The /n/, /ŋ/ and /ŋg/

Sounds in English

A Pronunciation Lesson

compiled by

Rita Simons Santiago

The /n/ and /ŋ/ Sounds in English

The tongue position for /n/ The tongue position for /ŋ/

The /n/ (as in thin) Sound in English

The /ŋ/ (as in thing) Sound in English

The /n/ and /ŋ/ Sounds in English

ban

din

fan

kin

pin

ran

run

sin

sun

thin

win

bang

ding

fang

king

ping

rang

rung

sing

sung

thing

wing

Pronounce these minimal pairs and think about the position of

your tongue as you pronounce the final sound in each one:

The /ŋ/ (as in sing) and /ŋg/ (as in

single) Sounds in English

The /ŋ/ and /ŋg/ Sounds in English

The /ŋ/ sound, such as in the word "sing," does not have a hard

"g" sound (/g/). Contrarily, as in the word "single," the /ŋg/ has

a distinct (hard) /g/ sound added to the /ŋ/ sound. Listen to the

following words, and determine if the "ng" is the /ŋ/ sound

(sing), or the /ŋg/ (single) sound:

singer longest songs jungle walking

hunger wrong tangle jogging mingle

Are you ready to check your answers?

The /ŋ/ and /ŋg/ Sounds in English

/ŋ/

singer

songs

walking

wrong

jogging

/ŋg/

longest

jungle

hunger

tangle

mingle

How did you do? Did you get them right?

The /ŋ/ and /ŋg/ Sounds in English

Be aware of how spelling patterns can help us determine if a

“g” is pronounced /g/ or not.

● Single-syllable words with -er/ -est endings of comparatives

and superlatives make “ng” sound like /ŋg/: longest.

Can you think of some words that would fit in this category?

_______________

_______________

The /ŋ/ and /ŋg/ Sounds in English

● Single-syllable words with -er/ -est endings of comparatives

and superlatives make “ng” sound like /ŋg/: longest.

Can you think of some words that would fit in this

category?

strongest

youngest

The /ŋ/ and /ŋg/ Sounds in English

●The spelling combination “ngle” results in /ŋg/: single,

jungle, tangle.

What other words can you think of that belong to this list?

_______________

_______________

_______________

The /ŋ/ and /ŋg/ Sounds in English

●The spelling combination “ngle” results in /ŋg/: single,

jungle, tangle.

What other words can you think of that belong to this list?

tingle

bungle

mangle

The /ŋ/ and /ŋg/ Sounds in English

●The final “ng” combination is pronounced /ŋ/: wrong, song.

The “ng” in the ending -ing is also pronounced /ŋ/: walking,

talking.

Can you add more words to this list?

_______________

_______________

_______________

The /ŋ/ and /ŋg/ Sounds in English

●The final “ng” combination is pronounced /ŋ/: wrong, song.

The “ng” in the ending -ing is also pronounced /ŋ/: walking,

talking.

Can you add more words to this list?

dancing

joking

studying

The /n/, /ŋ/ and /ŋg/ Sounds in English

With gratitude to:

...JenniferESL

...Rachelsenglish and

Rachel's English Because Talking is Fun

...my Friday Workshop students for encouraging me to put

these pronunciation lessons together for them.

...Heidi Gottwald for her enthusiasm about my adding this

pronunciation component to our Friday Workshop curriculum.