The V sound and how it’s often confused
For many learners of English, the v, b and w sounds prove difficult to distinguish. Let’s take a look at the v vs. b and w sounds, and how they are each distinct.
First, to produce the /v/ sound, the upper teeth should touch the lower lip and and vibrate.
- For /b/, however, both lips touch and close so that no air escapes until it’s followed by a vowel sound.
- For /w/, the lips should be fully rounded and pushed forward. There is no contact between the upper teeth and the bottom lip.
Practice with these minimal pairs: The V vs B and W Sounds
/b/ vs. /v/
- ban van
- bat vat
- bury very
- bow vow
- bolt volt
- bowl vole
- curb curve
- dribble drivel
/v/ vs. /w/
- Vee wee
- Vary wary
- Veal wheel
- Vent went
- Verse worse
- Vile while
- Vow wow
- Vet wet
- Vied wide
Need help?
To learn more about commonly confused consonant sounds, check out the following articles:
- /ʤ/, /ʧ/ and /j/
- the /s/ and /z
- /ʃ/ and /ʧ/
- /ŋ/ sound (vs. /nk/ & /n/)
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