"Can you spell that for me?" This simple question can cause panic for many English learners. Spelling aloud is a crucial real-world skill that's rarely taught in language classes, yet you need it constantly: giving your name, sharing email addresses, providing confirmation codes, and more.
The English Alphabet: Pronunciation Guide
First, let's make sure you can pronounce each letter correctly. Many learners confuse letters that sound similar.
| Letter | IPA | Sounds Like |
|---|---|---|
| A | /eɪ/ | "ay" (like "day") |
| B | /biː/ | "bee" |
| C | /siː/ | "see" |
| D | /diː/ | "dee" |
| E | /iː/ | "ee" (like "me") |
| F | /ɛf/ | "ef" |
| G | /dʒiː/ | "jee" |
| H | /eɪtʃ/ | "aych" |
| I | /aɪ/ | "eye" |
| J | /dʒeɪ/ | "jay" |
| K | /keɪ/ | "kay" |
| L | /ɛl/ | "el" |
| M | /ɛm/ | "em" |
| N | /ɛn/ | "en" |
| O | /oʊ/ | "oh" |
| P | /piː/ | "pee" |
| Q | /kjuː/ | "cue" |
| R | /ɑːr/ | "ar" |
| S | /ɛs/ | "es" |
| T | /tiː/ | "tee" |
| U | /juː/ | "you" |
| V | /viː/ | "vee" |
| W | /ˈdʌbəl.juː/ | "double-you" |
| X | /ɛks/ | "eks" |
| Y | /waɪ/ | "why" |
| Z | /ziː/ | "zee" (US) or "zed" (UK) |
Commonly Confused Letter Pairs
These pairs cause the most confusion, especially for Spanish and Portuguese speakers:
B vs V
This is the most problematic pair for Spanish speakers, since both sounds are similar in Spanish.
- B /biː/: Lips come together completely, then release with a burst of air
- V /viː/: Upper teeth touch lower lip, air flows continuously
Practice: "B as in BOY" vs "V as in VICTOR"
M vs N
Both are nasal sounds, but made in different places:
- M /ɛm/: Lips together
- N /ɛn/: Tongue behind teeth
Practice: "M as in MARY" vs "N as in NOVEMBER"
S vs F
These can sound similar over the phone:
- S /ɛs/: Air flows through a narrow channel
- F /ɛf/: Upper teeth on lower lip
Practice: "S as in SAM" vs "F as in FRANK"
E vs I
The vowel sounds are different:
- E /iː/: Long "ee" sound
- I /aɪ/: Sounds like "eye"
Practice: "E as in ECHO" vs "I as in INDIA"
G vs J
G has a soft "j" sound at the start:
- G /dʒiː/: Starts with a "j" sound
- J /dʒeɪ/: Also starts with "j" but ends with "ay"
Practice: "G as in GOLF" vs "J as in JULIET"
The NATO Phonetic Alphabet
When clarity is critical (phone calls, noisy environments, important information), use the NATO phonetic alphabet. This system assigns a specific word to each letter to avoid confusion.
| Letter | NATO Word | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| A | Alpha | /ˈælfə/ |
| B | Bravo | /ˈbrɑːvoʊ/ |
| C | Charlie | /ˈtʃɑːrli/ |
| D | Delta | /ˈdɛltə/ |
| E | Echo | /ˈɛkoʊ/ |
| F | Foxtrot | /ˈfɑːkstrɑːt/ |
| G | Golf | /ɡɑːlf/ |
| H | Hotel | /hoʊˈtɛl/ |
| I | India | /ˈɪndiə/ |
| J | Juliet | /ˈdʒuːliɛt/ |
| K | Kilo | /ˈkiːloʊ/ |
| L | Lima | /ˈliːmə/ |
| M | Mike | /maɪk/ |
| N | November | /noʊˈvɛmbər/ |
| O | Oscar | /ˈɑːskər/ |
| P | Papa | /pəˈpɑː/ |
| Q | Quebec | /kwɪˈbɛk/ |
| R | Romeo | /ˈroʊmioʊ/ |
| S | Sierra | /siˈɛrə/ |
| T | Tango | /ˈtæŋɡoʊ/ |
| U | Uniform | /ˈjuːnɪfɔːrm/ |
| V | Victor | /ˈvɪktər/ |
| W | Whiskey | /ˈwɪski/ |
| X | X-ray | /ˈɛksreɪ/ |
| Y | Yankee | /ˈjæŋki/ |
| Z | Zulu | /ˈzuːluː/ |
Spelling Your Name
When spelling your name, follow these tips:
1. Say your name first, then spell it
"My name is Maria. That's M-A-R-I-A."
2. Group letters in chunks of 3-4
For longer names, pause between groups:
"Rodriguez. R-O-D... R-I-G... U-E-Z."
3. Clarify confusing letters immediately
"My name is Victor. V as in Victor, I-C-T-O-R."
4. Use "as in" for problematic letters
"That's B as in Boy, not V as in Victor."
Spelling Email Addresses
Email addresses require extra care because they contain special characters:
| Symbol | Say |
|---|---|
| @ | "at" |
| . | "dot" |
| _ | "underscore" |
| - | "hyphen" or "dash" |
| 0 (zero) | "zero" (not "oh") |
Example: Spelling an Email Address
Email: john.smith_99@gmail.com
"My email is john dot smith underscore nine nine at gmail dot com. Let me spell that: J-O-H-N, dot, S-M-I-T-H, underscore, nine nine, at, G-M-A-I-L, dot, C-O-M."
Numbers That Sound Similar
Some numbers are easily confused, especially over the phone:
| Confusing Pair | Tip |
|---|---|
| 13 vs 30 | thirTEEN (stress on -teen) vs THIRty (stress on thir-) |
| 14 vs 40 | fourTEEN vs FORty |
| 15 vs 50 | fifTEEN vs FIFty |
| 16 vs 60 | sixTEEN vs SIXty |
| 17 vs 70 | sevenTEEN vs SEVenty |
| 18 vs 80 | eighTEEN vs EIGHty |
| 19 vs 90 | nineTEEN vs NINEty |
To avoid confusion, say: "Fifteen. One-five." or "Fifty. Five-zero."
Useful Phrases for Phone Communication
Use these expressions when spelling over the phone:
- "Could you spell that for me, please?"
- "Let me spell that for you."
- "Was that B as in Boy or V as in Victor?"
- "I'll repeat that: M-A-R-T-I-N-E-Z."
- "Did you say fifteen or fifty?"
- "Let me confirm: your email is..."
- "Sorry, could you repeat that more slowly?"
- "Is that with a C or a K?"
- "Double L? As in two L's?"
Practice Exercise: Spell These Out
Practice spelling these items aloud:
- Your full name
- Your email address
- Your street address
- This confirmation code: BV7NM3
- This website: www.learn-english-sounds.com
Sample Answers for #4
"The confirmation code is B as in Bravo, V as in Victor, seven, N as in November, M as in Mike, three."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Saying "eh" for A: A is /eɪ/ (like "ay"), not /æ/ (like "eh")
- Confusing B and V: Always clarify with "B as in Boy"
- Rushing: Spell slowly and clearly, pausing between groups
- Forgetting special characters: Always mention dots, dashes, and underscores
- Using "O" for zero: Say "zero" for the number to avoid confusion with the letter O
Key Takeaways
- Learn the correct pronunciation of each letter, especially confusing pairs like B/V and M/N
- Use the NATO phonetic alphabet for clarity: "B as in Bravo"
- Spell in groups of 3-4 letters with pauses between
- Always say special characters explicitly: "dot," "at," "underscore"
- Distinguish numbers by saying digits: "fifteen, one-five"