01. [p]

/p/ as in PAY /peɪ/, APPLE /ˈæpəl/, and STOP /stɑp/ 

PRONOUNCING /p/

LIPS: are pressed together.

AIRSTREAM: is stopped and then exploded.

VOCAL CORDS: are not vibrating.

The sound /p/ in English is similar to the sound of the letter p in Spanish. (English /p/ is more aspirated and is produced with a stronger puff of air.) 

SPANISH KEY WORDS WITH /p/

Spanish words with this sound are spelled with p. 

KEY WORDS: poco    papel    esperar 

POSSIBLE PRONUNCIATION PROBLEMS FOR THE SPANISH SPEAKER

This is a familiar consonant to you. However, /p/ is much more explosive in English than it is in Spanish. When speaking English, /p/ at the beginning of words must be produced with strong aspiration and a puff of air or it might sound like /b/.

EXAMPLES:

If you forget to aspirate /p/:

pear /pɛr/ could sound like bear /bɛr/

pat /pæt/ could sound like bat /bæt/ 

Practice saying /p/ by loosely holding a tissue in front of your lips. If you aspirate /p/ correctly and say it with a puff of air, your tissue will flutter. So PUFF, PUFF, PUFF, and you'll PRONOUNCE a PERFEC T /p/!

EXERCISE A

The following words should be pronounced with /p/ Pronounce them carefully.

/p/ At the Beginning

/p/ In the Middle

/p/ At the End

pen /pɛn/

put /pʊt/ 

pet /pɛt/ 

pay /peɪ/

pig /pɪɡ/

pot /pɑt/

pain /peɪn/

past /pæst/ 

person /ˈpɚsən/

open /ˈoʊpən/

apart /əˈpɑrt/

apple /ˈæpəl/

happy /ˈhæpi/

pepper /ˈpɛpɚ/ 

paper /ˈpeɪpɚ/

supper /ˈsʌpɚ/ 

airport /ˈɛrpɔrt/

people /ˈpipəl/

top /tɑp/

cap /kæp/

lip /lɪp/

map /mæp/ 

stop /stɑp/ 

soap /soʊp/ 

pipe /paɪp/

jump /dʒʌmp/

camp /kæmp/ 

EXERCISE B

The boldface words in the following phrases and sentences should be pronounced with /p/. Pronounce them aloud carefully. Remember to aspirate /p/ at the beginning of words!

Stop it!

stɑp  ɪt!

pencil and paper

ˈpɛnsəl  ænd  ˈpeɪpɚ

a piece of pie

ə  pis  ʌv  paɪ

proud as a peacock

praʊd  æz  ˈpikɑk

Open up!

ˈoʊpən  ʌp!

Practice makes perfect.

ˈpræktɪs  meɪks  ˈpɚfɪkt.

The apples and pears are ripe.

ði   ˈæpəlz  ænd  pɛrz  ɑr  raɪp.

The ship will stop in Panama.

ðə   ʃɪp  wɪl  stɑp  ɪn  ˈpænəˌmɑ.

Wash the pots and pans with soap.

wɑʃ   ðə  pɑts  ænd  pænz  wɪθ  soʊp.

Her purple pants are pretty.

hɚ   ˈpɚpəl  pænts  ɑr  ˈprɪti.