24 Consonant Sounds of English: The Complete Guide (Not 28!)

You've probably heard different numbers: 24 consonants, 28 consonants, even 21 consonants. Which is correct?

The answer: English has 24 consonant phonemes (distinct sounds) in standard pronunciation.

The confusion comes from different counting methods, regional variations, and whether you count sounds or letters. This guide clears it all up.

The Official Count: 24 Consonant Sounds

According to modern linguistics and the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), English has 24 consonant phonemes.

Here they are, organized by how they're made:

Stops/Plosives (6 sounds)

Air is completely blocked, then released:

Fricatives (9 sounds)

Air is forced through a narrow space, creating friction:

Affricates (2 sounds)

A stop + fricative combination:

Nasals (3 sounds)

Air flows through the nose:

Approximants (4 sounds)

The tongue approaches but doesn't touch:

Total: 6 + 9 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 24 consonant sounds

Why Some Say 28 Consonants

The "28 consonants" claim comes from outdated or non-standard counting methods:

Myth #1: Counting Letters, Not Sounds

English has 21 consonant letters: B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y, Z

But we're counting sounds (phonemes), not letters!

• Letter C makes two sounds: /k/ (cat) and /s/ (city)
• Letter X makes two sounds: /ks/ (box) or /gz/ (exam)
• Letters CH make one sound: /tʃ/ (church)

Myth #2: Counting Regional Variations

Some British accents distinguish sounds that Americans don't:

Example: The "wh" sound /ʍ/

• British (some accents): "which" /ʍɪtʃ/ vs. "witch" /wɪtʃ/ (different!)
• American (most): Both pronounced /wɪtʃ/ (same!)

If you count /ʍ/ as a separate phoneme, you get 25 consonants.

Example: Glottal stop /ʔ/

• Cockney British: "butter" → /ˈbʌʔə/ (glottal stop replaces /t/)
• Standard American: "butter" → /ˈbʌɾɚ/ (flap t)

Some linguists count /ʔ/ as a phoneme, adding to the total.

Myth #3: Counting Allophones

Allophones are variations of the same phoneme:

• /t/ has multiple pronunciations:
  • Clear [t]: "top"
  • Flap [ɾ]: "water"
  • Glottal [ʔ]: "button"
  • Released [tʰ]: "top" (aspirated)

But these are all the same phoneme /t/, just pronounced differently in context.

If you count allophones, you could inflate the number to 28+.

The Definitive List: 24 Consonant Phonemes

Here's the complete chart organized by place (where) and manner (how):

Count: 24 consonants

How English Compares to Other Languages

Tricky Consonants for Spanish Speakers

1. /θ/ and /ð/ - The "TH" Sounds

Spanish doesn't have these!

• /θ/: "think" (tongue between teeth, voiceless)
• /ð/: "this" (tongue between teeth, voiced)

Common mistake: Saying "tink" instead of "think" or "dis" instead of "this"

Practice these words:

2. /v/ - The V Sound

Spanish "v" sounds like "b"

• English /v/: Upper teeth touch lower lip → "very"
• Spanish "v": Both lips close → sounds like "berry"

Practice: "very" vs. "berry" should sound different!

3. /ʃ/ and /ʒ/ - SH and ZH Sounds

Spanish has similar sounds, but spelled differently

• /ʃ/: "ship" (like Spanish "chaleco")
• /ʒ/: "vision" (like Spanish "yo" in Argentina)

4. /h/ - The H Sound

Spanish "h" is silent! English "h" is pronounced.

• English: "house" /haʊs/ → breathe out
• Spanish: "casa" (not "cah-sa")

5. /ŋ/ - The NG Sound

Spanish doesn't have /ŋ/ at the end of words

• English: "sing" /sɪŋ/ (one sound, no "g")
• Spanish tendency: "sing" → "sing-g" (adding extra /g/)

Common Questions

Are there silent consonants?

Yes! English has many:

• Silent K: knife, know
• Silent G: sign, design
• Silent B: thumb, climb
• Silent W: write, wrong
• Silent L: could, would
• Silent T: listen, castle
• Silent P: psychology, pneumonia

What about letter combinations?

Some letter combos make one sound:

• CH = /tʃ/: "church"
• SH = /ʃ/: "ship"
• TH = /θ/ or /ð/: "think" or "this"
• NG = /ŋ/: "sing"
• GH = /f/ or silent: "laugh" or "night"

Are /w/ and /j/ vowels or consonants?

They're consonants in phonetics:

• /w/: "win" → starts with consonant sound
• /j/: "yes" → starts with consonant sound

But the letters W and Y can represent vowels in spelling:

• "cow" → ow is a vowel sound /aʊ/
• "happy" → y is a vowel sound /i/

Why does "X" sound like two consonants?

Because it IS two consonants!

• box = /bɑks/ → /k/ + /s/
• exam = /ɪɡzæm/ → /ɡ/ + /z/

X is not a distinct phoneme in English.

Practice Tools

Want to master all 24 consonant sounds?

1. Consonant Sounds Practice - Interactive exercises
2. Individual Sound Pages - Deep dive into each sound
3. Minimal Pairs - Distinguish similar sounds
4. ING Endings - Master /ŋ/

Quick Reference Chart

Print this and keep it handy:

STOPS:      p  b  t  d  k  g
FRICATIVES: f  v  θ  ð  s  z  ʃ  ʒ  h
AFFRICATES: tʃ  dʒ
NASALS:     m  n  ŋ
APPROXIM:   l  r  w  j

TOTAL: 24 consonant sounds

Related Resources

• Basic Consonant Sounds Guide - Beginner-friendly explanation
• B vs. V for Spanish Speakers
• CH vs. SH Sounds
• All Consonant Sound Pages

FAQ

Is it 24 or 28 consonants?

24 is the standard count of distinct consonant phonemes in General American and Received Pronunciation (British) English.

Where does "28" come from?

Usually from:

• Counting allophones (variations) as separate sounds
• Including regional sounds like /ʍ/ or /ʔ/
• Confusing letters with sounds
• Outdated teaching materials

Do all English speakers use all 24?

Most do, but:

• Some British accents have 25-26 (adding /ʍ/, /ʔ/)
• Some American accents merge sounds (like "cot" = "caught")
• Regional variation is normal!

Why learn all 24?

Because mastering these sounds will:

1. Make you understood in any English-speaking country
2. Improve your listening comprehension
3. Make you sound more natural
4. Help you distinguish similar words (minimal pairs)

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Bottom line: English has 24 consonant sounds. Learn them systematically, practice with audio, and you'll master English consonants!