What is the /j/ Sound?
First, let's look at a few examples of words with the English /j/ sound:
- yes
- year
- yoga
- youth
- yogurt
- lawyer
According to Baruch College's Tools for Clear Speech, the /j/ sound is made by doing the following:
"Begin with your tongue in a high-front position like the sound “ee” in “free.” Vibrate your vocal cords, and pull your tongue back and down slightly."
If you need more help articulating the /j/ sound, check out this video to learn the correct tongue and mouth placement.
Practicing the /j/ Sound
Everything you need to pronounce the English /j/ sound correctly is on this page. Just follow the instructions.
What do you have to do?
Practice for 5 minutes a day for 7 days.
That’s it.
Your goal is to pronounce the /j/ sound clearly and easily by the end of day 7.
Let’s do it!
This guide to the American English /j/ sound is full of useful information. Click the link below to jump to the part you are looking for:
- Day 1 of the /j/ sound
- Day 2 of the /j/ sound
- Day 3 of the /j/ sound
- Day 4 of the /j/ sound
- Day 5 of the /j/ sound
- Day 6 of the /j/ sound
- Day 7 of the /j/ sound
- Additional /j/ sound resources
- PDF download of the /j/ sound
Day 1: The /j/ Sound
If you are ready, let’s start with the practice for day one.
It’s pretty simple.
Watch the video and follow along.
Listen and repeat.
🔊 Click here to listen to the audio version
Minimal Pairs
Your Goal: To feel the difference between the /j/ sound and similar sounds like /j/ or /d/.
- yen - pen
- yacht - pot
- you - do
- yet - debt
Vowel Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /j/ sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.
- you - yeah - your
- yell - Yale - yowl
Syllable Stress Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /j/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.
- New York
- yearbook
- reuse
- yummy
Reduced Sounds Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /j/ sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.
- Have you been to New York? Not yet.
- What did you wear for the yearbook photo?
Tongue Twister Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /j/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.
- Yellow leather, yellow leather.
- You’re yacking and yawning and unusually annoying.
Day 2: The /j/ Sound
Just like day one, except simpler.
Watch the video and follow along.
Listen and repeat.
🔊 Click here to listen to the audio version
Minimal Pairs
Your Goal: To feel the difference between the /j/ sound and similar sounds like /j/ or /d/.
- yay - pay
- yet - pet
- yacht - dot
- yen - den
Vowel Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /j/ sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.
- yen - yawn - yearn
- yard - you’d - yod
Syllable Stress Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /j/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.
- youthfully
- yardstick
- yogurt
- lawyer
Reduced Sounds Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /j/ sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.
- I should have reused the yogurt tub.
- She wants lots of yummy yogurt.
Tongue Twister Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /j/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.
- Yolanda's yellow yogurt yields a yummy yearning yen.
- You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York.
Day 3: The /j/ Sound
Today will be the last day you only listen and repeat.
Tomorrow, you will have to start to speak.
But let’s focus on today.
Just like yesterday, watch the video and follow along.
Listen and repeat.
🔊 Click here to listen to the audio version
Minimal Pairs
Your Goal: To feel the difference between the /j/ sound and similar sounds like /t/ or /j/.
- yen - ten
- yacht - tot
- yay - pay
- yet - pet
Vowel Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /j/ sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.
- York - yuck - yoke - yak
- ying - yang - young
Syllable Stress Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /j/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.
- yoga
- yourself
- yellow
- youngster
Reduced Sounds Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /j/ sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.
- Tell her to practice yoga in the yard.
- Why don’t you do it yourself?
Tongue Twister Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /j/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.
- Young Yolanda Yates loves yellow yoyos, yogurt, and yummy yams.
- Yellow yak yields yo-yos.
Day 4: The /j/ Sound
Time to speak.
You will notice that these are the words, phrases, and sentences you repeated on day one.
Today, your job is different.
Open up a Google Doc, enable voice typing and speak.
Watch the video to see how it works.
- yen - pen
- yacht - pot
- you - do
- yet - debt
- you - yay - year - yeah - your
- yell - Yale - y’all - yowl
- New York
- yearbook
- reuse
- yummy
- Have you been to New York? Not yet.
- What did you wear for the yearbook photo?
Day 5: The /j/ Sound
Let’s revisit the words, phrases, and sentences you practiced on day two.
Just like yesterday, open up a Google Doc, enable voice typing, and get ready to speak.
Let’s do it!
- yay - pay
- yet - pet
- yacht - dot
- yen - den
- yen - yawn - yearn - yarn
- yard - you’d - yod
- youthfully
- yardstick
- yogurt
- lawyer
- I should have reused the yogurt tub.
- She wants lots of yummy yogurt.
TIP*** Are there some words that the computer does not understand no matter how many times you say them? No worries, just skip it and move on. No one is perfect.
Day 6: The /j/ Sound
You are so close to day 7.
Be proud that you have made it this far :)
In today’s lesson, let’s circle back to the words, phrases, and sentences you repeated on day three and practice saying them aloud.
Again, open up a Google Doc and let’s get started.
- yen - ten
- yacht - tot
- yay - pay
- yet - pet
- York - yuck - yoke - yak
- ying - yang - young
- yoga
- yourself
- yellow
- youngster
- Tell her to practice yoga in the yard.
- Why don’t you do it yourself?
Day 7: The /j/ Sound
Congratulations!!!
You have made it to the very last day of this /j/ sound practice course.
Do you feel like your pronunciation of this sound is improving?
Let’s finish with a simple, but challenging exercise.
Just like you did on days 4, 5, and 6, open up a Google Doc and enable voice typing.
This time, try to get the technology to recognize these six tongue twisters.
- Yellow leather, yellow leather.
- You’re yacking and yawning and unusually annoying.
- Yolanda's yellow yogurt yields a yummy yearning yen.
- You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York.
- Young Yolanda Yates loves yellow yoyos, yogurt, and yummy yams.
- Yellow yak yields yo-yos.
Now, turn voice typing off and try to say each tongue twister as fast as possible.
Watch the video to learn how to go through this exercise.
Additional Resources: The /j/ Sound
Words with the /j/ sound
| Beginning | Middle | End |
| yes | reuse | |
| yen | yo-yo | |
| you | lawyer | |
| yam | New York | |
| yelp | ||
| your | ||
| young | ||
| yummy | ||
| youth | ||
| yawn | ||
| yet | ||
| year | ||
| yell | ||
| yogurt | ||
| yellow | ||
| yearbook | ||
| yellowish | ||
| yogurt | ||
| yourself | ||
| yesterday | ||
| youngster | ||
| youthful | ||
| yearly | ||
| yardwork | ||
| yardstick | ||
| youthfully | ||
| yard | ||
| yarn | ||
| yolk | ||
| yak | ||
| yield | ||
| yips | ||
| yank | ||
| yoga | ||
| yawp | ||
| yacht | ||
| yachtsman | ||
| yardbird | ||
| yahoo | ||
| youthfulness | ||
| yawning |
Minimal Pair Collection
Minimal Pair /j/ and /j/
yen - pen
yacht - pot
yay - pay
yet - pet
yawn - pawn
yak - pack
Minimal Pair /j/ and /d/
you - do
yet - debt
yacht - dot
yen - den
yay - day
yawn/dawn
Minimal Pair /j/ and /t/
yen - ten
yacht - tot
you - two
yak - tack
yell - tell
yank - tank
Vowel Collection
you - yay - year - yeah - your
yell - Yale - y’all - yowl
yen - yawn - yearn - yarn
yard - you’d - yod
York - yuck - yoke - yak
ying - yang - young
Syllable Stress Collection
- New York
- yearbook
- reuse
- yummy
- youthfully
- yardstick
- yogurt
- lawyer
- yoga
- yourself
- yellow
- youngster
Reduced Sounds Collection
- Have you been to New York? Not yet.
- What did you wear for the yearbook photo?
- I should have reused the yogurt tub.
- She wants lots of yummy yogurt.
- Tell her to practice yoga in the yard.
- Why don’t you do it yourself?
Tongue Twister Collection
- Yellow leather, yellow leather.
- You’re yacking and yawning and unusually annoying.
- Yolanda's yellow yogurt yields a yummy yearning yen.
- You know New York, you need New York, you know you need unique New York.
- Young Yolanda Yates loves yellow yoyos, yogurt, and yummy yams.
- Yellow yak yields yo-yos.
Additional Resources
- Tools for Clear Speech /j/ profile
- Rachel’s English Video on the /j/ sound
- TEFLpedia /j/ sound
Additional Activities for All Sounds
Practice Three Words
Answer the following question:
What do you like to do in your free time?
Pick one, two, or three words from the word bank and include them in your response. If it helps, you may write out the example sentences with the word in context first.
Youglish Research
Visit the Youglish website. Pick a word or phrase you would like to practice. Enter it into the Youglish search bar. Find three examples of the word or phrase in context to shadow.
Teacher Time
During your next English speaking practice session with a teacher or conversation partner, have a list of three to five words you would like to use. Give yourself a point every time you use the word correctly in context and it is understood. Aim to score 5 points within the first 10 minutes (so the rest of the time you focus just on communicating).
Voice Typing
Write out three sentences with challenging words or phrases. Use Google Docs or any other software with the ability to turn speech to text. Read these sentences aloud and check to see if your pronunciation is correct.
***There are a ton of possibilities. These are just a few ideas. Use the word bank, tongue twisters, example sentences, and other resources on this page to continue to work on this sound.
If you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments below. I read and respond to all of them.
Download the PDF version of this 7-day mini-course.
Plus the PDF-version of every single English sound for free.
