14. [tʃ]
/tʃ/ as in CHAIR /tʃɛr/, TEACHER /ˈtitʃɚ/, and WITCH /wɪtʃ/
PRONOUNCING /tʃ/
TONGUE TIP: is firmly pressed against gum ridge behind upper front teeth.
AIRSTREAM: is stopped (as for /t/ and then released (as for /ʃ/).
VOCAL CORDS: are not vibrating.
The sound /tʃ/ is similar to the sound of the Spanish letters ch. It begins as the consonant /t/ and ends as the consonant /ʃ/.
SPANISH KEY WORDS WITH /tʃ/
Spanish words with this sound are spelled with ch.
KEY WORDS: chico ocho muchacho cha cha cha
POSSIBLE PRONUNCIATION PROBLEMS FOR THE SPANISH SPEAKER
Although /tʃ/ is a familiar sound in Spanish, it is easy to confuse with the similar English sound /ʃ/.
EXAMPLES:
If you say /ʃ/ instead of /tʃ/:
chair /tʃɛr/ will sound like share /ʃɛr/
which /wɪtʃ/ will sound like wish /wɪʃ/
Just remember to start /tʃ/ with your tongue in the same place as for the sound /t/. Be sure to press your tongue tip against the gum ridge behind your upper front teeth, or you will say /ʃ/ by mistake. /tʃ/ is an explosive sound like a sneeze! Think of Ah-CHOO and you'll get /tʃ/ just right! MEET THE CHALLENGE of /tʃ/!
EXERCISE A
The following words should be pronounced with /tʃ/.
Pronounce them carefully. Be sure to begin /tʃ/ just like the sound /t/.
/tʃ/ At the Beginning
/tʃ/ In the Middle
/tʃ/ In the Middle
chew /tʃu/
chair /tʃɛr/
child /tʃaɪld/
chalk /tʃɔk/
chest /tʃɛst/
choose /tʃuz/
cherry /ˈtʃɛri/
chicken /ˈtʃɪkən/
Charles /ʧɑrlz/
nature /ˈneɪtʃɚ/
teacher /ˈtitʃɚ/
picture /ˈpɪktʃɚ/
hatchet /ˈhætʃɪt/
butcher /ˈbʊtʃɚ/
richer /ˈrɪtʃɚ/
orchard /ˈɔrtʃɚd/
question
/ˈkwɛstʃən/
sandwich
/ˈsændwɪtʃ/
itch /ɪtʃ/
each /itʃ/
match /mætʃ/
much /mʌtʃ/
reach /ritʃ/
touch /tʌtʃ/
watch /wɑtʃ/
speech /spitʃ/
cheerful /ˈtʃɪrfəl/
/tʃ/ Spelled
"ch"
"tu"
"tch"
chop /tʃɑp/
rich /rɪtʃ/
cheap /tʃip/
cheese /tʃiz/
march /mɑrtʃ/
mature /məˈtʃʊr/
culture /ˈkʌltʃɚ/
posture /ˈpɑstʃɚ/
fortune /ˈfɔrtʃən/
picture /ˈpɪktʃɚ/
patch /pætʃ/
catch /kætʃ/
butcher /ˈbʊtʃɚ/
kitchen /ˈkɪtʃən/
pitcher /ˈpɪtʃɚ/
Less frequent spelling patterns for /tʃ/ consist of the letters t and ti.
EXAMPLES:
righteous
/ˈraɪtʃəs/
digestion
/daɪˈdʒɛstʃən/
question
/ˈkwɛstʃən/
HINT:
The most common spelling pattern for /tʃ/ consists of the letters ch.
EXERCISE B
The boldface words in the following phrases and sentences should be pronounced with the consonant /tʃ/. Pronounce them carefully. It's important that you remember to press your tongue tip against your upper gum ridge.
Watch out!
wɑtʃ out!
inch by inch
ɪntʃ baɪ ɪntʃ
I’m catching a cold.
aɪm ˈkætʃɪŋ ə koʊld.
cheese sandwich
tʃiz ˈsændwɪtʃ
Don’t touch that!
doʊnt tʌtʃ ðæt!
chocolate chip cookies
ˈtʃɑklɪt tʃɪp ˈkʊkiz
The chocolate chip cookies are in the kitchen.
ðə ˈtʃɑklɪt tʃɪp ˈkʊkiz ɑr ɪn ðə ˈkɪtʃən.
Does the butcher charge much for chickens?
dʌz ðə ˈbʊtʃɚ tʃɑrdʒ mʌtʃ fɔr ˈtʃɪkənz?
Which furniture did you choose?
wɪtʃ ˈfɚnɪtʃɚ dɪd yu tʃuz?
Natural cheddar cheese is not cheap.
ˈnætʃərəl ˈtʃɛdɚ tʃiz ɪz nɑt tʃip.
Please watch the children in the lunchroom.
pliz wɑtʃ ðə ˈtʃɪldrən ɪn ðə ˈlʌnʧˌrum.
I purchased a picture of China.
aɪ ˈpɚtʃəst ə ˈpɪktʃɚ ʌv ˈtʃaɪnə.
The coach chose Charles for the team.
ðə koʊtʃ tʃoʊz ʧɑrlz fɔr ðə tim.
The bachelor plays checkers and chess.
ðə ˈbætʃəlɚ pleɪz ˈtʃɛkɚz ænd tʃɛs.
Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched!
doʊnt kaʊnt yɔr ˈtʃɪkənz bɪˈfɔr ðɛr hætʃt!