Many English learners are surprised to learn that the word "bank" contains an NG sound. When you say /bæŋk/, you make the nasal /ŋ/ sound (as in "sing") before the /k/. This happens because of a reliable rule: N becomes /ŋ/ before K and hard G sounds.
The Rule: N + K or G = /ŋ/ + K or G
In English, the letter N changes its pronunciation when it appears before the letters K or hard G. The N is pronounced /ŋ/ (the same sound as the end of "sing" or "running") instead of the regular /n/ sound.
You never actually say /n/ + /k/ in natural English speech. The nasal sound moves to the back of the mouth (where /ŋ/ is made) in anticipation of the K sound.
NK Words (N + K = /ŋk/)
More NK Words by Vowel Sound
- Short A /æŋk/: bank, tank, rank, blank, clank, frank, plank, sank, thank, yank
- Short I /ɪŋk/: think, drink, link, pink, rink, sink, wink, blink, brink, stink, shrink
- Short U /ʌŋk/: trunk, bunk, chunk, drunk, funk, junk, monk, skunk, stunk, clunk
- Long O /oʊŋk/: honk, conk, bonk
N + Hard G = /ŋ/ + G
The same rule applies when N appears before a hard G sound:
- anger /ˈæŋɡər/ - the feeling of being very annoyed
- finger /ˈfɪŋɡər/ - one of the five digits on your hand
- hunger /ˈhʌŋɡər/ - the feeling of needing food
- language /ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/ - a system of words used for communication
- mango /ˈmæŋɡoʊ/ - a tropical fruit
How to Practice
To make the /ŋk/ sound correctly:
- Start with the /ŋ/ sound: press the back of your tongue to the soft palate (the soft part at the back of the roof of your mouth) and let air come through your nose.
- Then quickly release and make the /k/ sound by releasing that same tongue position with a small burst of air.
Common mistakes: saying /nk/ (n + k) instead of /ŋk/, or saying /ŋ/ without the /k/ at the end. Practice: "sing" - "sink" - "think" - "thank."
Contrast: N + K vs. N + G
Notice the difference between words where the G is part of -NG (no K sound) vs. words where NG is followed by another vowel (G is pronounced):
- sing /sɪŋ/ - just /ŋ/, no G sound at all
- singer /ˈsɪŋər/ - still just /ŋ/, no G sound (the -ER suffix)
- finger /ˈfɪŋɡər/ - /ŋɡ/, the G IS pronounced (different root)
This distinction is one of the trickiest in English phonology, but the NK rule (N before K always = /ŋ/) is perfectly consistent.