The /v/ Sound: English Pronunciation Practice Made Easy

What is the /v/ Sound?

First, let's look at a few examples of words with the English /v/ sound:

• vase
• voice
• advise
• level
• dove
• give

According to Baruch College's Tools for Clear Speech, the /v/ sound is made by doing the following:

"Place the bottom edges of your upper teeth against the inside of your lower lip. Vibrate your vocal cords, and push air out of your mouth, forcing it between your teeth and lower lip. You should feel some resistance (friction)."

If you need more help articulating the /v/ sound, check out this video to learn the correct tongue and mouth placement.

Practicing the /v/ Sound

Everything you need to pronounce the English /v/ 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 /v/ sound clearly and easily by the end of day 7.

Let’s do it!

This guide to the American English /v/ sound is full of useful information. Click the link below to jump to the part you are looking for:

• Day 1 of the /v/ sound
• Day 2 of the /v/ sound
• Day 3 of the /v/ sound
• Day 4 of the /v/ sound
• Day 5 of the /v/ sound
• Day 6 of the /v/ sound
• Day 7 of the /v/ sound
• Additional /v/ sound resources
• PDF download of the /v/ sound

Day 1: The /v/ 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 /v/ sound and similar sounds like /f/ or /w/.

• fan - van
• surf - serve
• vie - why
• vow - wow

Vowel Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /v/ sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.

• vet - vat - Voight
• hooves - hives - heaves

Syllable Stress Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /v/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.

• vandal
• overachieve
• vivid
• forgive

Reduced Sounds Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /v/ sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.

• Let me move the case a little.
• You just have to be an overachiever, don’t you?

Tongue Twister Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /v/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.

• The view over Dover is overly vivid.
• Vincent vehemently vowed vengeance.

• PDF download of the /v/ sound

Day 2: The /v/ 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 /v/ sound and similar sounds like /b/ or /w/.

• berry - very
• bow - vow
• vet - wet
• vile - while

Vowel Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /v/ sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.

• vile - veil - veal
• cave - cove - curve 

Syllable Stress Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /v/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.

• advent
• gravity
• divisive
• vibration

Reduced Sounds Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /v/ sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.

• I might have some more vivid colors here.
• Should you forgive and leave it behind?

Tongue Twister Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /v/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.

• Violet is very vivacious.
• We voted vegan and vented our verbs.
  
  

Day 3: The /v/ 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 /v/ sound and similar sounds like /b/ or /f/.

• bent - vent
• bury - very
• fail - veil
• fine - vine

Vowel Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /v/ sound while also improving your pronunciation of the English vowel sounds.

• vine - vein - Vin - Vern
• dive - dove - Dave

Syllable Stress Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /v/ sound while also developing a better understanding of proper syllable stress.

• canvas
• remove
• alive
• vanguard

Reduced Sounds Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /v/ sound while also working on linking words and phrases together.

• What type of device do you recommend?
• It is a very beautiful vest that you bought him.

Tongue Twister Collection

Your Goal: To practice the /v/ sound while improving your speaking speed and enunciation.

• Veering wide helps vehicles win.
• Very well, very well.
  
  

Day 4: The /v/ 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. 

• fan - van
• surf - serve
• vie - why
• vow - wow

• vet - vat - Voight
• hooves - hives - heaves

• vandal
• overachieve
• vivid
• forgive

• Let me move the case a little.
• You just have to be an overachiever, don’t you?

• The view over Dover is overly vivid.
• Vincent vehemently vowed vengeance.
   

Day 5: The /v/ 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!

• berry - very
• bow - vow
• vet - wet
• vile - while

• vile - veil - veal
• cave - cove - curve

• advent
• gravity
• divisive
• vibration

• I might have some more vivid colors here.
• Should you forgive and leave it behind?

• Violet is very vivacious.
• We voted vegan and we vented our words.

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 /v/ 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.

• bent- vent
• bury - very
• fail - veil
• fine - vine

• vine - vein - Vin - Vern
• dive - dove - Dave

• canvas
• remove
• alive
• vanguard

• What type of device do you recommend?
• It is a very beautiful vest that you bought him.

• Veering wide helps vehicles win.
• Very well, very well.
  
  

Day 7: The /v/ Sound

Congratulations!!!

You have made it to the very last day of this /v/ 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.

• The view over Dover is overly vivid.
• Vincent vehemently vowed vengeance.
• Violet is very vivacious.
• We voted vegan and we vented our words.
• Veering wide helps vehicles win.
• Very well, very well.

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 /v/ Sound

Words with the /v/ sound

Minimal Pair Collection

Minimal Pair /b/ and /v/ berry very

berry - very

bow - vow

bent- vent

bury - very

bet - vet

ban - van

curb - curve

rebel - revel

best - vest

bane - vein 

Minimal Pair /f/ and /v/ fan van

fan - van

surf - serve

fail - veil

fine - vine

fast - vast

calf - carve

fine - vine

gif - give

ferry - very

proof - prove

Minimal Pair initial /v/ and /w/ vow wow

vie - why

vow - wow

vet - wet

vile - while

veil - whale

vein - wane

vary - wary

vest - west

versed - worst

vine - wine

Vowel Collection

vet - vat - Voight

hooves - hives - heaves

vile - veil - veal

cave - cove - curve

vine - vein - Vin - Vern - Vaughn - van

dive - dove - Dave

Syllable Stress Collection

1.  vandal
2. overachieve
3.   vivid
4. forgive
5.   advent
6.  gravity
7. divisive
8. vibration
9.  canvas
10. remove
11. alive
12.  vanguard

Reduced Sounds Collection

1. Let me move the case a little.
2. You just have to be an overachiever, don’t you?
3. I might have some more vivid colors here.
4. Should you forgive and leave it behind?
5. What type of device do you recommend?
6. It is a very beautiful vest that you bought him.

Tongue Twister Collection

• The view over Dover is overly vivid.
• Vincent vehemently vowed vengeance.
• Violet is very vivacious.
• We voted vegan and vented our verbs.
• Veering wide helps vehicles win.
• Very well, very well.

Additional Resources

• Tools for Clear Speech /v/ profile
• Rachel’s English Video on the /v/ sound
• American English Pronunciation consonant sound /v/

• TEFLpedia /v/ 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.