The Sound sh In American English
The Sound of sh
The multigraphs "sh" and "ch" make the sound /ʃ/. This pronunciation drill helps you practice this sound in several common syllable structures. The drill includes the following patterns:
Vowel + Consonant (VC)
Consonant + Vowel (CV)
Vowel + Consonant + Consonant (VCC)
Consonant + Consonant + Vowel (CCV)
Practicing /ʃ/ in these different environments helps you develop greater control over the sound at the beginning and end of syllables, as well as within consonant clusters commonly found in English pronunciation.
Begin with the simpler CV and VC combinations to become comfortable producing /ʃ/ before and after different vowels. Focus on maintaining a steady stream of air and the characteristic friction of the sound without adding extra voicing. As you move on to the VCC combinations, pay close attention to the transition from /ʃ/ into following consonants while keeping each sound clear and distinct. The CCV patterns help you practice producing /ʃ/ after another consonant at the beginning of a syllable, improving your accuracy with more complex sound sequences.
Step 1: Vowel + Consonant
Read each words aloud at least 3 times.
i + sh → /iʃ/
leash, quiche
Short i + sh → /ɪʃ/
fish, dish, wish
Short e + sh → /ɛʃ/
mesh, flesh , fresh
æ + sh → /æʃ/
ash, mash, cash
a + sh → /ɑʃ/
posh, wash, squash
Short a + sh → /ʌʃ/
brush, crush, flush
Short u + sh → /ʊʃ/
push, bush
Step 2: Consonant + Vowel
Read each words aloud at least 3 times.
sh + i → /ʃi/
she, sheet, sheep
sh + Short i → /ʃɪ/
ship, shin, shift
sh + Short e → /ʃɛ/
shed, shell, shelf
sh + æ → /ʃæ/
shack, sham, shaft
sh + a → /ʃɑ/
shop, shot, shock
sh + Short a → /ʃʌ/
shut, shun, shove
sh + o → /ʃɔ/
shore, short
sh + Short u → /ʃʊ/
shook, should
sh + u → /ʃu/
shoe, shoot, chute
sh + eɪ → /ʃeɪ/
shade, shake, shame
sh + aɪ → /ʃaɪ/
shy
sh + aʊ → /ʃaʊ/
shout, shower
sh + oʊ → /ʃoʊ/
show, shoal, shoulder
Step 3: Vowel + Consonant + Consonant
Repeat each word aloud at least 3 times. The words in this set include consonant clusters so they might require more practice.
i + sh + t → /iʃt/
leashed
Short i + sh + t → /ɪʃt/
wished, fished, dished
Short e + sh + t → /ɛʃt/
meshed, fleshed, threshed
æ + sh + t → /æʃt/
mashed, crashed, flashed
a + sh + t → /ɑʃt/
washed, squashed
Short a + sh + t → /ʌʃt/
rushed, brushed, flushed
Short u + sh + t → /ʊʃt/
pushed
Step 4: Consonant + Consonant + Vowel
Repeat each word aloud at least 3 times. The words in this set include initial consonant clusters so they might require more practice.
sh + r + i → /ʃri/
shriek
sh + r + Short i → /ʃrɪ/
shrimp, shrill, shrink
sh + r + Short e → /ʃrɛ/
shred
sh + r + æ → /ʃræ/
shrank
sh + r + Short a → /ʃrʌ/
shrub, shrug, shrunk
sh + r + aɪ → /ʃraɪ/
shrine
sh + r + aʊ → /ʃraʊ/
shroud
Sentence Drills
Read each sentence aloud to practice the different patterns in which the sound "sh" appears in words.
Sheila washed the shiny dishes.
The ship sailed through the shallow shore.
Josh pushed the shopping cart carefully.
The shark splashed near the fishing boat.
Michelle packed shirts, shorts, and shoes.
The little boy wished for a shiny spaceship.
Sheila shared shiny seashells with Shawn at the shop.
The teacher shouted sharply when the children smashed the shelves.
The chef rushed to finish the shrimp dish before the shift ended.
Sasha brushed the fluffy sheep beside the wooden shed.
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