The /w/ Sound, Voiced Bilabial Approximant
/w/
/w/ is a voiced bilabial approximant. To make it, both lips come together and the articulators come close together, but not close enough to make friction. It is voiced, so the vocal folds vibrate.
Example Words
| Word | UK | US | |
|---|---|---|---|
| wet | /wet/ | /wet/ | Syllables · Pronounce |
| away | /əˈweɪ/ | /əˈweɪ/ | Syllables · Pronounce |
| always | /ˈɔːl.weɪz/ | /ˈɔːl.weɪz/ | Syllables · Pronounce |
Distinctive Features
/w/ is told apart from every other English sound by two distinctive features.
Allophones Of /w/
/w/ has 2 allophones in the app, starting with [w̥], r, l, j or w straight after p, t, k or f in the same syllable onset. The full list, where each occurs and the examples are in Allophones, which opens with any course or with Adroit Plus.
Words With The /w/ Sound
/w/ At The Start Of A Word
- one
- wag
- war
- wax
- way
- web
- wet
- why
- wig
- win
- woe
- won
- wow
- once
- ones
- wade
- waft
- wage
- wail
- wait
- wake
- walk
- wall
- wand
- wane
- want
- ward
- warm
- warn
- warp
/w/ In The Middle Of A Word
- away
- kiwi
- quit
- quiz
- swam
- swan
- swap
- sway
- swim
- swum
- twin
- await
- awake
- award
- aware
- choir
- dwarf
- dwell
- ennui
- equal
- equip
- guava
- quack
- quaff
- quake
- qualm
- quash
- quasi
- queen
- queer
Minimal Pairs
Questions Students Ask
Is /w/ voiced or voiceless?
/w/ is voiced.
What is the place of articulation of /w/?
/w/ is bilabial, which means both lips come together.
What is the manner of articulation of /w/?
/w/ is a approximant, which means the articulators come close together, but not close enough to make friction.
Which words have the /w/ sound?
For example wet, away, always.