LISTEN
listen_to_-n-.mp3
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/n/.../n/.../n/.../n/...

nice...man...dinner...send

WHAT IS IT?
The sound /n/ is a voiced, alveolar, nasal consonant. 
  • Touch your alveolar ridge (gum ridge) with the tip of your tongue.
  • Let air flow out of your nose.
  • Your vocal cords should vibrate.

The sound /n/ can be in these clusters:​
  • ​Beginning of a Syllable
  • ​End of a Syllable
<
>
n_initial_clusters.mp3
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​/sn/ ("sn") - sn​ow
n_final_clusters.mp3
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​/ln/ ("ln") - kiln
/lnz/ ("lns") - kilns
/rn/ ("rn") - barn
/rnz/ ("rns") - horns
/rnd/ ("rned") - mourned
/nt/ ("nt") - point
/nts/ ("nts") - rents
/ntʃ/ ("nch") - lunch
/ntʃt/ ("nched") - launched​
​/ndʒ/ ("nge") - strange
​​/nz/ ("ns" / "nse", / "nes") - fans, cleanse, bones
/ns/ ("nce" / "nse") - chance, sense
/nθ/ ("nth") - seventh
/nθs/ ("nths") - tenths​
/nd/ ("nd" / "ned" / "nned")- send, loaned, planned
/ndz/ ("nds") - minds
​Spelling:
  • "n" - nice, pen
  • "nn" - planned, dinner
  • "kn" - know, knife
  • "gn" - sign, gnaw*
  • "gne" (not common) - champagne, cologne

*Note: Occasionally the spelling "gn" is pronounced /ny/, as in the words "vignette" and "poignant"

Grammar Tip:​
The sound /n/ is part of the suffix "-en." This suffix is used to mark some past participles in English. Past participles are used in perfect verbs or passive verbs.
grammar_-n-.mp3
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  • In perfect verbs: 
    • He has eaten.
    • We had spoken.
  • In passive verbs: 
    • ​The article was written. 
    • The window was broken.​​​
The sound /n/ is also part of several contractions.  A contraction is formed by combining two words. The contractions below end in the consonant cluster /nt/.
grammar_-n-_2.mp3
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  • will not = won't
  • do not = don't
  • could not = couldn't
  • cannot = can't

COMPARE
Compare /n/ with /ŋ/:
compare_n-ng_1.mp3
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/n/.../ŋ/.../n/.../ŋ/.../n/.../ŋ/...

These are both nasal consonants. However, /n/ is an alveolar nasal while /ŋ/ is a velar nasal. When you pronounce /n/, the tip of your tongue should touch the roof of your mouth and the back of your tongue should be low in your mouth. 
​
You can hear the difference between /n/ and /ŋ/ in these words.
compare_n-ng_words.mp3
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1. A. sun, B. sung
2. A. win, B. wing
3. A. tons, B. tongues
4. A. taken, B. taking
​5. A. banned, B. banged
6. A. sinning, B. singing

​Practice recognizing words with /n/ and /ŋ/ by taking the quiz below.

Now compare /n/ and /l/:
compare_n-l_1.mp3
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/n/.../l/.../n/.../l/.../n/.../l/...

These are both voiced alveolar consonants. However, /n/ is a nasal consonant while /l/ is a liquid consonant. To pronounce /n/, air should stop in your mouth but flow out of your nose.

You can hear the difference between /n/ and /l/ in these words.
compare_n-l_words.mp3
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1. A. news, B. lose
2. A. night, B. light
3. A. nine, B. line
4. A. win, B. will
5. A. tenor, B. teller​​​
6. A. spinning, B. spilling

Practice recognizing words with /n/ and /l/ by taking the quiz below.​

PRACTICE
Listen and repeat these words:
words_with_-n-.mp3
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1. nice
​2. number
3. snow
4. sneeze
5. snack
6. dinner
7. tunnel
​8. evening
9. center
10. mention
11. man
12. happen
13. mint
14. chance
15. strange
16. lun​ch
17. bones
18. launched
19. invention
20. nonsense

​Now practice /n/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.
sentences_with_-n-.mp3
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1. complained - neighbors - noisy
He complained that his neighbors were too noisy.
2. inside - when - snowing
We should stay inside when it's snowing.
3. couldn't - find - journal
I couldn't find the right journal.
4. haven't - chance - finish
I haven't had a chance to finish.
5. lun​ch - fancy - restaurant
We had lunch at a fancy restaurant.
6. learned - anything - new - recently
Have you learned anything new recently?

To practice with different varieties of English, choose another native English speaker by clicking one of the links below:

USE IT!
​​Practice the task below. Then, record yourself completing that task. Give your recording to a teacher or an English-speaking friend for feedback.

​Prepare:
What items do you have in your kitchen?  (If you don't have a kitchen, what items do you use most for food preparation or eating?) ​​
  • Sharp knives
  • Dinner plates
  • Sauce pans
  • Wooden spoons
  • Colander
  • Rolling pin
  • Apron​
  • Counter
  • ​Gas range
  • Toaster oven
  • Napkins
  • Measuring spoons
  • Oven mitt
  • Aluminum foil
  • Plastic containers
  • Cabinets
  • Sharp knives
  • Dinner plates
  • Sauce pans
  • Wooden spoons
  • Colander
  • Rolling pin
  • Apron​
  • Counter
  • ​Gas range
  • Toaster oven
  • Napkins
  • Measuring spoons
  • Oven mitt
  • Aluminum foil
  • Plastic containers
  • Cabinets
(If you don't know some of these words, look at the pictures at https://7esl.com/kitchen-vocabulary/ . )

​Record:
In your recording, describe the 5 items that are most important to have in your kitchen. Explain how you use each item.

©2018-2021, Christine Wingate