What is the /sp/ Sound?
First, let's look at a few examples of words with the English /sp/ sound:
- spot
- speak
- aspect
- despite
- wasp
- crisp
According to Baruch College's Tools for Clear Speech, the /sp/ sound is made by doing the following:
"This cluster is a combination of the /s/ and /p/ sounds. Begin with the /s/ sound - it should be a voiceless stream of air from your mouth. Be careful not to include an “e” sound before the /s/ begins. As you produce /s/, the tip of your tongue should be close to, but not completely touching, the top of your mouth. To make the /p/, press your upper and lower lips together, briefly stopping the air. Then, release the air. Also be careful not to make a vowel sound like “e” between the /s/ and the /p/. The /p/ should immediately follow the /s/."
If you need more help articulating the /sp/ sound, check out this video to learn the correct tongue and mouth placement.
Practicing the /sp/ Sound
Everything you need to pronounce the English /sp/ 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 /sp/ sound clearly and easily by the end of day 7.
Let’s do it!
This guide to the American English /sp/ sound is full of useful information. Click the link below to jump to the part you are looking for:
- Day 1 of the /sp/ sound
- Day 2 of the /sp/ sound
- Day 3 of the /sp/ sound
- Day 4 of the /sp/ sound
- Day 5 of the /sp/ sound
- Day 6 of the /sp/ sound
- Day 7 of the /sp/ sound
- Additional /sp/ sound resources
- PDF download of the /sp/ sound
Day 1: The /sp/ 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 /sp/ sound and similar sounds like /p//.
- spy - pie
- spin - pin
- spot - pot
- spare - pear
Vowel Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /sp/ sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.
- spy - spare - spear - spar
- spot - sport - spit - spat - spite
Syllable Stress Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /sp/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.
- spacing
- spencer
- spinach
- spinner
Reduced Sounds Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /sp/ sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.
- I had to speak up about the dispute.
- They must have spotted the spy.
Tongue Twister Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /sp/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.
- Sparky speeded into space on a speedy spaceship.
Day 2: The /sp/ 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 /sp/ sound and similar sounds like /p/.
- span - pan
- speak - peak
- speech - peach
- spill - pill
Vowel Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /sp/ sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.
- speak - spark - spike - spook - speck
- spell - spill - spool - spoil
Syllable Stress Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /sp/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.
- sponsor
- aspect
- despite
- suspend
Reduced Sounds Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /sp/ sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.
- Why did you spin the speaker?
- I will add the spinach and the spice.
Tongue Twister Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /sp/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.
- Wasps and spinning spiders spot spiffy spoons.
- Sporty Spice spackles spare spaces.
Day 3: The /sp/ 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 /sp/ sound and similar sounds like /g/ or /br/.
- spool - pool
- spoke - poke
- space - pace
- spine - pine
Vowel Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /sp/ sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.
- space - spice - spouse - sparse
- spin - spine - span - spoon - spun
Syllable Stress Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /sp/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.
- whisper
- inspect
- despair
- suspect
Reduced Sounds Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /sp/ sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.
- Give me more of a spark, we need spirit!
- He is in the hospital because of his spine issues.
Tongue Twister Collection
Your Goal: To practice the /sp/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.
- Sassy-spinning spies speak especially fast.
- Spread the spine-tingling special news.
Day 4: The /sp/ 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.
- spy - pie
- spin - pin
- spot - pot
- spare - pear
- spy - spare - spear - spar
- spot - sport - spit - spat - spite
- spacing
- spencer
- spinach
- spinner
- I had to speak up about the dispute.
- They must have spotted the spy.
- Sparky speeded into space on a speedy spaceship.
Day 5: The /sp/ 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!
- span - pan
- speak - peak
- speech - peach
- spill - pill
- speak - spark - spike - spook - speck
- spell - spill - spool - spoil
- sponsor
- aspect
- despite
- suspend
- Why did you spin the speaker?
- I will add the spinach and the spice.
- Wasps and spinning spiders spot spiffy spoons.
- Sporty Spice spackles spare spaces.
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 /sp/ 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.
- spool - pool
- spoke - poke
- space - pace
- spine - pine
- space - spice - spouse - sparse
- spin - spine - span - spoon - spun
- whisper
- inspect
- despair
- suspect
- Give me more of a spark, we need spirit!
- He is in the hospital because of his spine issues.
- Sassy-spinning spies speak especially fast.
- Spread the spine-tingling special news.
Day 7: The /sp/ Sound
Congratulations!!!
You have made it to the very last day of this /sp/ 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 five tongue twisters.
- Sparky speeded into space on a speedy spaceship.
- Wasps and spinning spiders spot spiffy spoons.
- Sporty Spice spackles spare spaces.
- Sassy-spinning spies speak especially fast.
- Spread the spine-tingling special news.
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 /sp/ Sound
Words with the /sp/ sound
| Beginning | Middle | End |
| spy | aspect | wasp |
| split | despite | gasp |
| spot | suspend | wisp |
| speak | whisper | rasp |
| spread | inspect | lisp |
| speaker | despair | cusp |
| special | suspect | crisp |
| spell | dispose | clasp |
| sport | suspend | hasp |
| speech | sunspot | enclasp |
| space | hospice | |
| spacing | respite | |
| spencer | dispute | |
| spinach | respect | |
| spinner | respond | |
| spark | suspicious | |
| sparkling | hospital | |
| sponsor | prosper | |
| spouse | inspire | |
| spoiler | aspirant | |
| spear | ||
| spill | ||
| spare | ||
| spray | ||
| spine | ||
| spike | ||
| spice | ||
| spire | ||
| sprout | ||
| spirit |
Minimal Pair Collection
Minimal Pair /sp/ and /p/
- spy - pie
- spin - pin
- spot - pot
- spare - pear
- span - pan
- speak - peak
- speech - peach
- spill - pill
- spool - pool
- spoke - poke
- space - pace
- spine - pine
Vowel Collection
- spy - spare - spear - spar
- spot - sport - spit - spat - spite
- speak - spark - spike - spook - speck
- spell - spill - spool - spoil
- space - spice - spouse - sparse
- spin - spine - span - spoon - spun
Syllable Stress Collection
- spacing
- spencer
- spinach
- spinner
- sponsor
- aspect
- despite
- suspend
- whisper
- inspect
- despair
- suspect
Reduced Sounds Collection
- I had to speak up about the dispute.
- They must have spotted the spy.
- Why did you spin the speaker?
- I will add the spinach and the spice.
- Give me more of a spark, we need spirit!
- He is in the hospital because of his spine issues.
Tongue Twister Collection
- Sparky speeded into space on a speedy spaceship.
- Wasps and spinning spiders spot spiffy spoons.
- Sporty Spice spackles spare spaces.
- Sassy-spinning spies speak especially fast.
- Spread the spine-tingling special news.
Additional Resources
- Tools for Clear Speech sound /sp/ profile
- Rachel’s English video on /sp/ sound
- Magoosh How to pronounce consonant blends
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.
