowledge ['nɔlidʒ]

2) 字母Ｅ在非重读音节读[ə]:

science ['saiəns] hello [hə'ləʊ] open ['əupən] listen ['lisən] seven ['sevən] different ['difərənt] even ['i:vən]

4.字母Ｅ读协同音

字母E在ri/ro前读[iə]：

zero ['ziərəu] serious ['siəriəs] period ['pɪərɪəd] experience [ɪk'spɪərɪəns] series ['sɪəriːz]

元音字母Ｉ在音节中的读音

1.字母I读重开音

1）字母I在重读开音节中读字母音 [ai] ：

hi [hai] nine [nain] Chinese['tʃai'ni:z] fine [fain] wife [waif] kite [kait] white [hwait] line [lain] mine [main] beside [bi'said] knife [naif] rice [rais] ice [ais] ride [raid] write [rait] price [prais] hike [haik] exciting [ik'saitiŋ] lion ['laiən] tiger ['taigə] quite [kwait] diary ['daiəri] science ['saiəns] invite [in'vait]

2）字母I重读开音节中读长音[i:]：

police [pə'li:s] machine [mə'ʃi:n] policeman [pə'li:smən] magazine [,mægə'zi:n]

2.字母Ｉ读重闭音

字母I在重读闭音节中读[i] ：

six [siks] think [θiŋk] picture ['piktʃə] twin [twin] with [wið] drink [driŋk] chips [tʃip] swim [swim] sing [siŋ] dinner ['dinə] dish [diʃ] trip [trip] winter ['wintə] pick [pik] lift [lift] village ['vilidʒ]

３.字母Ｉ读非重音

１）字母Ｉ在非重读音节中读[i]:

family ['fæmili] tennis ['tenis] favorite ['feivərit] America [ə'merikə] capital ['kæpitəl] office ['ɔfis] important [im'pɔ:tənt] animal ['æniməl]

2）字母Ｉ在非重读音节中读[ə]:

pencil ['pensəl] cousin ['kʌzən] festival ['festəvəl] holiday [ˈhɒlədeɪ]

4.字母Ｉ读协同音

字母I在gh前读[ai] ：

right [rait] light [lait] bright [brait] flight [flait]

５.字母I读音不规则音：

river ['rivə] give [giv] city ['siti] visit ['vizit] finish ['finiʃ] cinema ['sinimə]digital ['didʒitəl] after ['ɑ:ftə]

元音字母O在音节中的读音

１.字母Ｏ读重开音

1）字母O在重读开音节中读字母音[əu] ：

no [nəu] hello [hə'ləu] home [həum] those [ðəuz] over ['əuvə] phone [fəun] open ['əupən] so [səu] nose [nəuz] broken ['brəukən] close [kləuz] smoke [sməuk] October [ɔk'təubə] hope [həup] ago [ə'gəu] notice ['nəutis]

2）字母O在重读开音节中读长音[u:] ：

who [hu:] do[du:] improve [ɪm'pruːv] move [mu:v] lose [lu:z]

２.字母Ｏ读重闭音

字母O在重读闭音节中读[ɔ] ：

not [nɔt] clock [klɔk] doctor ['dɔktə] lock [lɔk] from [frɔm] shop [ʃɔp] hot [hɔt] hospital ['hɔspitl] job [dʒɔb] hobby ['hɔbi] problem ['prɔbləm] dollar['dɔlə] college ['kɔlidʒ] dolphin ['dɔlfin] soccer ['sɔkə] rock [rɔk] concert ['kɔnsət] song [sɔŋ] pocket ['pɔkit] lost [lɔst]

３.字母Ｏ读非重音

字母Ｉ在非重读音节中读[ə]:

together[təˈgeðə] today [tə'dei] welcome ['welkəm] police [pə'li:s] carrot ['kærət] history ['histəri] lesson ['lesən] lion ['laiən]

４.字母Ｏ读协同音

字母O在th/ ve/ n/m前读[ʌ] ：

mother ['mʌðə] brother ['brʌðə] love [lʌv] some [sʌm] money ['mʌni] glove [glʌv] other ['ʌðə] Monday ['mʌndei] another[ə'nʌðə] nothing ['nʌθiŋ] monkey ['mʌŋki] front [frʌnt] month [mʌnθ]

５.字母O读不规则音：

colour ['kʌlə] body ['bɔdi] woman ['wumən] popular ['pɔpjulə] post [pəust] most[məust] both [bəuθ]

字母U在音节中的读音

１.字母Ｕ读重开音

1）字母U在重读开音节中读字母音[j u:] ：

computer[kəm'pju:tə] excuse [iks'kju:z] student ['stju:dənt] use [ju:z] music ['mju:zik] usually ['ju:ʒuəli] refuse [ri'fju:z] human ['hju:mən] produce [prə'dju:s] scuba ['skju:bə] pupil ['pju:pl] universe ['ju:nivə:s] huge [hju:dʒ] duty ['dju:ti]

2）字母U在重读开音节中读长音[u:] ：

ruler ['ru:lə] true [tru:] July [dʒu:'lai] June [dʒu:n] pollute [pə'lu:t] rule [ru:l]

２.字母U读重闭音

字母Ｕ在重读闭音节中读[ʌ] ：

number ['nʌmbə] cup [kʌp] bus [bʌs] much [mʌtʃ] us [ʌs] husband ['hʌzbənd] uncle ['ʌŋkl] must [mʌst] lunch [lʌntʃ] hundred ['hʌndrəd] hungry ['hʌŋgri] jump [dʒʌmp] run [rʌn] fun

３.字母Ｕ读非重音

1)字母Ｕ在非重读音节中读[ə]:

upon [ə'pɔn] stadium['steidiəm] minus['mainəs] success [sək'ses]Augest [ˈɔ:gəst] autumn[ˈɔ:təm] support[səˈpɔ:t]supply [səˈplaɪ] suppose [səˈpəʊz] success [səkˈses]

2)字母Ｕ在非重读音节中读[i]:

minute ['minit]

４.字母Ｕ读协同音

字母 U在q/g后读[w] ：

question ['kwestʃən] quickly ['kwikli] language ['læŋgwidʒ] quiet ['kwaiət] quarrel ['kwɔrəl] penguin ['peŋgwin]

５.字母U读不规则音：

study ['stʌdi] busy ['bizi] business ['biznis]put [put] full [ful] push [puʃ] pull [pul]

英语纯辅音字母有20个，字母Y位于音节音首为辅音，辅音音素28个，相对于元音字母辅音字母的读音比较对称。大多数辅音字母在单词中读字母音的节首音或韵尾音，少数辅音字母对应多个读音，也有个别辅音字母不发音。辅音字母在单词中的读音如下表：

１.字母Ｃ的读音规则

1）字母C在E、I、Y读[s] ：

nice [nais] certainly ['sə:tənli] rice [rais] price [prais] cent [sent] century ['sentʃuri] celebrate ['selibreit] concert ['kɔnsət] necessary [ˈnesəsəri] recently [ˈri:sntli]success [səkˈses] city ['siti] medicine ['medisin] exciting [ik'saitiŋ] cinema ['sinimə] decide [di'said]circle ['sə:kl]cycle [ˈsaɪkl] exercise ['eksəsaɪz]

2）. 字母C在ie、io、ia前读[ʃ]：

delicious [di'liʃəs] especially [is'peʃəli] appreciate [əˈpri:ʃieɪt] precious [ˈpreʃəs] social[ˈsəʊʃl] associate [əˈsəʊʃieɪt] ocean [ˈəʊʃn] official[əˈfɪʃl] ancient [ˈeɪnʃənt] special ['speʃəl]

2.字母N的读音

字母N在K或G前读[ŋ]：

think [θiŋk] thanks [θæŋks] thing [θiŋ] long [lɔŋ] strong [strɔŋ] singer ['siŋə] song [sɔŋ] ring [riŋ] finger ['fiŋgə] sink [siŋk] pink [piŋk]

3.字母S的读音

1）字母S读轻音[s]：

six [siks] plus [plʌs] minus ['mainəs] spell [spel] secret ['si:krit] desk [desk] bus [bʌs] sorry ['sɔri] ] seven ['sevn] sister ['sistə] same [seim] sit [sit] see [si:] address [ə'dres] guess [ges] must [mʌst] sky [skai] dress [dres] past [pɑ:st]

2) 字母S读浊音[z]：

is [iz] please [pli:z] blouse [blauz]Chinese['tʃai'ni:z] his [hiz] excuse [iks'kju:z] these [ði:z] husband ['hʌzbənd] cousin ['kʌzən] cheese [tʃi:z] because [bi'kɔz] busy ['bizi] eraser [ɪˈreɪzə(r)] rise[raiz] rose [rəʊz] easy [ˈi:zi]

3）.字母S在u、 ure、 ia、 iao前读[ʃ]、[ʒ]：

sure [ʃuə] Russian ['rʌʃən] sugar ['ʃugə] discussion [dɪˈskʌʃn] pleasure ['pleʒə] television ['teli'viʒən] usually [ˈju:ʒuəli] decision [dɪˈsɪʒn]

4.字母T的读音

1）字母T在ia、 ie、 io前读[ʃ]：

station ['steiʃən] patient ['peiʃənt] question ['kwestʃən] mention ['menʃən] information invitation [ˌɪnvɪˈteɪʃn] education [ˌedʒuˈkeɪʃn]direction [dəˈrekʃn]

2）字母T在前ure读[tʃ]：

picture ['piktʃə] century ['sentʃuri] temperature ['tempritʃə] future ['fju:tʃə]

5.字母X的读音

1）字母X读清音[ks]：

excuse[ɪkˈskju:s] exchange[ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ] except[ɪkˈsept] experience [ɪkˈspɪəriəns] experiment [ɪkˈsperɪmənt] explain [ɪkˈspleɪn] expensive[ɪkˈspensɪv] extraordinary [ɪkˈstrɔ:dnri]

2）字母X读浊音[gz]：

exact [ɪgˈzækt] exam[ɪgˈzæm] example [ɪgˈa:mpl] exist [ɪgˈzɪst] exhaust [ɪgˈzɔ:st] executive [ɪgˈzekjətɪv]

6.字母Y的读音

1) 字母Ｙ在节首读[j]：

yes [jes] yellow ['jeləu] year [ jiə] young [jʌŋ] your [jɔ:(r)] yard [jɑ:d]

2)字母Ｙ在重读音节核心读[ai]:

my [mai] bye [bai] eye [ai]why [waɪ] buy [bai]by[bai] type [taɪp]

3) 字母Ｙ在非重读音节核心读[i]：

twenty ['twenti] very ['veri] really ['riəli] many ['meni] any ['eni] library ['laibrəri] candy ['kændi] healthy ['helθi]