1、音标：
★单元音12个 双元音8个
[i:] [i] [?] [e] [a:] [∧] [?:] [?] [u:] [u] [?:] [?
[ai] [ei][?u][?i] [au] [i?] [?]
★清浊成对的辅音10对
[p] [ t ] [k] [f] [s] [θ] [?] [t?] [tr] [ts]
[b] [d ] [g] [v] [z] [e] [?] [?] [dr] [dz]
★单个辅音8个
[m] [n] [?] [l] [r] [h] [w] [j]
2、发音要素
2.1长元音和双元音饱满,短元音急促有力
? sheep-ship leave-live believe
? Mike likes to write by the nice bright light of night.
2.2咬舌头
? Three thousand three hundred and thirty three.
? Neither father nor mother likes this weather.
2.3连读
a. 前一个词以辅音结尾,后一个词以元音开头,两个词处于同一意群或者说话者语速较快时,两词发生连读.如:
? Would you like a cup of tea?
? We have a lot of things to talk about.
? I’m working on it.
b. 击穿[h]的连读
当前一个词以辅音结尾,后一个词以轻辅音[h]开头的时候,前面的辅音击穿后一个词开头的轻辅音[h],直接与后面的元音发生连读.如：
? bad habit tell her don’t have
2.4失音
a. 两音只发一次的情况
当前面一个音的结尾与后面一个音的开始相同的时候,这两个音只发一次即可.如：
? Yes, sir.
? I don’t want to wait too long.
b. 失去爆破
当前一个词结尾是爆破音（b, p, d, t, g, k）,下一个词一开始为爆破音或其他辅音时,前一词结尾的爆破音在口语表达时自然失去.失去爆破也分两种情况：
单词与单词间的失去爆破,如：
长单词间的失去爆破
? blackboard picture football breakfast actually
短句中单词间连读失去爆破：
? Help me!
? Don’t break my heart.
? Ask Bob to sit behind me.
3、口语简缩
在口语中通常把某些较正式的词用其缩略形式表达出来,不易辨别.如：
? automobile-auto advertisement-ad
dormitory-dorm laboratory-lab
secretary